VEGETARIAN CHOLENT Yield: 8 servings
Cholent is a sort of stew which came into being through the ingenuity of Jewish housewives who wanted a hot meal on Shabbat, but were forbidden to cook on Shabbat itself. This stew is begun before Shabbat and cooked all night so it will be ready for lunch the next day. It is an adaptation of an older recipe that took meat. If you want to freeze the left overs (we never have any ourselves) omit the potatoes.
herbs for flavoring (thyme, and marjoram are good additions)
1. Put beans in large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak overnight. Before cooking, drain beans and discard stones and dried-out beans. You can also speed the process by boiling the bean until done (which is the method we most ofen use)
2. Heat oil in a 4-qt. pot, and saut'e; onions and garlic until onions are translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add barley and beans to onions. Cover with water by at least 2 inches, add salt and pepper, bring to a boil and cook 30 minutes over low flame. Add potatoes and tomato sauce and cook 30 minutes more.
3. Place cholent in a crock pot or slow cooker overnight or in a 200-degree oven for eight hours or overnight.
Khallah is pronounced with a gutteral “ch” like the spat of a cat and not like the “ch” in chair or “sh” in Cheryl. The braids represent two sets of hands floded in prayer. Ther are a lot of different recipes for Khallah bread. Below are just a few recipes we use from a very large one (I use when making additional bagels or donughts) and a smaller recipe that makes just two Khallot. Also included is a way to convert these recipes for sourdough for those seeking HaShem-relience.
Makes enough dough for two large challah, or two regular sized loaves plus doughnuts or bagels. Recipes for both follow this recipe as well as the sourdough version.
1. You need put 2 pkges of dry yeast into 1/4 cup of water(at 105-115 degrees) and sprinkle 1 t. of sugar into it. Let rest about fifteen mintutes until it starts to form with a frothy foam. While you are waiting measure out and sift about six cups flour and 4 t. salt and sift them into a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine 2 cups water warmed to about 105 degrees, 3 med. eggs plus one egg yolk, slightly beaten (save the white), 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup sugar and a touch saffron(op.). Make a well in center of the flour and fill it with the wet ingrediants and the yeast mixture. Mix well until you have of dough, I uase my hands like my mom. It’s messy but I like to feel the dough and hands don’t brake, wooden spoons do. The dough should be sticky not wet. If to wet add aditional flour knead it in as you add it.
2. Now turn dough out onto a floured board and knead it about ten minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. I like to sing rhythmic praise songs(Great and Wonderful works well as does Havanagela) as I knead because it helps to have a rhythm as you go. The dough will be sticky at first so you’ll need to add flour as you go. A pastry scaper can help unstick it at this stage. As the gluten developes the dough will become more smooth and elastic or sanity. (If you know how to knead skip over step 3)
3. How to knead(for beginners): It’s awkward at first but it gets easier with practice. You knead bread by folding the dough toward you, then pressing away from you with a floured palm, then turning it 1/4 away from you, and do this all over again. Fold it toward you, press down, turn a quarter, fold, press, turn, fold, press, turn, etc. . . I think you can see where the rhythm comes from.
4. After about 10 minutes of kneading the dough should be more elastic. On a perfectly knead loaf you can pull the dough ut from the side and it will bounce back. If you can’t after your first couple of trys don’t dispare, this come with greater skill of kneading not more time. Bread is rather forgiving and even if you quite because your tired, you should still have a decent loaf(sourdoughs are harder to knead so if your just learning, stick with fresh yeast until your more skilled.
5. Place kneaded loaf in a greased bowl. Grease the top and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Make sure there are no drafts. If you have a drafty house you can let the dough rise in a watm oven, just don’t cook it. Warm the oven briefly (1 minute) and set the dough in it or place on a high rack and set a tray of hot water beneath it. Let rise until double in balk. You can test it by pressing your finger tips on the dough. If the imprint stays, then it’s ready.
6. Punch down, with floured fist and turn out onto floured board. Cut in half and form each one into a braid or cut in half then half one half and make two smaller braids. Leave other half for bagels or doughnuts. Let the dough rest ten minutes unless your making bagels or dough nuts. if so let only the bread dough rest and continue on from those recipes.
7. How to make the braids: Dived each half into three sections each. Roll out between you hands into three long ropes. Sprinkle corn meal on a cookie sheet if you like then crisscross “X” two of the ropes and place them on the sheets. Now lay the third in middle between them. Fold the top left one over the middle peice and then the top right one over both to make the braid. If you can’t see what I mean, think of the middle piece as your torso and the cross pieces as your arms and fold thems as your would hands across the body. Do this again at the bottom too. Repeat proceedure for the other loaf.
8. Make egg wash from saved egg white: mix one egg yolk with 1-2 cups of water or milk and brush this onto bread, then sprinkle with seeds. Cover again and let rise until not quite double in balk (about a half hour. When almost ready, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place trays into preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 375 degrees and cook about forty five minutes. Bread is done when you hear a hollow shound when you stike the top. Remove from the oven and cook.
1. You need extra bread dough and left over eggs wash. You also may want some toppings such as, chopped onion, Poppy seeds or seasame seeds, chopped garlic
2. If your making bagels divide the second half into 8-12 ropes depending on how much dough you put aside. Rolls these ropes into ropes about seven inches long and taper the ends together. Do not use a lot of flour to roll these or your never get the ends together. Make into rings and let rise, covered, on a floured board about 15 minutes. You can also chill them up to two hours.
3. Drop rings, one at a time, into a solution of 2 quarts boiling water and 1 table spoon sugar. As bagel suface, turn them over and cook three minutes longer. Skim out and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Coat with egg wash and add any toppings. Bake in preheated 400 degree over for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Once you get the hang of these you can suff these bagels in between the bread rising. I usuall make the bagel first giving the dough for them only five minutes of rest as I start the water bowling and get the trays. Then I form them and set them to rise(it takes about five minutes) then as they rise I form the bread and set those out to rise. When the fifteen minutes are up, I preheat the over and put the bagel in the water. When they come out the oven is already hot and they go right in. After they come out the bread is usually risen and the oven is already preheated. In goes the bread and you have fresh bagels for Shabbos breakfast.
Doughnuts:(use for Chanukah) 1. You’ll need left over dough plus coating and filling. Coating ideas include sugar, sugar and cinomon, sugar and cocoa, and confectionary sugar. Filling are left over frosting or jelly.
2. Cut dough into small pieces and roll into balls. Set ball to rise about five to ten minutes depending on size. While rising get out a small pot and fill bottiom half with oil. Add more when necessary Left over oil for Latkas works ok too.
3. Now fry doughnut by dropping them in. They will rise to the top and need to be turned to brown evenly. Scoop out onto paper towels to drain. When they are cool enough to hold, sort of throw them into bag of toppings or roll in bowls of sugar.
4. To fill, put frosting or jelly into a pastry bag and force into coated doughnuts. 5. Coat doughnuts one more time fter they cool
This bread recipe can be easily halved
1. Place one cup of active starter in a large bowl with about 4 cups flour. Add 2 1/4 cups water to make stirable batter. Your don’t want a dough but a batter.
2. Cover the bowl and set aside the mixture in a warm place for 14 to 16 hours. The longer it stands the more sour it gets. This spong mixture will get bibbly and light.
3. Now add all the additional ingrediants: 4 t. salt, 1/4 cup oil, 3 eggs plus one yolk (save white) and a touch saffron (op). Do not include any yeast or baking soda, omit them! Please trust your starter. If the starter is bubbly and active the recipe will work if not make the usual loaf from a yeast pkg.
4. Add the remaining 2 cups flour mix and knead well by hand(approximentally 10 minutes), adiing additional flour when needs to make a soft pliable nonsticky dough. Dough should be smooth and elastic and surdough may need a longer kneading because it’s harder to knead well. dividing the dough and sharing the kneading helps greatly.
5. Let the dough rest 10 minutes, covered.
Continue from Tradition Khallot loaves step #6 but don’t punch the dough down. Use as is.
Sourdough has a sour taste and a harder crust.
RECIPES FOR THE HIGH HOLY DAYS
ROASTED POMEGRANATE CHICKEN FOR ROSH HASHANAH
Yield: 4 servings
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a cup, mix oil and garlic. Brush garlic oil over chicken.
2. Place chicken in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle any remaining oil over chicken. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, basting several times with pan juices, until skin is browned and juices run clear when a thigh is pierced at thickest part with a fork.
3. Remove 1 tablespoon seeds from pomegranate. Set aside for garnish. Squeeze juice from remaining pomegranate through a sieve into a small bowl.
4. In a small nonreactive saucepan, mix pomegranate juice, wine, lemon juice, and cinnamon- sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer roasted chicken to a serving platter and pierce each piece several times. Pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve at room temperature.
NOTES: This is a favorite Rosh Hashanah dish of Moroccan Jews. Because of their many seeds, pomegranates symbolize the hope that in the year ahead, Jews will be able to perform many worthy deeds, or mitzvahs.
From: Iara Lewin (BNLImp@aol.com)
Honey cake is another traditional food for Rosh Hashannah. This one tases great and keeps extremely well.
Preheat your oven to 300-325 degrees. Grease a 9 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 3 laof pan and set aside. Sift together in small bowl the first six ingrediants. Next, bring honey to a boil in sauce pan then cool and add coffee. In another bowl, beat eggs until light then add oil and beat until blended. Beat in sugar gradually.
Add flour mixture and coffee mixture alternately to egg mixture, mixing after each addtion. Mix well. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and place into moderately hot oven. Bake one hour until done. Allow to cool.
To make the glaze: Mix Juice to confevtionary sugar adding a little juice at a time until moiste. brush cake with glaze and allow to harden. Makes one cake.
This cake doubles easily but you need to reduce honey by a quarter to do this. Enjoy!
Apples and honey are traditional foods for Rosh HaShana (Jewish New Year), to symbolize the hope for a fruitful and sweet year to come. Offering apples dipped in honey to a friend is a custom of the season. Combining the two in this special honey cake is a real treat.
Ingredients:
Add eggs and beat until creamy. Slowly pour in honey and add vanilla. Combine salt, soda, baking powder and spices with the flour and add a little at a time, beating continuously. By hand, stir in the apples and nuts. Pour batter into greased and floured bundt pan or large loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 45 minutes to one hour. Makes a delicious, moist cake that is perfect for Rosh HaShana and Succot.
This is a family favorite for Rosh Hashannah. It not only tastes great but contains 4 of the omens: carrots, prunes, apples, and honey. See Rosh HaShanah, the "What" if you don't know what omens are.
Coat 13x9x2 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer half of potato, apple, carrot, and prunes in dish, overlapping slices. Repeat procedure with remaining potato, apple, carrot, and prunes. Combine orange juice and remaining ingredients; pour over potato mixture.
Cover baking dish with aluminum foil; cut 8, 1 inch slits in foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until tender. Yield 12 servings, serving size 1 cp.
A special pre-fast meal is celebrated before Yom Kippur. It is a meal high in protein and Carbohydrates and is eaten and cleaned up before one hour before sundown so that we can get oprepared and the go to synagogue. Below are some of the traditional foods we eat for the break fast.
As a child I often felt this noodle dough was named for the sound it made as my mom dropped these into the soup. She made her's from a recipe she found in The Joy of cooking by Irma s. Rombauer Becker (The Bob's-Merrill Co. NY, (c) 1931) however whereas her filling was always meat we tend to fill ours with a cheese filling.
Drop into it:
Barely combine with:
Work the mixture with your hands, folding the flour over the egg until the dough can be rolled into a ball and come clean from the hands. If you want to green noodles, add at this point:
Knead the dough as for bread, about 10-minutes. Then let it stand one hour. Now roll the dough, stretching it a little more with each roll. Between each rolling and stretching, sprinkle flour on the dough to keep it from sticking and getting holes in it. Repeat this procedure until the dough is very thin and then cut the dough into 3" squares and fill with 1 1/2 T. of desired filling in the middle of each square. Fold over to form a triangle and press the open edges carefully with a fork to seal them completely. Let kreplach dry for about 30-minutes on each side (we let them dry for a shorter peroid and all that happens is a few might open up during cooking).
Drop finished kreplach into 1 gallon of boiling broth or salted water and lower temperature to simmer and gently simmer them for 7 to ten minutes. Serve with 6 cups clear soup (we make a chicken soup and chop vegetables and chicken very finely). Note: we do not seperate our poutry from our dairy because chickens can't be milked.
The meal for the break fast is usually light after a fast yet at the same time it is to resemble the wedding feast of the Lamb. And to make things even more complex all these food should be made ahead after all when He comes the feast is to be set before us and not something we need to prepare. Our solutons are these two meals with an angel food cake with whip cream and fresh friut as desssert. Both these meals can be made ahead and heat up fast. Yet for some tomatoe sauce can be hard after the fast but we have ourselves haven't had any trouble with this as long as we eat the peppers first.
We never use all the cheese filling for the Kreplachs we make and we use what is left over to make of few Manicottes, enough to fill about a eight by eight pan. Fortunately these shells freeze easily between pieces of wax paper and this recipe doubles easily.
Mix all ingredients until smooth. Use 1 T for each pancake. Drop on a hot lightly greased griddle. With back of T measure, in a rotating motion spread shell as thinely as possible (the thinner the better). Work quickly because the liquid hardens fast. Turn as the sides of the shell begin to lift at the edges. cook the other side until brown. Take off griddle and drop onto a towel. Fill and roll then top with sauce and cheese. Makes approx 35 manicotte.
This is our families traditional break-fast meal after the Yom Kippur fast which we are told by the sages should be a light meal. This is very light meal which can be made ahead without loosing flavor.
Heat oil in sauce pan. Add onions and cook 5 minutes or until soft and lightly colored. Add red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, toasted seed, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring until thick. Meanwhile, bring to boil pot of water. Add green pepper halves and then lower heat to simmer. Simmer for about 6 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Preheat broiler. Put pepper halves on broiler and fill seed mixture, pressing down with spoon. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and then serve.
from The Vegetable Touch by Gail Duff
Roasted Vegetables for Succoth:
This is a family favorite for eating under the succah and it uses a wide variety of common vegetables from the harvest. Feel free to very the vegetables and spices according to what is available.
Vinaigrette:
First mix 1/2 cup flavored vinegar, we use cider vinegar with 1/2 cup milk oil, virgin olive is best. Then add one medium clove garlic, crashed, 1/4 t. prepared mustard, and other spices to taste such as parsley, oregano, and sweet basil.
Now cut in chunks:
Julianne:
Mix vegetables together and pour vinaigrette over top. Let sit over might for more flavor or you can cook immediately. Roast vegetables at 350 degree for 45 minutes or until vegetables are done stirring every fifteen minutes. Cook for a longer time if you took them straight from the refrigerator.
Chicken & Stewed Tomatoes Over Rice
If you have never used a Dutch oven please see Dutch Oven Cooking before you try this recipe. Succos is a holiday we are commanded to leave the comfort of our homes and live as our father's did in the desert. As we explained in our write up on Dutch Oven Cooking you can cook everything you evr would want to in a Dutch Oven once you know how. Yet the first time cook might be shy to make their first meal by adapting something they love from of old. So we include this favorite recipe which we only make during Succos (we have recipes like this for every holiday). Once you try this one you should be hooked on Dutch oven as we were.
Servings: 6
Ingrediants:
Directions:
1. Wash the chicken, cut away and discard skin and fat. Cut chicken into pieces, dip in cold water and pat dry.
2. Shake the chicken pieces in a paper or plastic bag with seasoned flour.
3. Pre-heat Dutch Oven and coooking oil over nine to 11 hot coals (9 for the 12" and 11 for the 14" oven). When hot add the chicken pieces. We add also some green wood to the coal to start them smoking for extra flavor.
4. Brown thoughly on both sides (about 20 minutes). Add additional oil if needed and don't worry if some of the flour falls off this is also for thickening.
5.Remove chicken and put in rice in bottom of oven. add tomatoes, water, chicken and vegetables.
6. Check coals at base and refresh if they need this. Place on top and add 12 to 14 coals, respectively, to the top of your oven. Cook for another 40 minutes until chicken is done. Check while it is cooking and add more water if it seems dry.
Note: if your coals are not hot at any time this will slow cooking as will high winds. Keep this in mind when you are cooking with a Dutch Oven for the first time.
SUFGANIOT (Jelly-filled donuts)
Mix together:
Stir in:
Work in:
Stir yeast mixure until dissolved. Add egg and shortening. Mix in the flour, first with spoon, then by hand. Turn onto floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl and let rise in a warm place until double (1 1/2 - 2 hours). Punch down, turn over and let rise again until almost double (30-45 minutes). Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness on floured board and cut with large cookie cutter. Heat 1 - 2 inch of oil to 375 degrees. Drop in each roll and hold under the oil so it will puff up. When it reaches a golden brown, turn over and continue holding under the oil until the other side is a golden color. It is important to maintain 375 degrees. If the temperature is too hot, the outside will brown and the inside will be doughy. Let sufganiot drain on absorbent paper. After cooling, use a cake decorator and force jelly inside each roll. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Makes 12-15 medium sized sufganiot.
Traditionally in Austria these cookies were given to children on St Nicholas Day (Dec.6th). These are our childrens favorite cookies as well as Corey's mom's. This recipe makes 15 cookies.
Ingredients:
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add egg and vanilla. Stir in ring, flour, and salt together, then add to butter mixture. Wrap in wax paper and chill 2 to 3 hours
Pinch off a piece of dough and roll into a ball about 1 inch in diameter (a mellon baller makes this easier). Roll in either sugar or nuts and place on a lightly greased and floured cookie sheet and then continue with remaining dough, placing balls 2 inches apart. Bake for 5 minutes at 375 degree oven.
When time beeps, make an indention on the top of each cookie (this is for the jam) using either the mellon baller or a rounded spoon. Bake 8 minutes longer until edges are slightly browned. Remove from the oven and spoon a small amount of jam into the indentations you made. ove cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Manicotte during Pesach? Yes it's possible with these clever Potato starch shells we descovered late last year.
In a blender combine eggs, milk, oil, salt, and potato starch; blend 30 seconds or until smooth. Spray 6-inch skillet with cooking spray and heat well over medium heat. Pour about 2 T. batter into center of skillet rotating quickly to evenly coat bottom. Cook about 30 sec. or until edge begins to brown and pull away from pan. Carefully turn and cook 30 sec. longer. Slide out of skillet onto wax paper-lined tray and repeat with remaining batter. Fill with desired filling(cheese or meat) and cover with sauce and cheese. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Makes 12 6-inch shells.
Adapted fom "Recipes for People With Gluten InTolerence" available through Argo Best foods. For leaflet write: Gluten Intolerence Recipes, Dept, ARX, Bopx 307, Coventry, CT 06238
No-Bake Matzoh Refrigerator Cake
This is a family favorite for the Passover seder:
Put matzos in plate, piece by piece, turning to wet each side. You do not need to soak matzos, it absorbs liquid very quickly. Put matzos aside.
In the top of a double boiler, melt chocolate, water, sugar and any liquor left over from soaking the matzos. If there isn't a shot glass full, add more. Stir mixture until smooth, turn off heat.
Beat in egg yolks one at a time. Turn on heat and cook over boiling water for three minutes, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm and beat in butter, bit by bit.
Now just butter a matzah with the icing, add a sprinkle of nuts, put another matzah atop, butter and sprinkle, until you have a neat little low square. Ice the top and sprinkle with nuts. You should have enough icing left over to slather on the sides, but this is necessary only as a decorative bit of deception - to make sure friends cannot guess how you've made a nut cake. Put the square in the refrigerator (covered or the smell cognac will get in everything) and wait 'til it has hardened (about four hours) before serving.
These resemble filled pancakes and are traditionally made for the Easter Seder. For this Seder they are filled with a red jam (strawberry or raspberry) which represents the blood and dusted with confectionery sugar to whitened them.
Beat eggs and add salt, flour, water alternately to make a thin batter. Put 3 T of batter on a hot greased skillet, and spread out as thin as possible. Fry until brown on ne side. Turn out onto towel browned side up. Spread with filling, then (fold sides in unless your making Easter blintzes these are simply rolled) and roll up. Fry again, turning to brown both sides. Let cool then dust with conf. sugar or serve with sour cream or plain. Makes 6 blintzes.
Preheat oven to 250-350 degrees.
Add also:
1. for Apple cinnomon spice
add the next two ingredients after baking fifteen minutes
2. Chocolate
Melt butter with oil, then add to farfel along with water and brown sugar. Add any remaining ingredients. Spread on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes adding seeds and fruits after the first fifteen minutes. Mix from time to time so cereal cooks evenly and watch fruits and seeds once they are added because these ingredients burn easily. Store in an air tight container. These can be doubled very easily.
The festival of Shavuot (Pentecost), celebrated after the counting of the week, commemorates the giving of the Law to Moses on Mt. Sinai. It occurs during the time of the wheat harvest in Israel. The holiday is called the 'dairy' holiday because cheesecake, cheese blintzes, and cheese tortes abound. This particular cheesecake satisfies chocolate lovers also!
Crust:
Mix crumbs, sugar, and cocoa. Work in soft margarine and add almond extract. Press evenly on the bottom and sides of a 9 inch; or 9 1/2inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Set aside while mixing filling.
Filling:
Melt chocolate or almond bark in cream over a low heat. Set aside to cool. Beat 1 1/4 lbs. cream cheese, gradually adding sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add cooled chocolate/ cream mixture, flour and flavorings and mix well. Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees about 45 - 50 minutes (sides may form cracks). Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare topping.
Topping:
Mix well and spread evenly on top of cheesecake. Bake 8-10 minutes more. Chill several hours. Remove sides of spring form pan and serve. This makes a lovely, smooth cheesecake - perfect for Shavuot!
