Sabich

 An Iraqi Jewish classic becomes a new favorite

A few years ago, signs began popping up around Tel Aviv and beyond advertising a new delicacy: sabich. This savory combination of fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, Israeli salad, and assorted condiments is stuffed into a pita and drizzled with tahini sauce and amba, a mango pickle similar to the chutneys found in Indian cuisine. The dish is now a favorite all over Israel.

But sabich isn't new to everyone: Iraqi residents, who settled in large numbers in the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat Gan, brought it (and amba) with them when they immigrated to Israel en masse during the early years of the modern state. There are many theories on the origins of the sandwich's name. The root letters of sabich--S-B-H--spell "morning" in Arabic, and in fact Iraqi Jews traditionally ate sabich on Sabbath mornings. However, some believe the letters stand for salat, beizah, hazilim (salad, eggs, eggplant)--the sandwich's main ingredients. Either way, the fusion of textures and flavors--crispy, crunchy, soft, creamy, tangy, and mildly spicy in every bite--is irresistible.

Continue reading for recipe.
 

A Cookbook Called Jerusalem

Chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi were both born in Jerusalem in 1968. Both men had mothers who served lavish breakfasts with mystifying ease, and both inhaled falafel on their midday walks home from school, spoiling their appetites for "real" lunch. In many ways they led parallel lives, with one crucial difference: Ottolenghi grew up in a Jewish family in the western part of the city, and Tamimi in a Palestinian family in the east. These parallels and divergences are explored in their new bestseller, Jerusalem: A Cookbook.

The recipes in Jerusalem: A Cookbook are as diverse, colorful, and contradictory as the city's population. Traditional fare such as shakshuka and chicken soup are contrasted by a'ja (bread fritters), chermoula, seafood and fennel soup, and braised quail. The photographs are exquisite, an homage to the city as much as its food: men reclining on plastic chairs against a stone wall, smoking water pipes; a worker hefting wooden crosses through the Old City; lunch tables adorned with salads, pickles and pitas. At a recent event in New York City, Ottolenghi conceded that though food probably won't bring peace to the Middle East, it does bring people together, and that in itself is worth celebrating.

Borekas

Borekas are nothing short of edible perfection--heavenly little parcels of dough crisped with hot oil or melted butter and stuffed with any number of delicious savory ingredients. Nutritious and filling, they make a satisfying meal any time of day. And like Italy's calzone, Spain's empanada, and India's samosa, these pastries are self-contained, which makes them the perfect portable snack to power an afternoon spent browsing through the shuk, or just about any other activity.

Originally from Turkey, borekas (which comes from the Turkish word boerek, or pie) belong within the larger category of small savory pies common throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia. They are a favorite dish among Sephardic Jews who serve them on holidays and other celebratory occasions. According to The Book of Jewish Food (Knopf, 1996) by Claudia Roden, Iberian Jews included borekas as part of their Sabbath meals as early as the 16th century--a practice that continues today. Borekas are also popular throughout Israel, both as a breakfast dish and common street food.

Borekas are most often filled with either ground beef, cheese, or vegetables from spinach to eggplant or potatoes. They are traditionally made with a homemade pastry, but in modern kitchens store-bought phyllo dough is widely considered an acceptable substitute. The version below wraps a mixture of chopped spinach and two cheeses in flaky phyllo dough topped with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

Continue reading for recipe.

Some Like Latkes Caliente!

Can American Jewish Parents Defuse the Christmas Seasonal Frenzy with Chanukah?

(Includes "Tex-Mex" Potato Latke Recipe
from "Divine Kosher (™) Cuisine Cookbook")

By Annette Keen

Many years ago I came across an article that asked a serious if rhetorical question. Is it possible in America for Jewish parents to defuse the super commercially charged Christmas Holiday season and celebrate Chanukah with their children in a nonmaterialistic, uncomplicated way? The sophisticated, relentless annual barrage that commercializes the holiday season, to the distress of many Christian parents also, is a double challenge to Jewish parents, especially of small children.

The advice was as simple as it was profound. Teach your children at Chanukah about the importance of the right not to assimilate, the difference between admiring glitzy things and hankering after them. Our holiday and theirs is about more than getting presents. Kids are smart, and they pick up at a very early age what parents authentically value. To inculcate both Jewish pride, tradition and values, parents must live their ideals. Make Judaism and its celebrations, in this case Chanukah, a meaningful and shared experience for the whole family by making the synagogue, religious school and home connection early in your life and the lives of your children. Here are some suggestions.

Start early: Children begin early to sort out their identities. Encourage them to talk about their feelings of inundation or confusion at this time of year. There is understandable anxiety in being a minority; every child wants to belong. Stress the upside to being unique, having a special heritage of courage, heroism and pride.

Send them to Hebrew School: For formal instruction and camaraderie, Jewish education is crucial.

Teach by example: Attend synagogue services, and enjoy home celebrations with family and friends.

Make Chanukah meaningful: Endow your holiday with things that delight, educate and personalize. You can give each child his or her own menorah to light, so that the house is enchantingly aglow each evening. Encourage kids to display their menorahs in their room year round with other Judaic items.

It’s not only about receiving gifts: Have kids also give holiday gifts. They can bring used toys, books and clothes to a hospital pediatric floor, or to a shelter.

Feed kids' senses: Fill your home with the aromas of special holiday foods, both traditional and trendy. (See recipe below.)

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Chanukah Recipe
“Tex-Mex” Potato Latkes Heat Up Chanukah
From Divine (tm) Kosher Cuisine Cookbook 

By Annette Keen

1 cup corn
½ cup chopped onions
2 chopped green onions
3 tablespoon chopped green pepper
3 tablespoon chopped red pepper
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
2 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs separated
vegetable frying oil
Caliente Sour Cream

Mix all ingredients together except egg whites and oil. Beat whites at mixer high speed until stiff. Fold into corn mixture. Spoon in batter by tablespoons into skillet of heated oil Fry each side until golden brown. Drain. Serve with Caliente Sour Cream.

Potato Latkes as Only Martha Stewart Can Do It

Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 small white onion, finely grated
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup beer
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Pink Applesauce for Potato Latkes, for serving
• Sour cream, for serving
• Osetra caviar, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Grate potatoes in long strips, using smooth strokes to run potatoes across grater into a large bowl of ice water. Using a strainer or slotted spoon, transfer potatoes, reserving liquid, to another large bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel; gently squeeze dry.
2. Set reserved liquid aside for 10 minutes to allow starch to sink to the bottom; carefully pour liquid from the bowl, reserving milky residue (potato starch) and discard. Transfer potatoes back to bowl with potato starch.
3. Add onions to bowl; stir in eggs, beer, flour, salt, and pepper.
4. Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. In a heavy nonstick skillet, heat 1/4-inch of oil. Spoon 1/2 cup of potato mixture per pancake into skillet. Make a few at a time, being careful they don't run into each other.
5. Fry on both sides until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to prepared baking sheet to drain. Keep warm in oven while preparing the others. Serve hot with applesauce, or sour cream and caviar, if desired.

 For more Martha Stewart recipes for Hanukkah dinner and latkes, click here.  There's also a great recipe for Vegetable Latkes made with carrots and parsnips.