If ever there was a weekend Shabbat cult food, jachnun—deep golden coils of buttery dough baked low and slow—fits the bill. As is the case with yeasty, brioche-like kubaneh bread, jachnun, which contains only baking powder, is traditionally placed in the oven or on a hot plate before Shabbat on Friday, then devoured the following morning after synagogue prayers. It’s sold in almost every makolet (mini-market) and from food trucks and carts all over the country, and in the neighborhood where I live (Tel Aviv’s Yemenite Quarter), tiny jachnun joints (usually open only on Friday and Saturday) sell it by the piece with its traditional accompaniments: resek (grated tomato), schug (hot sauce), and hard-cooked eggs.
Most North American Jews are familiar with sweet noodle kugels. But there are also many savory noodle kugel varieties, which can include garlic, onions, mushrooms, or even spinach. This kugel is a recipe from my husband’s grandmother, Baba Billie. It has an extra garlic kick, fantastic mouthfeel, and a nice crunchy top. You can use fresh garlic if you want, but I think the jarred garlic in oil really is the preferred ingredient.
This is my go-to recipe for lamb chops. The flavors are bold, but unlike some strong flavor combinations, they don’t mask the taste of the lamb—they enhance it. I know that not everyone eats lamb, but everyone loves this rub—so if lamb isn’t your choice of meat, try it on chicken or beef. See my tips below for precooking the lamb in advance and reheating.
This recipe is no-fail, quick, and easy. The combination of ginger and orange marries beautifully with the veal chops—without overpowering or masking their natural taste. Be sure to preheat your grill so it is hot enough to leave those beautiful, golden grill marks on the chops.
I am obsessed with this technique of baking sweet potato halves cut side down on parchment paper. After about an hour in the oven, you will literally peel the sweet potatoes off the parchment paper and be rewarded with a crispy-skinned, caramelized, golden, sticky potato. No mess, no fuss. Thank you to Oz Telem, author of The Book of the Cauliflower, for this awesome technique. You can try it with other root vegetables as well such as onion, fennel and squash.
There’s nothing quite like a fresh, ripe fig. This recipe uses my favorite fruit, simply dipped in melted chocolate (dark or milk—equally good, the choice is yours) and dusted with crushed pistachios and rose petals. The end result is as gorgeous as it is tasty. These figs are lovely paired with wine and cheese or served on their own when you feel like indulging.
When I was a child, my mom would serve us braised leeks drizzled with creamy vinaigrette. Even at a young age, I recall enjoying the buttery sweetness of the leeks. The recipe below is a great combination of those sweet, caramelized leeks and simply braised cod. The cod may be replaced with any fish fillets of your choice. Be sure to wash the leeks thoroughly by soaking them in a big bowl of water as described here, to remove all the grit hiding between its many layers.
Cottage cheese was a favorite of early colonial settlers, who made it at home in their “cottages.” I especially love it with warm egg noodles, a habit formed as a kid in my own home and at the homes of Jewish friends, where it was served as kugel. Over the years, I’ve gussied up the basic concept by adding creme fraiche, leeks melted in butter, and a sizable amount of dill (by far my favorite fresh herb). Lemon zest lends brightness, and a flurry of creamy feta adds salt and soul. My cottage-cheese-and-noodle dish is “good enough for company”—as my grandmother would say—while still satisfying my nostalgic craving.
Shchi is one of the most famous soups in Russia. It is usually made with white or green cabbage, but some versions are made with other green leafy vegetables, especially spinach, sorrel or nettles.