CHANUKAH by Sheilah Kaufman

PUT SOME SIZZLE, SPICE, and LOTS OF ARM CHAIR TRAVEL IN YOUR CHANUKAH CELEBRATION

"Modern Greek Jewry is minor community in the Diaspora, numbering about 5,000 persons, most Greek citizens, Greek speaking, and in one way or another influenced by their Greek identity. It is difficult today to imagine a world when out of the 10,000,000 inhabitants of the Roman Empire, some 1,000,000 were Jews: the vast majority of whom lived in cities that had been founded by Alexander the Great or his successors, or built according to Greek urban ideals by the Romans. It was into this world that Jews immigrated to find a haven after the fall of the 2nd Temple in 71 CE and the even greater disaster following the Bar Kochba Revolt. As the world changed, International Hellenism forced these Greek Jews to reassess their role among the Nations. The Jews of Greece have survived some 2,300 years of change and are a living link with antiquity. (Nicholas Stavroulakis The History of the Jews of Greece).

It is fascinating to realize that without the Greeks there would be no Chanukah! So, get out the olive oil, the canola oil, your dairy products (remember Chanukah is also a dairy holiday remembering Judith)…it's time to cook for Chanukah, but remember people all over the world may celebrate with dishes that we are not familiar with, or new recipes that we should add to our holiday cooking repertoir. We won't give any new potato pancake recipes but an important TIP: don't store those onions with your potatoes, they will rot.

It is the Bible that contains the first mention of Jews in connection with India. The Book of Esther, which dates from the second century B.C.E., cites decrees enacted by Ahasuerus relating to the Jews dispersed throughout the provinces of his empire from Hodu to Kush. Hodu is Hebrew for India; Kush is Ethiopia.

The earliest Jews came to India two thousand years ago as merchants following the trade routes to China, or "escaping the seemingly never-ending cycle of violence and conquest that swept across Palestine during this time". Also in the Bible are references to spices, perfumes, plants, animals, textiles, gems and crockery bearing names of Indian origin or are indigenous to the country.

In India, the following is the only dish made specifically for Chanukah. In India, my friend Mavis Hyman (author of INDIAN-JEWISH COOKING www.mavishyman.co.uk) tell me that we Halwa as it is both sweet and cooked in oil. Halwa resembles a soft but firm semolina cake.

HALWA

This may be eaten as a sweet, but it is quite common to spread it on bread or eat with fried Indian bread such as purees or paratas.

3/ 4 cup superfine (caster) sugar
1 cup warm water
1 ounce blanched slivered almonds
1 cup semolina
1/ 2 cup vegetable oil
1 ounce white raisins
1/ 2 cup rosewater or 1 teaspoon vanilla

Dissolve the caster sugar in the warm water and set aside.
Stir the semolina into the vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat, and cook, stirring for 10 minutes or until the semolina is a golden color and is thoroughly cooked.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the dissolved sugar water, the almonds, and raisins. Mix well and return to a low heat, stirring for a couple of minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in the rosewater or vanilla.
Pour into a small (about 1 pint) pyrex bowl, and when cooled, ease the semolina cake out of the bowl and onto a serving platter. Serve cold.

FALAFEL-CRUSTED CHICKEN

This unique recipe is from Faye Levy's book FEAST FROM THE MIDEAST (HarperCollins, NY).

4 boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/ 4 lbs) skin removed
1/ 3 to 1/ 2 cup dry falafel mix
3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
Hot Pepper Relish
Lemon wedges - optional

Trim chicken breast halves of fat, cartilage, and tendons. Spread falafel mix on a plate.
Coat chicken pieces with falafel mix on both sides. Tap them to remove excess mix and arrange them side by side on plate.
Heat oil in large heavy skillet. Add coated chicken, in two batches if necessary to avoid crowding them. Sauté chicken over medium high heat, pressing on it occasionally with a flat spatula, about 6 minutes per side, or until meat changes color from pink to white throughout; cut into thickest part to check. If pan juices start to brown during sautéing
reduce heat to medium. Transfer to plates. If cooking in batches, keep first batch warm, uncovered, in low oven while sautéing, second batch. Serve hot, with hot sauce or lemon wedges if you like.
Serves 4.

BARLEY CHEESE SOUP

If you are looking to save calories, used reduced fat cheese products and low fat milk. Barley is a good provider of protein and minerals.

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen broccoli
1/2 cup quick cooking barley
14 1/2 ounce can vegetable broth
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 1/2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
freshly ground pepper
3 ounce package cream cheese, cut into small cubes
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan, combine the first 3 ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in carrot and scallions.
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the milk, flour, and seasonings.
Stir flour mixture into broth mixture and cook over medium heat until bubbly, stirring occasionally. Cook for another minute.
Place the cream cheese cubes in a small bowl and stir in about 1/2 cup of the hot soup. Stir until well combined, then stir this mixture into the soup.
Stir in the Cheddar cheese until it is melted and serve soup at once.
Serves 4.

CREAMY FETA TERRINE with Roasted Red Peppers

This fabulous creation is from Sherron Goldstein, author of Fresh Fields.
4 roasted red peppers or a 12 oz jar or roast, peeled, seeded, cut in quarters

3 cups moist feta cheese
1/ 2 cup plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/ 4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/ 4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/ 2 to 3/ 4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/ 4 cup Italian parsley, leaves only, chopped
1 to 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped (skin on if want)
2 tablespoons dried mint or 4 tablespoons fresh mint, torn

Roast peel seed, quarter red peppers. Lay out on paper towels.
In the bowl of a food processor ad the feta, yogurt, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Process until smooth unsing aeditional oil if needed.
Line a 4 cup rectangular pate or terrine pan with clean plastic wrap.
Line the pan with roasted red peppers, reserving some for top, and fill pan with feta mixture, patting down firmly to avoid air spaces.

Place remaining roasted red peppers on top. Cover with plastic wrap and place something heavy on top to pack cheese firmly. Refrigerate overnight.
For topping: in a bowl add olives, parsley, tomatoes, and mint. Mix well and add a bit of olive oil to gloss. A little fresh pepper may be used for taste. Remove from pan. Remove plastic wrap and cut into slices about 1 1/ 2" thick. Arrange slices on serving plate and sprinkle with olive salsa.

Serve with fresh pita bread.

PANNA COTTA

This delicious desert from Italy will really impress your friends. This recipe is from my friend Carol Dearth's book COOKING CLASS.

2 cups whipping cream or for a lighter version, use 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream
1/ 4 cup sugar
seeds and pod from one vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/ 2 to 1 package unflavored gelatin

for garnish:

1 recipe Strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar and
fresh mint leaves
Or 1/4 cup Truly Decadent Chocolate Sauce and
fresh strawberries or raspberries, or canned mandarin oranges

Pour about 1/ 4 cup cream into a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over. Allow the gelatin to soften as directed on package, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat remaining cream with vanilla seeds and pod over low heat. Add sugar, and stir until dissolved. Mixture should be warm, but not too hot to the touch. Remove the cream mixture from the heat. Stir in gelatin until melted. Do not let cream overheat with the gelatin, as heat will destroy the setting properties.
Strain mixture through a sieve to remove any gelatin lumps and the vanilla pod. Pour into 4 individual molds or goblets. Chill until set. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.
To serve molded Panna Cotta, dip molds in warm water for about 15 seconds. Run a small knife around the edge of the Panna Cotta to loosen. Invert onto serving plate, remove mold. Serve with Strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar (see below) or surround with barely warmed Truly Decadent Chocolate Sauce and garnish with fresh fruit or mandarin orange segments.
To serve in goblets, top with small amount of strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar; garnish each with a mint leaf or two.
Serves 4.

Strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar

1 to 1 1/ 2 cups fresh strawberries quartered, sliced or very small sized berries
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1/ 4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons best quality balsamic vinegar

In medium bowl sprinkle berries with sugar. Add vanilla and balsamic vinegar. Set aside at room temperature to allow flavors to develop.

Can be prepared 6 to 8 hours in advance.

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