World Recipes

Chopped Liver

Source: Old and New Israeli Jewish Cuisine

Use only chicken liver to make this dish. Use schmaltz (chicken fat) . Do not substitute oil or any other fat. If you are concerned about cholesterol, eat chopped liver less often. Chop all the ingredients by hand rather than by machine. Eat it in small portions, it is very rich, and make it only for special occasions.

1 pound chicken livers (fresh, not previously frozen)
2 cups finely chopped onions
3 hard-boiled eggs
6 tablespoons schmaltz
Salt and black pepper to taste
A few gribenes (optional)

Preheat broiler to 500 degrees F.

Broil livers on broiler rack 4 inches from the heat source for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the oven and finely chop livers.

Melt 6 tablespoons schmaltz in skillet and saute onions over medium/low heat until soft and just beginning to brown. Add chopped liver pieces and saute 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Pour contents of skillet into a mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, chop the eggs and add them to the liver mixture. Mix in the salt, pepper, and gribenes (if using). Mix everything together until well blended. Chill at least 3 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Schmaltz

1 pound fatty skin and chicken fat (from 3 pound chicken)
2 cup onions, peeled and chopped
1 potato, chopped and peeled

Cut fatty skin and yellow pieces of fat into small bits. Place in heavy pot; cover with cold water. Cook, uncovered, until almost all water has evaporated.

Lower heat; add onion and potato. It is finished when onions and potato are nice and brown, and grieben (fat pieces) are crisp.

Let pot cool, strain into clean jar to separate schmaltz from grieben. It may be stored in freezer.

Yields 3 cups.

Nutritional information (estimate, per 1/4 cup): 277 calories, 0.6 gram protein, 5.1 grams carbohydrates, 28.4 grams fat, 92 percent calories from fat, 242 milligrams cholesterol, 2 milligrams sodium - note that this is an estimate

Bara Brith

1 pound mixed dried fruit, chopped
1 1/4 cups freshly-brewed tea
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 3/4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten to blend
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Place fruit in large bowl. Pour tea over fruit. Add brown sugar and mix well. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Add flour, milk, egg, marmalade and cinnamon to soaked fruit mixture. Stir until combined. Spoon dough into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until bread is brown and crusty and wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, about 2 hours.

Cool slightly. (Can be prepared up to 4 days ahead. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature.)

Matzo Ball Soup

Roast Chicken (recipe below)
3 quarts cold water
1 sliced carrot
2 stalks and tops of celery
2 sprigs parsley
1 small bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cut chicken into pieces. Place in large soup kettle with water. Cover, bring slowly to boil. Add seasonings and vegetables. Simmer gently for approximately 5 hours.

Strain soup and chill overnight.

Remove caked fat (fat can be used for Matzo Balls). Reheat and add Matzo Balls for serving. Makes about 2 quarts soup. Makes 7 to 9 servings.

Recipe can be extended by adding canned chicken broth.

Roast Chicken and Matzo Ball recipes follow.

Matzo Balls (For Matzo Ball Soup)
2 tablespoons fat
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon soup stock or water

NOTE: A 1 pound box of matzo meal is about 4 cups.

Mix fat and eggs. Mix salt and matzo meal, then add to eggs. When well mixed, add soup stock or water. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, then form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Using a 2- or 3-quart pot, fill about 1/2 full with lightly salted water and bring to brisk boil. Reduce heat, drop balls into slightly bubbling water. Cover pot and cook 30 to 40 minutes (watch water level).

When preparing to serve, have soup at room temperature or above. Remove Matzo Balls from water and put into soup pot. Allow soup to simmer about 5 minutes. Recipe makes about 8 balls.

Roast Chicken (For Matzo Ball Soup)
1 (4 or 5 pound) chicken
1 large sliced onion
2 tablespoons melted chicken fat or margarine
1/2 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/16 teaspoon garlic powder

Quarter the chicken. Mix the flour, spices and salt. Rub each piece of chicken well with the mixture. Place the onion, celery and fat in deep roaster (with a cover). Place chicken pieces on top of vegetables. Roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Turn chicken over and roast 20 minutes more.

Lower heat to 350 degrees F. Add 3/4 cup boiling water for 5 pounds chicken. Cover tightly and cook until tender (approximately 1 1/4 hours).

Mandel Bread

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Grated rind of 1 orange (colored portion only)
4 1/2 cups flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
6 tablespoons apricot jam, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine eggs, 1 cup sugar, oil and vanilla, orange and lemon extracts on medium speed until well-mixed, about 1 minute. Stir in orange rind.

In another large mixing bowl, combine 4 cups flour and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the egg-sugar mixture and mix until a smooth, thick dough ball forms. Add enough additional flour, if needed, a 1/4 cup at a time, until dough forms a ball. Stir in nuts.

Remove dough to a generously floured board and divide the dough into three equal balls. Roll out one ball to form an 8-inch log. Slice the log in half (you will now have two, 8-inch logs). Gently flatten each half with fingers until they are about 2 inches wide. Place 2 tablespoons apricot jam on bottom half of the log and spread to cover surface. Place top over apricot filling and pinch edges to seal in filling. Repeat with remaining dough and apricot jam.

In a small bowl, combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over logs to cover and place on greased baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven until lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

While still hot, slice logs on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Return slices to baking sheets and place back in oven until lightly toasted, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Remove to racks and cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

Makes 30 pieces.

Matzoh Pancakes

5 whole matzoh cracker squares
1 cup water
2 eggs
1 tablespoon butter (more as needed)

Crumble the crackers in a large bowl and cover them with the water. Let soak for about a minute. Drain the water off. Break the two eggs into the bowl and combine the mixture with your hands.

Heat the butter in a nonstick skillet. When it is melted, pour half the matzoh mixture into the pan and smash it lightly with a spatula. After it becomes golden brown on the first side (this takes about 3 minutes), flip it over by inverting it onto a large plate and sliding it back into the pan. Cook on the other side.

Serve with golden honey.

Matzoh Brie

This is a marvelous Passover dish.

4 to 6 pieces of matzoth
3 eggs (mixed with water)
1/4 cup water
Salt
Oil or butter

Break matzoh into small pieces and add to water. After soaking for about 5 minutes until soggy, drain off the water, and mix the egg mixture to the bowl. Let this just wet each piece. Wet thoroughly with egg mixture. Heat oil or butter and drop the mixture to a hot frying pan. Cook and mix until crispy.

Sweet Kugel

This is a wonderful Hanukkah treat.

1 (12 ounce) package wide egg noodles
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 (16 ounce) container cream-style cottage cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup corn flakes cereal

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well; set aside.

Combine eggs and next 7 ingredients; stir half of cottage cheese mixture into noodles. Spoon noodles into a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour remaining cottage cheese mixture over casserole; bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour.

Sprinkle with corn flakes, then serve.

Yields 10 to 12 servings.