Many of us have recipes handed down from our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. When we cook these recipes, we feel a link to our forebears, as well as to Old Country traditions and tastes.
But as two cookbooks from a century ago show, New World sensibilities and the cuisine of other immigrant groups also influenced our ancestors’ cookery.
“The International Jewish Cookbook” by Florence Kreisler Greenbaum, published in 1918, features recipes from the Ashkenazi Jewish experience in America. Greenbaum’s recipe for chili con carne is really a chicken fricassee, which I’ve adapted below. The e-book is available free at www.archive.org.
The Tamale Casserole takes its inspiration from “The Council Cookbook,” published in 1908-1909 by the San Francisco section of the National Council of Jewish Women. It was unearthed for me by San Francisco’s Omnivore Books, which stocks historic and contemporary cookbooks.
Chili Con Pollo
Serves 6
3 large red bell peppers
1⁄2 cup flour
1⁄2 tsp. plus 1⁄4 tsp. salt
1⁄2 tsp. ground black pepper
1⁄2 tsp. ground cumin
1⁄4 tsp. cayenne powder
31⁄2-4 lbs. bone-in chicken parts, skin on
1⁄4 cup oil
2 cups chopped onion
11⁄2 Tbs. minced garlic
1-2 Tbs. chili powder, to taste
1⁄4 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. tomato paste
2 cups water
pinch sugar, optional
1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped pimento-filled Spanish green olives
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place whole peppers on baking tray, turning occasionally until blackened and blistered. Place in brown paper bag. Let cool. Peel off and discard skin. Remove stems and seeds, discard. Purée peppers in food processor or blender.
Mix flour, 1⁄2 tsp. salt, black pepper, cumin and cayenne. Dredge chicken in mixture until well coated. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken on all sides until golden brown (work in batches if needed). Remove.
Add onions and sauté, stirring up browned bits. When onions soften, add garlic. Sauté until golden. Stir in chili powder, cinnamon, tomato paste and remaining salt. Sauté for 1 minute. Stir in pepper purée. Sauté a minute and stir in water. Bring to a simmer. Return chicken to pan and allow to simmer. Cover. Keep at simmer, adjusting heat as necessary, stirring and turning chicken pieces occasionally until chicken is cooked through, about 50 minutes. Remove chicken and keep warm.
If sauce is too watery, simmer uncovered until it has a gravy-like consistency. Taste. Adjust seasoning as desired. Stir in sugar if needed to correct any bitterness. Sauce should be sharp but not sweet. Place chicken on serving platter. Top with 1⁄2 cup of sauce and olives. Pass remaining sauce on the side.
Tamale-Pasta Casserole
Serves 6-8
oil to grease pan
20 oz. (about 4) precooked cheese tamales, fresh or frozen and defrosted
5 cups cooked rigatoni, fusilli or similar pasta
4-oz. can roasted and chopped green chilies, drained
1 cup red enchilada sauce
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-by-12-inch baking pan. Remove and discard cornhusks. Cut tamales into 1-inch slices. In a large bowl, mix together cooked pasta, the chilies, sauce, tomatoes with liquid and 11⁄2 cups of the cheese. Gently stir in tamale pieces. Spread out in baking pan. Scatter remaining cheese on top. Bake until cheese is bubbly and the mixture is hot, about 30-40 minutes. (Cover top with foil if it begins to dry out.) Garnish.
Faith Kramer is a Bay Area food writer. Her columns alternate with those of Josie A.G. Shapiro. Faith blogs about her food at www.clickblogappetit.com. Contact her at [email protected].