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October 13, 2000/14 Tishri 5761, Vol. 53, No.3
Experience these meals under the stars
TAMI BICKLEY
Associate Editor
As Jews around the world celebrate Sukkot beginning tonight (Friday, Oct. 13), they will also determine what exactly they'll do in their sukkahs. Will they sleep in them? Hold family gatherings? Pray? Although such decisions are highly individual to each family, one thing is for sure: The art of eating will take place in almost all sukkahs.
But rather than munching on mundane meals, the food consumed under the stars (visible through the openings in the sukkah roof) should be different and special.
Here are some diverse Sukkot dishes offered by Gail Ashkanazi-Hankin of Colorado, author of "Festivals of Lite Kosher Cookbook" (Pelican). The meals are pleasant to the palate, not to mention low in fat and cholesterol content.
CARROT-BEET SALAD "BI TAHINI" (Pareve)
This holiday salad can be doubled or tripled. The dressing can easily go with a lettuce salad, as well.
Salad
2 cups spinach leaves, washed
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups grated beets
1 1/2 cups diced cucumbers
1/2 cup sliced celery
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
Tahini dressing
3 Tbsp. tahini
4 Tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
3-4 Tbsp. water
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
Either on a platter or on individual plates, lay out the spinach leaves. Arrange the carrots, beets and cucumber sided by side on the spinach. Sprinkle the celery and scallions on top. In a bowl, stir all of the dressing ingredients together until well mixed. Pass around the dressing or spoon it over the salad on a platter.
STUFFED TOMATOES SYRIAN STYLE
(Meat or Pareve)
This simple, yet pretty dish features a Syrian stuffing with a Yemenite accent. The topping is optional. Stuffed vegetables, characteristic of Sephardic cuisine, can be made for Shabbat, holidays and festive occasions.
1/3 cup cooked rice, any variety
2/3 cup water
olive oil cooking spray
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound extra lean ground beef or soy protein substitute
2 1/2 Tbsp. chopped almonds, toasted
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 large or 6 medium tomatoes
Topping (optional)
olive oil spray
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onions
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. finely chopped mushrooms
1 Tbsp. finely chopped mild chili pepper
2 Tbsp. harissa
In skillet coated with the olive oil cooking spray, saut‚ the onion and ground beef for approximately 3 minutes. Add the almonds and cinnamon and continue to cook until the meat is no longer pink. Remove from stove and mix in cooked rice. Slice the tops off the tomatoes. Hollow out the tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch shells. (Save the tomato pulp for another use). Spoon the mixture into the tomato shells. Transfer to a baking dish. Prepare the topping. In a small skillet, coated with olive oil spray, saut‚ the onions, parsley, mushrooms and chili pepper for approximately 1 minute. Remove from the stove. Add the harissa. Spoon about 1-2 Tbsp. on top of the stuffing mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through.
FESTIVE COUSCOUS
(Pareve)
Sephardic Jews add fruits and nuts to their couscous for special occasions and holidays. A dish like this is traditional for Sukkot.
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups or 2 5.8-ounce boxes instant couscous
1/3 cup low sugar apricot preserves
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/4 cup raisins, dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamom
Bring the water to a boil. Stir in the couscous and apricot preserves. Remove from stove and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
AMERICAN SPAGHETTI IN A BREAD BOWL
(Meat or Pareve)
This is a good idea for a family Sukkot dinner. The spaghetti can be served from large bread bowl, or - what's fun for kids - in individual bread rolls. The bread bowls help keep the spaghetti warmer longer in the sukkah where the evening can be cool. These vegetables are only suggestions. Use whatever you have on hand. It's a harvest dish in recognition of Sukkot as the harvest festival.
Cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 pound sliced mushrooms
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup fresh corn
1 small green pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound soy protein meat substitute or ground white meat turkey or chicken
28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
8-ounce can tomato sauce
6-ounce can tomato paste
3 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. dry oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
8 ounces spaghetti
Large round loaf sourdough bread or 7 individual hoagie or poor boy rolls
In a skillet, saut‚ the onion, mushrooms, carrots, corn, green pepper and garlic for 4-5 minutes. If using ground meat, add it to the skillet and brown it until no longer pink. Add the remaining ingredients except the spaghetti and bread. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer over very low heat for approximately 90 minutes. Prepare the spaghetti or freeze the sauce until ready to use. Mix the sauce with the cooked spaghetti. To make a bread bowl, heat the oven and warm the bread, just to crisp the outer crust. Slice the top off the bread. Hollow out, leaving a 1/2-inch shell. (Store and use the bread for stuffing, bread crumbs or another use). Spoon the spaghetti into the large bread bowl or individual bread bowls.
The following recipe, by professional baker and restaurant bakery consultant Marcy Goldman of Montreal, includes the use of an etrog, a variety of the citron, similar to an oversized lemon. Should an etrog be difficult to find, a lemon will yield excellent results. The Etrog or Lemon Lime Sukkot Cake is a moist confection with fabulous fragrance. For a festive look, Goldman suggests garnishing the cake plate with citrus or myrtle leaves, as well as palm branches.
ETROG OR LEMON LIME SUKKOT CAKE
(Dairy)
Cake Batter
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. finely minced etrog zest, or lime zest, or a lemon/lime combination
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. lime oil or extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan. In a mixing bowl cream the butter, sugar and zest together until well blended. Stir in eggs. Add the milk, vanilla, lemon and lime juices, and lime oil to combine well. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients to make a smooth batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is evenly browned and slightly cracked on top (30 to 35 minutes). Cool well before removing from pan.
Lemon Lime Glaze
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sugar
In a small saucepan, heat the juices. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Cool well. Using a cake tester, poke holes all over the cake and drizzle the glaze on top.
Linda Morel, JTA
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