Food coverage is supported by a generous donation from Susan and Moses Libitzky.
With autumn in full swing, my farmers market yields have gone from buckets of berries to bags of apples, pumpkins and squashes galore.
Inspired by the recent influx of gourds, I set out to recreate a dish I had at Chicago’s Michelin-starred Israeli restaurant Galit. Led by executive chef and co-owner Zach Engel, it features a rotating, seasonal menu, with each meal accompanied by a number of salads, or salatim. On a recent visit, a subtly spiced pumpkin chershi was served alongside Galit’s puffy pita bread.
This visit had me thinking about the breadth of Jewish and Israeli cuisine, how plates and menus have been shaped by the diversity of a people, who have had to live through persecution, restrictions and, in many cases, poverty, all while adhering to kosher dietary laws. A community that comes to mind is the Jews of Libya.
The Jewish population is now nonexistent, but for thousands of years the Jews of Libya lived under the rule of the Greeks, Romans, Ottoman Empire, Italian, British and Arabs. In 1911, they made up roughly 4% of the Libyan population. In 1938, “race protection laws” banned Jews from sending their children to school, working in skilled professions or intermarrying. Later the community was divided and sent to concentration camps across Europe and North Africa.
In the years following World War II, the remaining Libyan Jews were forced to emigrate, leaving just 100 in 1969 and none at all by 2004. Many went to Israel and many to Rome, adding to the spread and diversity of Libyan and North African Jewish cooking. Today we enjoy such dishes as mafrum (stuffed potatoes), couscous and chraime (a spicy fish stew). Learning about these foods helps us to understand our people.
Libyan meals typically are built around hand-rolled couscous, fragrant condiments, dips and salatim. One is chershi (often spelled tershi or chirshi), a pumpkin dip that is spicy, tangy, garlicky and full of sweet pumpkin flavor. Pumpkin is a common ingredient in Sephardic cuisine, and as we enter the fall and Thanksgiving season, it’s the perfect time to make this dish.
With a bag full of butternut squash at hand, I challenged myself to make something that honored this once-vibrant community, a dish that all can enjoy, whether vegan, gluten-free or just picky. Chershi traditionally is made with pumpkin; some use canned pumpkin as a shortcut. But I love the sweeter, nuttier taste and smooth texture of seasonal butternut squash, made even more vibrant with turmeric and lemon zest. It is often served with couscous, but it can be used as a spread on anything from egg sandwiches to grilled cheese, or as a dip alongside hummus on the table.
Golden Butternut Chershi
Makes 3 cups
- 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 lb. butternut squash, approx. 4 cups cubed and peeled
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp. Aleppo pepper
- 1 tsp. caraway seeds, crushed
- ½ tsp. turmeric
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. lemon zest
- 2 Tbs. lemon juice
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the butternut squash and cook for 5 minutes until it begins to caramelize. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the skillet and mash with a fork or pulse in a food processor until no large chunks remain.
Meanwhile, reduce the heat to low, and add the garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant but not burned. Add the Aleppo pepper, crushed caraway and turmeric, stirring to combine.
Return the butternut to the pan, and mix. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the salt, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season to taste.