Jerusalem : Compass of the Diaspora Jew
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Yummy fish, quiche and chili that will become part of your year-round cooking.
Cooking for the Nine Days, the period leading up to Tisha B'Av when don't eat any meat, requires some planning. Don’t worry, it’s not nine days of teriyaki salmon (which is delicious by the way, but not all that original). Try different fish varieties that you skip during the year, hearty pastas, lentils, quiche, and chili, and pair them with sweet potatoes, or baked rice to make them filling and extra wholesome. Buy fish fresh and keep it very cold before cooking. Wrap it with plastic wrap, directly on the fish flesh, discarding the styrofoam container that captures excess liquid that can make the fish taste “fishy”. I’m confident these dishes will become part of your year-round cooking.
Serves 4
Place tuna in a resealable bag. Add dressing and marinate for 30 minutes. Remove fish from bag and coat fish in sesame seeds on all sides. . Place two pieces of tuna on each skewer. Heat grill pan. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Grill tuna for about 2 minutes each side or until seared on the outside and still rare on the inside. Serve with Asian Dipping Sauce.
Asian Dipping Sauce:
Mix all ingredients together. Top with chopped scallions.
Photo by the Ambitious Kitchen
Serves 8
I make this all year round for a hearty vegetarian meal. I serve it atop baked sweet potatoes or white potatoes and use the leftovers in omelettes and quesadillas. It freezes well too. Feel free to add corn or other vegetables of your liking
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add onion, zucchini, and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add water, chili powder, cumin, stewed tomatoes, both beans, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Serve warm with sour cream or any toppings of your choice, if desired.
Serves 6 - 8
Photo by The Stay at Home Chef
Although delicious, the crust on a typical quiche is extremely caloric and high in fat. Also the cheese in quiche makes it rich and flavorful so I don’t miss the crust. This one mixes goat cheese and ricotta (or feel free to use mozzarella) and lots of vegetables. It’s very filling and can be made a day ahead of serving. Definitely serve it warm.
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven, place a baking sheet on the rack and preheat to 450°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round or 8-inch square baking dish.
In a bowl, miix the goat cheese, spinach, mushrooms, eggs, egg whites, ricotta, flour, nutmeg, and scallions.
Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle with the parmesan. Place the quiche on the preheated baking sheet and bake until the center is just set, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.
Photo by Iain Bagwell; Styling: Emma Star Jensen
Serves 5
Warm Indian flavors make this an ideal recipe that is comforting, filling and full of flavor. It is a fall favorite of mine, but I make it during the 9 days too, as it’s packed with nutrients and a vegetarian main dish. You can cheat in this recipe and use prepared lentils from the bag, made by Gefen. I use about 1 ½ bags and skip the lentil prep.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a 5- to 6-qt. pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrots, and chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons garam masala and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add thyme and 1 teaspoon mustard; cook 1 minute.
Stir in lentils, 3 cups broth, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are just tender, about 40 minutes, checking occasionally and adding more broth if needed so they’re covered in liquid.
Meanwhile, in a 9- by 13-in. baking dish, whisk together honey; 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 4 tablespoons oil, 2 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, and 1 teaspoon mustard. Add squash and toss until well coated. Roast squash for 15 minutes. Stir in onion chunks and brussel sprouts and cook until vegetables are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 15 to 20 more minutes.
Drain any excess liquid from lentils. Stir in orange juice and transfer lentils to a shallow bowl. Spoon roasted vegetables on top, and season to taste with more salt and pepper.
Serves 4
I use canned, boneless, skinless salmon for these burgers which makes them very affordable. The canned salmon helps the burgers take on a nice burger form. These can be made a day ahead of time and rewarmed too.
For Burgers:
Lemon-Honey Mustard:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a medium bowl, combine, parsley, onions, eggs, panko, dill, black pepper, salt, lemon zest and lemon honey mustard together. Add drained salmon and mix well together. Make 4 patties and set aside.
Heat oil on a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Cook burgers until lightly browned, about 4 minutes and flip and cook on the other side, for another 3 - 4 minutes. Serve with additional honey mustard sauce on top.
For the Sauce:
In a small bowl whisk the mustard, honey, orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Serves 4
Miso is an awesome ingredient that is available in national markets with a hecksher. It’s made from soybeans, mixed with rice or barley then fermented. It’s highly flavor enhancing. It’s used in Asian foods and is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals. I use all varieties, white, red and brown, but they are strongest in flavor the darker the color. I use it in salad dressings, mixed in sauces and atop roasted chicken and vegetables. This is definitely an ingredient you should stock in your pantry.
In a large resealable plastic bag (like a zip-top plastic bag), mix together the miso, wine (lemon juice), sugar and sesame oil.. Mix it well. Add the salmon fillets, and gently mix to coat salmon with sauce. . Marinate for at least 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with foil and brush with a little oil or non-stick cooking spray. Remove fish from the marinade, letting excess drip, and place on the pan skin-side down (if fish has skin).
Cook on middle rack in the oven for 12 minutes (it will not be fully cooked). Remove from the oven and preheat the broiler. Flip fish over and return to the oven, about 4 inches from the broiler, and broil, until miso starts to bubble and brown a bit, about 2 minutes or until fish is cooked through. Note – if fish is browning too much, cover loosely with foil and continue to broil another minute or 2 to cook through.