The Art of Jewish Cooking (14 page)

Read The Art of Jewish Cooking Online

Authors: Jennie Grossinger

Tags: #Cooking, #Regional & Ethnic, #Jewish & Kosher, #Holiday, #General

BOOK: The Art of Jewish Cooking
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Cook the mushrooms and the onions in the butter for 15 minutes. Chop the mushroom mixture and eggs together. Stir in the sour cream, bread crumbs, salt and cayenne pepper.

CHEESE
:

½ pound pot cheese

¼ pound cream cheese

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Beat all the ingredients until smooth. Use the sugar or not, depending on whether you like a sweet filling. Serve with sour cream.

PRUNE
:

¼ cup honey

¾ cup orange juice

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 pound unsweetened pitted prunes

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

Cook the honey, orange juice and lemon juice for 5 minutes. Add the prunes and cook over low heat 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and chop the prunes. Add the orange rind. Cool before filling the squares.

SALADS
Beet Salad

2 cups grated cooked beets

4 tablespoons grated horseradish

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vinegar

2 tablespoons salad or olive oil

Mix all the ingredients together and chill for 2 hours. Serves 6–8.

Cole Slaw

4 cups shredded cabbage

½ cup grated carrots

1 cup thinly sliced green pepper

¼ cup water

¾ cup cider vinegar

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon celery seed

¼ teaspoon mustard seed

Toss together the cabbage, carrots and green pepper. Gradually stir the water and vinegar into the mayonnaise. Add the sugar, salt, pepper, celery and mustard seeds. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss until well mixed. Chill 30 minutes before serving. Serves 6–8.

Wilted Red-Cabbage Slaw

2 pounds red cabbage

3 cups boiling water

1 tablespoon salt

4 tablespoons salad or olive oil

⅓ cup lemon juice

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

4 tablespoons minced onion

½ cup grated apple

Shred the cabbage and combine with the boiling water and salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain.

Mix the oil, lemon juice, pepper and sugar together. Add to the cabbage with the onion and apple. Toss until well mixed. Chill for ½ hour before serving. Serves 6–8.

Cucumbers in Dill

4 cucumbers

1 cup boiling water

¾ cup sour cream

¼ cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons minced dill

1½ teaspoons salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

Peel the cucumbers and slice very thin. Pour the boiling water over them and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice water. Drain again.

Mix together the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, salt, pepper and sugar. Pour over the cucumbers, tossing until well mixed. Chill for 30 minutes before serving. Serves 6–8.

Cucumber Salad

3 cucumbers

2 teaspoons salt

½ cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons cold water

1 teaspoon sugar

⅛ teaspoon pepper

2 scallions, sliced thin

Peel the cucumbers and slice very thin. Sprinkle with the salt and set aside for 20 minutes. Drain well.

Mix together the vinegar, water, sugar and pepper. Add to the cucumber with the scallions. Mix well and chill for 2 hours before serving. Serves 4–6.

Pepper Salad

8 green or red peppers

1½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 bay leaf

1 cup cider vinegar

¼ cup water

Cut the peppers in half, discarding the seeds and fibers. Pierce each pepper with a fork and hold it over a flame or heat until the skin browns and blisters. Rub the skin off, then slice the peppers.

Combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, bay leaf, vinegar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and pour over the peppers. Chill for a few hours. Remove the bay leaf. This salad will keep 2 days. Serves 6–8.

Pickled Vegetable Salad

¾ cup finely diced green peppers

¾ cup minced onions

3 cups coarsely grated beets

3 cups grated cabbage

2 cups cider vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons mustard seed

1½ tablespoons celery seed

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat 10 minutes, mixing occasionally.

Turn into two 2-quart sterile jars and seal at once. Chill 36 hours before serving. Serves 12–16.

Mock Seafood Salad

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons anchovy paste

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons minced scallions

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1 head lettuce, shredded

4 endive, sliced

1 can tuna fish, drained and flaked

Mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, anchovy paste, salt, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, scallions, parsley and garlic. Add the lettuce, endive and tuna fish. Toss and serve cold with sliced tomatoes. Serves 4.

Potato Salad

2 pounds potatoes

¼ cup minced onions

1½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons vinegar

Buy small potatoes and cook them in boiling water about 20 minutes or until tender but firm. Peel and cube the potatoes. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Mix together the mayonnaise and vinegar; pour over the salad. Toss until well blended. Serve hot or cold. Serves 4–6.

Spring Salad

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

8 radishes, sliced

6 scallions, sliced

1 tomato, diced

1 pound cottage or pot cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1 pint sour cream

Lightly mix all the ingredients together. Serve with buttered rye bread.

If you like, arrange six portions of the cheese on individual plates and flatten down the centers. Mix the cucumbers, radishes, scallions and tomato together and place on the cheese. Garnish each portion with sour cream. Serves 6.

Lettuce with Sour-Cream Dressing

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

6 scallions, sliced

1 head lettuce

Mix together the sour cream, vinegar, salt, pepper and scallions.

Tear (don’t cut) the lettuce into small pieces and pour the dressing over it. Toss. Serves 4.

PICKLES
Homemade Sauerkraut

12 pounds cabbage

4 tablespoons salt

3 green apples

A wooden keg is best for sauerkraut, but if you don’t have one, use a crock or sterile glass jar.

Shred the cabbage finely (reserving some large leaves) and mix with the salt. Peel and shred the apples. Arrange layers of the cabbage and apples, pressing down very firmly after each layer. Cover with the reserved cabbage leaves and then with a piece of cheesecloth. Place a plate or board over the cheesecloth and weight it down. Keep in a cool place for 2 weeks, then taste to see if it is pickled enough. If it isn’t, wash the cheesecloth and board and replace for another 5 days. Taste again.

Cucumber Relish

5 cucumbers, peeled and chopped

1½ pounds tomatoes, diced

2 cups finely shredded cabbage

2 green peppers, minced

2 onions, minced

1¼ cups vinegar

1½ cups sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon mustard seed

½ tablespoon celery seed

Mix all the ingredients together very thoroughly. Pack into three 3-quart sterile jars. Chill for 36 hours before using.

Pickled Tomatoes

30 green tomatoes

½ cup salt

2 quarts water

1 cup white vinegar

4 cloves garlic

3 bay leaves

¼ teaspoon whole peppercorns

1 teaspoon pickling spice

10 sprigs dill

Buy even-sized, very firm tomatoes. Wash and dry them. Arrange in a crock or glass jar.

Bring the salt and water to a boil. Cool and add the vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and pickling spice. Pour over the tomatoes. Arrange the dill on top.
Be sure the liquid covers the tomatoes; if not add more salted water. Cover with a plate or wooden board to weight it down if crock is used. Keep in a cool place for a week.

Pumpkin Pickle

4 cups peeled, cubed pumpkin

¾ cup white vinegar

1 cup sugar

¼ cup dark corn syrup

10 cloves

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Cut the pumpkin into 1-inch cubes.

Combine pumpkin with the vinegar, sugar, corn syrup, cloves, cinnamon and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat until pumpkin looks translucent or until it is easily pricked with a toothpick. Pack into two one-pint sterile jars and seal. Refrigerated, keeps 3 months.

Dill Pickles

30 cucumbers

½ cup coarse salt

2 quarts water

2 tablespoons vinegar

4 cloves garlic

4 bay leaves

¼ teaspoon mustard seed

1 teaspoon mixed pickling spice

10 sprigs dill

Buy even-sized cucumbers and be sure they are very firm. Wash and dry them. Arrange the cucumbers in a crock or jar.

Bring the salt and water to a boil. Cool; then add the vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, mustard seed and pickling spice. Pour over the cucumbers. Arrange the dill over all. The liquid should completely cover the cucumbers; if not, add more salted water. If crock is used, cover with a plate or wooden board to weight it down. Loosely cover with cheesecloth. Keep in a cool place for a week. If you like very green pickles, you might test one at the end of 5 days.

PANCAKES AND BREADS
and Passover Dishes

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