Salty, fried eggplant paired with sweet, sticky honey makes a tantalizing combo of flavor and texture. In Spain, the eggplant slices, heaped on a platter, are served as a tapa or starter. This lovely recipe is excerpted from Cooking From the Heart of Spain-Food of La Mancha, by Janet Mendel (William Morrow Cookbooks, 2006).

2 to 3 medium eggplant (1-1/2 pounds)
Salt
Flour for dredging (about 1 cup)
Olive oil for frying (about 3 cups)
2 teaspoons honey

Peel the eggplant and cut them into thin (3/16-inch) slices. Layer them in a bowl, sprinkling liberally with salt. Allow to stand for 1 hour. Rinse the eggplant slices in water and drain. Dredge them in flour and shake off excess. Place oil in a large skillet to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat until almost smoking. Working in 2 or 3 batches, add slices of eggplant to the oil. Fry them, turning once, until golden, about 1 minute per side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Heap the eggplant on a platter and drizzle with the honey. Serve hot. Serves 4—6.

©2006 Janet Mendel

This was excerpted from My Kitchen in Spain (HarperCollins 2002), an earlier book from Janet Mendel. You could use molasses, bee's honey, corn syrup or even your favorite pancake syrup in this recipe. In fact, you need very little. It is the intriguing contrast of salty and sweet which makes this an outstanding dish. Batter-fried eggplant is also served drizzled with honey or molasses.

1/4 pound dry salt cod, soaked for 24 hours in several changes of water
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of crushed saffron
2 teaspoons brandy
1 egg, separated
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
olive oil for frying
2 tablespoons molasses or honey

Drain the salt cod and put in a pan with water to cover and bring just to a simmer, then remove from heat. Drain and save the liquid. When the cod is cool enough to handle, remove any bones and skin and flake the fish. Combine the parsley, garlic, saffron, brandy, egg yolk and cod. Beat in 1 cup of the reserved liquid, then the flour combined with the baking powder. Add the flaked cod. The batter should be the consistency of pancake batter. Let the batter rest for an hour.

Beat the egg white until stiff and fold into the batter. Heat the oil to a depth of 1 inch. Drop batter by tablespoons, turning to brown on both sides. Drain the fritters on absorbent paper. Serve them hot, drizzled with molasses or honey. Makes 10 appetizers.

©2006 Janet Mendel

Delight your guests on Rosh Hashanah with fragrant carrot soup. An aromatic blend of Indian spices makes this harvest pareve soup a downright spicy first course to any menu. This recipe appears in Divine Kosher Cuisine: Catering to Family and Friends, edited by Barbara Wasser and Rise Rountenberg. This superb book of 350+ recipes grew out of Wasser and Rountenberg's work as chairs of As You Like It Kosher Catering, which is based in Congregation Agudat Achim of Schenectady, N.Y. The Caterer annually raises $40,000 for the synagogue budget and funds special synagogue projects. To learn more about this beautifully illustrated cookbook that offers recipes for every occasion, go to http://www.divinekosher.com/HTML/Index.htm

1/2 cup olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 quarts vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro, mint leaves or nondairy sour cream for garnish

Heat oil in soup pot and saut onions until soft but not browned. Add sugar and spices and cook 1 minute. Add carrots, potatoes and broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add salt and pepper. Cool and puree. Serve soup hot or at room temperature and garnish. For a lower fat version, reduce oil to 1/3 cup. Serves 12.

©2006 Barbara Wasser and Rise' Rountenberg

According to Marcie Cohen Ferris, author of Matzoh Ball Gumbo (University of N.C. Press), some New Orleaneans prefer a "red soup" or beef or vegetable broth rather than a chicken flavored broth as a first course at holiday meals. Florence Weiland Schornstein told Marcie about this soup which can be served with your favorite matzoh balls.

1 cup coarsely chopped green cabbage
1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large turnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup sliced leek, well rinsed of grit
2 medium carrots, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 stalk celery, sliced
8 cups water
6 oz. can tomato paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 lb. piece well-trimmed boneless beef brisket or chuck roast
1/2 cup shelled fresh or frozen peas — optional
favorite recipe matzoh balls (optional)

In a large pot, place the cabbage, potato, onion, turnip, leeks, carrots, celery, water, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix well. There should be enough water to barely cover the vegetables; if not, add more but do not make soup too thin. Add meat; stir again, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off the foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork, about 3 hours. Remove from the heat. Remove the meat from the soup.

For the best flavor, cover the soup, wrap the meat, and refrigerate both overnight. To serve, skim any fat from the soup. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces and return to the soup. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if need. If desired, add the peas and cook an additional 2 minutes. Serve hot with matzoh balls is you wish.
Serves 6 generously.


©2005 Marcie Cohen Ferris

According to Chef Laura Frankel in her lovely new book, Jewish Cooking for All Seasons: Fresh, Flavorful Kosher Recipes for Holidays and Every Day (Wiley, NJ) parsnips are everything her mom likes in a vegetable: beautiful ivory color, sweet earthy flavor, and they pair nicely with other foods. This soup has a velvety texture, and can be stored in the refrigerator, covered for up to 2 days. All 150 recipes in this book will make your mouth water and make you look like a professional chef. And if you want more, visit Frankel in her restaurant Shallots next time you are in Chicago!

8 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1 head of garlic
2 large leeks, light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 to 5 cups chicken stock
thyme sprigs

Preheat oven to 300 F. Lightly toss the parsnips with the olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste and place them in a jelly roll pan. Roast until the parsnips are caramelized and soft, about 45 minutes depending upon the thickness. Turn oven to 400F. Cut off 1/2-inch of the non-root end of the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Place garlic in a small baking dish and lightly drizzle with olive oil and enough water to come about 1-inch up the side of the garlic. Cover the dish with foil and roast until the garlic is lightly browned and soft enough to squeeze out of the skins, about an hour. Set aside to cool.

Heat a large pan over medium heat, and lightly coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil.

Cook the leeks until they are very soft and translucent, about 20 minutes. Squeeze out the individual cloves of garlic from the roasted head. Puree the roasted parsnips, garlic, leeks, thyme, lemon juice, wine, 4 cups of stock and salt and pepper to taste in a blender or food processor.

Place the soup in a large pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Thin with more stock if needed. Serve soup garnished with thyme sprigs. Serves 6 to 8.

"My great uncle Menashe, who was our master challah baker, taught the other bread bakers how to prepare a challah with care; it was he who showed me that baking was more than a craft or even an art-it was magic," writes Marvin Korman in his delightful book, In My Father's Bakery—A Bronx Memoir (Red Rock Press, NY).

3-1/4-ounce packages dry yeast
1-1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 eggs (3 plus 1 for the topping)
5-1/2 to 6-1/2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
canola oil spray

Baking Equipment
Two large cookie sheets (for braided bread) or two 9x5x4-inch loaf pans (for loaves)

In a large bowl, proof (activate) the yeast and a tablespoon of sugar in the warm water. Cover with a kitchen towel and place on top of the stove. Turn on the oven to the lowest level of heat to warm the air around the bowl. While the yeast is proofing, melt the butter or margarine in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Beat 3 eggs in a small bowl. Add the salt and the remainder of the sugar, then add the egg mixture to the butter. As soon as the yeast has proofed—you'll know because the surface will be covered with a bubbly skin—add the butter/egg/salt mixture and stir.

Add 5 to 5-1/2 cups of flour, one cup at a time. Mix well with a wooden spoon after each addition.

When all the flour is absorbed and you have a nice, soft ball of dough, turn it out onto a large wooden kneading board. Add handfuls of flour as you knead, folding, turning and pushing down on the dough with your hands until you have a soft but firm mound.

Grease a second large bowl with a bit of margarine or a spray of canola oil. Place the dough into the bowl, being careful to see that all of the dough gets a bit of oil on it. Cover with a kitchen towel or, if you are eager to see it rise, with clear polyethylene wrap. Place the bowl back on top of the stove for about an hour or so, until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle your board with more flour, then take the dough from the bowl and repeatedly punch it down on the board. Keep kneading for five or ten minutes until you've removed all the air from the dough and its surface is not sticky.

Now it's time for the dough to be shaped into two challahs or otherwise readied for baking. Divide the dough in half, and then divide each half into three parts. Take one of the sections and roll it between the palms of your hands, creating a small rope of dough. Place this small rope onto your board; using the palms of both hands, extend the size of the rope to about 12 inches in length. Do this for all six pieces of dough. Set aside three of the pieces and braid the other three ropes. Lay them side by side, pinching the ends together at one end, then braid. Repeat the process with the other three ropes for the second challah.

Place each loaf onto a large, non-stick cookie sheet (the largest you can fit into your oven, one above the other) that has been sprayed with canola oil. Place each sheet on the top of the stove for a second rising. This should take about 25 or 30 minutes, or until the loaves have doubled in size. Remove the sheets from the top of the stove and brush gently with a beaten egg. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top of each loaf. Place in a pre-heated 400⁰ oven. Check after 25 to 30 minutes. The challahs should be nicely browned, glowing loaves, dark but not burned on the bottoms. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for an hour or two.

Note: If you are frightened by the prospect of braiding the loaves, they can be baked in individual loaf pans. Simply place three balls of dough side by side into each pan. Let them rise to just below the tops of the pans, brush with the egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds. The baking time may be a few minutes longer, but you can see when they are done. Remove them from the pans and cool on a wire rack. You will have 2 three-sectioned loaves.

©2005 Marvin Korman

"The 'Miami' onion rolls, where the onions were inside the rolls, were produced several times a week in my father's bakery," Marvin Korman writes in In My Father's Bakery. "The sweet onion roll (the subject of this recipe) had the onions on top of the roll, sitting in a hollowed-out center." According to Korman, they were only baked on Fridays because they were made from the challah dough. To make these sweet onion rolls, follow the dough preparation for Uncle Menashe's Magic Challah until just before you start to shape the challahs. The rolls are best served within an hour or two after being retrieved from the oven and, says Korman, "require no adornment" with butter or jam.

3 large onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 cups cold water
3 tablespoons poppy seeds

Baking Equipment
Two 17X24-inch cookie sheets or baking pans

After you have kneaded the dough, divide it into quarters and then divide each section into quarters again, so that you have 16 pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball and place balls on two greased cookie sheets, eight balls to a sheet. Make sure you leave at least three inches between each ball. Press down with your knuckles to make a hollow in the center of each ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the rolls rise in a warm spot for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they have doubled in size.

While you wait for the rolls to rise, peel the onions and chop finely. (You will need about two cups of onions.) In a skillet, saut the onions in the canola oil, adding an additional two tablespoons of oil if the pan gets dry. Cook until the onions are translucent but not brown. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

Place a deep-sided empty pan into the bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 450⁰. When the rolls have doubled in size, repeat the punch-down process with your knuckles. Each roll should be about 4 inches in diameter. Fill each hollow center with two tablespoons of cooked onions.

Brush each roll with the beaten egg, sprinkling a teaspoon of poppy seeds on each. Add four cups of cold water to the heated pan at the bottom of your oven to create steam. (Please use caution when doing this. Wear baking mitts and be sure the steam doesn't hit your face.) Turn down the heat of the oven to 375⁰ and place the rolls into the oven. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the rolls are a golden brown. Remove rolls from the oven and cool on a rack for about an hour.

©2005 Marvin Korman

This recipe also comes from Marvin Korman. He reports that it was "conceived, I guess, by my grandmother, Rosa Steinhardt Grossfeld, improved, if possible, by Amelia Billingsley, her cook, and my mother, Lillian Korman, and brought up to date by my wife, Eleanore Zolotow Korman."

This classic holiday dish is easy to prepare and is a "one-dish meal" that can be prepared in advance of serving and "gets better the longer it stays around." Through the years, Korman says, "my wife has received several proposals of marriage from young men after they tasted this dish for the first time."

5-1/2 to 6 lb. brisket of beef, trimmed of excess fat
8 cloves garlic
12-oz. can of tomato paste
1-1/2 cups water
1-2/3 cups Manischewitz Concord Grape wine (1-1/3 cup plus 1/3 cup)
2/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce (1/3 cup plus 1/3 cup)
6 stalks of celery cut into bite-size pieces
6 large carrots, scraped and cut into bite-size pieces
6 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

In a large, heavy-duty aluminum or iron pot, sear the brisket over a high flame, turning frequently.

Peel, then slice the garlic cloves very thin and spread over the brisket while it is browning, continuing to turn it frequently. Add the tomato paste, 1-1/3 cup of wine and 1/3 cup of soy sauce. Use the water to help remove all of the tomato paste from the can, adding it to the meat. Add the celery, carrots and potatoes and mix well, covering the vegetables with the liquid. Cover the pot and cook over a moderate flame for about 30 minutes. Add the remainder of the wine and the soy sauce, and turn over all the ingredients. Lower the heat, cover the pot and simmer for one hour.

Remove the brisket and place it on a wooden cutting board for about five minutes. Slice the brisket on the bias, about 1/4 inch thick, and return the sliced meat to the pot. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.

Cool. Reheat when you are ready to serve. Makes about 10 to 12 portions. Refrigerate the leftovers, which actually taste better the second and third times around.

©2005 Marvin Korman

In his book, New Orleans Food (Stewart, Tabori & Chang) author Tom Fitzmorris says "if I had to live on just one entre the rest of my life, this would be itmy mother's chicken. After the chicken comes out of the oven you can add almost any sauce or garnish to it you like but it is very good as is. Feel free to vary the array of fruits, vegetables, and herbs that I like to stuff inside the cavity before baking." The book combines Fitzmorris's encyclopedic knowledge of New Orelans cuisine with his love of the city that he calls home. Recipes are all steeped in the Creole and Cajun traditions, and have been updated to reflect today's tastes and ingredients.

3 to 3-1/2 lb. whole chicken, cleaned
stems of 1 bunch of fennel, chopped, or tops from 1 bunch of celery
stems of 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
1/2 orange, sliced
1 good-sized branch rosemary
10 garlic cloves, crushed
salt
salt-free Creole seasoning, or freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon margarine

Preheat oven to 500⁰F. Stuff cavity with as much of the fennel, parsley, orange, rosemary, and garlic as will fit inside. Season the outside of the chicken with salt and Creole seasoning or pepper. Put the chicken, breast side down, on a broiler pan with a rack and set it in the center of the oven. Reduce oven to 350⁰F and roast for 1 hour and check the temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer. When it reaches about 170⁰F turn the oven up to 450⁰F and dot the outside of the chicken with small slivers of margarine. Roast another 5 to 10 minutes. Check to make sure the juices run clear from the thigh. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 2 to 4.

©2006 Tom Fitzmorris

I am always looking for new ways to make chicken and fish, and if I can prepare it so it's delicious and healthy then I am ahead of the game. In Savvy Eating for the Whole Family (Capital Books, Va.), Dr. Margaret Kocsis, a noted pediatrician, provides a safe, easy-to-follow action plan to get families from babies to seniors on the path to healthier eating.

1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lime, lemon, or orange zest
1/4 cup lime, lemon, or orange juice, or pineapple juice
1-1/2 to 2 lbs. chicken or fish

Whisk together sugar and lime juice. Marinate fresh chicken for 30 minutes or fish for 15 minutes in the refrigerator before roasting or broiling. To make a dry rub, omit the juice and rub the dry ingredients on chicken/fish and drizzle each piece with a teaspoon of olive oil, and broil or roast.

©2006 Dr. Margaret Kocsis

Dr. Kocsis also includes this delicious and versatile marinade in her book, Savvy Eating for the Whole Family.

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 1-1/2 lbs. chicken, fish or tofu

Combine all ingredients and marinate fish for 15 minutes and chicken and tofu for 30 minutes prior to roasting or broiling. Cut tofu into chunks and cook it and the marinade in a skillet over medium high heat for 7 to 10 minutes, turning at least once until it is heated through and the marinade has thickened.
©2006 Dr. Margaret Kocsis

This recipe represents a time, the early 1970s, when American cooks were opening their repertoires to international influence, partly as a result of the Peace Corps. This recipe is from Ghana and comes from Remembering Bill Neal: Favorite Recipes From a Life in Cooking by Moreton Neal (University of North Carolina Press). Neal was a gifted chef, 2nd cookbook author who helped raise Southern food to national prominence.

3 to 4 lb. chicken cut into pieces (or 3 lbs. beef stew meat cut into small chunks)
2 onions, chopped
4 to 5 medium carrots, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
14 ounce can tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
5 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (1 teaspoon dried)
salt
freshly ground pepper
1 cup smooth natural (unhomogenized) peanut butter
4 to 6 cups brown or white basmati rice
1/2 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
dash Tabasco (optional)

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in an oven roasting pan. Brown the chicken (or beef) in the oil. Remove from the pan and set aside. Drain off most of the fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan.

Add the onions and saut for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the carrots, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno. Saut for 2 more minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 4 cups of broth, thyme, salt and pepper and the chicken or beef. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until chicken or beef is very tender. In a small pan, warm remaining cup of stock. Add the peanut butter and stir until well blended. Add mixture to stew, adjust seasonings, add Tabasco or another hot chill sauce if you want a spicier stew. While stew is cooking, cook rice according to package directions. Serve stew over rice garnished with chopped peanuts. Serves 8.

©2006 Moreton Neal

Start with a knife and fork, then pick these up to get true gratification from these chops; with their herby-garlicky coating, it's a messy pleasure. Award winner Jerry Traunfeld really knows how to cook with fresh herbs, and for the past 15 years it's been his mission to find innovative and inspired ways to incorporate them into every dish, from cocktails to dessert at his acclaimed Seattle, WA, restaurant, The Herbfarm. This recipe comes from his delightful new book, The Herbal Garden: Cooking with Fragrance and Flavor (William Morrow/HarperCollins).

4 lamb shoulder blade chops, about 3 lbs.
2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped thyme
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Greek oregano
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped spearmint

Sprinkle both sides of the chops with 2 teaspoons of the salt. In a large bowl, stir together the rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic, and olive oil. Scoop half of this marinade into a small pan for a toping after chops are grilled. Smear both sides of chops with remaining marinade. Let them sit in the bowl until you are ready to grill but refrigerate them if it will be more than an hour.

Light grill or preheat broiler or gas grill to high. Grill until chops are approaching medium-well.

Cooking time will vary. Cook covered (if grilling) for about 7 minutes to keep flame off of them, then uncover and finish cooking, about another 7 minutes. You must cook them long enough for the connective fat to render and relax, but not so long that the chops dry out.

Let chops rest on a platter for 5 to 10 minutes. Put pan with reserved marinade over medium heat and stir until garlic cooks, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the mint and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Brush the herb oil over the chops and serve. Serves 4.

©2006 Jerry Traunfeld

Pine Nuts, oregano, garlic, and lamb combine in these savory patties for a delicious Middle Eastern-inspired burger. Toast the pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over medium heat, swirling the pan while the nuts toast. As they heat up they will become shiny, indicating that they will quickly start to turn brown. As soon as the nuts are just slightly paler than you like, pour them out of the pan into a cool bowl. This recipe is from Grilling, a great new collection from the chefs of The Culinary Institute of America (Lebhar-Friendman Books), with more than 175 tantalizing kitchen-tested recipes that highlight exotic flavors from all over the world, 100 color photos, and step-by-step instructions and tips.

6 tablespoons fresh white breadcrumbs
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons minced yellow onion
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2-1/2 lbs. lean ground lamb
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Soak the breadcrumbs in the water until well moistened, about 2 minutes, then squeeze out any excess moisture. Place in a bowl. Heat the oil in a saut pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and saut, stirring frequently until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saut about a minute. Remove from heat and transfer to plate to cool. Combine breadcrumbs and onion-garlic mixture with the lamb, egg, pine nuts, parsley, tahini, ginger, cumin, coriander, fennel, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until blended. Shape mixture into 8 patties about 4-inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick and chill them in the refrigerator.

Preheat gas grill to medium high, or if using a charcoal grill, let fire burn down until coals glow red and have a moderate coating of white ash. Grill patties over direct heat until medium, about 4 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness. Serves 8.