Replies

http://theoldfoodie.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html

A Recipe for Mum.
Today, June 28th

Samuel Pepys enjoyed a trendy seventeenth century drink on this day in 1664:

“…thence with my uncle Wight to the Mum house; and there drinking, he doth complain of his wife most cruelly, as the most troublesome woman in the world…”

The specialty at the Mum house was – Mum. Mum was a type of beer originally made in Braunschweig (Brunswick) in Germany. At first it was made entirely from wheat malt, although at later times barley malt was also used. It was strong, flavoured with hops and various herbs, and aged for a couple of years before being unleashed on the public. Mum was popular in Pepys’ time, partly on account of its supposed medicinal benefits (an old beer-drinkers excuse). It was supposedly “wholsom for Melancholy Flegmatic People, and for those whose Food is coarse Bread and Cheese, Flower’d [i.e floured] Milk, Herbs and lean Potages, …” as well as being “very great in the Gravel, and against inward Bruises”.

Naturally, whatever the Germans could do, the English tried to do better, and recipes for Mum soon started appearing in English cookbooks. There were often comments about its not particularly pleasant flavour (probably necessary in order to claim medicinal benefit?) – perhaps on account of the birch and fir tops. Maybe that is why old cookbooks also had recipes for bottled sauces using old Mum as an ingredient?

To make Mum.
Take thirty-two gallons of Water, boil it till a third part is waster, brew it according to Art, with three Bushels and a half of Malt, half a Bushel of ground Beans, and half a Bushel of Oat-meal; when you put it into your Cask, do not fill it too full, and when it begins to work, put in a Pound and a half of the inner Rind of Fir, half a Pound of the tops of Fir and Birch, (instead of the inward Rind and tops of Fir, our English Mum-makers use Cardamums, Sassafras and Ginger, the Rind of Walnut-tree, Elecampane-root, and red Sanders; others add Alexander Water-cresses, Brook-lime, and Horse-radish Root rasp’d) Avens, Beton, Burnet, Marjoram, Mother of Thyme, Penny-royal, of each a small Handful, Elder-flowers a Handful, of Rosa Solis a handful, of Carduus Benedictus a handful and a half, of Barberries bruis’d half an Ounce, of Cardamums bruis’d an Ounce and a half; these Ingredients are to be put in when the Liquor has wrought a while, and after they are let it, let it work over the Vessel as little as may be; when it has done working, fill up the Cask, and put into it five new laid Eggs, not broken nor crack’d, stop it close, and it will be fit to drink in two Years.
[Cook and Confectioners Dictionary; John Nott 1724]

To make Mum Catchup.
To a quart of old mum put four ounces of anchovies, of mace and nutmegs sliced one ounce, of cloves and black pepper half an ounce. Boil it till it is reduced one third. When cold, bottle for use.
[The Experienced English Housekeeper; Elizabeth Raffald, 1769]

Tomorrow’s Story …

An Antipodean Dinner.

Quotation for the Day …

Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer. Dave Barry.
Posted by The Old Foodie at 6:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: 18thC recipe, beer, beverage, English recipe

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Recipes from Scutari.
Today, June 26th …

Alexis Soyer was a famous French-born chef in Victorian England who cooked for aristocrats and gentlemens clubs, and achieved celebrity status in his own time. He was also famous for his philanthropic works in Ireland during the potato famine, and in the Crimea during the war of 1854-6.

Soyer volunteered to go to the Crimea at his own expense, to assist in the task of provisioning the troops at the front line. He worked alongside Florence Nightingale, with whom he had corresponded, in the hospital at Scutari, helping her to improve the feeding and hence the health, of the injured soldiers there. While he was in the Crimea, Soyer kept up a steady stream of letters to the editors of The Times, and these were published regularly, along with many of his recipes.

Here is an extract for his letter published on this day in 1855.

To the Editor of the Times,

Sir,- I herewith beg to forward you some of the most important receipts which I have concocted out of the soldiers’ rations, and which are now adopted in various parts of the camp, and will no doubt shortly be extended to every regiment in the Crimea, having had them printed for circulation throughout the army. Some of the receipts were printed at head-quarters and issued for distribution. The reason for my return to Scutari for a short time is to place a civilian cook who understands his business in each hospital, which cannot fail to be beneficial to the patients, and by a due organisation in those departments economy will in the end be effected.

I brought with me from head-quarters 12 complete rations as given daily to the troops, and with these provisions I am now teaching ten of those very willing fellows who were originally engaged as cooks in the hospitals the plain way of camp cookery, and, instead of being almost useless, as they were, in so important a branch, they will now turn out, if not the bravest in the army, at least the most wonderful, being able to face both fire and battery when requisite.

With the highest consideration, I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,

A. SOYER

Barrack Hospital, Scutari,

(Receipt No. 1) Stewed Salt Beef And Pork A La Omar Pasha
Put into a canteen saucepan about 2lb of well soaked beef, cut in eight pieces; ½lb of salt pork, divided in two, and also soaked; ½lb of rice, or six tablespoonsful; ½lb of onions, or four middle-sized ones, peeled and sliced; 2oz of brown sugar, or one large tablespoonful; ¼oz of pepper, and five pints of water; simmer gently for three hours, remove the fat from the top and serve. The first time I made the above was in Sir John Campbell’s soup kitchen, situated on the top of his rocky cavern, facing Sebastopol, near Cathcart’s-hill, and among the distinguished pupils I had upon the occasion were Colonel Wyndham, Sir John Campbell, and Dr Hall, Inspector-General of the Army in the Crimea, and other officers. This dish was much approved at dinner, and is enough for six people, and if the receipt be closely followed you cannot fail to have an excellent food. The London salt meat will only require a four hours soaking, having been only lightly pickled.

(Receipt No. 7) Cossacks’ Plum Pudding
Put into a basin 1lb of flour, ¾lb of raisins (stoned, if time be allowed), ¾lb of the fat of salt pork (well washed, cut into small dies, or chopped), two tablespoonsful of sugar or treacle; add a half pint of water; mix all together; put into a cloth tied tightly; boil for four hours, and serve. If time will not admit, boil only two hours, though four are preferable. How to spoil the above:- Add anything to it.

Tomorrow’s Story …

A pot of the best tea.

Quotation for the Day …

An old-fashioned vegetable soup, without any enhancement, is a more powerful anti carcinogen than any known medicine. James Duke M.D.(U.S.D.A.)

http://www.archive.org/stream/100thingsyoushou1949unit/100thingsyoushou1949unit_djvu.txt

a. S. SUPERIKTENOENT OF DOCUMtNU

OCT IG 1949

Committee on Un-Am^erican Activities
U. S. House of Representatives

*
John S. Wood, Georgia, Chairman

Francis E. Walter, Pennsylvania
Burr P. Harrison, Virginia
John McSweeney, Ohio
Morgan M. Moulder, Missouri
J. Parnell Thomas, Neiv Jersey
Richard M. Nixon, California
Francis Case, South Dakota
Harold H. Velde, Illinois

Frank S. Tavenner, Jr., Counsel

Louis J. Russell, Senior Investigator

John W. Carrington, Clerk of Committee

Benjamin Mandel, Director of Research

100 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

COMMUNISM

IN THE U. S. A.

The first of a series on the Communist conspiracy and its

influence in this country as a whole, on religion, on

education, on labor and on our government

^^No Communist, no matter how many
votes he should secure in a national
election, could, even if he would, become
President of the present government.
When a Communist heads the govern-
ment of the United States — and that day
will come just as surely as the sun rises—
the government will not he a capitalist
government hut a Soviet government, and
hehind this government will stand the
Red army to enforce the dictatorship of
the proletariat, ‘’

Sworn statement of
WILLIAM Z. FOSTER

Head of the Communist Party
in the United States

100 Things You Should Know
About Communism in the U. S. A.

Forty years ago, Communism was just a plot in the minds of a very
few peculiar people.

Today, Communism is a world force governing millions of the
human race and threatening to govern all of it.

Who are the Communists? Hoiv do they work? What do
they want? What would they do to you?

For the past lo years your committee has studied these and other
questions and now some positive answers can be made.

Some answers will shock the citizen who has not examined Com-
munism closely. Most answers will infuriate the Communists.

These answers are given in five booklets, as follows:

1. One Hundred Things You Should Know About Commu-
nism in the U. S. A.

2. One Hundred Things You Should Know About Commu-
nism and Religion.

3. One Hundred Things You Should Know About Commu-
nism and Education.

4. One Hundred Things You Should Know About Commu-
nism and Labor.

5. One Hundred Things You Should Know About Commu-
nism and Government.

These booklets are intended to help you know a Communist when
you hear him speak and when you see him work.

If you ever find yourself in open debate with a Communist the facts
here given can be used to destroy his arguments completely and expose
him as he is for all to see.

continued, full text is here.......

http://www.archive.org/stream/antssomeotherins00fore/antssomeotherins00fore_djvu.txt

Full text of “Ants and some other insects; an inquiry into the psychic powers of these animals”

An Inquiry into

The Psychic Powers of these Animals

With an Appendix on

The Peculiarities of Their Olfactory Sense

Dr. August For el

Late Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Zurich

Translated from the German
By

Prof. William Morton Wheeler

American Museum of Natural History, New York

Chicago
The Open Court Publishing Company

London
Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner &* Co. Ltd.

CHICAGO

/Of

ANTS AND SOME OTHER INSECTS.

WHEN discussing the ant-mind, we must consider that these
small animals, on the one hand, differ very widely from our-
selves in organisation, but on the other hand, have come, through
so-called convergence, to possess in the form of a social common-
wealth a peculiar relationship to us. My subject, however, requires
the discussion of so many complicated questions that I am com-
pelled to assume acquaintance with the work of others, especially
the elements of psychology, and in addition the works of P. Huber,
Wasmann, von Buttel-Reepen, Darwin, Romanes, Lubbock, my
Fourmis de la Sutsse, and many others. Since the functions ot the
sense-organs constitute the basis of comparative psychology, I
must also refer to a series of articles entitled “Sensations des In-
sectes” which I have recently published (1900-1901) in the Rivista
de Biologia Generate, edited by Dr. P. Celesia. In these papers I
have defined my position with respect to various authors, especially
Plateau and Bethe.

Very recently Bethe, Uexkull, and others have denied the ex-
istence of psychic powers in invertebrate animals. They explain
the latter as reflex-machines, and take their stand on the ground of
the so-called psycho-physical parallelism for the purpose of demon-
strating our inability to recognise mental qualities in these animals.
They believe, however, that they can prove the mechanical regu-
larity of behavior, but assume unknown forces whenever they are
left in the lurch in their explanations. They regard the mind as
first making its appearance in the vertebrates, whereas the old Car-
tesians regarded all animals, in contradistinction to man, as mind-
less (unconscious) machines.

2 ANTS AND SOME OTHER INSECTS.

Continued, with full text on page.

http://www.archive.org/stream/secretarmiesb00spivrich/secretarmiesb00spivrich_djvu.txt

Secret Armies

SECRET ARMIES

The New Technique of Nazi War/ore

JOHN L SPIVAK

MODERN AGE BOOKS, INC.
432 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK

PUBLISHED BY MODERN AGE BOOKS, INC.

432 Fourth Avenue

New York City

All rights in this book are reserved, and it may
not be reproduced in whole or in part without
written permission from the holder of these
rights. For information address the publishers.

First Printing, February 1939
Second Printing, March 1939

60
Printed in the United States of America

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PACE

Preface 7

I Czechoslovakia Before the Carving 9

II England s Cliveden Set 17

III France s Secret Fascist Army 31

IV Dynamite Under Mexico 43

V Surrounding the Panama Canal 56

VI Secret Agents Arrive in America 73

VII Nazi Spies and American “Patriots” 84

VIII Henry Ford and Secret Nazi Activities 102

IX Nazi Agents in American Universities 118

X Underground Armies in America 130

XI The Dies Committee Suppresses Evidence 137

XII Conclusion 155

ILLUSTRATIONS

PACE

Application in the Secret Order of 76 by Sidney Brooks 77

Letter from Harry A. Jung 82

Anti-Semitic handbill 85

Letter from Peter V. Armstrong 89

Letter to Peter V. Armstrong 90

Account card of Reverend Gerald B. Winrod 104

Sample of “Capitol News & Feature Service” 106

Letter from Wessington Springs Independent 107

Letter from General Rodriguez Ill

Letter from General Rodriguez 113

Letter from Henry Allen 115

Anti-Semitic sticker and German titlepage of book by Henry

Ford 117

Letter from Olov E. Tietzow 125

Judgment showing conviction of E. F. Sullivan 138-139

Letter from Carl G. Orgell 151

Letter from G. Moshack 153

Letter from E. A. Vennekohl .. , 154

Preface

THE MATERIAL IN THIS SMALL VOLUME just barely scratches the
surface of a problem which is becoming increasingly grave:
the activities of Nazi agents in the United States, Mexico, and
Central America. During the past five years I have observed some
of them, watching the original, crudely organized and directed
propaganda machine develop, grow and leave an influence far
wider than most people seem to realize. What at first appeared to
be merely a distasteful attempt by Nazi Government officials at
direct interference in the affairs of the American people and
their Government, has now assumed the more sinister aspect of
also seeking American naval and military secrets.

Further studies in Central America, Mexico and the Panama
Canal Zone disclosed an espionage network directed by the
Rome-Berliri-Tokyo axis and operating against the peace and
security of the United States. A scrutiny of the Nazi Fifth
Column* in a few European countries, especially in Czechoslo
vakia just before that Republic was turned over to Germany s

continued, full text on page.

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/RECIPES/RECIPES/Breads/Stoveside_Bread.html

Debbie’s Stoveside Bread

Debi was watching her soup simmer on the top of her potbellied stove, and decided to make this bread. The dough was very happy to be nestled next to the stove to rise. Debbie loves making bread this way, but she confessed that once her attention wandered and she got a ‘Lucy and Ethel’ dough.

* 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
* 1/3 cup brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 2 cups boiling water
* 1/4 cup softened butter
* 2 packages yeast
* 1/2 cup warm water
* 1/4 cup wheat germ
* 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
* 1/2 cup rye flour
* 1/4 cup soy flour
* 4 to 4 1/2 cups white flour

METHOD

Combine cornmeal, brown sugar and salt. Stir gradually into the boiling water with softened butter. Let cool about twenty minutes.

Soften yeast in warm water. Stir into cooled cornmeal mixture. Add wheat germ, whole wheat, soy and rye flours. Stir in white flour one cup at a time. Mix vigorously until dough is moderately stiff.

Turn onto a well-floured board, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 - 9 minutes. Use a scraper or a spatula to incorporate any dough that sticks to the board. The dough will stay slightly sticky.

When dough can be shaped into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat the surface of the bread.

Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until double in bulk, about one hour.

Punch down and divide in two. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Shape into two loaves and place in greased 9x5x3 inch pans. Let dough rise again until doubled, about 30 - 40 minutes.

Bake in preheated 375° F oven for about 45 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped with knuckles. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 2 Healthy Loaves.

recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Alison Binkerd for Debbie Farrell

This is the perfect bread to acccompany the vitamin rich Minestrone given to us by Marisa Viola for Diana Serbe.

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART_II/food_history_and_facts/Jewish_Cooking.html

Zucchini & Potato Latkes

The latke changes again. Happy Chanukah to all.

* 1 pound zucchini, peeled
* 1 pound red and white potatoes, peeled
* 1 medium onion, peeled
* 2 garlic cloves, pressed
* 2 eggs, slightly beaten
* 1 teaspoon salt
* White pepper to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
* 1/4 cup toasted whole wheat bread crumbs
* Peanut oil for frying

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Method

Grate zucchini down to the seeds - be sure to discard seeds. Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze to get out liquid.

Add potatoes and onion. Put mixture into mesh strainer to remove excess liquid. Add garlic to mixture; then squeeze through cheesecloth. The art of squeezing.

Mix vegetable pulp with eggs, salt, spices and bread crumbs. Fashion into circles. Heat oil in skillet; drop mixture into oil by tablespoonfuls and until golden brown.

Contributor: pat ciesla

Chanukah - The Festival of Lights

Balkan Potato and Leek Pancake

from the beautiful work, The Book of New Israeli Cooking by Janna Gur

* 2 leeks, (white part only), chopped
* Oil for frying
* 5 potatoes
* Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Crust

* Flour
* 3 eggs, beaten

Method

Cook the potatoes in their jackets in boiling water until they are tender. Cool slightly, peel and mash.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add the chopped leeks and fry for 8 mintues or until tender and golden.

Mix the fried leeks with the potato puree and season with salt and pepper. Roll the mix into a sausage and cut into 2 cm (3/4 inch) thick slices.

Heat more oil in a clean frying pan. Dip the slices in flour and then in egg and fry 2 mintues on each side, until golden. Remove the pancakes from the pan, drain on paper towel and serve hot.

Makes 25 pancakes

Reprinted with permission from Al Hashulchan Gastronomic Media, Ltd. The Book of New Israeli Food, by Janna Gur, published by Schocken Books click for book review

Classic Potato Latkes

Classic for Chanukah

* 10 medium potatoes
* 2 medium onions, peeled
* 2 eggs
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached flour, divided
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
* 2 cups vegetable oil
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 cup applesauce

Method

Peel potatoes if skin is coarse; otherwise, just clean well. If peeled, keep potatoes in cold water until ready to prepare latkes so they keep their whiteness.

Starting with the onions, alternately grate the onions and potatoes to prevent blackening of the potatoes. Press out as much liquid as possible with your hands.

Blend the potato-onion mixture with the eggs and 1/4 C. flour, salt, and pepper.

Heat 1 inch of oil in a medium pan. Drop the mixture into the skillet by tablespoons, and fry, turning once. When golden and crisp on each side, drain on paper towels. If mixture falls apart when dropped into oil, add remaining 2 tablespoons flour.

Serve with sour cream and applesauce.

Contributor: pat ciesla

Corn Latkes

A wonderful variation. Latkes are supreme in versatility.

* 2 eggs
* 1 can cream-style corn, (8- 1/2 ounces)
* 1/3 cup cornmeal
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
* Oil for frying

Method

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the corn and stir until combined.

In a medium bowl or on a piece of waxed paper, stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Stir the cornmeal mixture into the creamed corn, until combined.

Pour the oil, 1/4- inch deep into a large skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it bubbles when a little cornmeal is dropped in.

Drop the batter 2 tablespoonfuls at a time into the oil (leave a lot of room between them because they spread). Cook until browned on bottom; turn and cook until browned on second side (turning may be a little tricky since the batter is not completely dried on top.) Drain on paper towels.

For a nice variation, you can add 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg to the batter.

Yield: 12- 3 inch Latkes

Serves 4-6

Happy Hanukah!

Contributor: pat ciesla

—

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART_II/food_history_and_facts/Jewish_Cooking.html

Eggplant and Green Pepper Kugel

* 1 eggplant,large
* 1/2 cup salt
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 green pepper,sweet,chopped
* 2 tablespoons pine nuts
* 2 tablespoons basil,fresh,chopped
* 2 eggs,slightly beaten
* 1 matzoh cracker,crumbled
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1 tablespoon margarine

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Peel eggplant, then dice into 2 inch cubes. Simmer with salt in water to cover in medium-size saucepan 20 minutes to tender. Drain. Mash in large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat oil in medium-size skillet over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and pine nuts, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add to eggplant in bowl. Stir in basil, eggs, matzoh, salt and pepper. Scrape into greased small casserole. Dot with margarine.

Bake in preheated moderate (350’F) oven for 35 minutes to heat through.

Contributor: pat ciesla

Potato Latkes

The Latke debate is whether or not to squeeze out excess water. Barbara feels this removes the starch which makes them adhere, and doesn’t squeeze them. She also came up with the idea that she would leave the skin on and found that the latkes were crisper when the skin was not peeled away. If you prefer them softer, peel the skin.

* 3 medium potatoes (Idaho or russet), unpeeled
* 1 medium onion, grated
* 3 large eggs at room temperature
* 1/4 cup matzoh meal
* 1 tablespoon flour
* Salt to taste
* Freshly milled black pepper to taste
* Peanut oil for frying

METHOD

Grate potatoes on large openings of box grated into a bowl.

Mix in onion. Add eggs, matzoh, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Heat skillet large enough to hold potato mixture. When pan is hot, pour in enough oil to cover bottom of frying pan by 1/2 to 3/4 inch. click for note

Drop in potatoes by the heaping tablespoon. Cook until golden brown, about 2 - 3 minutes. Turn and repeat on other side.

Drain on paper towels. Latkes are traditionally served with apple sauce and/or sour cream.

Serves: 6

This recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Barbara Paley-Israel

Sweet Potato Latkes

* 2 medium sweet potatoes (1 pound), peeled and shredded
* 2 medium scallions, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1 egg, slightly beaten
* 1 cup sour cream

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Lightly mix together all ingredients except for the sour cream.When well mixed, drop by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of a spatula.

Bake in preheated 400°F oven or 12 to 15 minutes, turning once. They should be golden brown. To serve, top with sour cream.

Yield: about 30 small latkes.

Contributor: Barbara Paley-Israel

Sweet Potato-Turnip Latkes

“Turnips add just enough bite to take the sweet edge off and give these latkes a sophisticated flavor. For Chanukah.

* 1 pound sweet potatoes (2 medium or 1 large)
* 1/2 pound turnips (1 large)
* 1/2 cup minced shallots
* 1 teaspoon salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 egg
* 6 tablespoons unbleached white flour
* Extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, for frying

Method

Preheat the oven to 250°F.

Peel the sweet potatoes and turnips. Grate the vegetables, using the grating blade on a food processor or the large holes on a box grater. You should have about 6 cups.

Steam the vegetables for 2 minutes, until just tender and slightly moistened. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the shallots, salt, and a sprinkling of black pepper. Stir in the egg and flour.

Form a heaping tablespoon of batter into a patty by hand. (Do not overwork.) Repeat with he remaining batter to make 12 latkes. Place them on a large plate.

Warm a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed or nonstick skillet until it feels hot when your hand is held 1 inch above the pan. Lay 4 or 5 latkes in the oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until golden, about 4 minutes.

Flip to the other side, pressing down the patties with a spatula to flatten slightly. Cook until golden, another 2 minutes or so. Continue with the remaining latkes, adding more oil to the pan between batches as necessary. Spread on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until you are ready to serve.

Makes twelve 4-inch-diameter pancakes.

Reprinted with permission from © Myra Kornfeld, The Healthy Hedonist: Holidays, published by Simon and Schuster click for book review

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART_II/food_history_and_facts/Jewish_Cooking.html

Passover Rolls

These rolls are suitable for Passover because of the use of Matzo.

* 1 cup water
* 1/2 cup oil
* 2 cups medium matzo meal
* 4 eggs
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon water

METHOD

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Boil water and oil together. While boiling stir in matzo meal. Remove from heat.

Beat eggs. Combine with sugar and water. Vigorously stir egg mixture into water. Put mixture in refrigerator until it hardens. Then shape into balls.

Cook in preheated 325°F oven for about 1 hour.

recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Lior Moore

Zucchini-Potato Matzoh Pancake

Grated zucchini is one of the baker’s best friend and it is happy to let other flavors dominate.

* 4 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
* 2 large potatoes, previously cooked, and mashed
* 3 eggs, lightly beaten
* 3/4 - 1 cup matzoh meal
* Salt & freshly milled black pepper to taste

Method

Combine all ingredients seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or heavy large fry pan and drop batter in by spoonfuls. Cook until brown, then turn to cook the other sides until both are golden-grown. This takes abou t3 - 4 minutes per side.

These can be served with almost any topping whether dairy, such as sour cream, or a sweet jam.

Yield: About 15 large pancakes. These can also be made smaller and served as appetizers.

Contributor: Leah Kaplan

Beet Soup with Semolina Balls - Jewish Iraqi

This beet soup is Jewish as influenced by Iraqi cooking. The use of semolina is classically Middle Eastern.

* 3 cups warm water
* 1/2 kilo (1.1 lb.) semolina
* 6 cups chicken broth
* 3 - 4 large beets, cubed
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 - 1 cup fresh lemon juice (to preference)
* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 2 onions, chopped
* 1 cup chopped celery leaves
* Salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD

Salt water and pour it into a bowl. Sprinkle semolina into water and mix to combine. It will be very liquid. Let stand for about 20 minutes.

In a non-reactive pot, mix together broth, beets, sugar and lemon juice, using the amount of lemon according to your preference for tartness. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce flame, and cook for about 40 minutes.

Mix meat with onions and celery. Season with salt and black pepper.

After letting semolina stand for 20 minutes, shape into balls 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Using the finger to open a hole, stuff each with meat mixture then close ball to seal.

Add semolina balls to the pot, and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Serves: 4 - 6

Recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Elinoar Moore

Jewish Polish Beet Soup

This is not a complicated soup, and it rewards you with the taste of beets enlivened with lemon. It is flexible, so suit your taste

* 4 to 5 large beets
* Juice of 1 - 2 lemons
* 1 to 2 potatoes, quartered
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 cup (approximate) chicken stock
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (optional)

METHOD

Scrub beets. Cover with water and boil with juice of 1 to 2 lemons until soft, about 40 minutes. Remove from the water. Let cool slightly, peel and dice.

Return diced beets to water. Add onion and potatoes. Stir in chicken stock and sugar. Adjust the sweet and sour to your own taste with more or less sugar and lemon. Sprinkle chopped dill over soup when ready to serve.

Serves: 4

Recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Elinoar Moore

Green Passover Chicken Soup with Dumplings
from the beautiful work, The Book of New Israeli Cooking by Janna Gur

* 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) chicken and turkey parts and bones
* 2 onions, chopped
* 1 celery root, diced
* 3 celery stalks, diced
* 3 tablespoons oil
* 1/3 cup dill, chopped
* ½ cup fresh coriander, chopped
* 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
* ½ kg (1 lb 2 oz) fresh or frozen broad (fava) beans
* 2 potatoes, diced
* 2 leeks, white part only, sliced
* 1 level tablespoon turmeric (optional)
* Salt and freshly ground white pepper
* Knedlach (recipe below)

Method

Prepare the soup: Brown the bones with the onions and celery root and stalks in a saucepan with some oil. Add 3 liters (3 quarts) of water, the dill, coriander and parsley. Bring to a boil and cook for about one hour. Strain and retain the broth.
Add the beans, potatoes and leeks to the broth and bring to a boil. Season and cook for 45 minutes over a low-medium heat until the vegetables are tender.

The Chicken Knedlach (Dumplings)

* 250 g. (9 0z) chicken breast, ground
* 1 cup matzo flour
* 2 eggs
* 2 tablespoons oil
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 3 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
* Salt and freshly ground white pepper
* ½ cup chicken stock or water

Prepare the dumplings: Mix the ingredients and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Before serving: Bring the soup to a boil, form small balls of the dumpling mixture using two spoons or your hands, and slide into the boiling soup. Cook for 20 minutes and serve.

Serves 8 - 10

Note: Clear chicken soup with matzo dumplings is the most popular starter for the Seder meal and one of the few Ashkenazi dishes to be adopted in practically every household. This recipe uses spring greens but the dumplings can be served in a clear chicken soup.

Reprinted with permission from Al Hashulchan Gastronomic Media, Ltd. The Book of New Israeli Food, by Janna Gur, published by Schocken Books click for book review

Dandelion Soup (Jewish Sephardic)

Jewish cooking has many varieties, depending on the country of origin. Sephardic cooking indicates one of the peoples in the Mediterranean area - Spanish, Italian, Greek, Turkish to name a few. This soup is a wonderful springtime use of dandelion, an under used green that is rich in nutrients.

* 1/4 pound dried chick-peas
* 1/4 pound dried white beans
* Water for soaking
* 1/2 pound corned beef
* 2 tablespoons cooking oil
* 1/4 pound garlic beef sausage
* 8 cups water
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 2 tomatoes, chopped
* 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
* 1/2 pound chopped dandelion greens or spinach
* 2 to 4 tablespoons margarine
* 1 cup croutons

METHOD

Soak chick-peas and beans overnight in water. Drain. Set aside.

Heat oil in large pot. Sauté beef in oil. Add sausage. Sauté until cooked. Remove from pot and slice sausage. Set aside.

Pour water in pot. Put in reserved beans, garlic, tomatoes, cumin and potatoes. Simmer 3 hours or until chick-peas and beans are tender.

Melt margarine in a skillet, add meats and greens on high heat.

Stir, toss greens well until wilted. Add with meats to soup. Cook 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with crisp croutons.

Serves: 6 - 8

Contributor: Lior Moore

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART_II/food_history_and_facts/Jewish_Cooking.html

Israeli Coffee Chicken

This chicken is equally good when served hot or cold.

* 1 large chicken, cut up
* 3/4 cup coffee
* 1/3 cup ketchup
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 tablespoons sugar

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix liquids and sugar in small pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes to reduce.

Pour over chicken in shallow baking dish and bake at 350° F, uncovered, for 1 hour. Baste frequently.

Serves: 4

Recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Elinoar Moore

Spinach with Pine Nuts and Raisins

When you see pine nuts and raisins, you see a classic Italian preparation for spinach. This is suitable for Passover or Easter and is a delicious side dish to lamb.

* 1/3 cup dried seedless raisins
* 2 10-ounce bags whole-leaf spinach
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 cloves garlic, crushed
* 5 tablespoons pine nuts
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

METHOD

Soak raisins in water to cover for 20 minutes or until plump. Drain and pat dry.

Wash and drain the spinach well. Tear leaves with your hands, roughly into thirds.

Heat oil over medium heat. Stir in garlic and sauté for 3 - 4 minutes. Do not burn.

Add raisins and pine nuts, and cook for 4 more minutes. Swirl in butter. When melted, add spinach, stirring well to combine. Cook for another 2-4 minutes or until spinach has cooked down. Top with Parmesan.

Serves: 4 - 6 as side dish

recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Joan Glick

Carrot Pudding (Suitable for Passover)

* 4 carrots
* 1/2 cup blanched almonds
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 4 eggs, separated
*
* Zest of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon sweet red wine
* Vegetable oil and matzoh meal for preparing baking dish

Method

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Grate carrots on the fine holes of a grater. Grind almonds until powdery - a coffee bean grinder is perfect for this, or you can use a food processor.

Beat sugar and egg yolks until light and thick. Stir in carrots, ground almonds, lemon zest and wine.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold them gently into carrot mixture.

Lightly oil a 6 cup casserole and coat with matzoh meal. Pour in pudding and bake in preheated 325°F oven until firm and golden brown on top, about 50 - 60 minutes.

Contributor: Leah Kaplan

Pepper and Apple Salad

This is an Ashkenazi Jewish recipe. The pepper isownderful with apples - many opeople use a bit when making the basic apple pie.

* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 2 sliced onions
* 8 peppers (all colors)
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 1/2 cup white dry wine
* 1/4 cup balasmic vinegar
* 4 green apples (sour) - cubed

METHOD

Heat oil in an heavy pot and fry onions for 5 minutes. Add pepper and garlic. Fry for 3 minutes. Add wine, vinegar, apples and cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Cool. Serve the day after.

Serves: 4

Recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Elinoar Moore

Jewish Fig and Honey Spread

Though the classic use of this fig and honey spread is on bread, we mixed it into some plain yogurt and it was sublime. Experiment.

* 2 cups finely chopped dried figs
* 2 naval oranges, finely chopped or ground
* 1 cup sweet red wine
* 1 cup honey
* 2 cinnamon sticks

METHOD

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture is thick and jam-like. Cool and store in refrigerator until needed. Spread on sliced challah, or toasted bagels.

Yield: About 4 cups

this recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Elinoar Moore

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART_II/food_history_and_facts/fig_walk.html

Figs - Recipes, History & Facts

The Sensuous Fig

by Margaret E. Walker

The fig tree is the symbol of abundance, of fertility, of sweetness. Anyone who has had a fig tree knows that it appeals to the birds. Garden stores sell netting to protect the tree, but the fig tree is so abundant with the fruits it offers that there is no reason to NOT share with the birds.

People in temperate climates plant fig trees. Many in colder climates have been known to bring the tree indoors during the winter dormant season, its roots wrapped in burlap. We love this tree.

Figs -Genus
French, figue; German, feige; Italian fico; Latin, ficus; Greek, sykon

The Moraceae consist of Figs ficus carica, Mulberries morus alba, rubra, nigra and macroura and the Che cundrania tricuspidata. Ficus Carica, the common fig tree, is a member of the mulberry family, with distinctive lobed palmate leaves and pear-shaped fruit - green, brown or purple with a thin to moderately tough skin covering a fleshy inside. It hardly seems possible that these three fruits can be related but here we have another of nature’s mysteries. The trees and leaves all have similarities but the fruits are quite different.

Figs in History

Figs appear in the earliest recorded history. When Cato advocated the conquest of Carthage, he used as his crowning argument the advantage of acquiring fruits as glorious as the North African figs, specimens of which he pulled from his toga as exhibits in the Roman Senate. These fruits have become so popular in America that many varieties - purplish, brownish and greenish-are grown in profusion.

Of the three members of the Moraceae family, the fig has spread most widely. It was first recorded in the tablets of Lagash in Sumer (2738-2371) BC and has since appeared in the recorded history from Egypt to Greece, where it was a staple food of both rich and poor. The fig was such a staple food that Egyptian armies are recorded as having cut down the figs and vines of their enemies, and whole baskets of figs have been discovered among the tomb offerings of dynastic kings. Homer wrote of figs when he described the orchard of Alcinous, visited by Ulysses, which featured figs, olives, pomegranates, apples and pears. The poet Alexis of Thuria in the 4th century celebrated the fare of the average Greek which included “that God-given inheritance of our mother country, darling of my heart, a dried fig.” Cleopatra ended her life with an asp brought to her in a basket of figs.

The fig probably originated in Asia Minor, and has been highly regarded from the earliest times as a major contributor to the diets of many countries. Figs were one of the crops that became known in China during the T’ang dynasty which rose to power in the 700’s BC. Its importance in Hellenic culture and economic life is second only that that of the grape and the olive.

Pliny the Elder (AD 23 - 79) records several stories about fig trees in Rome. He asserts that a sacred fig tree grows in the Roman Forum. Alluding to the myth that Rome was founded by the twins, Romulus and Remus, who suckled on a she-wolf, Pliny tells us that, “This tree is known as Ruminalis because the she-wolf was discovered beneath it giving her teats (rumis in Latin) to the infant boys.”Another fig tree grows in the Forum where a chasm had opened up. Soothsayers had predicted that only by throwing Rome’s greatest treasure into the chasm, would it be filled. Marcus Curtius, mounted on his noble steed, asserted that he would fill the hole with the greatest treasures - virtue, a sense of duty, and his own death. He leapt into the hole and the earth closed around him. According to legend a self-seeded fig tree sprouted here.

In the first half of the sixteenth century, the fig was brought to England by Cardinal Pole, a few years before Cortez introduced the tree to Mexico. Fig trees reached North America in about 1790.

Fig (Ficus) Trees

The tree is deciduous with large, rough textured leaves which have three lobes. We have all seen these leaves tailor-made to cover parts of statues. I am not sure whether this was to preserve the dignity of the statue or that of the viewing public, or perhaps it was only a reflection of the old Biblical story of Adam and Eve. The tree tolerates a wide range of temperatures, making it suitable for cultivation in a wide variety of landscapes and climates. Hot dry summers and cool moist winters are perfect for a thriving fig tree.

In Australia there are also number of wild fig trees, the largest of which is the Morton Bay fig which grows a huge canopy of glossy green leaves that covers a massive grey trunk and huge spreading roots. The fruits are small and hard but loved by the bird population. With its smooth grey arms widespread, it easily supports the weight of climbing children. In spring with its leafy canopy it can be a hiding place from which children can peep outwards at the world. In autumn, it gives a wonderful crop of fruit to be eaten fresh or preserved for later pleasure. I had a wonderful fig tree, when I lived in Murray Bridge. Its branches spread so wide and strong that I could sit perched in the upper branches to seek out its fruit, at just the right state of ripeness, for fig jam. I picked the figs when the bottom two thirds of the fig was a pale shade of bronze and the top one third at the stem end was still green.

The jam was more likely to set well, and not be too dark. If the fruit was left to hang on the tree for any longer, I would find that the ants had invaded the centre of the fruit in order to pollinate others.

Now I don’t know about you, but I always picked my figs before the birds had a chance to damage them, which meant being quite precise about the extent of ripening. It’s not that I begrudge the birds a feed, but the idea of allowing the birds to eat the delicious things smacks of wicked waste. Though the Egyptians packed baskets of figs among tomb offerings , I prefer to make them into preserves and see them sit in bronze glory on my pantry shelf, or better still put spoonfuls of the sweet sticky stuff on my hot buttered toast for breakfast.

Figs - health, properties and propagation

The Egyptians, being preoccupied with their digestion, had a habit of fasting. The fig, having mild laxative properties, appealed to them as food which was delicious as well as good for them. Figs are rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium. Vitamin C and the B group vitamins are also present in small quantities. They are also high in fibre. Figs have the highest overall mineral content of all common fruits. A 40 gram (1/4 cup) serving provides 244 mg of potassium (7% of the DV), 53 mg of calcium (6% of the DV) and 1.2 mg of iron (6% of the DV). Figs are fat-free, sodium-free and cholesterol-free.

Ants are great pollinators. Because the fig, actually the flower of the fig tree, attract ants through the small opening in the end of the fruit. The ants go in search of the sweetness offered, picking up pollen on their feet. This is brought to the next fruit.

The trade caravan routes of old spread figs far and wide, although possibly not as far and wide as the bird population of the world has managed to do over the centuries, with their propensity for eating the seeds through one end and popping them out of the other end with a little dose of fertilizer to ensure their survival in a new place.

Figs are among the tastiest and most versatile of fruits, happy in company with wine, honey, sugar, thin proscuitto, sweet spices such as ginger, cinnamon and cloves and the sharpness of lemon and orange.

Figs in the Bible

The Bible abounds with mentions of figs. “The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” —Song of Solomon 2: 13.

“And they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” Genesis 3:7

“They shall sit every man under his vine, and under his fig tree.” Micah 4: 4

Fig Recipes Collection :

* california fig-orange muffins
* dried fig and toasted almond “pesto” - from Viana La Place
* fig kebabs
* pork medallions with honey-glazed figs & apples
* salmon with caramelized onion and fig
* Moroccan Lamb tagine with Figs and Apricots
* rosemary chicken with fig-orange sauce
* fig and lemon chicken
* figs with greens salad
* figs with roquefort & marsala wine in pomegranate syrup
* fig jam
* fig chutney
* figs, pickled - this preserve uses under-ripe figs
* Baked Yams with Orange & Figs
* fig and almond roll
* spiced figs
* gingered fig preserves
* Jewish fig and honey spread
* fig and rum dessert syrup
* Jewish fig compote
* fig and coconut balls, half cookie, half candy
* fig fruit cake
* fig and raisin pudding
* fig and walnut coffeecake
* fig bars
* figs stuffed with almonds
* cudureddi - Sicilian fig cookies
* christmas fig cookies
* fig and oatmeal cookies
* baked figs
* egyptian fig cakes
* figs with mascarpone
* Sweet Ricotta Stuffed Figs (Dessert)
* Grilled Figs With Cinnamon Whipped Cream
* Gingered Fig Confections
* zabaglione gelato with figs

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART_II/food_history_and_facts/Jewish_Cooking.html

[Many more recipes on this index page]

Jewish Honey Candies

Honey candies are popular Ashkenazic Passover, Purim and Hanukkah treats. The basic recipe is varied by adding poppy seeds, sesame seeds, matzoh, carrots, or spices. When ground ginger is added, the candy is called “ingberlach” (”ingber” is the Yiddish word for ginger). When the ginger is omitted, the candy is sometimes called “pletzlach” (board), because it is spread into a thin layer to cool. Since honey syrups absorb moisture from the air, it is advisable not to make this candy on a humid day.” Lior Moore

* 1 cup sugar
* 2 cups honey
* 4 to 6 cups finely chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds

METHOD

Cook sugar and honey over medium-low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes.

Gradually add nuts, and continue cooking, stirring frequently and being careful not to burn syrup, until mixture is very thick and reaches the soft-crack stage. The candy will remain chewy at this stage; if it reaches hard-rock stage it turns brittle.

Spoon the mixture onto a wet board or oiled baking sheet and spread to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Let cool until firm but not hard, about 10 minutes.

Using a sharp knife dipped into hot water, cut into squares or diamonds. (The mixture can also be dropped by spoonfuls onto oiled baking sheets.) If desired, wrap individual squares in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

This recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Lior Moore

Orange Ginger Passover Cookies

A wonderful Pesach recipe.

* 1 1/3 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons potato starch
* 12 tablespoons unsalted pareve passover margarine, room temperature
* 1 tablespoon ground ginger
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
* 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
* 2 cups matzo cake meal

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F . Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Using a food processor, combine sugar and potato starch and process until sugar is finely ground. Put in softened margarine and spices. Process to combine well, then put in egg yolks and orange juice. Process, pulsing, until blended.

Add matzo flour and pulse until perfectly combined. The mixture should now be dough-like.

Remove dough and shape into balls, 1 1/4” in diameter. Roll each ball in sugar and put on prepared cookie sheets. Press down on the the balls with a spatula to flatten into cookies about 1/8” thick.

Bake in preheated oven on middle shelf for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Slide the cookies, still on the parchment onto wire racks to cool.

Contributor: jane levin

Jewish-Italian Risotto with Raisins (Riso coll’Uvetta)

This is an Italian Jewish dish from Venice served at Chanukah.

* 3 cups top quality chicken or beef broth
* 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
* 1 1/2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
* 1/2 cup seedless dark raisins
* 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
* Freshly milled black pepper to taste

Method

Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. When boiling, immediately lower heat to lowest setting, cover and keep warm. Liquid used in risotto should always be warm.

Heat oil in large skillet. Add garlic, parsley and rice. Cook over high heat, stirring with wooden spoon, until garlic begins to discolor and rice is toasted and opaque. This will not take more than 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in a 4 to 6 ounce ladleful of stock and cook, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Add another ladleful of hot broth, along with raisins and salt, and continue to cook stirring all the while. Continue adding ladles of broth cooking, uncovered and always stirring over medium high heat until rice is done - about 15 - 18 minutes in all.

Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves: 6

Contributor: Eric Simons

Sweet Potato Encrusted Chicken

This is the winning recipe from the SIMPLY MANICHEWITZ cookoff held in New York City on February 1, 2007. Read about the cookoff

* 1 (6oz.) box Manischewitz® Sweet Potato Pancake Mix
* 1 teaspoon Manischewitz® Poultry Seasoning
* 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* 1 1/2 cup Manischewitz® Apricot Preserves
* 3 tablespoons Manischewitz® Premium Niagara White Grape Juice
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
* Manischewitz® Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 13” x 9” glass baking dish with cooking spray. Combine sweet potato pancake mix and poultry seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken breasts through mixture, turning to coat thoroughly. Place in prepared baking dish. Place in oven and bake 30-40 minutes or until internal temperature is 175 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine apricot preserves, grape juice, garlic and pepper. Cook over low heat until mixture is heated through.

To serve: Place chicken breasts on serving platter. Drizzle 1/4 cup sauce over breasts and serve remaining sauce on the side for dipping.

From Candace McMenamin - Lexington, SC
Serves 6

Savory Stuffed Mushrooms

This recipe was a finalist in the First SIMPLY MANISCHEWITZ Cookoff, held in New York City on February 1, 2007. Read about the cookoff.

* 12 whole white mushrooms (large package)
* 4 matzo balls from Manischewitz® Matzo Balls in Broth
* 1 small onion, diced
* 1/4 cup Manischewitz® Blackberry Wine
* 2 tablespoons garlic - minced in water
* 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
* Paprika – for garnish (few shakes)
* Green leafy lettuce - for garnish
* Salt
* Pepper

Method

Turn oven on to broil. Remove stems from mushroom caps. Dice stems and put aside. Rub mushroom caps with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place caps on a foil lined baking sheet and broil cup side down for 5 minutes. Turn mushroom caps over, lower oven to 375 degrees F and put aside until stuffing is complete.

Stuffing: In a large skillet sauté onions over a medium heat until lightly brown. Add mushroom stems and garlic. Continue to cook on med/low for 5 minutes. Cut matzo balls into quarters and pulse in food processor with a metal blade until broken up. Then add to skillet. Add wine and deglaze pan. Wine will reduce until fully incorporated into mixture. Remove from heat. Mix in cheese. Place a spoonful of the mixture into each mushroom cap. Sprinkle tops with paprika. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

From finalist Laura Diamond of Apopka, Fl

Slow Cooker Tzimmes

* 1-2 sweet potatoes
* 6 carrots, sliced
* 1 potato, peeled and diced
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 apples, peeled and sliced
* 1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced
* 1/4 cup dry white wine or apple juice
* 1/2 pound dried apricots
* 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
* 1 tablespoon apple pie spice
* 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honed
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Method

Combine all ingredients in large slow cooker, or mix all ingredients in large bowl and then divide between two 4- or 5- quart cookers.

Cover. Cook on Low 10 hours.

Serves: 6 - 8

Note: This is a special dish served primarily on Jewish holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah and Passover. The sweetness of the vegetables and fruit signifies wishes for a sweet year.

Reprinted with permission from the cooking calendar Fix-It and Forget-It by Phyllis Pellman Good, © Good Books, published by Andrews McMeel click for calendars

Mandel Bread (Mandelbrot)

This is similar to the Italian twice-baked biscotti. They are called kamishbrot in Ukraine. It is a favorite cookie of the Ashkenazi Jews.

* 2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon double acting baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 ounces sweet butter, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 teaspoon lemon zest
* 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
* 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
* 1 1/2 cups chopped almonds, toasted

METHOD

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add zest, vanilla and almond extract. Add flour mixture and almonds while the machine is on low speed until dough is formed. Scrape sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Remove from mixing machine and divide into thirds.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease & flour a baking sheet.

With hands floured, form each portion of dough into a flat log 10 inches long and 2 inches wide (approximately). Bake logs in a preheated 325° F oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, cut logs crosswise, diagonally into 3/4 inch slices. Place slices on baking sheets and bake in the 325°F oven for 5 minutes. Remove and turn each cookie over and bake for 5 minutes more or until pale golden.

Cool and store in airtight containers.

Yield: About 3 dozen cookies

Recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Elinoar Moore

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/ITALIAN_COOKING/RISOTTO.html

How to Cook Risotto
Risotto Recipes

by Diana Farrell Serbe

Risotto achieves what few dishes can accomplish. Risotto is essentially a peasant dish and, as such, it is is one of the world’s most satisfying comfort foods. But risotto is flexible and can be dressed up in fine clothes and then it is as elegant as it is comforting. You can cook risotto as a simple accompaniment to hearty fare, or you can cook risotto with any number of ingredients nestled in its grains, and make it the main course of a meal.

With saffron gilding each grain in golden hue, risotto starts a meal with splendor. But risotto absorbs many flavors and can be the final touch to a meal with satisfying sweet tastes.

To hit the heights of risotto glory, one must know how to cook risotto. Once you understand the reasons, it is very simple and you will know how to cook risotto like a chef.

The origins of risotto are not recorded. It is, however, a staple throughout northern Italy and is grown extensively in the Veneto, Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. It is categorized in four groups according to length and form of the grain as well as the cooking time. This incorporates the smallest which cooks in 12 to 13 minutes up to semifino, fino and superfino which cooks in 16 to 20 minutes. Superfino is the considered the perfect rice for risotto. Surprisingly, in Italy rice is equated with wine in having vintage years, a concern that goes beyond the average taste. Many risotto dishes could be considered piatti poveri ( poor people’s dishes) as risotto has been cooked with almost every conceivable addition, from frog’s legs to sausage, from flowers and vegetables to the classic Milanese risotto with saffron.
How to cook Risotto
Types of Rice Used to Cook Risotto
In the world of rice, there are as many varieties as there are thumbprints on this earth. That may be a small exaggeration, but there are infinite varieties and only those short-grained rices specific to risotto should be used. The three main risotto types are:

Arborio - the most readily available rice, Arborio makes a light risotto and is especially good if you want the soupy texture.

Carnaroli - this has a very high starch content and it is starch that makes risotto creamy. It’s center stays firm even when absorbing a lot of liquid.

Vialone Nano - these grains are the shortest and it is said to be the most absorptive of all the rices.

The Broth Used to Cook Risotto
Risotto is versatile. Through its long history in Italy as both peasant dish and rich man’s feast, risotto has been cooked with ingredients such as frogs legs, marrow, and calves lungs. While we may eschew such ingredients today, risotto remains versatile, but before we even think of a grain of rice, we must think about the broth we will use in the risotto. The very soul of all Italian cooking is to use quality ingredients, and this is even more important in a risotto - so important that we will not use the word stock, but call it broth. This broth will infuse every grain of rice and you will want the best broth possible. As always, there is nothing like the broth made at home, but lacking that find the best prepared broth possible. Before you start to cook the risotto, bring the broth to a boil on the back burner of the stove. Once boiling, turn the flame to the lowest setting possible just to keep it warm. Using cool liquid would stop the risotto from cooking. You are being kind to the rice.

The Flavor base of risotto
In Italian a flavor base is called a soffritto. Chopped onion is the most commonly used flavor base for risotto. Cook the onions gently in either butter or oil, or a combination of both. Mixing the two will prevent the butter from burning while giving the sweetness of butter to the risotto. Never, never burn the onions. Burning the onions is equivalent to abusing the risotto, and in a kitchen court, risotto abuse would condemned the cook to a life without risotto.

- How to Cook Risotto: 1 - Toasting the Rice
Unlike boiled rice which is dumped into boiling liquid, risotto begins its journey to perfection by being lightly toasted in the hot oil and/or butter. This step, called the tostatura, seals the rice and maintains its chewy quality. The creaminess of risotto does not come from falling apart rice as we shall see in the next critical step. The toasting step takes only three to four minutes. An experienced Italian chef might test the grains by tossing them against the side of the pan to hear a ping, the confirmation that the grains are pebbl-hard with the starch sealed into the grain - to be released as the cooking contnues..

- How to Cook Risotto: 2 - Cooking the Liquid into the Risotto
Once the grains are toasted and opaque around the edges, liquid is added gradually. Work with ladlefuls of liquid. Never let the risotto dry out, but never pour all the liquid on it. This is to help with the stirring. You cannot properly stir rice that is swimming in water. And you never cover the pot. Cooking without covering the pot also means evaporation and evaporation gives a more concentrated flavor to risotto.

- How to Cook Risotto: 3 - Stirring, stirring, stirring. Why the fuss about stirring?
Stirring the risotto is abusing it slightly. But this is like the gentle spank a mother gives a mischievous child and it is critical. Stirring creates friction on the grains of rice and releases a little of its starch. This is the secret to the creaminess of risotto. We recommend a wooden spoon for stirring as it will help create that friction while a smooth spoon will glide through the grains. If you are a Venetian chef, you can simplify this by tossing the rice upward in a stream from the pot so each grain will bruise another slightly, a kind of free-for-all of grains that results in a stream of evenly flowing risotto. If you are not a Venetian chef, this method is best abandoned and stirring adopted.

Do not be frightened by the dictatorial command to stir, however. You do not need to glue yourself to the side of the pot. You will automatically want to stir when you add liquid. Give the rice a few extra swirls with each addition.

- How to Cook Risotto: 4 - Finishing the Risotto
Risotto release starch and becomes creamy, but it should still have a little bite to it. This is equivalent to cooking pasta al dente. As a final flourish, stir in a little butter and it will be very creamy. Adding butter is classic in Italy.

Now that you know how to cook risotto, you can try any one of these great risotto recipes. There are recipes using vegetables, some with meat, and even a few for dessert. Have fun, eat risotto with a hearty appetite, and don’t forget to stir.

At his restaurants in Toronto, Chef Massimo Capra is renowned for his risotto dishes. We asked him about how to cook risotto and he described it as the “porridge of poor people in northern Italy....Risotto is the ultimate in one-pot cooking, so that’s probably why that pulsates with exuberance in my book. I grew up eating it, and I still treat it somewhat as soul food.”

read Chef Capra’s entire interview read the book review

Risotto Recipes:

* apple and hazelnut risotto
* artichoke & leek risotto with cream from Viana La Place
* champagne risotto with mushrooms
* champagne risotto
* cheese - three cheese risotto
* Risotto with Baby Artichoke Hearts
* asparagus and prosciutto risotto
* risotto with Barolo wine - from Mario Batali
* risi e bisi - a hint of Venice in early spring
* chef capra’s risi e bisi - from Massimo’s Italian Kitchen click for review
* pumpkin risotto with balsamic vinegar
* spinach risotto - risotto ai spinaci
* butternut squash risotto with balsamic vinegar
* squash and walnut risotto with that added crunch
* kale & pumpkin risotto - deep and delicious
* risotto with pumpkin and pancetta - from the great chef, Gordon Ramsay
* risotto nero - black rice from the Veneto Region, a classic Venetian dish
* Saffron & Pea Risotto - the glow of saffron
* tomato, basil and mozzarella risotto
* risotto with fresh vegetables - so nutritious
* riso e pomodoro - that’s tomatoes, of course
* winter squash risotto recipe from the Lombardy region of Italy
* wild mushroom risotto recipe from the Lombardy region of Italy
* Jewish-Italian Risotto with Raisins (Riso coll’Uvetta) from Venice and served at Chanukah
* wild mushroom risotto #2- a variation
* porcini mushroom and truffle oil risotto - oh, that truffle oil
* Wild Mushroom Risotto with Pancetta and Sage
* risotto alla milanese the classic Milanese recipe
* risotto with zucchine - from Italian shores
* Risotto With Fontina, and Gorgonzola Cheese
* Risotto con L’uve alla veneta (Rice with Raisins, Veneto style)
* meat & poultry - Turkey Risotto -holiday leftovers turned glorious
* meat & poultry - chicken risotto
* meat- spinach and sausage risotto
* meat - ham and pumpkin risotto - great for holiday leftovers
* meat and poultry - Turkey and Spinach Risotto - another use of those leftovers
* meat and poultry - sausage and bell pepper risotto
* seafood - quick seafood risotto with long-grain rice - ah, for those moments that we must hurry
* seafood - mixed shellfish risotto
* seafood - lobster risotto with mushrooms
* lobster risotto 2
* seafood - shrimp and snow pea risotto
* dessert - chef capra’s Risotto al Cioccolato (Chocolate Risotto)
* dessert - strawberry dessert risotto

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART/cliff/sorghum.html

Sweet Southern Sorghum

by Cliff Lowe

Sorghum is found throughout the south, but it is found most often and most prominently in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. And, when I was a boy, there was a farmer just about two miles down the road, who raised sorghum cane. Sorghum molasses is made from sorghum cane, and regular molasses is made from sugar cane.

Sorghum represents a double-crop to some farmers because sorghum is a cereal grass, which, at first glance, resembles corn stalks with large clusters of the sorghum grain on top. It is believed to come originally from Africa, and today, worldwide, is the third largest food grain.

In this part of the world, it is used primarily to make livestock feed. So this farmer profited from not only selling the grain of the plant, but also the molasses he produced. He would set up his horse-powered cane press and I used to watch, fascinated, as the horse, hooked to a long pole, would patiently walk in a big circle around and around the press, while the farmer fed the raw cane through the press.

There were three openings in the press, one for cane to go in, one for it to come out, and an opening for the juice of the cane to drain out. The old horse, walking the circle, powered two closely-set crushing cylinders inside the press, and as the cane stalks were forced between and through these cylinders, the juice was squeezed out. I was always excited when we went to this man’s place to buy sorghum because he had a sales stand set up by the field where he was crushing the cane and, not only did I love the sorghum we bought, and the old horse, I also looked forward to the gift of a piece of the crushed raw cane that the farmer always gave us kids. If you have never had the opportunity, as a child, to suck on a piece of cane, I weep for you. It is nature’s premier candy. You can’t eat it because it is too tough and stringy, but oh my, what sweetness can be chewed sucked from the stalk!

The word ‘molasses’ actually means ‘thick, like honey’ (would I lie?) and few people realize what is necessary to get the thin, sweet, cane juice to be molasses. The juice is transferred to a wood-fired, open cooker. A huge, and I mean huge, vat is placed over the fire and is filled with the extracted sorghum juice. Then, depending on the quantity of juice, it is cooked and stirred with a large wooden paddle until it thickens to just the right consistency. There is a knack to this, as the liquid will reach a point where it is very, very close to the exact thickness, but it will be too cloudy. It has to be cooked and stirred to the very point where it is a beautiful dark amber color, but not cloudy. And not burned, either. It takes about 20 gallons of juice cooked down to make 2 gallons of sorghum molasses, and it takes about 2.5 hours of cooking and stirring to make it.

Regular molasses has little flavor, other than sweetness, but sorghum has a deep, rich flavor that I would not know how to begin to describe. It is unbeatable on pancakes and biscuits and it adds a deep richness to a recipe that is amazing.

Sometimes, retailers would try to cheat the public by mixing cheaper corn syrup with sorghum and then selling it as pure sorghum. Sorghum makers started putting a green sliver of the cane leaf into each jar of molasses to signify purity. I don’t think it is done today, but I can still see, in my mind’s eye, that jar of dark amber liquid with the strip of green leaf in the center.

My grandmother used to cook biscuits every morning and she would always, always make a couple dozen biscuits. Then, after breakfast, the remaining biscuits were left on the table, along with a container of butter and one of sorghum molasses and a large tablecloth covered all. At any time of the day, any of us kids could run in and grab a biscuit with butter and sorghum. The way you did that was to take a small plate, put a big blob of butter on it, an equal amount of sorghum, and stir until it mixed to form a light amber spread.

If you wish to try some sorghum you can, of course, find it on the Internet for sale (what can’t you find there?). But, preferably, if you can do it, take a trip south through the beautiful bluegrass and racehorse country of central Kentucky and down through the mountainous region of the southern state. I guarantee that, somewhere along the way and probably several times, you will find real sorghum for sale.

recipes using sorghum:

* sorghum baked beans
* sorghum barbecue sauce
* sorghum molasses pie
* Kentucky sorghum cake