1,000 Jewish Recipes (89 page)
Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
At Shavuot time the garden is bursting with the aromas of fresh herbs. I love to add herbs from my garden to my Shavuot version of Israeli salad, or chopped salad. Fresh chives give the salad a more delicate taste than the customary onion. Tarragon lends its flavor as part of tarragon vinegar. I also like the savory accent of young oregano. The salad is so flavorful that you can omit the oil if you wish, for a fat-free appetizer or accompaniment. The best tomatoes for this salad are ripe but firm.
3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into small dice
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long cucumber, hothouse or Japanese, cut into small dice
2 tablespoons chopped or sliced fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 to 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
2 to 3 teaspoons tarragon vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Mix together diced tomatoes, cucumber, chives, and oregano in bowl. Add oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Ripe tomatoes, black olives, and fresh herbs give this beautiful salad its charm. Be sure to use crisp green beans and to cook them briefly so they keep their vivid color. It's a terrific complement to all the cheesy dishes that are likely to be on your Shavuot menus.
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pound green beans, ends removed, halved
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced thin
2 cups cooked white beans or one 15-ounce can white beans, drained
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pound ripe tomatoes, diced
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cup black olives, or Kalamata olives, halved and pitted
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil or oregano
1 to 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.
Add green beans to a large saucepan of boiling salted water and boil uncovered over high heat 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, and drain well again.
2.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and sauté over medium-low heat, stirring often, about 7 minutes or until tender but not brown.
3.
Combine white beans, green beans, onion with oil, tomatoes, olives, and basil in glass bowl and toss lightly.
4.
Whisk lemon juice with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl; salt lightly because olives are salty. Add to salad and toss until ingredients are coated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add remaining oil if desired and toss again. Serve at room temperature.
One aspect of Shavuot is reading the Book of Ruth, whose events took place at harvest time, and celebrating the new crop of grain. I like to add barley to the holiday menu, as it is a biblical grain.
We tend to think of barley in hearty soups, but for the warm weather of Shavuot, which takes place in late May or in June, a salad is more appropriate. Instead, I like to turn it into a fresh-tasting, colorful saladâa new variation of the Middle Eastern favorite, tabbouleh. Usually tabbouleh is made with bulgur wheat, but unlike bulgur, pearl barley is easy to find in any market. Barley's nutty taste is a fine complement for the tabbouleh's traditionally generous amounts of Italian parsley, mint, and fresh vegetables.
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cups water
1 cup pearl barley
2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 ripe plum tomatoes, cut into small dice
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cucumber or
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-long cucumber, hothouse or Japanese, peeled if desired and cut into small dice
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cups small sprigs fresh Italian parsley, rinsed, patted dry, and coarsely chopped
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cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1.
In a heavy saucepan, bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add barley, cover and simmer over low heat about 40 minutes or until barley is tender. Transfer barley to a large bowl and let cool.
2.
Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to barley. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, and green onions and toss. Lightly stir in parsley and mint. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve cool or at room temperature.
Shavuot is a celebration of the season's new produce. Serving this light, colorful salad of the first young, tender summer vegetables is a healthful way to commemorate this aspect of the holiday. You can make it ahead but if you do, add the lemon juice at the last minute to keep the color of the green beans bright.
1 pound green beans, ends removed, halved
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pound zucchini, cut into 1-inch dice
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 to 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or
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2
teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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pound ripe tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice (optional)
Add green beans to a saucepan of boiling salted water. Boil uncovered 5 minutes. Add zucchini and corn and return to a boil over high heat. Cook 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain in a colander or strainer. Transfer to a bowl. Add olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Add tomatoes and toss again. Add lemon juice, if using. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold.
A celebration of late spring and summer, this tricolor salad combines fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, tomato-flavored pasta, and avocado cubes for a delightful warm-weather main course. If you prefer, you can substitute diced feta cheese for the mozzarella. You can also add grilled or marinated peppers or mushrooms.
1 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice or herb vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 to 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
8 ounces tomato (or plain) pasta spirals
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to 1 pound ripe tomatoes, diced
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to
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cup diced fresh mozzarella cheese
1 ripe avocado
1.
For the dressing: Combine lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in oil. Stir in green onion, parsley, and oregano.
2.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water uncovered over high heat, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes or until tender but firm to the bite. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well again. Add to dressing and mix well. Add tomatoes and cheese. A short time before serving, cut avocado into small dice. Add to salad. Adjust seasoning.
Serve this tasty, attractive salad at a Shavuot buffet along with a tomato or red pepper salad.
4 teaspoons tarragon vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon sliced fresh chives
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pounds green beans, ends removed
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cup crumbled feta cheese
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cup walnut halves or pieces, toasted and chopped
1 large hard boiled egg, chopped
1.
Whisk vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in oil, then chives. Adjust seasoning and set aside.
2.
Cook beans in a large pan of boiling salted water about 4 minutes or until crisp tender. Rinse under cold running water until cool and drain thoroughly. Gently pat dry.
3.
Transfer beans to a large round platter, with all beans pointing to center. Whisk dressing and spoon it evenly over beans. Sprinkle feta cheese over center, covering ends of beans where they meet. Sprinkle walnuts in a circle around feta. Sprinkle chopped hard boiled egg in a circle around walnuts. Allow ends of green beans to show. Serve at room temperature.
