[Cut the meat into medium sized cubes.] Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Marinate the meat for 6 hours to 3 days. Thirty minutes before removing the meat from the marinade, add the vegetables.
Heat the grill. [Skewer the meat and the vegetables.] Grill (or broil) for about 10 minutes. Brush with the marinade after searling the meat. Serve hot on a bed of rice or in a pita with tahini, vegetables and pickles.
!! 22 Sea Side Vegetable Appetizer
Cut the eggplant into 7-8 mm rounds. Sprinkle with coarse salt and leave in a colander for 30 minutes. Roast the bell peppers for 20-25 minutes and then [peel and seed.] Peel and slice the onion into 5 mm rounds. Prepare the artichoke bottoms by breaking the stem. Then cut off the upper third and trim around the base to remove the coarse leaves. Shape the artichoke and then cook in water, with a little lemon juice, until tender, approximately 10-12 minutes. Refresh. [Blanch,] peel and seed the tomatoes.
Wash and dry the eggplants. Fry the eggplant in olive oil over medium heat until soft and golden brown. Dry the eggplant on paper towels.
In the same oil, fry the onion rounds until they start to brown. Remove the onions from the pan. Arrange all the vegetables in a shallow serving dish.
Prepare the dressing:
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, remaining lemon juice, red-wine vinegar, water, sugar and thyme leaves. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Peel the garlic cloves. Fry until golden. Remove the toasted garlic. In the same oil, fry the zucchini flowers, if using, for 3-4 minutes. Add the zucchini flowers to the shallow serving dish.
Pour the liquid over the vegetables and marinate for at least 6 hours. Sprinkle with the toasted garlic and either black cumin or black sesame seeds before serving.
!! 23 Warm Smoked Breast of Duck with Greens and Fruits
Break the cauliflower into florets. Trim the French beans. Trim the zucchini and slice, lengthwise, into thin slices. Peel and slice the onions into 1/2 cm rounds.
Boil water with a pinch of salt. Boil the cauliflower for 5 minutes. Remove from the water using a slotted spoon, and refresh. In the same water, boil the beans for 5 minutes. Boil longer if the beans are not young.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy frying pan. Fry the onions over high heat until golden brown on both sides. Remove the onions. Repeat the same steps using the zucchini slices. Wash, drain and dry the red leaf and curly lettuces.
Put all the dressing ingredients, except the oil, in a jar. Close the jar and shake well. Add the oil and shake again.
On a large serving plate, arrange the lettuce, vegetables and fruits.
[Slit the smoked breast on the fat side.] Fry the breast for 3-4 minutes on the fatty side and for 1 minute on the other side. [Thinly slice across the breast] and arrange on the plate.
Shake the jar again. Pour the dressing over the salad and serve.
!! 24 Brain in Lemon and Herbs
Soak the brain in icy water for 30 minutes. [Peel the rind.] Boil water with salt and simmer the brain for 10 minutes. Refresh and chill the brain. After the brain has been chilled, slice it into 1 1/2 cm slices.
Pour the flour into a shallow dish. In another bowl, beat the eggs. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Dip the slices of brain in the flour, then in the eggs. Fry over medium high heat until golden brown.
Put the golden slices in a wide saucepan. Cover the slices with water and lemon juice. Add the herbs and salt. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper. Add the garlic to the saucepan, and simmer for 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, add the liquid and chill before serving.
!! 25 Chicken Soup with Kreplach
Prepare the chicken soup:
Peel the onions then stuff the cloves into the outer layer of the onions. Slice the leek. Peel and slice the celery root. Cut the celery stalks into 5 cm pieces. Tie the bouquet garni.
In the saucepan, sweat the chicken wings in the chicken fat for 5 minutes. Do not allow the wings to color. Add the vegetables and the herbs and sweat for another 5 minutes. Add the water. Bring the saucepan to a boil and then simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, skimming the top of the soup from time to time. After 1 hour, season to taste with salt and white pepper. Strain the soup through a fine sieve.
Prepare the dough:
Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the egg, salt and water. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, approximately 5 minutes. Cover the dough with a towel and set aside.
Prepare the liver stuffing:
[Clean the livers.] Peel and slice the onion into thick slices. Sweat the onion in oil over medium heat until soft. Remove the onion with a slotted spoon and, in the same oil, [fry the livers.] Do not over cook. They should remain pink in the center. Place the livers, onion, egg, salt and freshly ground pepper in a food processor. Work into a smooth mousse.
Prepare the potato stuffing:
Boil the peeled potatoes for 20-25 minutes until soft, but still firm. Drain. Fry the chopped onion in oil until golden brown. PurÄe the potatoes. Mix in the onions. Add butter until the mixture is smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
[Prepare the kreplach]:
Knead the dough again. On a floured work surface, roll the dough into a very thin sheet. Using a glass or cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles. Place a teaspoon of stuffing in the center of each circle. If necessary, moisten the edge of the circle, then fold the dough over to close each kreplach. Using fingers or a fork, press the edges together to seal the filling inside the kreplach. Prick the kreplach with a needle. Cook in boiling salted water for 15 minutes. Strain and serve in hot chicken soup.
!! 26 Crepes Stuffed with Liver Mousse
Prepare the batter:
Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the salt. Blend the milk and water and pour over the flour while continuously mixing. Mix until smooth. Mix the eggs and the egg yolk in and set aside to rest for one hour.
[Prepare the crepes:]
Brush a non-stick frying pan with some melted butter and place over medium heat until hot. Pour any excess butter back into the bowl. Pour a small ladleful of batter into the pan, and quickly spread the batter over the bottom of the pan by tilting the pan around. Fry until golden on one side. Slide onto a plate. Continue until all the batter has been used. Brush on more butter every few crepes.
Prepare the liver mousse:
[Clean the livers.] Peel and slice the onions into thick slices. Sweat the onion in oil over medium heat until soft and transparent, but not brown. Remove the onion with a slotted spoon and, in the same oil, [fry the livers.] Do not over cook. They should remain pink in the center. Place the livers, onion, hard-boiled eggs, salt and freshly ground pepper in a food processor. Work into a smooth mousse.
Assemble the crepes:
Place 1 tablespoon of mousse in the center of each crepe. Fold the crepe into a [parcel], [blintz] or [envelope]. Brush the crepes with clarified butter and broil, or simply fry the crepes in clarified butter.
!! 27 Chicken Breast Stuffed with Prunes Wrapped in Phyllo Pastry
[Make a pocket in the chicken breast] or have the butcher do it for you.
Bring the red wine to a boil. Add all of the prunes. Bring to a boil again, then turn off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
While the wine and prunes are resting, fry the diced bacon or smoked goose breast in a dry frying pan until golden and crispy.
Drain the prunes and reserve the wine. Put 2/3 of the prunes in a food processor. Add the tamarind, salt and Tobasco. Work into a purÄe, then transfer to a bowl. Add the pistachios and bacon. Mix well.
Using a [spoon] or a [pastry bag], stuff the breast and then secure with a toothpick.
Preheat the oven to 180í C.
Melt some butter in a frying pan. Fry the chicken breast for one minute on each side. Melt the rest of the butter. Lay the kitchen towel on a work surface and place the phyllo sheets on top of it. Cover the pastry sheets with a damp towel.
Brush one sheet with butter. [Fold and wrap the sheet around the breast,] then brush with butter again. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, prepare the sauce:
In the food processor, combine the remaining soaked prunes, red wine, tamarind, salt and Tabasco. Work into a very smooth purÄe. Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and cook until it thickens. Take the pan off of the heat and stir in the butter, a little at a time, then add the chives.
Serve hot with the hot prune sauce on the side.
!! 28 Stuffed Leg of Lamb
Ask your butcher to take out the bones and prepare the meat for stuffing.
Place the meat on a work surface. Massage the meat with the spices and half of the olive oil. Set aside. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and sautÄ the onion and garlic until tender. Let cool.
Preheat the oven to 275í C.
Spread the rice, onions, chopped herbs, apricots and pistachios on the meat. Roll the meat and then tie with kitchen string. Rub the meat with the rest of the olive oil then sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Roast for 15 minutes then turn the heat down to 220í C and continue roasting for an additional 20 minutes. Remove the roast from the oven, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 1 cm slices.
!! 29 Challah
In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1/4 of the warm water or milk, 1 tsp of sugar and 2 tbs of flour. Mix well, then put in a warm place for 10 minutes.
Place the remaining flour in a large bowl. Add the water, 2 eggs, sugar, salt, butter and the bubbly yeast mixture. Mix well. Knead, using a mixer or by hand, until the dough is [smooth and elastic,] approximately 10 minutes. Add some flour if the dough becomes too sticky. Shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough in a bowl and brush with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, put it in a warm place, and let the dough rise until it doubles in size, approximately 1-1 1/2 hours.
[Punch the dough down] and then knead for 2-3 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and let rise, in a warm place, for 45 minutes.
[Punch the dough down] again then knead for 2-3 minutes. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces. [Using your hands, roll each piece] into a 30 cm long cord. [Braid 3] or [4 cords] into a challah then place on an oiled baking sheet. Let rise, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180í C.
Beat the remaining egg and brush it onto the challah. You can also sprinkle sesame seeds or poppy seeds over the challah.
Bake until golden brown, approximately 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.
!! 30 Lachoch
In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 120 ml of warm water and the sugar. Mix well. Place the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly add the yeast mixture, while continuously mixing. Continue mixing until you have a smooth, thin batter. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours.
Ladle some batter into a cold, non-stick frying pan and then place over high heat. [When the batter changes color and becomes full of holes, cover the frying pan] and continue cooking over high heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove the lachoch with a spatula. Cool the outside of the frying pan with water. Repeat the process until all of the batter has been used.
