Spinach a la Beth

Spinach with Pine Nuts and RaisinsEpicurious/Sept 1998

By Joyce Goldstein   Edited by Beth Wilkinson

Cucina Ebraica: Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients2 ½ lb spinach  (baby spinach is easier)

2-3 Tbs olive oil

2 small yellow onions (or 6 green onions) minced  (or shallots)

4 Tbs raisins, plumped in hot water and drained (or red wine)

4 Tbs pine nuts, toasted (definitely toast)

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

PreparationRinse the spinach well and remove the stems. Place in large sauté pan with only the rinsing water clinging to the leaves. Cook over medium heat, turning as needed until wilted (just a few minutes). Drain well (squeeze gently) and set aside. Add olice to now-empty and dry pan and palce over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender – about 8 minutes. Add the spinach, raisins and pine nuts and sauté briefly to warm through. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm or at room temperature.

In italics are tweaks recommended by readers of Epicurious (where I found recipe) that I used for Rosh Hashannah. This is so much better when left to marinate at room temp for a few hours.

Zucchini "Pasta" with Lemon and Garlic

Zucchini "pasta" with lemon and garlic

Before Guests Arrive:

  1)In large frying pan, saute

8cloves galic, minced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 c. Olive oil

 2)  Prepare  2 large zucchini (run through GEFU cutter) lightly steamed in microwave

GEFU Spirelli Spiral Cutter

• $29.99 $28.99 

While Guests are Seated and Ready to Eat:

(As you flash stir fry these items, guests can be distracted by playing with and/or making jokes about  the Spiral Cutter)

Add to the seasoned  oil in frying  pan:

The prepared zuchinni

Finely grated zest of one lemon

3 T lemon juice

1/2 c. Fresh basil

1  c  fresh tomatoes, chopped

1/2 c white wine

salt and black pepper to taste

Moroccan stew

rosh hasahana dinner. 5774

Morrocan Stew

1/3 c. Olive oil

3 cups onions

2 cloves garlic

1tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper


Cook the items together and then add according to your taste the following vegetables

First:  carrots, acorn squash or sweet potato, eggplant

After they are well cooked, add :

Green or red pepper

Zucchini

Fresh tomatoes

1 and a half cup cooked chick peas

Cook only until these later additions look cooked but not overdone

Add 1/2 cup chicken broth or tomato juice

I also add Ras el Hanout, a pre packaged Morrocan spice blend that includes cardamom, ginger, anise  as well as the spices in the recipe