I SRAELI COOKING � � A WORLD OF ISRAELI
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Zahav
Zahav
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Zahav
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Named Eater’s 2014 Chef of the Year “I LIKE IT on IT on eggplant with pomegranate. I like it with walnuts on fish. I like it with beets. I like it with garlic on roasted lamb. I like it with date molasses on foie gras. I like it with harissa INTRODUCTION 1. TEHINA on kofte. I like it on a (THE SECRET SAUCE) 2. SALATIM schnitzel sandwich with 3. BEYOND CHICKEN SOUP Iraqi mango pickles. I like 4. MY GRANDMOTHER’S BOREKAS it on ice cream. I like it 5. MEZZE straight from the jar.” jar.” 6. LIVE FIRE u
c o n t e n t s
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7. BEN GURION’S RICE 8. MESIBAH (PARTY TIME) 9. MILK AND HONEY
Israelis love tehina like Americans l ove Doritos and wrestling—unconditionally and a little bit irrationally. The country doesn’t run without it. Israelis eat it raw and use it as a dip. They put in on sandwiches and salads. They sauce fish and meat with it. They use it in sweets. They add it to hummus by the truckload.
Although I was born in Israel, my family moved to Pittsburgh when I was two. Growing up, my entire Israeli identity was limited to a few Hebrew phrases, usually shouted by my father: Maspeek! father: Maspeek! (enough!) (enough!) , pounding the table for emphasis when I misbehaved, which was often; hazak (hard), hazak (hard), encouraging me to blow my nose; kvissa nose; kvissa (laundry (laundry chute), reminding me not to leave my clothes all over the place. Part of our household identity was the jar of tehina that was always on our kitchen table ...
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Zahav
Zahav
5
Named Eater’s 2014 Chef of the Year “I LIKE IT on IT on eggplant with pomegranate. I like it with walnuts on fish. I like it with beets. I like it with garlic on roasted lamb. I like it with date molasses on foie gras. I like it with harissa INTRODUCTION 1. TEHINA on kofte. I like it on a (THE SECRET SAUCE) 2. SALATIM schnitzel sandwich with 3. BEYOND CHICKEN SOUP Iraqi mango pickles. I like 4. MY GRANDMOTHER’S BOREKAS it on ice cream. I like it 5. MEZZE straight from the jar.” jar.” 6. LIVE FIRE u
c o n t e n t s
u
7. BEN GURION’S RICE 8. MESIBAH (PARTY TIME) 9. MILK AND HONEY
Israelis love tehina like Americans l ove Doritos and wrestling—unconditionally and a little bit irrationally. The country doesn’t run without it. Israelis eat it raw and use it as a dip. They put in on sandwiches and salads. They sauce fish and meat with it. They use it in sweets. They add it to hummus by the truckload.
Although I was born in Israel, my family moved to Pittsburgh when I was two. Growing up, my entire Israeli identity was limited to a few Hebrew phrases, usually shouted by my father: Maspeek! father: Maspeek! (enough!) (enough!) , pounding the table for emphasis when I misbehaved, which was often; hazak (hard), hazak (hard), encouraging me to blow my nose; kvissa nose; kvissa (laundry (laundry chute), reminding me not to leave my clothes all over the place. Part of our household identity was the jar of tehina that was always on our kitchen table ...
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Zahav
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HUMMUS I SOMETIMES WONDER where my career would be
without hummus. More than anything, it’s the dish that brings people to the restaurant in the first place. And more often than not, it is what brings them back. There’s something transcendent about a perfect bowl of hummus that tells our guests they’re in the right place. I often imagine that somewhere beneath the restaurant is an engine room with two guys shoveling hummus into a giant furnace that keeps the stoves lit and the lights on. Without hummus, Zahav would be a cold, dark shell. When Israelis eat hummus, they say, “let’s go wipe some hummus,” which refers to the action of scooping up hummus with pita, but it also makes it clear that eating hummus is a social activity. It does not involve standing at the kitchen counter, dipping factory-shaped baby carrots into a cold, stiff tub of store-bought hummus by the light of the refrigerator. Hummus in Israel is pure luxury. The texture is smooth and creamy and the flavors are nutty, rich, and satisfying in a completely wholesome way. The problem with even the best-quality store-bought hummus is that it requires certain additives to make it shelf-stable, notably lemon juice (or more likely citric acid). These additives turn hummus sharp and sour—light years away from the dreamy qualities of fresh hummus. Fortunately, great hummus could not be easier to make at home. All it requires is a food processor, cooked chickpeas, and my Basic Tehina Sauce. Some people will try to tell you that canned chickpeas are useless: Unfriend them immediately. While I would prefer that you soak and cook dried chickpeas as we d o at the restaurant, fresh hummus made from canned chickpeas is a hundred times better than anything you can buy. And it takes less than five minutes. Hummus follows the rule that simple things are often the hardest to do well. Our hummus at Zahav has only five ingredients, but it took us longer to develop than any other recipe on our menu.
BASIC TEHINA SAUCE Makes a bout 4 cups
1 head garlic ¾ cup lemon juice (from 3 lemons) 1½ teaspoons salt 2 generous cups tehina ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Break up the head of garlic, letting the unpeeled cloves fall into a blender. Add the lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Blend on High for a few seconds until you have a coarse puree. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes to let the garlic mellow.
HUMMUS TEHINA Makes 3 ½ cups
1 cup dried chickpeas 2 teaspoons baking soda 1½ cups Basic Tehina Sauce, plus a bit more for garnish 1 teaspoon of salt ¼ teaspoon ground cumin Paprika, for garnish
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Add the tehina to the strained lemon juice in the bowl, along with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the cumin.
Whisk the mixture together until smooth, adding ice water a few tablespoons at a time to thin it out. The sauce will lighten in color as you whisk. When the tehina seizes up or tightens—it will—keep adding ice water, bit by bit (about 1½ cups in total), until you have a perfectly smooth, creamy, thick sauce.
Chopped parsley, for garnish Olive oil, for garnish
Taste and add more salt and cumin if you like. If you’re not using the sauce i mmediately, mmediately, whisk in a few extra tablespoons of ice water to loosen it.
Place the chickpeas in a large bowl with one teaspoon of the baking soda and cover with plenty of water (the chickpeas will double in volume, so use more water than you think you need). Soak the chickpeas overnight at room temperature. The n ext day, drain the chickpeas and rinse un der cold water.
Place the chickpeas in a large pot with the remaining teaspoon of baking soda and add enough cold water to cover by at least four inches. Bring the chickpeas to a boil over high heat, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid, and continue to simmer for about an hour, until the chickpeas are fully cooked and completely tender. Then simmer them a little more. (The secret to creamy hummus is overcooked chickpeas; don’t worry if your chickpeas are mushy and falling apart a little.) Drain.
Combine the chickpeas, Tehina Sauce, salt, and cumin in a food processor. Puree the hummus for several minutes until it is smooth and uber-creamy. Then puree it some more! To serve, spread the hummus in a shallow bowl, dust with paprika, top with parsley, more Tehina Sauce if you like, and dri zzle generously with olive oil.
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Zahav
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HUMMUS I SOMETIMES WONDER where my career would be
without hummus. More than anything, it’s the dish that brings people to the restaurant in the first place. And more often than not, it is what brings them back. There’s something transcendent about a perfect bowl of hummus that tells our guests they’re in the right place. I often imagine that somewhere beneath the restaurant is an engine room with two guys shoveling hummus into a giant furnace that keeps the stoves lit and the lights on. Without hummus, Zahav would be a cold, dark shell. When Israelis eat hummus, they say, “let’s go wipe some hummus,” which refers to the action of scooping up hummus with pita, but it also makes it clear that eating hummus is a social activity. It does not involve standing at the kitchen counter, dipping factory-shaped baby carrots into a cold, stiff tub of store-bought hummus by the light of the refrigerator. Hummus in Israel is pure luxury. The texture is smooth and creamy and the flavors are nutty, rich, and satisfying in a completely wholesome way. The problem with even the best-quality store-bought hummus is that it requires certain additives to make it shelf-stable, notably lemon juice (or more likely citric acid). These additives turn hummus sharp and sour—light years away from the dreamy qualities of fresh hummus. Fortunately, great hummus could not be easier to make at home. All it requires is a food processor, cooked chickpeas, and my Basic Tehina Sauce. Some people will try to tell you that canned chickpeas are useless: Unfriend them immediately. While I would prefer that you soak and cook dried chickpeas as we d o at the restaurant, fresh hummus made from canned chickpeas is a hundred times better than anything you can buy. And it takes less than five minutes. Hummus follows the rule that simple things are often the hardest to do well. Our hummus at Zahav has only five ingredients, but it took us longer to develop than any other recipe on our menu.
BASIC TEHINA SAUCE Makes a bout 4 cups
1 head garlic ¾ cup lemon juice (from 3 lemons) 1½ teaspoons salt 2 generous cups tehina ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Break up the head of garlic, letting the unpeeled cloves fall into a blender. Add the lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Blend on High for a few seconds until you have a coarse puree. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes to let the garlic mellow.
HUMMUS TEHINA Makes 3 ½ cups
1 cup dried chickpeas 2 teaspoons baking soda 1½ cups Basic Tehina Sauce, plus a bit more for garnish 1 teaspoon of salt ¼ teaspoon ground cumin Paprika, for garnish
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Add the tehina to the strained lemon juice in the bowl, along with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the cumin.
Whisk the mixture together until smooth, adding ice water a few tablespoons at a time to thin it out. The sauce will lighten in color as you whisk. When the tehina seizes up or tightens—it will—keep adding ice water, bit by bit (about 1½ cups in total), until you have a perfectly smooth, creamy, thick sauce.
Chopped parsley, for garnish Olive oil, for garnish
Taste and add more salt and cumin if you like. If you’re not using the sauce i mmediately, mmediately, whisk in a few extra tablespoons of ice water to loosen it.
Place the chickpeas in a large bowl with one teaspoon of the baking soda and cover with plenty of water (the chickpeas will double in volume, so use more water than you think you need). Soak the chickpeas overnight at room temperature. The n ext day, drain the chickpeas and rinse un der cold water.
Place the chickpeas in a large pot with the remaining teaspoon of baking soda and add enough cold water to cover by at least four inches. Bring the chickpeas to a boil over high heat, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid, and continue to simmer for about an hour, until the chickpeas are fully cooked and completely tender. Then simmer them a little more. (The secret to creamy hummus is overcooked chickpeas; don’t worry if your chickpeas are mushy and falling apart a little.) Drain.
Combine the chickpeas, Tehina Sauce, salt, and cumin in a food processor. Puree the hummus for several minutes until it is smooth and uber-creamy. Then puree it some more! To serve, spread the hummus in a shallow bowl, dust with paprika, top with parsley, more Tehina Sauce if you like, and dri zzle generously with olive oil.
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Zahav
ISRAELI SALAD: MANGO, CUCUMBER, AND SUMAC ONIONS Serves 4 to 6
in which Israeli salad is out of place at the table. I could eat it three times a day for the rest of my life. I can’t think of a more perfect and balanced dish—refreshing and substantial at the same time, with great acidity from fresh lemon, richness from the generous dose of olive oil, sweetness and umami from the tomatoes, and a slight bitterness from the herbaceous parsley. Israeli salad is wonderful because the more you eat of it, the better you feel. I often find myself craving this salad during the long Northeastern winters, but its simplicity requires perfect ingredients to really sing—out-of-season tomatoes don’t cut it. So we’ve adapted this salad to our seasonal environment. When tomatoes are not perfect, we use stand-ins like mangoes, pickl ed persimmons, passion fruit, or even grapes for a salad that’s Israeli in spirit. Remember to season the salad aggressively with salt, lemon, and olive oil. With so few ingredients, it’s important to make the most of those you do have. there is no meal
Combine the mango, cucumber, Sumac Onions, olive oil, lemon juice, and mint in a bowl and toss to com bine. Season with salt and serve.
SUMAC ONIONS 1 ½ 1 1
red onion, sliced thin teaspoon salt teaspoon sumac tablespoon red wine vinegar
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
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i n g r e d i e n t
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2 mangoes, cut into small cubes (3 cups) 1 cucumber, diced (3 cups) ¼ 3 2 3 1
cup Sumac Onions (recipe follows) tablespoons olive oil teaspoons lemon juice tablespoons chopped fresh mint teaspoon salt
SUMAC Sumac grows as a feathery cluster of red-seeded berries that you see on bushes along our highways getting crushed by sparrows. The berries were used to add sour flavors to food in the Middle East before the Moors introduced lemons. The Pennsylvania Dutch still make pink lemonade with sumac. I love sumac because you can add a sprinkle of tartness to dishes without using acid or liquid; it’s perfect for such delicate things as raw fish.
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Zahav
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ISRAELI SALAD: MANGO, CUCUMBER, AND SUMAC ONIONS Serves 4 to 6
in which Israeli salad is out of place at the table. I could eat it three times a day for the rest of my life. I can’t think of a more perfect and balanced dish—refreshing and substantial at the same time, with great acidity from fresh lemon, richness from the generous dose of olive oil, sweetness and umami from the tomatoes, and a slight bitterness from the herbaceous parsley. Israeli salad is wonderful because the more you eat of it, the better you feel. I often find myself craving this salad during the long Northeastern winters, but its simplicity requires perfect ingredients to really sing—out-of-season tomatoes don’t cut it. So we’ve adapted this salad to our seasonal environment. When tomatoes are not perfect, we use stand-ins like mangoes, pickl ed persimmons, passion fruit, or even grapes for a salad that’s Israeli in spirit. Remember to season the salad aggressively with salt, lemon, and olive oil. With so few ingredients, it’s important to make the most of those you do have. there is no meal
Combine the mango, cucumber, Sumac Onions, olive oil, lemon juice, and mint in a bowl and toss to com bine. Season with salt and serve.
SUMAC ONIONS 1 ½ 1 1
red onion, sliced thin teaspoon salt teaspoon sumac tablespoon red wine vinegar
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
u
i n g r e d i e n t
u
2 mangoes, cut into small cubes (3 cups) 1 cucumber, diced (3 cups) ¼ 3 2 3 1
cup Sumac Onions (recipe follows) tablespoons olive oil teaspoons lemon juice tablespoons chopped fresh mint teaspoon salt
SUMAC Sumac grows as a feathery cluster of red-seeded berries that you see on bushes along our highways getting crushed by sparrows. The berries were used to add sour flavors to food in the Middle East before the Moors introduced lemons. The Pennsylvania Dutch still make pink lemonade with sumac. I love sumac because you can add a sprinkle of tartness to dishes without using acid or liquid; it’s perfect for such delicate things as raw fish.
Tehina
MY MOM’S COFFEE-BRAISED BRISKET Serves 8
my mother served at virtually every special occasion dinner of my childhood. And my mom’s version was her take on the dish that her mother made. Brisket has a long history on the Jewish table, primarily because it was a very economical cut. Unfortunately, brisket is no longer cheap, but when cooked properly, properly, it’s still still one of the beefiest and most flavorful pieces of meat you can find. My grandmother made her brisket with carrots, potatoes, and Heinz Chili Sauce, which gave it a traditional sweet and sour flavor profile. My mother added the coffee—she doesn’t remember why, but it’s pretty brilliant, actually. Unlike stock, stock, the more traditional braising liquid that takes hours to make, coffee is ready in minutes. And its deep roasted flavors work really well with beef (coffee makes a great addition to barbecue sauce, too). In my my version, I add cardamom cardamom to evoke Turkish coffee. I’ve also replaced the sweetness of that chili sauce with dried apricots. this is my take on the dish
You You will find braised eggs like these in a cholent, or chamin, a Sabbath stew cooked slowly overnight and served on Saturday afternoon. The eggs become almost creamy from the long cooking time, and as the coffee braising liquid penetrates the shell, it colors the eggs and subtly flavors them. I like t o finish the whole dish with grated horseradish for a little bit of pungency to wake up the l ong-cooked flavors flavors of the brisket. I make brisket over several days: the first day, the seasoned meat is refrigerated overnight, the next day the brisket is cooked. It can then be served, but it’s flavor and texture is far better if it rests in its braising liquid another night and then warmed, sliced and served the following day. day. 1 brisket (first cut, about 4 pounds)
Salt 1½ tablespoons ground cardamom 1½ tablespoons ground black cardamom 2 tablespoons finely ground coffee
¼ cup canola oil 2 large onions, sliced 4 carrots, sliced 10 cloves garlic, sliced 1 / 3
cup tomato paste
1½ cup dried apricots 2 cups brewed coffee 6 eggs in their shells Fresh horseradish, grated Mix 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt, cardamom, black cardamom, and coffee together together and rub the mixture into the brisket. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Put the brisket on a rack set inside a roasting pan and roast until the exterior has browned, about 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 250°F.
Warm the canola oil in a large pot with a tight fitting lid over medium heat and add the oni ons, carrots, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables have softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue cooking until it reduces slightly, about 2 more minutes. Add the dried apricots, brisket, coffee, and 6 eggs (in their shells). Add enough water to bring the liquid level halfway up the side of the brisket.
Cover, and braise for 1 hour. Remove the eggs, gently tap them all over to make a network of small cracks all over the shells, and return them to the braise. Continue cooking until the brisket shreds easily with a fork, about 3 more hours. Let the brisket cool in its braising liquid in the refrigerator overnight.
To serve, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake until warmed through, about 30 minutes. Slice, and spoon the broth over the meat. Serve with grated fresh horseradish.
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Tehina
MY MOM’S COFFEE-BRAISED BRISKET Serves 8
my mother served at virtually every special occasion dinner of my childhood. And my mom’s version was her take on the dish that her mother made. Brisket has a long history on the Jewish table, primarily because it was a very economical cut. Unfortunately, brisket is no longer cheap, but when cooked properly, properly, it’s still still one of the beefiest and most flavorful pieces of meat you can find. My grandmother made her brisket with carrots, potatoes, and Heinz Chili Sauce, which gave it a traditional sweet and sour flavor profile. My mother added the coffee—she doesn’t remember why, but it’s pretty brilliant, actually. Unlike stock, stock, the more traditional braising liquid that takes hours to make, coffee is ready in minutes. And its deep roasted flavors work really well with beef (coffee makes a great addition to barbecue sauce, too). In my my version, I add cardamom cardamom to evoke Turkish coffee. I’ve also replaced the sweetness of that chili sauce with dried apricots. this is my take on the dish
You You will find braised eggs like these in a cholent, or chamin, a Sabbath stew cooked slowly overnight and served on Saturday afternoon. The eggs become almost creamy from the long cooking time, and as the coffee braising liquid penetrates the shell, it colors the eggs and subtly flavors them. I like t o finish the whole dish with grated horseradish for a little bit of pungency to wake up the l ong-cooked flavors flavors of the brisket. I make brisket over several days: the first day, the seasoned meat is refrigerated overnight, the next day the brisket is cooked. It can then be served, but it’s flavor and texture is far better if it rests in its braising liquid another night and then warmed, sliced and served the following day. day. 1 brisket (first cut, about 4 pounds)
Salt
¼ cup canola oil 2 large onions, sliced 4 carrots, sliced 10 cloves garlic, sliced 1 / 3
cup tomato paste
1½ cup dried apricots 2 cups brewed coffee 6 eggs in their shells Fresh horseradish, grated Mix 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt, cardamom, black cardamom, and coffee together together and rub the mixture into the brisket. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Put the brisket on a rack set inside a roasting pan and roast until the exterior has browned, about 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 250°F.
1½ tablespoons ground cardamom 1½ tablespoons ground black cardamom 2 tablespoons finely ground coffee
Warm the canola oil in a large pot with a tight fitting lid over medium heat and add the oni ons, carrots, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables have softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue cooking until it reduces slightly, about 2 more minutes. Add the dried apricots, brisket, coffee, and 6 eggs (in their shells). Add enough water to bring the liquid level halfway up the side of the brisket.
Cover, and braise for 1 hour. Remove the eggs, gently tap them all over to make a network of small cracks all over the shells, and return them to the braise. Continue cooking until the brisket shreds easily with a fork, about 3 more hours. Let the brisket cool in its braising liquid in the refrigerator overnight.
To serve, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake until warmed through, about 30 minutes. Slice, and spoon the broth over the meat. Serve with grated fresh horseradish.
PRAISE F OR ZAHAV
“Zahav [is] an Israeli restaurant of national renown.”—The New York Times “An utter and total revelation.” —Bon Appétit “Michael Solomonov has become America’s leading interpreter interpreter of Israeli cuisine
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PRAISE F OR ZAHAV
“Zahav [is] an Israeli restaurant of national renown.”—The New York Times “An utter and total revelation.” —Bon Appétit “Michael Solomonov has become America’s leading interpreter interpreter of Israeli cuisine. cuisine.” —Wall Street Journal Hardcover $35.00 PUBLI CITY & MARKETING
A 2011 James Beard Award–winner for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic, Michael Solomonov is the co-owner and executive chef of Zahav Zahav,, Philadelphia’s renowned modern Israeli restaurant. With his business partner and co-writer,, Steven Cook, he co-writer also owns Federal Donuts, Percy Street Barbecue, Dizengoff, and Abe Fisher, all in Philadelphia.
352 pages 9 x 11
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Full-color throughout
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ISBN 978-0-544-37329-7
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Publication date: October 1, 2015
Produced by Dorothy Kalins Ink Design by Don Morris Design Photographs by Mike Persico A Rux Martin Book
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