Non-potato latkes

Here are some alternative recipes to try for Chanukah! (And these are all tried-and-true. One year I made a Greek-themed medieval Chanukah feast for our SCA group.)

Onion Fritters
1/2 kg (aprox. 1 lb) onions finely diced
1/2 kg flour
Fresh spearmint
Oil for frying
Salt
Pepper
In a bowl, mix well the onions, spearmint, flour, salt and pepper. Add enough water to make a thick batter. Heat oil in a frying pan. Drop teaspoons of batter into the oil. Fry until golden brown. Drain the fritters well and serve hot.

Aubergine croquettes (Eggplant)
aubergines (enough to make at least 2 cups of aubergine pulp)
2 eggs
Bread crumb
1/2 cup grated cheese (kefalograviera or parmesan)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Flour for coating
1 tspn baking powder
Salt
Pepper
Wash the aubergines and pierce them in several places. Boil them in salted water until tender. Drain them well, peel of their skin, remove seeds and mash them well until they become a pulp. Place in a bowl. Beat the eggs with a fork and mix with the pulp. Add the bread crumb, 1 tspn baking powder, chopped onion and parsley. Work the mixture until all ingredients are unified. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. If the mixture is very soft and not thick enough add more bread crumb or some flour. Shape the mixture into croquettes or balls, dredge flour over them and fry until brown.
Tip: To soften the aubergines you can bake them for an hour in 190 C, if you prefer

Courgette balls (Zucchini)
1 kg (2.2 lbs) courgettes
1/2 tea cup grated cheese
200 gr grated feta cheese
3 eggs
spearmint
salt
pepper
flour for dredging
Olive oil for frying
Wash the courgettes and cut off their ends. Grate them and squeeze them to remove their liquid. Soak the bread crumbs and drain them. Beat the eggs. In a bowl mix the grated courgettes with the grated cheese, the grated feta cheese, the bread crumbs and the beaten eggs. Add salt, pepper and spearmint. Shape the mixture into balls. Flour the balls and fry them in olive oil until they take brown color.


Santorinian Tomato Rissoles
* 500 gr. tomatoes, rinsed and dried
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped (not grated)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and black pepper
1 teacup fresh spearmint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil 150 grams self-raising flour
sunflower oil, for frying
Put the rinsed and dried tomatoes whole into a large bowl. Squeeze and manipulate them with the hands, until they turn into a pulpy substance. This is the only way to do it as you need the skins to give some substance. Next, mix all the ingredients together, apart from the flour. Add enough flour gradually to make a thickish but moist paste. You will probably not need all the flour. The mixture can now wait until it is time to be cooked and eaten. Put about 2.5 cm oil in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, drop in tablespoons of the mixture and fry, turning the rissoles over once, until lightly golden all over. Serve immediately.

*(I use peeled, whole, canned tomatoes and crush them between my fingers and just use more flour. I don't like the texture of the peel once the tomatoes are smashed).

Delicious yogurt dip to go with the above latkes
1/2 kilo (1 lb) strained yoghurt (I use a good quality goat yogurt)
1 cucumber
4 garlic cloves (more makes it with stronger taste)
salt
oil
vinegar
Grate the garlic and mix it with salt and vinegar. Peel the cucumber, grate it and squeeze it until all its water is removed. Put the yoghurt into a bowl and add the cucumber into it. Then mix the yoghurt with the mixture of grated garlic. Whiz the content until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add some oil. Yoghurt dip can be served in a normal temperature but it is rather preferred cold.
Variation: substitute chopped dill for the cucumber or garlic.

Tu b'Shvat Turkey

The first time I made this recipe was 2 Rosh haShanas ago. Next Shabbat is Tu b'Shvat and we're having a pot luck Shabbat lunch/Tu b'Shvat seder at our house. And I plan on making this. The nuts and fruit, even the seasoning lends itself to the holiday.


6 pounds Turkey breast
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 (12-oz) can frozen orange juice concentrate; thawed and undiluted
1 cup water
2 tablespoons Brown sugar
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon Curry powder
1 (8-oz) can pineapple chunks drained
1 (2-oz) pkg slivered almonds
1/4 cup Raisins
1/4 cup Currants
Cooked wild rice
3 tablespoons Cornstarch
1/4 cup water


Directions:

Rub turkey breast with salt and pepper; brown in a large Dutch oven. Combine orange juice concentrate, 1 cup water, brown sugar, and spices, mixing well. Pour over turkey; add pineapple, almonds, raisins, and currants. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. Remove turkey, and place on a bed of wild rice.

Combine cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; gradually stir into juice mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Serve sauce with turkey and wild rice.

Honey Barbecued Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

I made this for the first time a couple weeks ago for Shabbat. It came out fantastic! SO tasty... and I'm not a fan of ginger. But it was really good.

3 cups peeled and sliced sweet potatoes, about 2 medium-large sweet potatoes
1 cup (8 oz.) pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
¼ cup finely chopped onion
½ tsp ground ginger
2/3 cup thick barbecue sauce
4 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp dry mustard
4 to 6 chicken leg quarters, skin removed

In 3½ to 5 quart slow cooker, combine sweet potatoes, pineapple with juice, chopped onion, and ground ginger. Stir to blend well.
In a measuring cup, combine barbecue sauce, honey, and dry mustard. Stir with a fork to blend well.
Coat chicken generously on all sides with barbecue sauce mixture. Arrange coated chicken in single layer over sweet potato and pineapple mixture, overlapping if necessary. Spoon any remaining barbecue sauce mixture over chicken.
Cover; cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours (or on HIGH for 4 to 4½) or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear, and sweet potatoes are tender.

Hot and Sour Soup

6 cups chicken stock
1/4 lb chicken breast, julienned
2 cups carrots, julienned
2 tablespoons garlic and red chili paste (Pereg makes a great paste I use)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon white pepper, ground
3-4 eggs beaten
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup each bamboo shoots, julienned and sliced water chestnuts (I leave this out since I can't find it)
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced and stems removed
1 cup straw mushrooms
1 (12 oz) package cake tofu, 1/4 inch dice
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup dried black fungus, soaked for 1 hour (I leave this out)
scallions, finely chopped for garnish

Bring stock to a simmer
Add soy sauce, chicken, carrots, mushrooms and chili paste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add pepper, vinegar, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, fungus and tofu.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Mix cornstarch with 5 tablespoons water and add.
Bring back to a simmer and pour the eggs in a very thin stream over the surface. Let stand 10 seconds before stirring in the sesame oil.
Serve with a garnish of chopped scallions.

NOTE: the pepper, chili paste and vinegar can be varied for taste.
NOTE 2: I will also add either shredded cabbage (Napa or regular is fine) or shredded beet leaves to add body and flavor to the soup (since bok choy isn't readily available here and when it is, it's a fortune). I'll also add mung bean sprouts just before adding the egg.

Moroccan Eggplant Salad

I came into liking eggplant very late. I found this recipe when I worked in the kitchen at the Ulpana in Maale Levona. I basically washed the dishes and chopped veggies and this was one of the salads I chopped veggies for. It's a fairly easy recipe, the only time consuming part is frying the cubed eggplant.*

My apologies for not having amounts but it's a salad - do things according to your own taste.

Eggplant, cubed
flour seasoned with black pepper, garlic powder and paprika (that's what I usually use, Feel free to make adjustments)
red pepper, diced
parsley, chopped
garlic, minced
olive oil, splash
lemon juice, splash
salt and pepper
oil for frying

Dredge the eggplant in the flour, shake off excess flour and fry the pieces until golden brown, turning at least once. Drain on a towel then place into a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, toss and chill.

* I have since dispensed with frying and only bake the eggplant. After dredging in the seasoned flour, place on a cookie sheet, toss with some oil, and bake until golden brown.

Felafel-crusted Chicken Strips

The original recipe calls for one packet of felafel ball mix, dry and another mixed with water with about 1/4 cup more water than instructed. I cheated a bit and used flour for the dry dredge.

Dredge chicken in either flour or dry felafel ball mix.

Then coat in felafel mix (add a bit more water than the package instructs) and fry.

Cookie Brittle

1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 cups flour
chocolate chips*

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
Line a 10x15 jelly roll pan with baking paper and grease a bit.
Combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
Spread the batter in the pan. (Keep smushing - it will cover the whole bottom of the pan. It's supposed to be pretty thin.)
Bake 20-25 minutes (until golden brown.)
Allow the brittle to cool completely and then break it into pieces.

* I made mine with chocolate chips, almond slivers and chopped craisins. It came out amazing. I now have a batch in the oven with chocolate chips, toasted hazelnuts and chopped craisins. I have plans for a future batch to be a 'pina colada' version with coconut, macademia nuts and pineapple chunks (haven't decided if I'm going to go with canned pineapple or dried pineapple)

Pretentious Cole Slaw

head of broccoli
carrots
red onion
craisins
cashews (or other nuts you like)
sunflower seeds

3/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar or splenda

Cinnamon chocolate chip cake

I've had this recipe from my mom for many years. For some reason it's something I very rarely make. But judging from the few crumbs that were the only thing to survive through Shabbat, I have a feeling it's going to become a regular here.

When the cake was baked and cooled, the sugar and chocolate on top, together with the golden, crunchy cake was just wonderful.

Now on to the recipe...

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used soy milk)
3/4 cup margarine
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 - 3/4 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons melted margarine

Mix together the batter ingredients.
In a separate bowl, mix topping ingredients.
Pour 1/2 of the batter into a greased 8x8 pan. Top with 3/4 of the chocolate chip crumble. Cover with the rest of the batter and finally, the rest of the chocolate chip crumble.
Bake 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Tie-dyed cheesecake

Inspired by Beth's posts regarding the tie-dyed cheesecake she and her family experienced on their vacation to Disneyworld in May and their own attempt to recreate this visually trippy and quite tasty treat in August, I had to make my own.

Except I felt it needed the right touch and frankly, Israeli food coloring just wasn't going to cut it. Besides the fact you tend to need a lot of the food coloring to get even a decent pastel going, the local supermarket has at most 3 colors... and when mixed I'd have 6. But I wanted the vibrant colors Beth had in Disney.

Well, I was in luck. My aunt and 2 of her kids would be visiting from Maryland so I called my brother (who lives in MD) and asked him if he'd be kind enough to get me a basic box of Wilton icing colors. He later called me from the supermarket, informed me he was standing at the top of an entire aisle dedicated to food decoration and candy making and whatnot... I resisted the urge to reply "get me one of everything" when he asked if there was anything else I'd like...

Unfortunately I got my dates mixed up and by the time I called my brother, my aunt was already on her way to the airport. But I was in luck. My brother's BIL was coming to Israel at the end of the summer. So he brought it to Israel and SR picked it up in Jerusalem and I had the final ingredients to make tie-dyed cheesecake... in addition to some really cool tubes of icing... which sparkle!



IMO, the actual recipe doesn't really matter, as long as it tastes good, so if you already have a basic cheesecake recipe that works for you, feel free to use it.

I decided to go a bit decadent and use the Philly Northwest Cheesecake Supreme recipe but left out the cherry pie filling and did a few extra steps to make it tie-dyed.

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
food coloring or icing gels

Combine graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and flour; mixing at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in sour cream and vanilla; pour into 6 or so smaller bowls to add the food coloring.
After each bowl is blended with the color you want, start pouring into the pan - about 1/3 of each bowl, then repeat the process until all the bowls have been scraped clean with a spatula and added to the pan. Very gently swirl the colors together. Be careful not to over mix.
Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 250°F (120°C) and continue baking for 1 hour.
Loosen the cake from the rim and cool before removing. Chill.

Spinach-Tuna-Noodle Caserole

This is sort of like a tuna florentine... Really easy to make. The original recipe has microwave directions. Since I don't own a microwave, I simply did it stove top and bake bake in the oven. Came out really nice too.

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach
2 cups ricotta cheese (I simply used 5% cottage cheese)
1/4 cup mayo or salad dressing
1 egg
2 teaspoons dried chives
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed (I used oregano)
1/2 teaspoon dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces wide egg noodles or fusilli, cooked and drained
1 can (9 1/4 ounces tuna, drained and broken into chunks
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Place opened spinach package in a shallow microwavable bowl. Cook uncovered on high for 4 to 6 minutes or until thawed, turning every 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes. Drain well and squeeze out excess moisture. In a blender or food processor, combine spinach, ricotta, mayo, egg and seasonings. Cover and process until smooth.

In a 9x9x2 inch microwavable casserole dish, spread the cooked noodles. Top with tuna, then spread cheese mixture over tuna. Cover loosely; microwave in high for 8 to 11 minutes or until mixture is hot in the center. Sprinkle mozzarella over the top. Let stand , covered for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 4 servings.

(I cooked the spinach in a pot on the stove with a little water and drained it. Mixed with cottage cheese, egg, seasonings and mayo. Layered as directed but added the cheese on top right away. Baked uncovered for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F)

Cinnamon Buns

Basic Sweet Dough
1/2 cup sugar
2 packages dry yeast
1 1/2 yeapoon salt
6 1/2 - 7 cups flour
1 1/4 cups apple juice
1 cup margarine
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixer bowl, combine sugar, yeast, salt and 2 cups flour. In a 1 quart saucepan, heat apple juice and margarine until warm. (Margarine doesn't have to melt).

Gradually add warm liquid to dry ingredients beating with mixer at low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and 2 1/2 cups of flour. Beat 2 more minutes. By hand stir in enough additional flour to make a stiff dough, about 2 cups.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary.

Place dough in a well oiled bowl and turn to oil the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in size. Punch down, turn onto floured board, cover with bowl and allow to rest 15 minutes for easier shaping.

Filling
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup margarine, melted or oil

Glaze
1 cup confectioner's sugar
4 teaspoons water

Combine brown sugar, walnuts, raisins and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Roll out dough into an 18 x 12 inch rectangle. Brush with melted margarine and sprinkle with sugar mixture. Starting with 18 inch side, roll dough jelly roll fashion, pinch seam to close. With seam side down cut roll crosswise into 18 1 inch wide pieces.

Place on a baking sheet, cover and let rise for about 40 minutes, until double in size.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes.

Glaze: While the buns are baking whisk together sugar and water to make glaze. Brush tops with glaze after they've cooled for about 10 minutes.

A medieval Rosh Hashana menu

Last Chanukah, I cooked for our annual SCA 8th Night event which was held in the Old City of Jaffa. When trying to come up with a Rosh Hashana menu, I realized most of the recipes I had used for this feast would be more than suitable for a Rosh Hashana meal or two. The two main courses had dried fruits, honey, wine and spices such as cinnamon.

The first course was Viaunde of Cypress Ryalle (chicken in sweet sauce), Rapes in Potage and a Mince Tarte.

The second course consisted of A Roste (Beef Roast with Crisps), Soldier's Cous cous, Isfanakh Mutajjan and A Tarte of Strawberries.

Don't worry, here are most of the recipes.



A Roste - Beef Roast with Crisps

4 TB Or more butter or oil for searing meat
5 lb. Beef roast tied with butcher's cord
1/2 c Flour
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Dried sweet basil; crushed
1/2 tsp. Dried rosemary; crushed
1/4 tsp. Thyme
1 c Dates; pits removed, cut in halves
1 c Dried figs; stems removed, -cut in strips
1/2 c Dried apple rings; cut in halves
2 TB Brown sugar or honey
1 1/2 c Beef stock
BATTER
1 c Flour
1 ea. Egg
2/3 c Milk (will use soy milk of course)
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. (scant) baking powder
1/4 c Chopped fresh parsley; crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In Dutch oven or cast-iron pot (either having tight covers) melt the butter. Dredge the roast with the mixture of flour, cinnamon, and salt, and thoroughly sear in the heated butter, browning all sides. Mix basil, rosemary, and thyme. Mix spices with combined dates, figs, and apples. Arrange spiced fruits around the meat. Sprinkle sugar or drizzle honey on fruits. Carefully pour on beef stock around the edges of the pot so as to avoid 'flooding' any food surfaces. Cover tightly. Bake at 350 degrees F for 3 hours, or until tender. Remove from oven to cool for 30 minutes. Increase oven heat to 450 degrees F. Prepare a very thick batter by vigorously stirring all batter ingredients except parsley. Add extra flour if necessary. Add chopped parsley to the batter. Pour batter over the roast allowing the excess to trickle down into the gravy. Return meat to hot oven (450 degrees F) for 5 to 10 minutes so that coating browns nicely. Cut the roast in its dough jacket. Serve the 'crisps' which formed in the juices, along with the gravy and fruit.



Viaunde of Cypress Ryalle (chicken in sweet sauce)
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teasp. each ground cloves, mace and ginger
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup currants

Boil the wine and sugar together for ten minutes or until it thickens and clings to the spoon. Add honey, spices, almonds and currants and cook for an additional five minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken, coating well. Chill well; serve cold.



Isfanakh Mutajjan

1 lb spinach
1 T sesame oil
1 clove garlic
1/4 t cumin
1/8 t coriander
1/2 t cinnamon

Boil spinach in salted water about 2 minutes.
Take spinach, cut off the lower roots, and wash: then boil lightly in salt and water, and dry. Refine sesame-oil, drop in the spinach, and stir until fragrant. Chop up a little garlic, and add. Sprinkle with fine-ground cumin, dry coriander, and cinnamon.



Rapes in Pottage [or Carrots or Parsnips]

1 lb turnips, carrots, or parsnips (I made a mix of carrots and turnips)
2 c chicken broth
1/2 lb onions
6 threads saffron
3/4 t salt
powder douce: 2 t sugar, 3/8 t cinnamon, 3/8 t ginger

Wash, peel, and quarter turnips (or cut into eighths if they are large), cover with boiling water and parboil for 15 minutes. If you are using carrots or parsnips, clean them and cut them up into large bite-sized pieces and parboil 10 minutes. Mince onions. Drain turnips, carrots, or parsnips, and put them with onions and chicken broth in a pot and bring to a boil. Crush saffron into about 1 t of the broth and add seasonings to pottage. Cook another 15-20 minutes, until turnips or carrots are soft to a fork and some of the liquid is boiled down.

Soldier's Cous cous
2 c. cous cous
1 can veggie broth + 1 canful water
4 T. butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 t. salt
In a large pot with a good lid, bring the broth and water to a boil. Stir in the cous cous, and clap on the lid. Let sit off the heat until all the water is absorbed. Stir in the butter and sprinkle heavily with cinnamon.
Fluff with a fork to keep from being gloppy. Serves 6-8 generously.


And here are most of the Pesky family at the event. Our son is wearing my husband's colors and his tabard is my husband's SCA coat of arms - blue shofarot on a field of yellow with a diagonal blue band. The blue weird line across the top of the tabard signifies inheriting male heir.

Yeah, we're medieval geeks, what can I say?