World Recipes

Roast Turkey with Pasta Tatters (Purica s mlincima)

This is a really well-known Croatian specialty served on especial occasions. Croatians in North America often serve turkey in this style on Christmas, thence putting their ethnic touch on the holiday. The turkey should be served sliced, on a bed of mlinci (pasta tatters), on a heated up platter. Coleslaw is a fine side salad to serve with this dish, as well as stewed red cabbage.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1 turkey, about 12 pounds
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup oil or butter
1 apple
1 pound mlinci (pasta tatters)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Grease a roasting pan generously with oil or butter.

Salt the cleaned turkey and put a whole apple inside the body cavity.
Coat the whole turkey with oil or butter and place it into the generously greased roasting pan, add a little of water to the bottom of the roaster.

Place in oven and roast for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, battering periodically with the oil or butter.
When the turkey is almost done, add the scalded mlinci pasta and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes, in order for the mlinci to absorb the drippings in the pan.

Picture from: www.gastrolog.bloger.hr

Menorah Upside-Down Cake
Source: kosherdelight.com

This is a traditional upside-down cake with a menorah design in the topping. Be sure to allow the baked cake to cool on a rack for five to ten minutes before turning it out. The menorah will then have a chance to set and the cake will slip out nicely.

Menorah Topping
3 tablespoons unsalted margarine
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple spears, drained, reserve the juice
9 maraschino cherries

Cake Batter
1/3 cup solid white vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon rind
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice

Melt the margarine in a 9-inch square pan. Add the brown sugar. Pat the mixture evenly over the bottom of the cake pan. Using the pineapple spears and cherries, arrange a menorah design on the brown sugar. Place 2 spears end to end across the pan for the menorah base. Then place a single spear in the center of the base at a right angle to it; this will be the shamash (the “servant” candle with which the others are lighted). Cut 8 pineapple spears one inch shorter than the shamash. Position these parallel to the shamash, 4 on either side, to represent the candles. Under the shamash spear and under the base, place 2 half-pieces of pineapple spear side by side; these are the menorah stand. Two more half-pieces may be placed end-to-end under the stand. Place a cherry over each vertical spear to represent the flames.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare the cake batter. In a medium-size mixing bowl, cream the shortening. Gradually add the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract and lemon rind.

Into a bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the pineapple juice to the creamed mixture, beating after each addition until blended and smooth.

Carefully spoon the batter over the menorah topping in the pan. Bake for 45 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed. let the cake cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Invert it onto a serving dish. Allow 2 to 3 minutes before removing the pan.

Variation

For a shortcut, prepare the batter from a white or yellow cake mix (you will only need half of a regular-size package). Spoon this over the menorah topping.

Beet Borsht

4 medium size beets with tops
1 onion, peeled
4 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup mild vinegar or 1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar (or to taste)

Cut tops from beets 2 inches from the roots. Scrub beets thoroughly; cover with cold water, and boil 15 minutes or until tender enough to pierce with a wooden pick. While beets are boiling, wash leaves and chop fine in a wooden bowl. The stems may be used, too. Strain liquid from beets into a bowl or soup pot. Slip skins from beets and grate them using a fine grater. Grate onion into grated beets. Add this to the strained beet juice, boiled water and chopped beet tops. Add salt and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and cook 5 minutes. Add vinegar sweetened to taste with brown sugar. Cool and chill in closed jars.

Add a boiled potato, 3 tablespoons diced cucumber and 1 heaping tablespoon sour cream to each bowl just before serving. Use fresh dill for garnish, if desired.

Variations
Add 1 hardboiled egg, diced or sliced, to each serving in addition to or in place of the other garnish;

For a fleishig (meat) borsht, use diced or grated cooked beets with 1 1/2 to 2 pounds brisket of beef. Cook 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Add same ingredients including tops and seasoning 15 minutes before serving. Thicken hot borsht by stirring in 1 egg yolk per serving. Add boiled potato. Or substitute garnish of sliced hardboiled eggs;

Cook 1 cupful diced rhubarb with borsht and omit vinegar or lemon juice;

For a summertime cooler, serve strained meatless beet borsht (with or without rhubarb), in tall glasses topped with fresh mint after thickening with a little sour cream;

Make a borsht cocktail by adding sparkling water or lemon soda to strained chilled borsht.

Applesauce

6 large cooking apples
1 cup water
1 (2 1/2-inch) stick cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Peel, core and thinly slice apples. Combine apples and water in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cinnamon stick and nutmeg; cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring constantly, 15 minutes or until liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat; cool at least 30 minutes, and remove cinnamon stick.

Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add half of apple mixture. Process 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth, scraping sides of processor bowl once. Repeat procedure with remaining apple mixture.

Yields 3 1/4 cups.

Colombian Potatoes with Tomato-Cheese Sauce (Papas Chorreadas)

4 to 6 large potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 scallion, green and white parts, finely chopped
1 cup chopped, peeled tomato
Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Monterey jack, Muenster or other mild white cheese
Chopped parsley (for garnish)

Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are cooked through. Drain, peel and keep warm.

Heat the butter in a saucepan over moderate heat, and cook the onion and garlic until soft but not brown. Add the scallion, tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream and cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serves 4 to 6.

Frozen Banana Cappuccino

Source: Chicago Jewish News

This recipe is either dairy or pareve.

2 ounces cold hazelnut blend coffee, brewed
4 ounces milk or nondairy substitute
1/2 banana
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups ice

Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Serves 2.

Note: Pareve signifies that the food does not contain milk products or any milk derivatives.

Castilian-Style Passover Potato Casserole

6 medium baking potatoes (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup herbed feta cheese or plain feta cheese
1/4 cup water
1 (10 ounce) package pre-washed spinach
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Peel and quarter potatoes.

In a large saucepan cook potatoes, covered, in a small amount of boiling water for 25 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes. Mash drained potatoes with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer on low speed. Add yogurt, margarine or butter, salt, and red pepper; beat just until combined. Add eggs; beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute or until fluffy. Fold in 1/2 cup of the feta cheese.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a 12-inch skillet bring the 1/4 cup water to boiling; add spinach to skillet. Toss spinach for about 1 minute or until spinach is slightly wilted; drain. Press out excess liquid. Coarsely chop spinach.

Spread half of the potato mixture into a light greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Laye spinach on top; sprinkle with remaining feta cheese. Spread remaining potato mixture on top and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Makes 8 side-dish servings.