Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
1,000 Jewish Recipes (293 page)
Zehug
is a fiery Yemenite chutney made of fresh hot peppers and garlic. Some cooks add spices as well. It's made in two basic versions: red zehug made from hot red chiles and green zehug from green ones. Green zehug often has cilantro, which helps to balance the heat somewhat. You can buy it in markets that sell Israeli products but it's easy to make and is fresher if you make your own.
For many Jews of Yemenite origin, whether or not they were born in Yemen, a meal without zehug has no taste. Usually it is placed on the table in a very small dish when the meal begins. The usual way to eat it is to spread it on bread as an appetizer. Many people also like it as an accompaniment for the soups and main courses.
This chutney is really hot. The only way I can eat it is to use relatively mild chiles like jalapeños. But you can use any hot green chiles that you like. I remove the seeds and ribs so it will be less hot but my mother-in-law and most other Yemen-born cooks leave them in.
1
â
4
pound hot green chiles, such as jalapeño or serrano (see Note)
1 cup garlic cloves, peeled (
1
â
4
pound)
4 to 5 tablespoons water, if needed
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1
â
4
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons ground cumin (optional)
1.
Remove stems from peppers. Put garlic and peppers in food processor and puree until finely chopped and well blended. If necessary, add a few tablespoons water, just enough to enable food processor to chop mixture. Add cilantro and process until blended. Add salt, pepper, and cumin, if using.
2.
Keep zehug in a jar in refrigerator. It keeps about 1 week. Take only a small amount from the jar for serving, reserving the rest in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it.
Note:
Wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers. If not using gloves, always wash your hands after touching hot peppers.
1
â
2
cup
Jews from North African countries love hot sauce, made with dried hot peppers. It has two Arabic names: Tunisians call it
harissa
, the more common name in the United States. Moroccans refer to it as
sahakeh,
but they are quite similar. Made basically with dried chiles, oil, and salt, it might also include garlic, vinegar, or spices like cumin or caraway. It is used for seasoning soups, stews, and salads of cooked vegetables, and for spreading on bread.
The sauce is thick, more like a paste. To make it more sauce-like, it is sometimes mixed with tomato paste, water, and chopped green onions.
If you use a blender or mini chopper, the ingredients will blend to a more uniform paste than in a food processor.
1
â
2
cup small or medium dried red chiles (see Note)
About
1
â
3
cup water
1
â
2
teaspoon salt
2
1
â
2
tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
3 or 4 large cloves garlic (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
1.
Put dried chiles in a bowl and cover with lukewarm water. Soak 2 hours. Remove chiles; discard soaking liquid. Slit chiles and remove seeds. Cut chiles into pieces.
2.
Put chile pieces in a blender or mini-food processor. Add water, salt, 2 tablespoons oil, and garlic and cumin, if using. Process until blended to a paste; a few pieces may remain. (Avert your face when you open the blenderâthe fumes can be overpowering!) If necessary, add another tablespoon water so mixture will blend more easily. Transfer to a jar and pour a little oil over the top. Cover and keep in refrigerator up to 1 week.
Note:
Wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers. If not using gloves, always wash your hands after touching hot peppers.
Sauces of walnuts and herbs are made by cooks from Georgia, Turkey, Iran, as well as by other Sephardic Jews. This garlic-flavored walnut sauce is usually served with chicken but I also like it with flavorful fish like salmon, sea bass, and tuna. Be sure the walnuts and the garlic are very fresh. You can keep the sauce in a covered container up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
1
â
3
cup sprigs fresh parsley
2
â
3
cup walnuts
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons cold water
1
â
2
to
2
â
3
cup vegetable oil
Cayenne pepper to taste
1.
Finely chop garlic in food processor. Add parsley sprigs and chop together. Add walnuts, salt, and pepper and process until walnuts are finely ground. Add water and puree to a smooth paste. With blades turning, add oil in a very fine stream. Stop adding oil occasionally and scrape down sides and bottom of work bowl. Transfer to a bowl. Add cayenne. Adjust seasoning.
2.
Serve sauce at room temperature. Stir it before serving.
1
â
2
cup, enough for 4 to 6 servings
This scrumptious butter has a multitude of uses, from spreading on hot toasted bagels to spooning over fish fillets before you bake them or after you grill or sauté them. It also adds a lovely flavor to hot cooked noodles and green vegetables.
1
â
2
cup (1 stick) butter, softened
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1
â
4
cup finely minced fresh Italian parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Thoroughly beat butter, garlic, and parsley in a small bowl with a wooden spoon; or mash them together with a fork until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate; or, form into a rough log shape onto wax paper, then roll into a log to enclose, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze. Bring to room temperature before using.
DRESSINGS
1
â
2
cup dressing
This makes terrific dressing for
Israeli Salad
. Actually, it's an all-purpose dressing great with any raw or cooked vegetable. It also makes a pleasant, light-textured alternative to mayonnaise for chicken or tuna salads. If you like, make a larger quantity and keep it in a jar, so you have your own homemade dressing ready. If you are making it ahead, it's best to add the parsley just before you use it so it stays fresh and bright green.
3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
6 to 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 teaspoons chopped fresh Italian parsley (optional)
Whisk lemon juice with salt, pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Whisk in oil. Adjust seasoning. Just before using, whisk again and add parsley, if using.
1
â
3
cup, about 4 servings
Use this easy-to-make dressing with cooked or raw vegetables, chicken, or fish. It makes for a pleasant, zesty potato salad.
2 to 3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic, pressed or very finely minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1
â
4
cup extra-virgin olive oil
Whisk 2 tablespoons lemon juice with garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Taste, and add more lemon juice if you like. You can multiply the quantities and keep the dressing 3 to 4 days in a jar in the refrigerator. Shake well or whisk to blend before using.