RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Karen Selwyn Hamantaschen with Pecan-Fig Filling - pareve
I'm generally willing to be innovative in my Jewish cooking. I like to experiment with adaptations of traditional recipes or try fusion Askenazi/Sephardic recipes or menus. However, I discovered the limits of my comfort zone reading Judy Zeidler's 1991 article about a Purim menu. She takes the notion that Purim is a carnival holiday (see excerpt below) and recommends a menu of New Orleans- inspired recipes. I just couldn't get comfortable with the idea of serving Chicken Jambalaya at my Purim meal. Since Zeidler's recipe for Chicken Jambalaya is a tasty-sounding recipe which complies with the dietary laws, I don't want to let my point of view stand in the way of others. I am including the URL for the ST. LOUIS POST at the bottom of this post. If you use the archives feature, you can track down the recipe for Chicken Jambalaya and Confetti Salad for Purim or any other time. Karen Selwyn * * * * * * " A famous Jewish comedian once said that Purim was his favorite holiday because it reminded him of Mardi Gras... The comedian's remarks inspired me to turn to New Orleans, home of the Mardi Gras, for new dishes to serve at our Purim dinner... Purim would not be complete without hamantaschen, the three-cornered pastries filled with as many interesting mixtures as your imagination allows. I am including an easy-to-prepare recipe with a New Orleans-inspired filling of Louisiana pecans, figs and raisins." Judy Zeidler Hamantaschen with Pecan-Fig Filling 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 3 eggs 1/2 cup orange juice 6 cups all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons baking powder Dash salt Fig-pecan filling (see recipe) 1 egg white, slightly beaten Beat together oil, sugar and eggs in bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add orange juice, a little at a time, until completely blended. Add flour, baking powder and salt; blend well, but do not overmix. Divide dough into 4 parts. Knead each part into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill several hours. Flatten each portion of dough with palms of hands. Roll out each 1/8- to 1/4- inch thick on floured board. Cut into 3-inch rounds with cookie cutter. Place 1 heaping teaspoon filling in center of each round. Fold edges of dough toward center to form a triangle, leaving a bit of filling visible in center. Pinch edges to seal. Place hamantaschen on lightly greased, foil-lined baking sheet; brush with egg white. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to racks to cool. Yield: About 8 dozen. Pecan-Fig Filling: 4 cups dried figs 1 cup seedless raisins apple juice 1 cup toasted chopped pecans Place figs and raisins in large bowl with enough apple juice to cover. Refrigerate 3 hours, or overnight. Place fig mixture in medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until soft, about 10 minutes. Let cool; drain, reserving syrup. Puree figs and raisins in food processor along with 1/4 cup reserved syrup. Transfer to bowl; mix in pecans. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until ready to use. Yield: About 6 cups. Source: "Purim: A Festive Affair" Judy Zeidler ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH (on-line edition), 2/25/91 http://web3.stlnet.com/
