I received my first Joan Nathan cookbook, “The Jewish Holiday Kitchen,” about 25 years ago. I have been hooked ever since and have her complete collection, among them “Jewish Holiday Baker,” “Foods of Israel Today” and “Jewish Food in America.” I love the diverse Sephardic and Ashkenazic recipes, but even more I relish the rich tapestry of history that precedes each one.
Now Nathan has produced another gem, “Joan Nathan’s Jewish Holiday Cookbook” (Schocken Books). As with all her other books, this one has spent two weeks on my night table for pleasurable evening reading before making its way onto my kitchen bookshelf.
This big (532 pages) and beautiful volume is the quintessential holiday cookbook, combining and updating recipes from her other books, and adding new recipes from her syndicated TV show.
The recipes are arranged according to the holiday calendar, with dishes from every cuisine of the Jewish tradition. They are straightforward and very cook-friendly, perfect for today’s lifestyle. It is reassuring to know that a whole new generation of Jewish cooks will be introduced to Nathan’s work and produce festively delicious dishes like those below.
Chicken Paprikas | Serves 4-6
2 large onions, minced
2 Tbs. chicken fat or vegetable oil
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 green peppers, seeded and sliced
2 Tbs. Hungarian sweet paprika
1 fresh hot pepper or a few sprinkles of crushed red pepper
Salt
1 large plump fryer, cut into pieces
2 cups long grain white rice
In a Dutch oven, sauté the onions in the chicken fat or oil until golden brown. Add the green peppers and brown slightly. Add the tomatoes if using, paprika and hot pepper, mixing well and making sure the paprika does not burn.
Salt the chicken and add it to the above. Mix and cover. Let the chicken render its own juices, simmering until tender (about 50 minutes). You may have to add water.
When the chicken is cooked, move it to one side of the Dutch oven, or remove it to a warm plate, and add the rice. Mix with the pan juices; add water if the pan juices do not cover the rice by about 1 inch. Add salt to taste. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Fig Souffle | Serves 6
10 medium fresh figs, peeled and pureed to measure one cup, or 10 dried figs, soaked in water and pureed.
2 egg yolks
10 Tbs. sugar
4 egg whites
1 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. lemon juice
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 4-cup soufflé mold.
Whisk the egg yolks and 5 tablespoons sugar until the mixture lightens in color.
In another bowl beat the whites and 2 tablespoons of the sugar to soft peaks. Then add 3 tablespoons of the sugar and beat to firm peaks.
Mix 4 tablespoons of the fig puree into the yolk mixture and then in thirds, fold in the whites.
Fill the soufflé mold 3/4 full and bake for 10-12 minutes. Do not open the oven door.
While the soufflé is baking, add the honey and lemon juice to the rest of the fig puree.
Serve the soufflé in its dish as soon as it comes out of the oven. Pour the sauce over the top at the table.
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 j. or to [email protected].