Let's Eat Jewish...and convince Stella to bathe already!

So I made the matzoh balls...yes, from a mix. So what? Who'll know? It's fine. (For those who have to make em from scratch, see this.) ooops...the chef uses the same box I did!
Ya gotta simmer em till they are "just right". Use chicken stock. I did add parsley and garlic to the mix. Do NOT use this stock for the final dish. This cloudy liquid should be discarded..down the sink, out the door, in the toilet.
I made some outstanding chicken stock....NOT from a box or can. Forgot to chop some carrots up. Who'll know? So what? It's fine. See how clear the broth is? So fragrant and flavorful too.
I then prepared some zchug (Jewish salsa) and opened some sour cream for the latkes.
We convinced Stella to take a bath...had to include it because she looks so cute. This has nothing to do with anything really.
I love to make schmaltz..I always save chicken fat. Ya cook that stuff long enough and guess what???
a little kosher salt on top and we had Jewish "pork" rinds. really crunchy and light.
So shred some raw potatoes and some onions...add a bit of salt and pepper and a woosh of matzo meal or flour...and fry em in the schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) so they are crispy outside and creamy inside. I love all kinds of latkes...sweet potato latkes are fabu!
Perfect...seriously. Cottage cheese and tater latkes are very delish indeed.
and because I like the matzoh's so much...I added the same photo again. ;=/ Be sure your hands are oily when you roll em...just veggie oil. Okay...this Shiksa's gotta goy.

Sundays with Marlena Spieler...Balkan Aubergines with Cheese and Moroccan Vegetable Salad

Male eggplant on left...it is smaller and has fewer seeds. Good to know.
Saute untill a bit golden.
The texture is much like that of a souffle. It is delish cold too! Great to make ahead for Shabbat or a picnic. Great potluck dish..sure to please everyone!
Dave sprinkled some feta on top....very good idea. Next time I will peel the eggplant.. to make it easy to cut with just a fork.
Another great make ahead option.


My version of Balkan Aubergines with Cheese by Marlena Spieler from Jewish Cooking

Ingredients: Serves 6..or maybe even 8

2 large eggplants (aubergines) cut into 1/4 inch slices
(salt them and put them in a colander to drain for 30 minutes...then wash off the salt and pat dry) You will saute them until they are a golden brown.
5 TBS olive oil
3 TBS butter
3 TBS all purpose flour
2 large onions, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds (saute in pan while eggplant is draining)
a small container of cherry tomatoes...sauteed till they pop open
2 1/2 cups of hot milk (do not boil)
1/8 tsp each of nutmeg and cayenne pepper (I used a tsp of sambal olek chili paste)
4 lg eggs lightly beaten
3 1/2 cups grated cheese like Gruyere, parm, and cheddar. I mixed them all together!

[I boiled some Israeli couscous and layered that in too...nice texture)

1. So, melt the butter in a sauce pan. then add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring the entire time. Remove from heat and gradually add in the hot milk..and keep stirring. Return to med heat and let it come to a slow boil..stirring..until it thickens. Season with nutmeg and pepper or chili paste. Let sauce cool.

2. When the sauce is cool, beat in your eggs and then mix in the grated cheese. Save a bit of cheese to top the dish with.

3. So, now you layer in an ovenproof dish or pan. First the sauce, then some eggplant, then the onions and tomatoes, then the couscous (optional) and start over until you end with eggplant and the remainder of the sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until a light golden brown and it is firm. Let it rest for 15 minutes before cutting or chill and serve cold or at room temp.

Dave sprinkled some feta over it..and that was the bomb! It is so very souffle-like. We loved it..and so did my in-laws! Now, for the salad.

Moroccan Vegetable Salad..a great salad to go with the entree!

I have learned many things while cooking through Jewish Cooking by Marlena Spieler. A major delight and surprise is how wonderful the salads are...and they aren't just mixed greens. Often, greens aren't even on the menu! Not that greens are a bad thing. I've also learned....Jewish Cooking is not what you might think it is!

I made this salad the other night and Dave and I were crazy for it! I don't like green bell peppers, so we decided to exclude those.

Ingredients: Serves 4

2 waxy-type boiled potatoes..chilled and then sliced
2 bell peppers sliced thinly
10 black olives...slice a few
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
juice of one lemon
2 finely chopped lg garlic cloves
1 sliced jalapeno....remove the seeds
1 medium cucumber...sliced
1-2 finely chopped green onions
3 TBS each of chopped parsley and cilantro
1 TBS chopped mint
Feta cheese is optional and not in the original recipe..Dave wanted to add some and voila!

I put the ingredients on a plate and then drizzled the olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs over the top..took the photo, then mixed it all up in a bowl and chowed down!

Please go check out Eileen and Shankari's blogs for their offerings on Jewish Cooking.

Sundays with Marlena Spieler-Yemenite Poached Fish in Spicy Tomato Herb Sauce

The cod and basa...they are under there!
The cod was poached perfectly..light and flaky.
The basa (Asian catfish) was poached after the cod...less dense so goes in last.
On Monday we met in SF to honor Marlena Spieler. More on that later this week. She is the one with the platinum hair and red lips! I look like the family matriarch in this photo. Ha! My fellow co-bloggers look so cute! More on everyone later this week!

Okay..now to this weeks recipe from Jewish Cooking.

Ingredients: Serves 6 - 8

1 and 1/4 cups crushed canned tomatoes
2/3 cup fish stock (I made mine from dried bonito but you can purchase in a bottle)
1 large chopped onion
5-6 pearl onions (I used frozen)
1 chopped carrot (I used baby whole carrots)
4 TBS chopped parsley
4 TBS chopped cilantro
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 TBS chili paste (I prefer sambal olek)
one lg pinch of ground curry powder and ground ginger powder
1/4 tsp of both cumin and turmeric
2-3 cardamom pods
juice of 2 lemons...might need extra (ya never know)
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
3 1/4 pounds of fresh firm white fish fillets (I used cod and basa but halibut alone would be great)
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Put the crushed tomatoes in a heated pan and add the fish stock, onions, herbs, garlic, chili paste, spices, lemon juice, and oil and bring to a boil. Then, remove the pan from the heat and add the fish fillets. Return to the heat and allow to boil briefly. Reduce heat and simmer gently for a few more minutes. Spoon mixture over fish as it simmers. Don't overcook. Fish is done when it is flaky and white....about 5 minutes. I loved this aromatic dish so much and will make it over and over again. It was the best way I've ever cooked fish!

This is a traditional Jewish dish called Samak. You could serve it with flat bread or pita and with a condiment like Hilbeh...which is basically a fenugreek and tomato relish. Be sure to head on over to Eileen's blog, Just the Two of Us and over to Shankari's blog, Sacramento Spice to see what they have cooked up from Marlena's cookbook, Jewish Cooking.

Wednesdays with Marlena Spieler-Split Pea and Lentil Fritters...with Zchug

The spicy fritters are called Piaju and they come from India. Apparently they are most likely related to Ta'amia and Falafel...two dishes I love very much. The recipe called for yellow split peas or red lentils...so I just used what I had which was yellow split peas and brown lentils. Why not? I also eyed the condiment called Zchug and decided these little balls of joy would be even better dipped in this "Jewish Salsa". It is really a Yemenite chili sauce that is widely used in Israel.

I've learned many things, so far, cooking through Jewish Cooking..one of them is you better have a food processor or a sous chef. I love my food processor...but sometimes I wish I had two!

Ingredients for Zchug:

4-8 garlic cloves ( I used 5)
1 tsp red cayenne pepper (or two jalapeno chili's)
14 oz can of peeled whole or diced tomatoes (or 5 fresh ones)
1 small bunch of cilantro leaves
1 small bunch of parsley
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp curry powder
3-5 cardamom pods (I used 4)
1/2 tsp of chili flakes
juice of half a lemon
pinch of sugar if necessary
salt to taste

Except for the sugar and salt, put all of the ingredients in the food processor and blend...then add the sugar and salt to taste. Store in jar in fridge until ready to serve.

Wash out the food processor.

Ingredients for Lentil Fritters: Serves 6-8

1 cup of yellow split peas and 1/2 cup brown lentils (soaked overnight)
4 cloves of garlic
2 tsp root ginger (or a little hunk of it) peeled of course.I use a tsp. and scrape the peel off.
a handful of cilantro leaves
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
a large pinch of cayenne pepper or 1 fresh jalapeno
1/2 cup of besan flour (non-wheat...I used rice flour)
2 tbs kasha (I used the Moroccan kasha mix...Marlena called for couscous but I was out)
I also used a tbs or so of matzo meal
1 tsp baking powder
1 large onion, roughly chopped
vegetable or canola oil for frying
salt and ground black pepper to taste
lemon wedges to serve
[raita would be nice served with this as well...the Indian yogurt dip]

I cooked the split peas and lentils for about 10 minutes..drained most of the water except for about 1/2 cup. Put the garlic, onion, and ginger root in the food processor and blend well. Add the peas, lentils, cilantro, and a bit of the cooking liquid. Puree.

Now add the cumin, turmeric, cayenne or chili, salt and pepper, the flour and other mixtures...combine again. If it seems too thick, add a bit more water. If too thin, a bit more flour. You will be forming small balls and frying them. I let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. You know what? I think Marlena added the onions last..after everything was blended. The onion should be chopped small though. Oh well, either way.

Heat the oil in at least a 2 inch deep pan..large enough to cook at least 6 balls at a time. I used a stainless steel, heavy-bottomed pan. When the oil is hot..you are ready to rock! I used a small ice cream scoop to form the balls. I also got my hands a bit wet to make it easier to form them. I made them a bit flat so they would cook more evenly. Cook until golden brown..in batches. Drain on paper plate or paper towels and put in oven on about 175 to keep warm. I used a grease screen to keep clean-up to a minimum. My husband will laugh when he reads that! When I cook, I use every pan I own! I did make two meals today though..a big pot of chili for tomorrow.

I would even put these fritters in a small roll and call it a veggie slider! It would be very good! A great appetizer for Hanukkah too..because it is fried. I mean, oil.. burning? Hello! I sliced some fuyu persimmons to add some "cool" after eating the spicy fritters and zchug. I will make this dish again and again.

From so much pleasure, one could plotz! Be sure to check out my blogger pals, Eileen and Shankari, for their offerings for Wednesdays with Marlena Spieler.

Last month, in Bon Appetit Magazine, Marlena's cranberry and chutney relishes were featured. I'll be using one of those during the holidays..maybe all of them.