My thoughts on Jewish food.
I’ll admit it: Ashkenazi food isn’t exactly thrilling. Kugel, gefilte fish, matzah ball soup, kasha varnishkes—these foods aren’t trying to impress anyone. They’re beige. Soft. Sometimes overcooked. But they’re comforting in a way that’s hard to explain unless you grew up with them. Ashkenazi food feels like safety. It’s food shaped by generations of Jews …
For lack of a better descriptor, I call this ubiquitous Sephardic condiment, “salsa.” It’s chunky like salsa, and you could definitely spoon it over the ingredients in a taco. But it’s also delicious mopped up with challah at the Shabbos table, or spooned over sour cream-topped latkes at Chanukah. It’s a bit of work, especially …
Carrots and carrot salad can be so boring. Not anymore with this lemony Moroccan carrot salad, seasoned with cumin and garlic. Make a little or make a lot. Its bright colors and flavors is sure to awaken palates at a Kiddush or at the Shabbat table. This Middle Eastern carrot salad makes a great savory …
Spring is in the air, and we are craving lemony vegetable dishes. No one knows how to make vegetables delicious like Sephardi Jews. You may want to double the following fried cauliflower with lemon—no one can resist gobbling up the cauliflower florets even coming out hot from the pot of oil! You’ll be lucky if …
Keto chicken kebabs are an easy way to stay on the keto diet while pleasing your non-keto family. Served with tehina sauce, they’re a great source of low-carb protein and fat for those on a low-carb high-fat diet. Served with rice, they’re perfect for everyone else in your family. My family liked them so much …
This recipe, I will warn you, is not for the faint-hearted. It is labor-intensive, with many ingredients, and many steps (tip: it helps to set up a mise en place). But such flavorsome results! Not to mention, it’s an all-in-one meal: protein, vegetable, and starch. Everyone loves this dish, which makes it well worth the …
Israel may be the land of citrus fruits, but friends tell us that lemons disappear from most supermarkets at this time of year, through the end of the Jewish High Holidays. The good news is that preserved lemons are even more delicious than regular lemons and every canny Israeli housewife has a jar or two …
The Three Weeks are upon us and it’s hot. When it’s sweltering and you can’t eat meat, what better way to dine than on this lovely dish of Greek fish steaks, served cold? Make it in the morning, and eat it at night for dinner, after the fish spends a lengthy stint in a cold …
If you’ve got all the kids home with you, say during the corona global pandemic, you want food to please even the pickiest eater, preferably something cooked in one pot. This gem of a recipe has its origins in the ancient Sephardic Jewish community of Italy. Even though the allspice sounds exotic, the dish absolutely …
It’s summer, and we just don’t want to eat anything hot and heavy. Also, the kids are home and we need something to occupy them. These meatless dolma are the perfect solution. The kids will have a blast helping you make and fill the grape leaves. Turn the occasion into a family affair! By the …