During these dreary January days, when so many people are fighting colds and the flu, nothing beats that traditional Jewish cure, chicken soup. Our mothers and grandmothers always knew it was good for what ails you, and now the doctors are concurring. In fact, one study at the University of Nebraska medical center shows that so-called Jewish penicillin has mild anti-inflammatory properties, and some physicians say adding pepper can help clear a stuffy nose.
Do a double mitzvah by making some for an ailing friend or relative as well as your own family. For a heartier meal, you can add leftover chicken or cooked chicken breast.
Speaking of health, parsley — the garnish that often remains on diner’s plates — is used in herbal remedies and recommended for a host of ailments. It’s also a natural source of vitamins and minerals. If you have room in your garden or windowsill, why not try planting it, as it grows throughout the winter in California? The recipe below is a favorite Israeli salad with tomatoes and jalapeño peppers.
Finally, the parve Tarta de Amendras, garnished with raspberry puree, is a perfect conclusion for a Shabbat dinner or any celebration.
Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup | Serves 8
10 cups chicken stock
2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
4 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
2 cups frozen peas
8 oz. dried wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
In a large pot bring chicken stock to a boil. Add carrots and celery and cook 10 minutes. Add spinach and peas and cook another 4 minutes.
Stir in noodles and parsley. Taste for salt and pepper.
Parsley Salad | Makes about 3 cups
2 large bunches of parsley, stems removed
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
2 tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 lemon, peeled, pith removed, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
3-4 Tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper
Chop parsley and combine with remaining ingredients.
Tarta de Almendras (Almond Tart) | Serves 10
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1/2 lb. almonds
3 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
2 Tbs. oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch salt
raspberry puree (see below)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch tart or pie pan.
In a food processor combine the sugar, lemon zest and almonds until finely chopped. Add the eggs, yolks and oil and blend until well mixed. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and pulse just until incorporated. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack. Spoon puree on each plate and set a tart wedge on top. Garnish each slice with a raspberry.
Raspberry Puree
1 cup frozen raspberries
lemon juice and sugar
In a blender or food processor puree frozen and thawed raspberries with sugar and lemon juice to taste. Remove seeds by putting puree though a fine sieve.
Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Rebecca Ets-Hokin. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to the Bulletin or to [email protected].