Jewish cookery - ideas and know how please.

lostinrates

u751904 wrote: »

The Jewish community must have some good gems for money saving cooking - it seems pretty wholesome?

I am not Jewish but my in laws are. I have learned some wonderful dishes from my aunt -in-law and enjoy ''cooking the Jewish holidays'' just as I do the Chrsitan ones.

There are some wonderful foods, and some less wonderful to the UK/western european palate. Instead of traditional Gefilter fish, for example, my husbands family make something more akin to fish cakes, which I do to, serving them along with traditional sides.

Nigella Lawson wrote somewhere that its a wonderful religion that can force you to go forth and deep fry, and there can be some heavy, fatty foods but no more so than in other cusines IMO....celebration food is always more easily translated cross cultural.

What is interesting is the impact over a huge geographical area Jewish cooking has had on cuisines, and how varied it is....if you think of where across the ''old'' world Jewish communities were you can see that they influenced and were influence by astounding range of other cuisines.

Sparklyfairy

I originally come from a place where there is a large Jewish population & their delis - OMG! I still dream about the matzo ball soup...I have some matzo & (although not matzo meal) & thought of whizzing it in a blender to make the meal...anyone try this?

ifonlyitwaseasier

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Evelyn-Complete-International-Jewish-Cookbook/dp/1861051433

thats the book that my mum has the original of an i had to get this version, one side of my family is jewish and the food can be incredible, especially proper bagels, but i think my favourite things are chollah rolls i can spend a fortune in the bakers when i see rellies

Butterfly_Brain

This is a great site if you want some Jewish recipes

http://www.jewishrecipes.org/recipes/index.html

ginnyknit

My son works in Didsbury and I asked him to get me a pack of Matzo from the Jewish Tesco's and he laughed at me - 'what do you mean Jewish tesco's?" I told him to look round next time he goes in - 'aaah I see what you mean Mum' The Mr T in Bolton is Asian, ours is Polish/ African and Didsbury is Jewish. I love Bolton one as they have huge packs of spices really cheap, we get good beer and pickly things and he gets really good deli and breads. My Oh's cricket league has just had a Jewish league join them so he has fab cricket teas, Asian one week, Jewish the next and when its my turn to provide the tea I have to follow the advice Im given and prepare things seperately for the Asian members, obviously I cant do Kosher. Its all very interesting though.

Thank you for the recipes Browntoa, I might just try the bagels as we love them and have to drive miles for fresh ones.

bargainbetty

If you go to a kosher butcher, you might find something, but please bear in mind that plenty of tests have shown that chicken soup made without feet also contains the restorative qualities that border on medicinal. I find that adding a few roasted bones adds to the flavour well too, rather than just having the boiled bone stock in there.

Ballymackeonan

The best Jewish cookbook I've come across is by Clarissa Hyman - The Jewish Kitchen. It's a good read, as it's as much a book on the Jewish diaspora as cooking, and has recipes from around the world - including Tunisia, Trondheim, Iran. Cuba etc!

I got mine in a bargain bookshop.. worth looking on-line!

lostinrates

Sparklyfairy wrote: »

I originally come from a place where there is a large Jewish population & their delis - OMG! I still dream about the matzo ball soup...I have some matzo & (although not matzo meal) & thought of whizzing it in a blender to make the meal...anyone try this?

Yes, that's how dh's aunt told me to do it. She's a sandwhich bag a roller pin type of gal. She pointed out having family around, especially over holiday times, can be frustrating and so she's often found beating some matzos....I think she pretends her family are the matzos.:eek::D

u751904

wonderful recipies and post. I did hear that the jewish calander has the most amount of festival - more than other religions. Being as food plays a big part that must be a lot of cooking. Must get an invite.

Shalva

Another great book is one that I have and have also bought as a gift fo family and friends is "The Book of New Israeli Food" by Janna Gur.
It has wonderful basic recipes ranging from Salads to streetfood to Holiday food and plenty to read with articles about the Israeli breakfast, Olive Oil , Cheeses and plenty more....it has great photos and is a lovely book to browse through....
I bought it here in Israel but will have a look and see if it is available on Amazon or the like......