Jewish Fusion

This chicken dish is very popular in South Africa. There are many fast food restaurants that specialize in peri peri (piri-piri) chicken. If you’ve never tried this famous marinated chicken, get ready for a flavor sensation.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes, cooking time: 24 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 lb. whole chicken
• Olive oil, to grease
• 1 T olive oil, extra virgin
• Lemon wedges, to serve
• Peri peri marinade (bottled or made at home)
• There is an excellent bottled South African peri-peri sauce available at many American supermarkets, brand name Nando’s. It is available in mild, spicy and extra spicy. Alternatively, you make your own marinade. I recommend you use peri peri seasoning rather than hot chili flakes as peri peri is a very flavorful chilli.

Peri-Peri marinade:

• 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  2 inch piece ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped
  2/3 cup olive oil
  2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  1 T dried hot chili flakes or peri peri powder (available from South African importers)
  ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions:

To make the peri-peri marinade, place the garlic, ginger, oil and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the chili flakes and parsley and stir until combined.

Place the chicken, breast-side down, on a clean work surface. Use kitchen scissors to cut along either side of the backbone. Discard backbone. Turn over the chicken and open to lie flat. Use your hands to press the chicken to flatten.

Wash the chicken well and pat dry. Place in a large sealable plastic bag. Add the peri-peri marinade to the bag and seal. Rub the bag to coat the chicken in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator overnight to develop the flavors.

• Place a large non-stick skillet on the stove top on high heat. Lightly oil the pan.
  Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush a baking tray with olive oil.
  Remove the chicken from the bag. Discard the bag and excess marinade.
  Place the chicken, skin-side down, on the skillet. Season with salt and pepper.
  Place two very clean, or foil covered bricks on the chicken to flatten it.
  The chicken should begin to sizzle immediately. Cook for 12 minutes.
  Drizzle over the extra olive oil and season again with salt and pepper.
  Transfer the chicken to the baking tray, skin-side up.
  Roast in the oven for 12 minutes or longer if necessary.
  Set aside for 10 minutes to rest before cutting into 8 pieces.
  Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

This Kung Pao Beef dish is similar to my chicken recipe and includes almonds. For extra heat, add additional chili pepper seeds.

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg white, beaten
  2 teaspoons cornstarch
  2 Tablespoons light soy sauce
  1 teaspoon sugar
  1 teaspoon sesame oil
  1 teaspoon cornstarch
  2 pounds of boneless, top sirloin steak, cut into thin strips, 1 ½ inch x ¼ inch
  1 Tablespoon peanut oil
  ¾ cup vegetable oil
  ½ cup blanched almonds
  1 Tablespoon Szechwan sweet bean sauce
  1 Tablespoon Hoisin sauce
  2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  ¼ teaspoon hot chili pepper seeds, or more for heat
  3 Tablespoons dry white wine
  2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  8 scallions, cut into 1 inch lengths, on the diagonal

Directions:

• In a bowl, combine 2 Tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch.
  Add the sliced beef and stir to coat.
  Let stand for 30 minutes.
  While the beef is marinating, heat a wok or wide frying pan over medium high heat with ½ cup of vegetable oil.
  Add the almonds and stir continuously until the nuts are light brown.
  Remove them to a colander. Discard the oil.
  Re-heat the wok or wide frying pan over high heat.
  Add 1 ½ Tablespoons of vegetable oil.
  When the oil is hot, add the beef, stirring to separate.
  Cook the beef until browned, about 2 minutes.
  Lift out the beef and set aside on paper towels to drain.
  In the wok, over high heat, combine the bean sauce, Hoisin sauce, pepper seeds, wine and sugar.
  Heat through for about 1 minute, then add the beef.
  Stir and heat through.
  Add the almonds and scallions.
  Stir quickly for only about 30 seconds.

Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Also of interest: Kung Pao Chicken, Chinese Chicken Salad, Spicy Orange Beef

This delicious spicy matzah brei recipe can be prepared in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 7 squares of plain matzah, about 8 ounces
  3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  1 medium yellow onion, diced
  6 large eggs
  1/3 cup of jalapeño nacho slices, drained
  ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  freshly ground pepper to taste
• Fresh salsa (pico del gallo) to be served on the side

Directions:

• Break the matzah into approximately 1-inch pieces.
  Put the matzah pieces in a colander and run quickly under cold running water, tossing to dampen them but do not soak. Drain in a colander.
  Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
  When hot, sauté the matzah in the cooking oil until brown, but not burnt.
  It should regain its crispness.
  Set aside.
  Add the butter to the same skillet.
  Sauté the onions until lightly brown, abut 4 minutes.
  Coarsely chop the nacho slices.
  Wisk the eggs until smooth and add in the nacho slices
  Add the egg mixture and matzah to the pan.
  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
  Gently stir the ingredients continuously until all the eggs are cooked, about 5 minutes.
  The mixture should no longer seem wet.
  Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  Serve hot with salsa on the side.

This should serve 3 or 4 people as a brunch main dish.

Try these other popular Jewish recipes:

• Israeli Falafel
• Knishes
• Chopped Liver
• Potato Latkes

I can hardly believe that I am including a meatloaf recipe in this online cookbook. Going all the way back to my childhood, I hardly ever enjoyed meatloaf. It was always too dry or simply too boring for my taste. At last, I believe I have discovered a special ingredient from Mexico that adds a little something extra to make this meatloaf actually memorable. Chipotle chilies are fully ripened and smoked jalapeno peppers that have been roasted. They are not very spicy, but definitely add a special touch.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce dried chipotle chilies, stemmed
  2 ripe medium sized Italian Roma tomatoes, cored
  3 garlic cloves, peeled
  2 cups water
  2 Tablespoons olive oil
  1 medium onion, diced
  3 celery stalks, diced
  1 teaspoon ground cumin
  1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  11/4 pounds ground beef
  11/4 pounds ground turkey
  1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
  11/2 teaspoons salt
  3 large eggs, beaten to blend

Directions:

• Combine chipotles, tomatoes, garlic and water in medium saucepan.
  Season with salt and pepper.
  Bring to boil.
  Reduce heat and simmer until reduced by 1/3, about 20 minutes.
  Cool.
  Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth, then strain.
  Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium high heat.
  Add onion and celery and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.
  Add cumin and nutmeg and stir 1 minute.
  Remove from heat. Transfer to large bowl. Cool.
  Preheat oven to 375º F.
  Add beef, turkey, bread crumbs and salt to onion mixture.
  Add ½ cup chipotle sauce.
  Mix until well blended. Add eggs and mix well.
  Press mixture into 9 x 5inch loaf pan.
  Brush top with some of remaining chipotle sauce.
  Bake meatloaf until a meat thermometer registers 160ºF, about 1 hour.
  Transfer to rack. Cool slightly. Drain off any grease.
  Turn meatloaf out onto platter. Serve with remaining sauce.