1,000 Jewish Recipes (263 page)
Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
This dish combines two favorite staples of Jews from Middle Eastern countriesâbulgur wheat and chickpeas. Pairing the grain and the legume makes the dish especially satisfying as a vegetarian entree. The flavorful, stovetop casserole also makes a fine accompaniment for braised, poached, or roasted chicken.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 small green pepper, diced
4 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 4 canned tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1
1
â
2
cups medium bulgur wheat
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, or about 1
1
â
2
cups cooked chickpeas
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1.
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan. Add onion and green pepper and sauté over medium heat, stirring often, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, coriander, and cumin and sauté, stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in bulgur wheat, stock, and chickpeas and bring to a boil.
2.
Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes or until bulgur wheat is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley. Serve hot.
KASHA
 or
Â
This is the basic recipe for cooking kasha, or roasted buckwheat, the favorite of Polish and Russian Jews. Serve it with brisket or with roasted or poached chicken. If you wish, omit the browned onions and serve the kasha as an accompaniment for chicken soup, for spooning into each bowl.
1 cup medium kasha (roasted buckwheat groats or kernels)
1 egg or 1 egg white, any size, beaten
2 cups beef, veal, chicken, or vegetable stock or water
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.
Combine kasha with beaten egg in a wide bowl and stir with a fork until grains are thoroughly coated. Set a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add kasha mixture and heat it over medium heat about 3 minutes, stirring to keep grains separate.
2.
Meanwhile, bring stock or water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add boiling stock to kasha and stir. Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes or until all of liquid is absorbed.
3.
Heat oil in a skillet, add onions, and sauté over medium-low heat, stirring often, about 10 minutes or until soft and well browned. Stir kasha with a fork to fluff. Lightly stir onion into kasha. Taste for salt; season kasha generously with pepper. Serve hot.
Although kasha is traditionally cooked with egg to keep the grains separate, it can be prepared using oil instead, thus cutting out the cholesterol and saturated fat and making it suitable for vegan diets.
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 to 6 ounces sliced mushrooms (optional)
1
â
2
teaspoon paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup medium kasha (roasted buckwheat groats or kernels)
1
3
â
4
cups hot vegetable stock or one 14
1
â
2
-ounce can broth
1
â
4
cup hot water
1
â
2
teaspoon dried marjoram
1.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy sauté pan. Add onion and sauté over medium-low heat, stirring often, about 7 minutes or until softened and beginning to turn golden; cover if pan becomes dry. Add mushrooms, if using, paprika, salt, and pepper and sauté uncovered over medium-high heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Cover to keep warm.
2.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and heat. Add kasha and sauté over medium heat about 1 minute, stirring. Add hot stock, hot water, salt, pepper, and marjoram. Stir once and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until kasha is just tender and all liquid is absorbed. Spoon onion mixture over kasha, cover, and cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Let stand off heat 5 minutes. Use fork to fluff kasha and to gently stir in onion mixture. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.
Mushrooms are a popular partner for kasha, and smoked turkey adds a pleasing accent as well. Fresh ginger is not traditional but livens up the combination. Serve this dish for a quick, hearty, and nutritious supper.
Onion Marmalade
makes a terrific topping. Glazed carrots are a tasty, colorful accompaniment.
2 or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons finely minced peeled fresh ginger
8 ounces mushrooms, halved and cut into thin slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup medium kasha (roasted buckwheat groats or kernels)
1 egg or 1 egg white, any size, beaten
2 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock or water
2 to 4 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey, cut into 3 Ã
1
â
4
-inch strips
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add ginger and mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and lightly browned. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
2.
Combine kasha with beaten egg in a wide bowl and stir with a fork until grains are thoroughly coated. Set a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add kasha mixture and heat it over medium heat about 3 minutes, stirring to keep grains separate. Add hot stock to kasha and stir. Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes or until all of liquid is absorbed.
3.
Add smoked turkey to mushroom mixture and heat through. Stir kasha with a fork to fluff. Lightly stir mushroom mixture into kasha. Add 3 tablespoons parsley. Adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon parsley and serve hot.
 or
Â
Bow-tie pasta is a time-honored partner for kasha (roasted buckwheat) in the Ashkenazic kitchen but the customary dish is not particularly colorful. To liven it up and lend a fresh, sweet taste to balance the assertive nature of the kasha, I like to add lightly cooked carrots, zucchini, and peas. I cook them together with the pasta so there is no need for an extra saucepan.
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, sliced
1
3
â
4
cups vegetable, beef, or chicken stock or one 14
1
â
2
-ounce can broth
1
â
4
cup water
1 cup medium or large (whole) kasha
1 egg, any size, beaten
1
â
2
teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 large carrots, sliced
8 ounces pasta, bow-ties or squares
1 cup frozen peas
2 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
1.
Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, about 15 minutes or until brown. Transfer to a bowl; cover to keep warm. Combine broth with water and bring to a simmer in a small saucepan or in a measuring cup in microwave; cover to keep warm.
2.
Combine kasha with beaten egg in a wide bowl and stir with a fork until grains are thoroughly coated. Add mixture to the skillet and heat it over medium heat, stirring to keep grains separate, about 3 minutes. Add hot broth and stir. Add thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat 10 to 15 minutes or until kasha is tender and water is absorbed. Stir with a fork to fluff. Add onions, stir lightly and cover.
3.
Cook carrots and pasta uncovered in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add peas and zucchini and return to a boil. Cook 4 to 5 more minutes or until pasta is tender but firm to the bite. Drain well. Toss pasta and vegetables with kasha mixture. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.