Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
Peppers, both hot and sweet, are used extensively in the Moroccan Jewish kitchen. This stew is moderately spicy; increase the number of jalapeño peppers or be generous with the cayenne if you want it to be hot.
2 pounds boneless beef chuck, excess fat trimmed, cut into 1
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4
- to 1
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2
-inch pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
Approximately 3 cups water
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs discarded, minced (see Note), or cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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4
pounds small red skinned potatoes
2 red or green bell peppers, cut into lengthwise strips
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1.
Pat beef dry. Heat oil in 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy casserole. Add beef in batches and brown cubes on all sides over medium-high heat. Transfer cubes to a plate as they brown.
2.
Add onion to pan and cook over low heat, stirring often, about 7 minutes or until softened. Return meat to pan, with any juices on plate. Add enough water to barely cover beef. Add garlic, jalapeño pepper, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil, stirring often. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 1
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4
hours. If pan appears dry or sauce is too thick, stir in more water. Peel potatoes if you like. Quarter potatoes, add to stew, and push down into liquid. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 to 40 minutes or until beef and potatoes are just tender when pierced with tip of knife. Add peppers and cook over low heat about 10 minutes or until tender.
3.
If sauce is too thick, stir in a few tablespoons water. If it is too thin, carefully remove beef and vegetables with a slotted spoon, boil sauce, uncovered, stirring often, until lightly thickened, and then return beef and vegetables to pan. Stir in half the cilantro, if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve stew, sprinkled with remaining cilantro, if using, from casserole or deep serving dish.
Note:
Wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers.
SIDE DISHES
In our family these rolls have long been a favorite. Although we like matzo, these fit the bill when we start to miss having bread on the table.
1 cup water
7 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
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2
cups matzo meal
5 large eggs
1.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 2 baking sheets and set aside. Combine water, oil, and salt in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add matzo meal all at once. Mix well. Return pan to low heat and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool about 5 minutes.
2.
Beat in 1 egg. When mixture is completely smooth, beat in a second egg. Continue adding eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
3.
Drop batter by heaping portions of about 2 tablespoons each onto baking sheets, allowing about 1
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inches between them. Bake about 40 minutes or until golden brown and firm.
This recipe may be a surprise, considering it is made with noodles, but you can buy pasta that is kosher for Passover. Made of matzo meal and potato starch, they are available as egg noodles and yolk-free noodles. Their taste is similar to that of noodles made with flour.
This kugel is flavored with plenty of sautéed onions. As it is pareve, you can serve it with meat, poultry, or fish or as part of a vegetarian meal.
8 ounces Passover noodles
4 to 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon paprika, plus a little more for sprinkling
2 large eggs, beaten
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook noodles uncovered in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat about 3 minutes or until nearly tender but firmer than usual. Drain, rinse with cold water, then drain well again. Transfer to a large bowl.
2.
Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté about 15 minutes or until very tender and light brown. Add salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon paprika, and sauté about 5 minutes or until well browned. Cool slightly.
3.
Stir onion mixture into noodles. Adjust seasoning; mixture should be seasoned generously. Add eggs and mix well. Oil a 2-quart baking dish and add noodle mixture. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon oil, then dust with paprika. Bake uncovered 1 hour or until set. Serve from baking dish.
Most carrot kugels contain sugar to accentuate the carrots' sweetness. This one is differentâit's flavored with onion, herbs, and chicken stock. It's a good accompaniment for chicken or lamb. You can also make the kugel with vegetable broth and serve it at a meatless dinner.
3 cups coarsely grated carrots
2 large eggs, beaten
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3
cup minced onion
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2
teaspoon paprika, plus a little for sprinkling
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2
teaspoon dried dill
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2
teaspoon salt
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4
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
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3
cup matzo meal
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 6-cup baking dish. Mix carrots with eggs, onion, paprika, dill, salt, pepper, oil, stock, and parsley in a medium bowl. Stir in matzo meal. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Bake for about 40 minutes or until firm. Serve hot.
Potato kugel is popular for Passover because it is substantial and helps satisfy your hunger when bread is not allowed. There are two basic ways to prepare potato kugel: one is from mashed boiled potatoes and the other is from grated raw potatoes, which then bake with eggs as a casserole. Grated raw onions are the standard flavoring. I prefer to sauté the onions so they have a sweeter, more mellow taste.
Kugel made of grated potatoes has a slightly crisp crust. To help the crust to form on the bottom and sides of the kugel, the baking dish is oiled and heated in the oven before the potato mixture is spooned into it.
3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled
3 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
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2
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
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4
cup matzo meal
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 2 or 3 tablespoons oil in a skillet, add onions, and sauté over medium-low heat about 10 minutes or until light golden. Transfer to a large bowl.
2.
Coarsely grate potatoes, put in large strainer and squeeze out excess liquid. Add to bowl of onions. Add eggs, salt, pepper, and matzo meal.
3.
Generously grease a 7-cup baking dish. Heat in oven for 5 minutes. Remove dish from oven and carefully spoon potato mixture into dish. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon oil. Bake about 1 hour or until kugel is browned and set.
This kugel is flavored with a Hungarian favoriteâsautéed mushrooms with onions and paprika. It is great with roast chicken or brisket. If you wish to serve the kugel with fish or in a dairy meal, substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
8 matzos