Pretty much everywhere I went over the recent Hol Hamoed, I could smell the incredible aroma of people barbecuing at home or out in nature, as if everyone had decided to make sure that all of their equipment was oiled and ready to go for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations.
In truth, I have no idea why barbecuing became the most popular way to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day instead of serving meals made up of dishes that hail from all of the different cultures that make up the salad bowl of Israel’s multicultural society. Additionally, we could prepare desserts decorated with the flags of the different countries we come from.
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When I was growing up, my mother used to bake her signature fricassee rolls from which we’d make sandwiches filled with tuna, harissa, hardboiled eggs and lots of pickled vegetables. She used to describe this delicacy by saying that the bread represented her country of birth, Tunisia; and the different fillings of the sandwich represented the Israeli citizens who hail from around the world, all coming together in one delicious sandwich.
When I was little, I thought my mother’s parable was silly, but now, looking back, I understand that it was pure genius.
The fricassee sandwich is the perfect metaphor for the human mosaic of people who live here in Israel. You can find among us people who are peppery, gentle, spicy, humble, bitter and difficult. All of these people from around the world have come together in the Jewish homeland.
Of course, I know there’s no way I’m going to change the tradition of having barbecues on Independence Day, but I’d still like to offer alternative Independence Day fare for people who would rather not stand around barbecuing all day. And so, I came up with what I believe is the perfect combination: grilling on a ribbed griddle pan on the stove in your kitchen. This way, you still get the grilled taste.
Below, you will find recipes for fish kebabs and beef kebabs that are prepared a little differently from the norm. You can grill them on a ribbed griddle pan with just a little oil, and for a little longer than you would on an outdoor grill. I’ve also included a recipe for grilled vegetables cooked on the griddle pan. This way, you still get to eat food with the delicious grilled taste, without having to deal with a smoky barbecue.
Knives
A chef’s best friend is, of course, the knife. There’s nothing more spectacular than having a quality knife for slicing and carving. The same knife cannot be used for every type of cutting, so it’s important to use the proper knife. It’s also important to be aware of when the knife is getting dull, and to sharpen it as needed.
As part of my preparations for this Independence Day, I was offered the opportunity to try out a new set of Ninja knives, which are imported to Israel by Sarig Electronics. These knives help make slicing exact, quick and comfortable. They come with a StaySharp sharpener, which makes it easy to keep your knives sharp. The sharpener has a dynamic whetstone wheel that adapts itself to each knife. With most knife sharpeners, you need to figure out at which angle to hold the knife while sharpening, and how much force to use on the blade. With the Ninja StaySharp, however, all this work is done for you.
Ninja StaySharp knives can be purchased at Hamashbir Letzarchan, Mahsanei Hashmal or directly from the official importer: www.sarig.com.
Roasted vegetables
Makes 8-10 servings.
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ head of a large cabbage, cut into sections
- 1 Japanese pumpkin, sliced
- 1-2 acorn squash, sliced
- 1-2 eggplants, peeled and sliced
- 1-2 fennel, cut into quarters or eighths
- 6 cloves of garlic, sliced
Toppings:
- Olive oil
- 2-3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 8 sprigs of parsley or basil, chopped
Heat a ribbed griddle pan, then drizzle a little bit of olive oil on it. Arrange the vegetables on it, then add the garlic slices. Roast the vegetables for a few minutes on each side until they’ve softened and are nicely roasted. Remove this batch. Roast another batch in the same fashion, continuing until you’ve cooked all the vegetables. Add more garlic pieces and oil as needed.
Arrange the roasted vegetables on a serving platter. Sprinkle olive oil on top, along with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil and serve.
Level of difficulty: MediumTime: 30 minutesStatus: Parve
Fish kebabs on cinnamon sticks
Makes 25-30 servings.
- 1 kg. ground fish (pick your favorite fish, and ask the fishmonger to grind it for you)
- 20 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
- 10 sprigs of cilantro, finely chopped
- 19 sprigs of mint, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 8 cloves of garlic, crushed
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. spicy paprika
- ½ tsp. turmeric
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 25-30 cinnamon sticks
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl, except for the olive oil and cinnamon sticks. Mix them all together well, then form oval-shaped spheres and wrap them around the cinnamon sticks.
Heat a ribbed griddle pan, and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Place a number of kebabs on the grill and brown them on both sides until they’re cooked through. Serve hot.
Level of difficulty: MediumTime: 1 hourStatus: Parve
Celery stick kebabs
Makes 20-25 pieces.
- 1 kg. beef with a little fat, ground
- 10 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
- 10 sprigs of cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 onions, grated coarsely, then drained
- 10 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda or baking powder
- ½ tsp. ground cardamom
- ½ tsp. baharat
- ½ tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. spicy paprika
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 20-25 celery sticks
For roasting:
- Olive oil
- 1 tsp. dried coriander seeds
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Create oval-shaped balls that are 10 or 12 cm. long, then wrap them around celery sticks, as if the celery was a skewer.
Heat a ribbed griddle pan and add a teaspoon of olive oil if you so desire. Place a few of the celery skewers in the pan and roast the kebabs on all sides until browned to the desired degree. Just before they are done, add a few coriander seeds and grill for a few more seconds. Serve hot.
Level of difficulty: MediumTime: 1 hourStatus: Meat
Chimichurri sauce
Makes 1 jar.
- ½ bunch of parsley (leaves only)
- 10 basil leaves
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ½ cup vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ tsp. sweet paprika
Blend the parsley, basil and garlic in a food processor for a few seconds at a time until the sauce is smooth. Pour into a bowl, then add the pepper pieces and stir.
While stirring, add the olive oil, canola oil and vinegar until all the leaves are covered. If necessary, you can add another 3-4 tablespoons of oils and vinegar using the same ratio.
Add the spices, mix well and pour into a jar or bottle. Store in the fridge.
TiPascale
Store the sauce in a bottle with a narrow opening – like a ketchup bottle – or make holes in the cap so that it’s easy to pour.
Level of difficulty: EasyTime: 5-10 minutesStatus: Parve
Translated by Hannah Hochner.