Category: sephardic
Turkish Braised Leeks with Tomatoes (Prassa Yahnisi): An Easy Jewish Recipe to Cook in Lockdown, No Dodo Feathers Required
May 4, 2020
One thing that’s become clear in lockdown (if it wasn’t already) is that we all have different ideas of what constitutes an “easy” recipe composed of “basic” ingredients. You’ve probably seen the memes poking fun at professional foodies who seem woefully out of touch with what does and does not constitute a pantry staple for […]
Sweet and Savory Persian Carrot Omelets for Tu b’Shevat
January 7, 2019
Tu b’Shevat, which this year begins the night of Sunday, January 20 (aka the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat), is a holiday that has never really been on my radar. I don’t think I’ve ever celebrated it in any way. That’s a shame, since there’s actually a really nice meaning behind it: […]
Luqmat: A Little Fritter With A Long History
December 4, 2018
Luqmat. Bumuelos. Sfenj. ʿAwwamé. Lokma. Zvingous. So many names for one deep-fried dough ball. How did these little-yeasted fritters—whatever you want to call them—spread all across the Mediterranean? And how did they become the preeminent Ḥanukka treat of the Sephardi world, from Morocco to Turkey? This Hanukkah, I covered the world of Sephardi fritters (and […]
Eating Black-Eyed Peas in the Caribbean’s Lost Jewish Colony
November 13, 2018
Winter weather getting to you? How about a little trip to the warm, sunny Caribbean.. more specifically, the lost Jewish colony of the Caribbean? “But P&P, that’s not a thing,” I hear you protesting. Okay, maybe it’s a little bit of an exaggeration—there is no Jewish Roanoke in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle—but the […]
Sephardic Pumpkin Challah: It’s Not Just for Thanksgivukkah
September 26, 2018
Remember Thanksgivukkah? Back in 2013, Thanksgiving fell on the first day of Hanukkah (or vice versa, depending on how you look at it), and the internet went crazy. Pumpkin latkes, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin challah . . . you name it, someone pumpkin’d it.
Black-Eyed Peas: Everyone’s Favorite Multicultural New Year Food
August 27, 2018
You probably know that Hoppin’ John, made with black-eyed peas, rice, and pork, is a traditional New Year’s dish in the US South. But did you know that these little peas (actually beans from the cowpea family) are a traditional food for Rosh Hashanah too?
When an Ashkenazi Vegetable Meets a Sephardic Staple: Sorrel Hummus
August 20, 2018
For years, I was desperate to try sorrel. I think I first became aware of it from Gil Marks’s magisterial Olive Trees and Honey, back in the early days of my interest in Jewish food history, and the concept of a lemony spinach-like green had me absolutely entranced. I adore lemon, I’m pretty solid with […]
Rizz b’Spanegh: Syrian Rice with Spinach and Sumac
July 9, 2018
This Syrian rice dish features spinach and one of my favorite underutilized spices: sumac. This tart, lemony spice, ground from the bright red berries of a tall Middle Eastern shrub, is perhaps best known as a common addition to the beloved spice blend za’atar. Which I kind of can’t believe I haven’t featured on the […]
World Shabbat Breads: Greek Country Bread (Pan de Horiadaki)
May 29, 2018
If you’re looking to mix up your Shabbat bread routine, consider this luscious pan de horiadaki from the Greek Jewish community of Salonika. It’s light and airy on the inside, crisp and crusty on the outside, and, with no egg, it’s a great alternative to water challah if you’re baking for vegans or people with […]
Avicas con Prassa: Sephardic White Beans with Leeks
May 22, 2018
Okay, it’s time for another post-holiday detox for me. And so, in the spirit of healthy eating, I bring you avicas con prassa, a super-creamy Sephardic white bean and leek stew in a tomato sauce.