Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
1,000 Jewish Recipes (264 page)
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Kasha and noodles are a time-honored pair in the Eastern European Jewish kitchen. Flavored with plenty of well-browned onions, they make a hearty, tasty kugel, perfect with brisket or chicken. For a rich, old-world accent, add
1
â
2
cup of
Grivenes
, or crisp bits of chicken skin, to the kasha mixture before baking it.
4 to 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, halved and sliced
1 teaspoon paprika, plus a little more for sprinkling
7 to 8 ounces medium egg noodles
3 large eggs
1 cup medium or large kasha (roasted buckwheat groats or kernels)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 cups hot chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, about 15 minutes or until deep brown. Add paprika and sauté 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl.
2.
Cook noodles uncovered in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat about 4 minutes or until nearly tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well. Add to bowl of onions.
3.
Beat 1 egg in a wide bowl. Add kasha and stir with a fork until grains are thoroughly coated. Put mixture in a heavy skillet and heat it over medium heat about 3 minutes, stirring to keep grains separate. Add salt, pepper, and hot stock and stir. Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
4.
Add kasha to noodle mixture and mix lightly. Adjust seasoning; mixture should be seasoned generously. Beat remaining eggs and add to noodle mixture. Mix well.
5.
Oil a 2-quart baking dish and add noodle mix- ture. Sprinkle with remaining oil, then dust with paprika. Bake uncovered 1 hour or until set. Serve from baking dish.
A great introduction to the earthy taste of kasha is to serve it as a bed for spicy chili. This novel use of the old-fashioned Ashkenazic favorite makes it enticing for eaters with a modern taste for highly seasoned food.
3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
12 ounces ground turkey or chicken
6 large cloves garlic, minced
3 or 4 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeds discarded, minced (see Note)
2 tablespoons chili powder
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2
tablespoons ground cumin
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2
teaspoon hot red pepper flakes or
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4
teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
One 28-ounce can tomatoes, with their juice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
One 15-ounce can red beans, drained
1 egg, any size
1 cup kasha (buckwheat groats or kernels), preferably medium grains
2 cups boiling water
1 ripe avocado
1 cup chopped green, white, or red onion
Small fresh cilantro sprigs
1.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a bowl.
2.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to saucepan and heat. Add turkey and cook, stirring often, until it changes color, about 7 minutes. Return onions to pan and add garlic, jalapeño peppers, chili powder, cumin, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring, about 3 minutes to coat meat with spices. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil, stirring and crushing tomatoes. Cook uncovered over low heat, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Add oregano and beans and cook 10 or 15 more minutes or until thick.
3.
Meanwhile, prepare salsa. Then, beat egg with a pinch of salt. Combine kasha with beaten egg in a wide bowl and stir with a fork until grains are thoroughly coated. Add to a dry, heavy skillet and heat it over medium heat about 3 minutes, stirring to keep grains separate. Add boiling water and stir. Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes or until all of water is absorbed. Stir with a fork to fluff.
4.
Taste chili and adjust seasoning. If you would like it hotter, add more pepper flakes. Peel and dice avocado.
5.
Serve kasha topped with chili. Surround with small bowls of avocado, salsa, chopped onion, and cilantro sprigs, for garnishing each serving.
Note:
Wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers.
BARLEY
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Barley has long been a staple in the Jewish kitchen, and recent studies have shown that, like oatmeal, it is rich in healthful fiber. While you are roasting a chicken for Shabbat, you might like to put this hearty side dish in the oven. It bakes slowly, requires little preparation, and makes a pleasant change from the usual rice or noodles.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, diced
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup medium pearl barley
2 large carrots, diced
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried sage
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives or dill or chopped Italian parsley (optional)
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a skillet. Add onion and celery and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and barley and sauté 1 minute, stirring.
2.
Oil a 2-quart casserole dish. Transfer barley mixture to casserole. Add carrots, stock, salt, pepper, oregano, and sage. Cover and bake, stirring 3 or 4 times, about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until barley is tender. Fluff with a fork before serving. Adjust seasoning. Serve topped with chives, if using.
Barley is popular not only with Ashkenazic Jews in soups and in
cholent.
Jews from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern lands like it too, and use their favorite seasonings to flavor it. Serve this lively barley dish with roast turkey or chicken or with vegetable stews.
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup medium pearl barley
2
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2
cups vegetable stock or water
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 red or green
bell peppers
, grilled and peeled, or 4 roasted pepper halves from a jar
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2
teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or
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2
teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
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4
cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add onion and sauté over medium-low heat, stirring often, 7 minutes or until it begins to turn golden. Add garlic and barley and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Add stock, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat, about 40 minutes or until barley is tender. Discard bay leaf.
2.
Meanwhile, grill peppers. Dice grilled or jarred peppers. When done, fluff barley gently with a fork. Add diced peppers, thyme, oregano, parsley, and another tablespoon oil if you like. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.