JEWISH RECIPES:
Raisin Wine
2 pounds raisins
1 pound sugar
1 lemon
6 quarts boiling water
Place the raisins, sugar, and the lemon in a large stone or ceramic jar.
Add 6 quarts of boiling water and stir every day for a week, covering with a towel.
Then strain and bottle. Let sit for another 10 to 12 days.
Yield: about 6 quarts (P)
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Pumpernickel Bread
SOUR
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 scant tablespoon (1 package) active dry yeast*
4 cups water
5 cups medium rye flour, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
BREAD
5 slices day-old rye bread, crusts removed (about 2 1/2 cups)
3 cups water
2 cups sour
4 teaspoons blackstrap molasses or caramel coloring
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons caraway seeds, coarsely ground (optional)
1 cup cracked rye or pumpernickel flour, plus additional for sprinkling
8 cups good bread flour, plus additional as needed
1 scant tablespoon (1 package) active dry yeast
4 tablespoons raisins
6 ice cubes
Tie the onion and caraway seeds in a knotted cheesecloth bag.
Dissolve the yeast in 3 1/2 cups of the water in a small bowl and pour it over 4 cups of the flour in a large bowl. Stir to mix until it attains the consistency of wet cement. Submerge the cheesecloth bag of chopped onions an caraway seeds down into the center of what will become "the sour." Sprinkle the tablespoon of rye flour over the surface. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside overnight, unrefrigerated. The sour needs air to breathe, but not too much, or it will dry out.
The next day, remove the onion-caraway bag and discard. The sour should smell somewhat acidic but not rotten after about 15 hours. At this point, feed it (mix it) with the remaining 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup water, or enough to maintain the thick consistency. Cover again and let the sour sit until the area between "cracks" in the dough spreads. You want to capture as much of its strenght as possible.
After it rises again, in about 4 hours, you will have about 6 cups. You can begin to use it or continue to build it up (which increases the amount of sour). Use it in the bread now or refrigerate it. You should feed the sour once every 24 hours with at least 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup water. The sour can stay several days in the refrigerator without being fed, but, as Michael says, never take a sour for granted. It needs to be nourished.
In a bowl, crumble the day-old rye bread into 1 cup of the water until the water is absorbed. Crumble it up with your hands; this is what the old-time bakers did. It carries the character of yesterday's bread to today. Remove the excess water.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, put the rye bread mixture, the remaining 2 cups water, 2 cups of the sour, and the molasses or caramel color. Stir together at low speed until mixed, about 1 minute.
Add the sea salt and caraway seeds. Gradually add the cracked rye or pumpernickel flour and the bread flour. Sprinkle the yeast in and stir about 5 minutes, until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Knead by hand for a few minutes, incorporating the raisins into the dough. Place in a greased bowl, brush with oil, and cover, letting the dough rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in volume.
Punch the dough down, and if it is still sticky, incorporate more flour as needed. Divide the dough in half, gently form 2 flattened round or oblong loaves, brush with oil, and let them rest 10 to 15 minutes on a floured work surface. Remove the loaves to a cornmeal-dusted cookie sheet, cover very loosely with plastic wrap, and let them rise for another 40 minutes, until doubled in bulk.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, set a rack in the middle, and put 6 ice cubes in a pan on the floor of the oven.
Since rye and pumpernickel love steam, brush or spray the loaves with water. Sprinkle some of the rye flour on top and then, with a single-edged razor or very sharp knife, make 5 cuts in each loaf, shorter ones on the outside, longer in the center. Bake the loaves for 45 to 50 minutes, or until they sound hollow when tapped with a spatula. To keep a shine, brush them afterward with water.
Yield: 2 2 1/2-pound loaves (P)
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Potato Knishes
FILLING
4 large onions, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds russet (baking) potatoes
Salt to taste
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
DOUGH
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil plus additional for rolling the dough
1 cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour (about)
Slowly cook the onions in the oil in a skillet, covered, over a low heat. Let the onions "sweat" for about 20 minutes, or until they are soft. Then remove the cover and fry over a medium heat until golden brown. Don't drain.
Meanwhile peel the potatoes and cut them in half. Put them in a large pot filled with cold water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down, and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool for 5 minutes.
Mash the potatoes and add the egg, the parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the onions with the oil and mix well with your hands. Set aside while preparing the dough.
Beat the eggs and reserve about 1 tablespoon of egg for the glaze. Mix the rest with the oil, water, vinegar, and salt. Add the flour gradually, beating first with a spoon and eventually your hands as you knead the dough. Continue to add enough flour to make a smooth dough. Shape into 4 balls and let rest, covered with a cloth, about a half hour to relax the gluten.
Roll each ball of dough out as thin as possible into a flat rectangle. Flour well and place between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Let sit for about 15 minutes.
Using your hands carefully stretch each rectangle as thin as possible, about 12 to 14 inches long by 4 to 5 inches wide. Spread one quarter of the filling (about 1 1/2 cups) onto approximately one third of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border.
Holding onto the waxed paper, roll up the dough like a jelly roll, brushing oil across the top a couple of times as you roll. Using the side of your hand like a knife, divide the roll into 2-inch knishes. Then pinch the open ends shut. Repeat with the remaining balls and dough. Place the knishes, flat side down, on a greased cookie sheet, leaving a 2-inch space between each. You will have to bake in batches.
Mix the reserved tablespoon of egg with a little water. Brush the tops with the egg wash and bake in a preheated 375-clegree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Yield: approximately 60 knishes (P)
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Chicken Adobo with Mojo
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teasponn salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup fresh sour orange juice, or 1/2 cup fresh lime juice and 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into halves
1/2 cup fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley, chopped (for serving)
Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, and thyme into a paste. Slowly stir in the orange juice and the olive oil. Correct the seasoning, adding salt or pepper to taste. The mixture should be highly seasoned. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, puree the ingredients in a blender. Put some of the marinade aside to use later for dipping.
Transfer the mojo marinade to a non-reactive baking dish and add the chicken breasts. Cover the dish and marinate the chicken for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Preheat the grill to high.
Grill the chicken breasts over high heat until just cooked, about 3 minutes per side, basting with the mojo marinade. Do not baste the last 2 minutes. Sprinkle the chicken breast with the chopped cilantro and serve with fried sweet plantains, black beans, and white rice. Spoon a little of the mojo that was set aside earlier over the chicken and serve the rest on the side for dipping.
Yeild: 4 servings (M)
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Water Bagels
2 cups water
3 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons dry yeast
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons malt powder
6 1/2 to 7 cups high-gluten flour
Kosher salt, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds
Put the water, sugar, and the yeast in an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook; mix on low speed until the yeast dissolves. Add the salt, malt powder, and 2 cups of the flour, and mix well. Gradually add enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth and relatively firm dough. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, covered with a towel, either in the bowl or poured out onto a lightly floured counter.
Shape the dough into an oblong mass and divide in half with a sharp knife or dough cutter, then divide in half once more. Cut each of these pieces into 4 parts. On a dry wooden table or chopping board, flatten each piece and foll it up jelly-roll style until you have a short, stubby cigar about 3 inches long. Repeat with all the balls. Take each piece and roll it again under your palm until it is 5 inches long. Roll out with one palm until the strand or flechtel is about 7 inches long. Wrap around 3 or 4 fingers, overlapping the ends by about 1 ½ inches. Putting pressure on the overlap, roll the flechtel on the table until it is sealed and becomes the same thickness as the rest of the bagel. Repeat with the remaining rolls of dough.
If you are baking the bagels right away place them on a board dusted very lighly with cornmeal and let rise, covered with a cloth, for about an hour. If you want to make them in a few days or freeze them, place on 2 jelly-roll pans dusted with cornmeal and wrap in 2 large plastic bags. Refrigerate overnight or freeze them. If frozen, before proceeding to the next step remove from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight. Then take them out of the refrigerator and let them warm up at room temperature for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Boil 4 quarts of water in a 5-quart pan. Slide 4 bagels into the boiling water, and boil for 20 to 30 seconds, stirring at least once. Remove with a slotted spoon and put them on a cooling rack over a pan to let the water drain. Repeat with the rest. Sprinkle with the desired topping, such as kosher salt or sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
Place the bagels, as soon as you can handle them, onto 2 baking sheets covered with parchment or sprinkled with cornmeal, and put them in the oven. Check them after 8 minutes an turn the pans back to front and switch from rack to rack. Continue baking for about 8 minutes more, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on racks.
Yield: 16 bagels (P)
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Challah
1 package yeast (1 scant tablespoon)
¼ cup sugar
1-1½ cups warm water
1/3 cup oil (canola or safflower)
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons salt
5 to 5½ cups bread flour (about)
Sesame seeds for sprinkling(optional)
In a large bowl dissolve the yeast and a pinch of the sugar in 1 cup of the warm water and let stand for 10 minutes.
Whisk the oil into the yeast, then beat in two of the eggs, one at a time, with the remaining sugar (reserving 1 pinch) and salt. Gradually add 5 cups of the flour, and more water if necessary. When the dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You may also use a mixer with a dough hook both for the mixing and the kneading.)
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and "as soft as a baby's bottom," for about 15 minutes, adding additional flour or water if needed. Clean out the bowl and grease it, then return the dough to the bowl. Cover and let rise for an hour, until doubled in size. Punch down, cover and let rise again for another 30-45 minutes.
To make 1 large loaf, on a floured board, take two-thirds of the dough and divide it into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a rope-shape strand as thick as a thumb and then braid the 3 strands together. Then take the remaining third of the dough, divide and shape it into 3 strands and braid. Place the small braid on top of the large one. Let the challah rise again for 30 minutes.
To make 2 smaller loaves divide the initial dough in 2 and then proceed for each loaf as you did in step 4.
Line a baking sheet with greased wax paper and place the loaf or loaves at least 2 inches apart on the sheet. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Beat the remaining egg with the remaining pinch of sugar, and using a pastry brush, coat the loaves in the egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped. Cool the loaves on a rack.
Yield: 1 large loaf or 2 smaller loaves
KITCHEN WITCH
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Six-braided Challah
2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
5 - 6 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
Handful of sesame or poppy seeds
Cornmeal for dusting
In a large container dissolve the yeast and a pinch of sugar in 1 cup of the warm water (105 to 115 degrees) and let stand for 10 minutes. Place the flour in a large bowl. Add the dissolved yeast and stir with a spoon. Add the remaining sugar, salt, 2 eggs,* and the vegetable shortening. Beat about one minute and then mix by hand. When the dough begins to leave the side of the bowl, turn it onto a lightly floured surface to knead. You can also use a dough hook in a mixer to blend and knead.
Knead for about 15 minutes or until soft, adding more water or flour as necessary. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning the dough over so that the entire surface is lightly greased; cover the bowl with a cloth. Let rise in a warm place (75 to 8o degrees) for about an hour or until the dough doubles in size. Punch down and divide into 2 balls. Divide each ball into 6 snake-like pieces and roll out, about 12 inches long. Place all 6 strands on a board side by side, pressing the: 6 ends together. Divide into 2 groups of 3 strands.
Now braid the 6 strands. Take the strand from the extreme left and place it over the other 2 and into the center. Take the second from the right and place it over the top to the far left. Take the one from the far right to what is now the center of your 6 strips. Then take the second one from the left and put it to the far right and take the far outside on the left to what is now the center. Go back to the right side and take the second from the right and put it over to the far left. Always work with the 2 outside strands. Continue braiding until the dough is used up. When you have finished squeeze the ends together. Repeat with the second loaf.
For those who want less of a challenge, divide each ball into 3 strands and braid. Place the outside strip over the middle one, then under the third. Pull the strips tight. Continue braiding. (Braid half way through and then flips the challah, continuing to braid to the end. This way he gets a more even braid.) When finished braiding, tuck in the ends. Repeat with the remaining 3 strips. Using a pastry brush, brush the challah with the remaining egg mixed with water and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. After you have brushed the bread, dip your second finger in the egg wash and indent the top of the braids. Then dip your finger in the seeds and touch the indented area again to make a more striking design.
Sprinkle a cookie sheet with cornmeal and place the loaves on top. Cover with a plastic sheet and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until golden.
Yield: 2 loaves (P) *To reduce the cholesterol you can use 1 egg white and 1 whole egg instead of 2 eggs.
KITCHEN WITCH
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Bavarian Dampfnudel: Dumpling Cake Soaked in Caramel Sauce
CAKE
2 Packages active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk
6 cups all-purpose flour
4 Sticks (2 CUPS) unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon sherry
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
CARAMEL SAUCE
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
Dash vanilla
VANILLA SAUCE (OPTIONAL)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk or heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
Brandy or rum to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a bowl dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of the warm milk. Add it to 2 cups of the flour and mix. Let rise, covered, for 1 hour.
After an hour melt 1 3/4 cups of the butter in a sauce-pan and add to the flour mixture with the remaining 4 cups of flour, the remaining cup of the milk, egg yolks, sugar, sherry, salt, and vanilla. Beat well with a spoon or an electric mixer and let rise again, covered, in the mixing bowl for another hour. The dough will be very soft. You can also refrigerate the dough for several hours and let it return to room temperature before continuing.
Flour a board and roll the dough out 1 inch thick; cut circles with a small biscuit ring or cookie cutter, 2 inches in diameter.
Melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter in the Dutch oven. Arrange one layer of the biscuit rounds on the bottom, touching, then make two more until you have used up all the dough. Allow to rise 45 minutes, covered, or until the dough has reached the top of the Dutch oven.
Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce. In a saucepan mix 2 cups of the sugar with 1/4 cup of the water. Very gradually add the remaining water. Boil until smooth. Add the butter, syrup, cream, and vanilla. Continue boiling until thick. Set aside.
To make the vanilla sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the flour, stirring constantly until the mixture bubbles. Then gradually add 1 cup of the milk or cream, stirring until thick. Add the sugar, brandy or rum, and vanilla. Set aside.
After dumplings have risen for 45 minutes, bake, covered, on the bottom rack of a preheated 400-degree oven 45 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and keep warm on the back of the stove until needed. Ten minutes before serving, reheat the caramel sauce and pour over the cake. When the sauce has seeped through the dough, flip onto a serving plate. Cut in slices as you would a cake. Serve with the vanilla sauce or vanilla ice cream.
Yield. 12 servings (D)
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Jewish Pizza
DOUGH
1 scant tablespoon yeast (1 package fresh or active dry)
¼ cup warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil plus oil for the bowl
¾ cup cool water
3 cups all-purpose flour (approximately)
TOPPING
3 to 4 ounces smoked salmon, sliced paper-thin
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium red onion, sliced thin
¼ cup minced fresh dill
1/3 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 heaping tablespoons domestic golden caviar (optional)
1 heaping tablespoon black caviar (optional)
4 sprigs fresh dill for garnish
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water; stir in ½ teaspoon of the honey and set aside for 10 minutes.
Mix the remaining 2½ teaspoons honey with the salt, olive oil, and cool water and set aside.
Put the flour in the bowl of a food processor. With the processor running, slowly pour the honey-oil mixture in through the feed tube. Then pour in the dissolved yeast. Process until the dough forms a ball on the blade. If it is too sticky, sprinkle on a little more flour.
Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Transfer to an oiled bowl and let rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each into a smooth, tight ball. Put on a flat sheet or dish, cover with a damp towel and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.
One hour before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before rolling and shaping.
Preheat the oven, preferably with a pizza stone inside, to 500 degrees for 30 minutes while getting the pizza ready.
Cut the salmon into 2-inch squares and reserve.
Roll or stretch each ball of dough into four 9-inch circles. Put the circles on an oiled, floured baking sheet.
Brush each pizza with olive oil to within one inch of the edge and sprinkle with red onion. Put the pizzas in the oven and bake 8 to 12 minutes, until the crusts are golden brown.
While the pizzas are baking, mix the dill with the crème fraîche or sour cream and season with pepper.
When the pizzas are done, transfer to warm dinner plates and spread with the crème fraiche or sour cream mixture. Arrange the pieces of salmon on top and, if desired, put a tablespoon of golden caviar in the center of each and spoon a little black caviar on the golden caviar. Garnish each pizza with a sprig of dill and serve.
Yield: 4 servings
KITCHEN WITCH
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