RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Ruth Heiges The Book of Jewish Food
For the fun of it, I decided to see what Claudia Roden offers for Hanukah recipes in "The Book of Jewish Food." Along with latkes, she also gives recipes for poultry, pastries, desserts, and sweet *couscous*. It is fascinating to read the research she offers with so many of her recipes. Between this book, Joan Nathan's "Jewish Cooking in America," and Gil Marks's "World of Jewish Cooking," it's hard to imagine there's much left to be covered from the standpoint of the history of Jewish cuisine. The research reflected in Roden's book is prodigious, but written in a light and friendly manner. I would also note that these three books complement each other. Between the Roden and Marks books, I wouldn't be able to recommend one *over* the other. "The Book of Jewish Food" includes over 800 recipes, separated between Ashkenazic and Sephardic. To my pleasant surprise, some are decidedly simple in both concept and preparation. Along with covering both styles of cuisine, non-Americans will be happy to find the book has a real _world_ orientation. Roden was born in Egypt into the Sephardic tradition, married an Ashkenazic Jew, and spent much or most of her adult life in London. There, the two traditions came together in many ways, with the underpinning of British-Jewish cuisine having come from Spain and Portugal and then having been broadened by the influx of many from Eastern Europe. As soon as I saw the recipe for chopped, fried-fish balls and her explanation that this form is known only in England, having been brought there by Jew from Portugal, I knew this book would be the perfect birthday gift for one of my dearest friends, who comes from England. When I went to purchase it, though, I found that the edition now being sold in Israel is the British one, published in 1997. Though it is a beautiful volume, its layout and design are different from the American edition. Luckily, another friend was in the US, so I was able to contact her and ask her to bring a copy back when she returned. Here is one of her Hanukah recipes. Pollo Fritto Chicken Pieces Fried in Batter ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Serves 2 - 4 This Tuscan way of cooking small pieces of chicken has become a Hanukah specialty in Italy. The frying oil commemorates the oil that burned for 7 days when there was only enough for one day. It is sometimes part of a fritto misto, which may include sweetbreads, small pieces of brains, and tiny lamb chops. The chicken is cut in small pieces -- usually including skin and bones, but you can use skinless fillets if you like. 8 small pieces of chicken cut from the breast or leg Juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper Flour 1 egg, lightly beaten Light vegetable oil for frying, about 1 inch (2-1/2 cm) deep Marinate the chicken pieces for 1 hour in the lemon juice, a little salt, and pepper. Just before you are ready to eat, roll them all in flour, then in beaten egg (prepare a soup plate of each, and the chicken pieces can all be in at the same time). Heat the oil in a heavy pot and deep-fry the chicken till golden. If the oil is too hot, the batter will burn before the chicken is done. If you want to make a large quantity, you may reheat in the oven. Variation --------- The Tunisian "Livornese" version -- poulet en beignets -- is a chicken cut in small pieces marinated in a mixture of 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leafed parsley, salt, and pepper, then dipped in a batter made with 1/3 cup (75 g) flour beaten with 1 egg and a little water -- just enough to obtain a light cream -- plus salt and pepper. Deep-fry in medium-hot oil and serve with lemon quarters. ------ I think this recipe illustrates a few things about this book: the research, the fact that Roden has obviously tested the recipes herself, and the international approach (all recipes are written with both English and metric measurements). Cumulatively, it is a wonderful book to read and a rich addition to one's cookbook collection.
