Jewish Cooking

Morning Glory

Obsessive cook
Staff member
Joined
19 Apr 2015
Local time
1:50 AM
Messages
46,855
Location
Maidstone, Kent, UK
Jewish cuisine is something I know little about and curiously there are not many recipe books dedicated to Jewish cooking. I recently acquired a book first published in 1947: Jewish Cookery by Florence Greenberg (and revised a few times) The version I have is from 1963. I've been trying to make a list of all the recipes which have names I don't recognise or which I know are Jewish from the index. But in fact, a majority of the recipes are a mixture of quite classic cooking and very recognisable Western dishes. I will post up the list here when I finish it.

The one and only time I experienced Jewish cooking was many years ago when two Jewish friends in London took me to a Jewish restaurant/café. Its so long ago I can't remember what I ate but I know I was fascinated.

Do any forum members have Jewish heritage or knowledge of Jewish cooking? Is the reason there aren't many Jewish cook books because the recipes are family recipes and there is no need for recipe books? I'm curious.
 
View attachment 17947
I bought this book last year. I am not sure how authentic the recipes are, but they have a lot in common with both Syrian and Moroccan cuisine - lots of Za'atar, ras el hanout, sumac, baharat etc. I have cooked quite a few dishes from the book and have generally been very pleased with them. In fact, just thumbing through it and found another multi-Challenge recipe that I will try and cook later in the week: 'Moroccan Spiced Monkfish with Fennel, Leek and cream sauce'

IMG_0475a.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Are you talking about kosher cooking? That is a strict regiment which I believe needs to be supported with local access to kosher ingredients, especially meats.
 
Are you talking about kosher cooking? That is a strict regiment which I believe needs to be supported with local access to kosher ingredients, especially meats.

I wasn't really - I know about that and unless you are following Jewish laws then I don't think its worth doing that - unless it somehow changes how the meat tastes. I was really talking about recipes which can be defined as Jewish such as 'gefilte fish', for example (I love the word gafilte!) or 'komishbrot' or even 'bagels'.
 
they have a lot in common with both Syrian and Moroccan cuisine - lots of Za'atar, ras el hanout, sumac, baharat etc.

Well - there is no mention of any of those spices in the book I have. Not surprising given the date of publication...
 
Try Eastern European recipes/cooking.
Start with some simple dishes like matzah brei, kasha varenishkas, matzah balls & chicken soup. Other dishes - chopped liver, potato pancakes/latkas, knishes, kreplach (similar to pierogies), kugel, apple cake, rugalach. Still thinking.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom