Most of Jewish fast days are days of mourning. They are imbued with
sadness and pain. Except for Yom Kippur. It’s actually a day of joy, a
wonderful opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start afresh.
Before the fast begins, we are obligated to eat a Seudat Mitzvah. Here are some suggestions for that meal.
It’s
traditional to eat soup with kreplach. This gourmet kosher cook
confesses to using the frozen ones. I also confess to making a simple,
hearty meal for the eve of Yom Kippur and not an elaborate or elegant
one.
Semolina Bread2 teaspoons yeast
2 cups warm water
3 cups semolina flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 to 3 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 to 4 tablespoons cornmeal
1 egg
Pour
water over yeast in a bowl and allow yeast to proof. Add semolina flour
and salt. Stir well. Add two cups of bread flour and stir. Continue
adding and kneading flour until dough is smooth and elastic. Pour olive
oil over dough and turn to coat. Cover with towel and set aside until
dough has tripled in bulk – about two hours.
Punch down dough, knead briefly and cover and let rise again until double.
Punch
down the dough again, cut it into thirds, and shape each third into a
thin loaf about 24 inches long. Sprinkle a baking sheet with three to
four tablespoons cornmeal and arrange the loaves on the sheet leaving as
much room between the loaves as possible. Cover and let rise for
another 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Beat egg with
one tablespoon water and brush on the loaves. Slash loaves decoratively
on top with a sharp knife, making diagonal cuts.
Slide the baking
sheet onto the middle rack of the oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until loaves are brown and sound hollow
when thumped. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
Oven “Fried” Chicken2 chickens, cut into 1/8th’s or 14 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs, beaten
2 to 3 cups cornflake crumbs
1/3 cup canola oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dip
chicken pieces in egg then cornflake crumbs and place in baking pan
(skin side up if using a whole chicken cut up). Drizzle canola oil over
chicken and bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Spices can be added to the cornflakes crumbs but this is not advisable before a fast.
Mashed Potatoes8 to 10 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
Water to cover
1/3 cup margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup non-dairy creamer
1/3 cup non-dairy sour cream (optional, for a richer taste)
Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat slightly.
When soft (after about 20 to 30 minutes), drain. Immediately add margarine to the pan and begin mashing.
Stir in salt and non-dairy creamer and continue mashing. Stir in non-dairy sour cream if desired. Mash until smooth.
Creamed Spinach
¼ cup margarine
¼ cup flour
1 cup non-dairy creamer
2 bags (16 ounces) each frozen spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash nutmeg
Melt
margarine and whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk,
constantly stirring until thickened. Add spinach and keep stirring until
it is cooked through. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Honeydew and Cantaloupe GranitaThese
can be served together – for a beautiful presentation – or separately.
This is a refreshing way to end the meal – and not too sweet which is
perfect before a fast.
Honeydew Granita: 1 large honeydew, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons sugar
Add
all ingredients to food processor and process until puréed. Pour into
freezer container and freeze for one hour. Scrape with fork and return
to freezer. Repeat every ½ hour until completely frozen (2 to 3 more
times). Remove from freezer 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Cantaloupe Granita:1 large cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons sugar
Follow same instructions as for honeydew granite, substituting cantaloupe for honeydew and lemon juice for lime.
These recipes were brought to you by www.gourmetkoshercooking.com