Kosher and Traditional Jewish Cooking: Authentic Recipes From a Classic Culinary Heritage: 130 Delicious Dishes Shown in 220 Stunning Photographs (19 page)

The vegetarian filling of these vegetables is tomato-red, Yemenite-spiced and accented with the tart taste of lemon juice. They are delicious cold and are excellent served as an appetizer as well as a main course. Serve warm with a mixed salad, if you like.

SERVES 4

4 potatoes, peeled

4 onions, skinned

4 courgettes (zucchini), halved widthways

2–4 garlic cloves, chopped

45–60ml/3–4 tbsp olive oil

45–60ml/3–4 tbsp tomato purée (paste)

1.5ml/
1
/
4
tsp ras al hanout or curry powder

large pinch of ground allspice

seeds of 2–3 cardamom pods

juice of
1
/
2
lemon

30–45ml/2–3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

about 90–120ml/6–8 tbsp vegetable stock

salt and ground black pepper

salad, to serve (optional)

1
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Starting with the potatoes, then the onions and finally the courgettes, add to the boiling water and cook until they become almost tender but not cooked through. Allow about 10 minutes for the potatoes, 8 minutes for the onions and 4–6 minutes for the courgettes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and leave to cool.

2
When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, hollow them out. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas 5.

3
Finely chop the cut-out vegetable flesh and put it in a bowl. Add the garlic, half the olive oil, the tomato purée, ras al hanout or curry powder, allspice, cardamom seeds, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper and mix well together. Use the stuffing mixture to fill the hollowed vegetables.

4
Arrange the stuffed vegetables in a baking tin (pan) and drizzle with the stock and the remaining oil. Roast for 35–40 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm with a salad, if you like.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 347kcal/1452kJ; Protein 10.2g; Carbohydrate 56.7g, of which sugars 22.1g; Fat 10.3g, of which saturates 1.6g; Cholesterol 0mg; Calcium 135mg; Fibre 8.2g; Sodium 62mg.

This wonderful dish is cloaked in a thick cheese sauce that, when cooked, has a topping slightly like a soufflé. It is delicious hot but even better cold, and is the perfect dish to make for a picnic.

SERVES 4–6

2 large aubergines (eggplants), cut into 5mm/
1
/
4
in thick slices

60ml/4 tbsp olive oil

25g/1oz/2 tbsp butter

30ml/2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour

500ml/17fl oz/2
1
/
4
cups hot milk

about
1
/
8
of a nutmeg, freshly grated

4 large (US extra large) eggs, lightly beaten

400g/14oz/3
1
/
2
cups grated cheese, such as kashkaval, Gruyère, or a mixture of Parmesan and Cheddar

cayenne pepper

salt and ground black pepper

1
Layer the aubergine slices in a colander, sprinkling each layer with salt, and leave to drain for at least 30 minutes. Rinse, then pat dry with kitchen paper.

2
Heat the oil and fry the aubergines until golden brown. Set aside.

3
Melt the butter in a pan, then add the flour and cook for I minute, stirring. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the hot milk. Return to the heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring, until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth. Season with nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper and leave to cool.

4
When the sauce is cool, beat in the eggs, then mix in the cheese, reserving a little to sprinkle on the top. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4. In an ovenproof dish, arrange a layer of the aubergines, then pour over some sauce. Repeat, ending with sauce. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese. Bake for about 35–40 minutes until golden and firm.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 501kcal/2084kJ; Protein 25.9g; Carbohydrate 10.9g, of which sugars 6.9g; Fat 38.4g, of which saturates 19.9g; Cholesterol 206mg; Calcium 650mg; Fibre 2.2g; Sodium 599mg.

This creamy sauce, studded with mushrooms, is ideal for a dinner party. Serve it with kasha, brown rice or a mixture of wild and cultivated rice.

SERVES 4

40–50g/1
1
/
2
–2oz/3–4 tbsp butter

500g/1
1
/
4
lb button (white) mushrooms, quartered

250g/9oz assorted wild or unusual mushrooms, cut into bitesize pieces

6 garlic cloves, chopped

2 onions, chopped

30ml/2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour

120ml/4fl oz/
1
/
2
cup dry white wine

250ml/8fl oz/1 cup vegetable stock

2.5ml/
1
/
2
tsp dried basil

250g/9oz crème fraîche

large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

juice of about
1
/
4
lemon

salt and ground black pepper

chopped fresh chives, to garnish

kasha or brown or mixed rice, to serve

1
Melt a little butter in a pan and fry the mushrooms, in batches, until brown. During cooking, sprinkle the mushrooms with a little garlic, reserving half for later. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate after cooking each batch.

2
Heat the remaining butter in the pan, add the onions and fry for 5 minutes until softened. Add the remaining garlic and cook for a further 1–2 minutes, then sprinkle over the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

3
Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the wine and half the stock. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring, until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth. Gradually stir in the remaining stock and cook until thick.

4
Add the basil and mushrooms, including their juices, to the pan. Put the crème fraîche in a bowl and stir in a little sauce, then stir the mixture into the sauce. Season with nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with chives and accompanied by kasha or rice.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 408kcal/1685kJ; Protein 6.5g; Carbohydrate 14.3g, of which sugars 6.3g; Fat 34.4g, of which saturates 22.4g; Cholesterol 92mg; Calcium 81mg; Fibre 3.4g; Sodium 88mg.

The important ingredients in these stuffed vine leaves are the flavourings and fresh herbs that give the brown rice filling its zest and special taste.

SERVES 6–8

250g/9oz/1
1
/
4
cups brown rice

30ml/2 tbsp natural (plain) yogurt

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

5–10ml/1–2 tsp ground cumin

2.5ml/
1
/
2
tsp ground cinnamon

several handfuls of raisins

3–4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced

1
/
2
bunch fresh mint, chopped, plus extra to garnish

25 preserved or fresh vine leaves

salt, if necessary

FOR COOKING

8–10 unpeeled garlic cloves

juice of 1 lemon

90ml/6 tbsp olive oil

FOR SERVING

1 lemon, cut into wedges or half slices

15–25 Greek black olives

150ml/
1
/
4
pint/
2
/
3
cup natural (plain) yogurt