Faye Levy is the author of 1,000 Jewish Recipes.CHARD BAKED WITH PEPPERS AND TOMATOESChard can be cooked like spinach and is a quicker substitute because chard has much larger leaves and takes little time to clean. This chard and vegetable casserole, moistened with olive oil, flavored with garlic and sauteed onion and topped with chopped almonds, can be made in advance and reheated.Makes 6 servings.700 gr. (11⁄2 pounds) Swiss chard, rinsed thoroughly6 to 8 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil1⁄2 cup finely chopped onion800 gr. (13⁄4 pounds) ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped3 small garlic cloves, mincedSalt and freshly ground pepper2 small sweet red bell peppers, halved crosswise and cut in strips 6 mm (1⁄4 inch) wide1 sweet green pepper, cut like the red peppers3 Tbsp. unseasoned bread crumbs3 Tbsp. coarsely chopped blanched almondsPreheat oven to 205ºC (400ºF). Cut chard leaves from stems, discarding stems. Pile chard leaves, cut them in half lengthwise and then crosswise in strips about 1 cm, (1⁄2 inch) wide.In medium-size saucepan of boiling salted water, cook, uncovered, about 3 minutes, or until just tender. Drain thoroughly. Squeeze by handfuls to remove excess moisture.In a large skillet, heat 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, stir in onion, and cook about 7 minutes, or until soft but not brown. Stir in tomatoes. Raise heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, about 12 minutes or until mixture becomes dry. Stir in garlic, add ground pepper and adjust seasoning to taste.In a large skillet, heat 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat, add peppers, salt and pepper to taste and cook, tossing often, about 7 minutes or until tender.Lightly coat a heavy 5-cup gratin dish or other shallow baking dish with olive oil.Spread chard in dish. Spoon tomato mixture over chard and smooth. Spoon pepper mixture evenly over tomatoes.Scatter bread crumbs then almonds evenly over vegetables. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake about 15 minutes, or until vegetables are heated through and beginning to bubble at the bottom. If topping is not brown, broil with broiler door partly open about 1 minute or just until lightly browned, checking often and turning dish if necessary so topping browns evenly. Serve hot, from baking dish.PUMPKIN AND LAMB KABOB SAUTEThis recipe is from Sephardic Cooking by Copeland Marks. “Pumpkin is a common vegetable in Persia and is popular with the Jews,” he wrote.The sauce in this dish is flavored with sauteed onions and dried apricots. Marks calls for lamb but you can use ground chicken instead. The kabobs are stewed, not grilled.Makes 6 to 8 servings with rice and salad1 cup dried green mung beans, soaked in 2 cups water overnight450 gr. (1 pound) ground lamb 1 medium onion, grated (1⁄2 cup)1 tsp. salt1⁄4 tsp. pepper1⁄4 tsp. ground turmeric2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 2 medium onions, chopped (1 cup)450 gr. (1 pound) pumpkin, peeled, cut into 7.5-cm. (3-inch) pieces1 cup dried apricots, soaked in 1 cup water for 1 hour1 cup waterStir soaked mung beans briskly to remove the skins. Scoop off the skins with a slotted spoon and discard. Put the beans and soaking liquid in a large pan.Mix lamb, grated onion, salt, pepper and turmeric together by hand or in a processor.
Blessed vegetables
Custom of serving vegetables on Rosh Hashana said to date back to Babylonian Talmud Rabbi Abaye, his reason is that they're abundant.
Faye Levy is the author of 1,000 Jewish Recipes.CHARD BAKED WITH PEPPERS AND TOMATOESChard can be cooked like spinach and is a quicker substitute because chard has much larger leaves and takes little time to clean. This chard and vegetable casserole, moistened with olive oil, flavored with garlic and sauteed onion and topped with chopped almonds, can be made in advance and reheated.Makes 6 servings.700 gr. (11⁄2 pounds) Swiss chard, rinsed thoroughly6 to 8 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil1⁄2 cup finely chopped onion800 gr. (13⁄4 pounds) ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped3 small garlic cloves, mincedSalt and freshly ground pepper2 small sweet red bell peppers, halved crosswise and cut in strips 6 mm (1⁄4 inch) wide1 sweet green pepper, cut like the red peppers3 Tbsp. unseasoned bread crumbs3 Tbsp. coarsely chopped blanched almondsPreheat oven to 205ºC (400ºF). Cut chard leaves from stems, discarding stems. Pile chard leaves, cut them in half lengthwise and then crosswise in strips about 1 cm, (1⁄2 inch) wide.In medium-size saucepan of boiling salted water, cook, uncovered, about 3 minutes, or until just tender. Drain thoroughly. Squeeze by handfuls to remove excess moisture.In a large skillet, heat 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, stir in onion, and cook about 7 minutes, or until soft but not brown. Stir in tomatoes. Raise heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, about 12 minutes or until mixture becomes dry. Stir in garlic, add ground pepper and adjust seasoning to taste.In a large skillet, heat 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat, add peppers, salt and pepper to taste and cook, tossing often, about 7 minutes or until tender.Lightly coat a heavy 5-cup gratin dish or other shallow baking dish with olive oil.Spread chard in dish. Spoon tomato mixture over chard and smooth. Spoon pepper mixture evenly over tomatoes.Scatter bread crumbs then almonds evenly over vegetables. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake about 15 minutes, or until vegetables are heated through and beginning to bubble at the bottom. If topping is not brown, broil with broiler door partly open about 1 minute or just until lightly browned, checking often and turning dish if necessary so topping browns evenly. Serve hot, from baking dish.PUMPKIN AND LAMB KABOB SAUTEThis recipe is from Sephardic Cooking by Copeland Marks. “Pumpkin is a common vegetable in Persia and is popular with the Jews,” he wrote.The sauce in this dish is flavored with sauteed onions and dried apricots. Marks calls for lamb but you can use ground chicken instead. The kabobs are stewed, not grilled.Makes 6 to 8 servings with rice and salad1 cup dried green mung beans, soaked in 2 cups water overnight450 gr. (1 pound) ground lamb 1 medium onion, grated (1⁄2 cup)1 tsp. salt1⁄4 tsp. pepper1⁄4 tsp. ground turmeric2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 2 medium onions, chopped (1 cup)450 gr. (1 pound) pumpkin, peeled, cut into 7.5-cm. (3-inch) pieces1 cup dried apricots, soaked in 1 cup water for 1 hour1 cup waterStir soaked mung beans briskly to remove the skins. Scoop off the skins with a slotted spoon and discard. Put the beans and soaking liquid in a large pan.Mix lamb, grated onion, salt, pepper and turmeric together by hand or in a processor.