Jewish Fusion

Julie is the proprietor of Phoenix, a well-known Chicago Chinese restaurant, located not far from Manny’s, Barack Obama’s favorite deli. Manny’s corned beef sandwiches are legendary. Julie has devised the perfect use for left-over corned beef or pastrami.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  1 teaspoon sesame oil
  1/4 pound diced thin sliced corned beef
  1/4 pound diced thin sliced pastrami
  2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
  2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
  2 eggs, beaten
  4 scallions, chopped
  ½ cup petite peas
  ½ cup diced celery
  3 cups cooked white jasmine rice, cooled
  Salt
  White pepper

Directions:

• 1. Combine 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 2 Tablespoons water with the beaten eggs.
  2. In a non-stick omelette pan make very thin egg crepes, and slice the crepes into small pieces. Set aside.
  3. Heat a non-stick wok over high heat.
  4. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the wok.
  5. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
  6. Add the meat and stir-fry for another 1 minute.
  7. Add the scallions, eggs, peas and celery and cook quickly about 30 seconds.
  8. Add the rice and toss until the ingredients are combined well and the rice is heated through.
  9. Season to taste with the salt and white pepper.

During the Jewish holiday of Passover, many households serve turkey recipes. However, since the dietary rules for Passover do not permit leavened products such as bread or cornbread, traditional cooks substitute matzah (matzoh), which is available in most supermarkets year ’round. Matzah’s texture makes an excellent stuffing, and you definitely do not need to be Jewish to enjoy it during the Thanksgiving holiday. 

Ingredients:

• 1 (10 – 12-pound) turkey
  Brine
  1 large can of low-sodium chicken broth
  White wine
  Flour
  Butter or parve (non-dairy) margarine
  Matzah stuffing

Brine Ingredients:

• 1 cup kosher salt
  1 cup brown sugar
  2 oranges, diced
  2 lemons, quartered
  6 sprigs thyme
  4 sprigs rosemary

Brining Directions:

To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, food-grade plastic storage bag.)
Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.
If you have a larger turkey and need more brine, use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar for every gallon of water.
Remove the neck, giblets, and liver from the cavity of the turkey and reserve for the gravy.
Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water.
Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours.

Matzah Stuffing Ingredients:

• 1 (12-14 ounce) box of matzah
  3 large onions, sliced thin
  6 garlic cloves, finely minced
  vegetable oil, enough to sauté onions
  1 (14 ½ ounce) can chicken broth
  1 teaspoon sugar
  1 cup of slivered, blanched almonds
  2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
  3 stalks of celery, fined diced
  1 apple, peeled and grated
  pepper, to taste
  ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
  onion powder to taste
  garlic salt to taste

Stuffing Directions:

1. Crush the matzah into small pieces.
2. Sauté the onions in oil till transparent; add the minced garlic and stir briefly.
3. Add carrots, celery and apples and cook until they are softened.
4. Add remaining ingredients.
5. Mix together and taste for seasoning.
6. If the stuffing seems too dry, moisten it with more broth.
7. Stuff turkey loosely.
8. Any leftover stuffing can be cooked along-side turkey in a casserole dish.
9. When basting the turkey, add some of the pan juices to any of the stuffing cooked in the casserole dish.

Roasting instructions:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
  2. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water.
  3. Pat dry with paper towels inside and out.
  4. Place turkey, breast side down, in a large, heavy roasting pan, and rub on all sides with butter or margarine
  5. Season the turkey lightly inside and out with salt and pepper.
  6. Stuff the turkey with the matzah stuffing.
  7. Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine.
  8. Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, turn and baste with ½ cup chicken stock.
  9. Continue roasting with the breast side up until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165° F. when inserted into the largest section of thigh, about 2 ¾ to 3 hours total cooking time.
  10. Baste the turkey once every hour with ½ to ¾ cup chicken stock.
• 11. Remove from the oven and place on a platter. Cover with aluminum foil and let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving.

For the pan gravy:

Pour the reserved turkey pan juices into a glass-measuring cup and skim off the fat.
Place the roasting pan on two stovetop burners over medium heat add the pan juices and 1 cup broth and some white wine to the pan, and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the remaining 3 cups of broth and bring to a simmer, then transfer to a measuring cup.
In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter or margarine over medium high heat.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, to make a light roux.
Add the hot stock, whisking constantly, then simmer until thickened.
Add the reserved neck meat and chopped giblets to the pan and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.
Pour into a gravy boat and serve.

Classify with Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

Elsewhere on this recipe Web site, I have written about the South African affinity for curries. This hotpot recipe combines both sweet and savory ingredients into a delicious Chicken curry. It is also very easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 1 cooked chicken
  4 large onions, chopped
  2 cloves garlic, crushed
  15 ml butter/margarine
  1 Tablespoon curry powder, or to taste
  5 bay leaves
  4 large tomatoes
  4 apples
  4 bananas
  ¾ cup hot chutney
  ¾ cup seedless dark raisins
  ¾ cup white raisins
  1 Tablespoon smooth apricot jam
  sugar and salt to taste

Directions:

• Bone and shred the chicken, and also remove the skin.
  Saute′ the onion and garlic in the butter/margarine in a large saucepan.
  Add the curry powder and bay leaves and fry lightly.
  Add the chicken and fry the mixture for 5 to 8 minutes over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cover the tomatoes with boiling water.
Pull off the skins and chop the tomatoes coarsely.
Core, peel and chop the apples.
Peel and slice the bananas.
Add the tomatoes, apples and bananas, with the remaining ingredients, to the chicken mixture. Cover with the lid and simmer for 45 minutes over moderate heat – stir from time to time and add extra boiling water if necessary.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

This delicious brisket recipe takes about 3 hours of preparation.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup quartered dried apricots (about 4 ounces)
  9 large garlic cloves
  3 ½ teaspoons Chinese Five-Spice powder
  1 teaspoon salt
  ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  1 4 ½ – to 5-pound flat-cut beef brisket
  3 tablespoons olive oil
  4 cups chopped onions
  2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
  1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
  1 teaspoon ground coriander
  1 teaspoon Tabasco
  1 cup dry red wine
  3 cups homemade beef stock or canned low-salt beef broth 2/3 cup pitted prunes, quartered

Directions:

• Combine 1/3 cup apricots, 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon 5 spice powder, salt, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in processor.
  Using on/off turns, chop to coarse puree.
  Using small sharp knife, make 1/2-inch-deep slits all over brisket.
  Set aside 1 tablespoon apricot mixture.
  Press remaining apricot mixture into slits.
  Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 300° F.
  Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat.
  Sprinkle brisket all over with salt and pepper.
  Add brisket to pot and sauté until brown, about 5 minutes per side.
  Transfer to plate, fat side up; spread with reserved 1 Tablespoon apricot mixture.
  Add onions to same pot. Sauté over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add carrots, ginger, coriander, Tabasco, remaining 6 garlic cloves and 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin; sauté 3 minutes.
  Add wine and boil until reduced almost to glaze, stirring up any browned bits, about 5 minutes.
  Return brisket to pot. Add stock and bring to simmer.
  Spoon some of vegetable mixture over brisket.
  Cover pot and place in oven.
  Roast brisket 2 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices.
  Add prunes and remaining 1/3 cup apricots.
  Cover; roast until brisket is tender, about 30 minutes longer. Cool brisket uncovered 1 hour.
  Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled overnight.
  Spoon off any solid fat from top of gravy; discard fat.
  Scrape gravy off brisket into pot. Place brisket on work surface.
  Slice brisket thinly across grain.
  Bring gravy in pot to boil over medium-high heat.
  Boil to thicken slightly, if desired.
  Season the gravy with salt and pepper.
  Arrange sliced brisket in large ovenproof dish.
  Spoon the gravy over. Cover with foil. (Can be made 2 days ahead; refrigerate.)
  Re-warm covered brisket in 350°F oven about 30 minutes (or 40 minutes if chilled).

Also of interest…Israeli Falafel Recipe, Potato Latkes, Chopped Liver, Kugel, Pierogies