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Jewish World Review
March 3, 2004
/10 Adar, 5764
Sunny, Zesty Shalachmones
By Ethel G. Hofman
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Typical Shalachmones. Below you will find gourmet recipes! |
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http://www.jewishworldreview.com |
At Purim, in synagogues all over the world, there's masquerade, drinking and dancing till you're dizzy. Purim, the most jubilant holiday in the Jewish calendar is a celebration of good over evil; the defeat of Haman and his heinous plans to exterminate the Jews.
Shalachmones baskets sent to neighbors and family are a meaningful part of the celebration. Three cornered pastries, hamentaschen, in Yiddish meaning "Haman's pockets" are one of the main Purim treats. The custom dates back to the time of Mordechai, Queen Esther's uncle, who instructed Jews to celebrate their freedom by "sending portions to one another and as gifts to the poor." Yiddish speaking Jews developed the words "mi'sholach manos" meaning portions into "shalachmones" the term now commonly used.
Today, the custom reaches outside families and neighborhoods. Synagogues prepare the baskets as a fund raiser, Outreach programs send shalachmones to college students, and to help support Israel, you can mail-order baskets brimming with Israeli chocolates, fruits and wine to send to distant family.
Get into the spirit of the holiday with a Purim "cook-in"? Entice the family into the kitchen with the promise of sweet things to eat. The recipes below are quick, uncomplicated and unintimidating. Teenagers can measure and mix using the electric mixer and little ones, wielding a wooden spoon, will be thrilled to stir a batter albeit sloppily. (which can all be wiped up at the end.) In an hour or two working together, you can have a delicious variety of homemade cakes and cookies. It's a good idea to double the recipes. Cooks and helpers expect instant reward.
When I'm in Florida for Purim, I love to pick some of the citrus grown in or near my own back yard. Why not? Oranges, lemons and limes hang heavy from the trees. Oranges are sweet as honey, lemons and limes give off a heavy citrus fragrance even before they're cut, and from the Florida Keys, tiny Key limes explode with their unique tartness. Fortunately, citrus fruits travel and store well so wherever you are, there's sure to be a plentiful supply in local markets. Cakes and cookies, infused with a spoonful of grated orange rind or a healthy squeeze of citrus juice, sparkle with effervescent zest and any dish, sweet or savory, is vastly improved by a judicious shot of lemon juice.
In the recipes below, with the exception of Cream Tea Scones and Blond Biscotti, non-dairy ingredients may be substituted to make a recipe pareve. Margarine may be substituted for butter, non-dairy whipped topping may be substituted for the dairy product. Look for non-stick cooking spray with flour, a fairly new item in the marketplace, which ensures that all baked goods slip easily out of the baking pans without sticking.
Arrange an assortment on a paper platter gussied up with a lacy d'oyley. For a more elaborate shalachmones, package cakes and cookies in colored plastic wrap, place in a basket with a bottle of Israeli Chardonnay, a tin of "Elite" coffee and some "made in Israel" candies. Or if you have time for only one recipe, whip up a basket of cream tea scones and add a jar or honey. Then hand deliver to lucky friends and neighbors.
RECIPES
HASTY HAMENTASCHEN (DAIRY)
This popular recipe is requested year after year. The tangy prune filling may be made several days ahead and refrigerated.
MAKES 10
- 1 (12 ounce) package pitted prunes
- 1 cup orange juice
- Grated rind of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 (12 ounce) package refrigerated biscuits
- Warm honey or powdered sugar (optional)
For filling: Place prunes in medium saucepan. Add orange juice, orange rind and enough water to barely cover. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce to medium and cook until only about 1/4 cup liquid remains, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar,
allspice and cinnamon. Transfer to food processor and pulse to a coarse paste. Cool completely before using. Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for 20 hamentaschen.
For hamentaschen: Preheat oven to 400F. Separate biscuits. On a lightly floured board, flatten each biscuit into a round about 2 and1/2 inches in diameter. Place a rounded teaspoonful prune filling in center of each biscuit. Dampen edges with water. Fold edges up over filling to form a flat 3-sided pyramid. Leave some of the filling in center uncovered. Place on a large ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Brush with warm honey or dust with powdered sugar (optional)
Approx. nutrients each: calories — 172 protein — 3g carbohydrates — 31g fat — 5g cholesterol — 0mg sodium — 344mg
KEY WEST COCONUT COOKIES
MAKES 25-30
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2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
- 1/2 cup finely ground almonds
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray with flour. Beat egg whites until they peak softly. Beat in sugar 1/4 cup at a time, then the flour and lime juice. Fold in coconut and lemon rind. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on prepared cookie sheet. Bake in 350F oven about 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan at once. Cool on wire rack.
Approx. nutrients per cookie: calories — 75 protein — 1g carbohydrates — 9g
fat — 4g cholesterol — 0mg sodium — 7mg
BLOND BISCOTTI (DAIRY)
MAKES 30 PIECES
- Grated rind of 1 orange, divided
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
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1/2 cup butter
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice with pulp
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray with flour.
In a cup, combine 2 teaspoons grated orange rind with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, orange juice, remaining orange rind, baking powder and 1/2 cup flour. Mix well. Add remaining flour gradually, beating well between each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Divide dough in half. Form into two logs, about 3/4-inch thick and 12-inches long. Place on prepared baking sheet about 2-inches apart. Sprinkle with the reserved orange rind- sugar mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Turn off oven. Let biscotti cool at room temperature for 5 minutes. Slice diagonally, 1/2-inch thick, with a serrated knife. Return to oven to dry slightly, 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Approx. nutrients per biscotti: calories — 106 protein — 1g carbohydrates — 15g fat — 4g cholesterol — 23mg sodium — 27mg
LIME CLOUD TARTLETS (DAIRY)
MAKES 15
Any leftover lime "cream" may be refrigerated up to 3 days. Spread on toast or serve as a topping for fruit salad.
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3 eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- juice and grated peel of 3 Key limes
or 1/4 cup lime juice and 1 tablespoon grated lime rind
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- Pinch salt
- 1/4 cup whipped topping
- 15 mini meringue cookies
- 1 (2 ounce) package miniature phyllo tartlet shells
- Unsweetened cocoa to sift (optional)
In a blender, place the eggs, sugar, lime juice and grated rind. Blend 10 — 15 seconds at High speed. With the motor running, slowly pour in the melted butter. Transfer to a small, heavy bottomed pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not boil. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate to cool thoroughly. Cut in the whipped topping just until white streaks appear. Spoon lime mixture into phyllo shells. May be prepared up to 6 hours ahead and refrigerated. Before placing on shalachmanot trays, top with a meringue cookie and sift cocoa over.
Variation: Place 1/2 teaspoon poppyseed cake filling or prune cake filling in bottom of each tartlet shell. Top with lime mixture and garnish with a swirl of whipped topping or whipped cream.
Approx. nutrients per tartlet: calories — 99 protein — 2g carbohydrates — 14g
fat — 4g cholesterol — 51mg sodium — 34mg
PINEAPPLE GINGER GEMS (PAREVE)
MAKES 28-30
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
- 3/4 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
- 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- Confectioners sugar to sprinkle (optional)
Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray with flour. Cream sugar and margarine, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg and powdered ginger. Add the pineapple, crystallized ginger, raisins and lemon rind. Stir in the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time adding baking powder with first addition. Mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle generously with confectioners sugar (optional).
Approx. nutrients per cookie: calories — 95 protein — 1g carbohydrates — 16g fat — 3g cholesterol — 15mg sodium — 27mg
ORANGE ICEBOX COOKIES (DAIRY)
MAKES 30-35
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
- 1/2 beaten egg (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons orange juice with pulp
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- Nutmeg sugar*
* For nutmeg sugar: mix together 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg with 2 tablespoons sugar.
Cream butter and sugar, till pale and fluffy. Add orange rind, egg, orange juice and 1/4 cup flour. Beat well to combine. Add the baking powder and remaining flour gradually beating well after each addition. Shape into a roll about 10-inches long. Roll in wax paper. Chill thoroughly at least 3 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray with flour. Cut cookie dough into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Press two or three pine nuts on each. Sprinkle with nutmeg sugar. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes until golden. Cool completely on rack.
Approx. nutrients per cookie: calories — 57 protein — 1g carbohydrates — 8g fat — 2g cholesterol - 8mg sodium — 26mg
CREAM TEA SCONES (DAIRY)
MAKES 15-20
Dry mixture may be prepared ahead and dough mixed and baked just before needed.
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed tea leaves
- 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, chilled
- 1/4 cup light cream
- 1/4 cup cold brewed tea (eg. Orange Spice)
- 1/2- 3/4 cup milk
- beaten egg to brush (optional)
Preheat oven to 425F. Sprinkle a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix remaining 2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, tea leaves, orange rind and salt. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. In a cup, mix the cream and tea. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Add the cream, cold tea and enough milk to make a soft sticky dough. Turn onto a well-floured board. With your hands pat into a round about 3/4-inch thick. Cut out scones using a 2-inch cookie cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg (optional). Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until risen and golden brown. Wrap in a clean tea towel. Best served the same day baked. Or next day, split, toast and serve with honey.
Approx. nutrients per scone: calories — 71 protein — 2g carbohydrates — 11g fat — 3g cholesterol — 7mg sodium — 131mg
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JWR contributor Ethel G. Hofman is the former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members include the likes of Julia Child. She is the author, most recently, of "Everyday Cooking for the Jewish Home: More Than 350 Delectable Recipes". (Click HERE to purchase. Sales help fund JWR.) To comment, please click here.
© 2004, Ethel G. Hofman
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