Vegetarian Rosh Hashanah Part IV: Sephardic Cauliflower Patties and a Round-Up of the Meal

Today, I made the final element of our Rosh Hashanah festival meal, Sephardic Cauliflower Patties.  This was yet another recipe from Olive Trees and Honey.  Rabbi Marks notes in the introduction to the cauliflower section that cauliflower was plentiful in Moorish Spain, which is why it is so prevalent in Sephardic Jewish cooking.  (As a quick history lesson - Sephardic Jews have roots in Spain & the Mediterranean, while Ashkenazi Jews, like my family, have roots in Eastern Europe).  Also, if Rabbi Marks is to be believed, the Sephardim apparently like to fry things.  Hence, Sephardic Cauliflower Patties.

I followed the instructions for the patties fairly closely.  I boiled the cauliflower for 12 minutes, drained it and mashed it.  I mixed the mashed cauliflower with minced onion, fresh parsley, panko bread crumbs, egg, white pepper and salt.  I had trouble getting the mixture to bind, so I added more bread crumbs and egg.  I then dipped the patties in more egg and dredged them in whole wheat flour before frying them in a thin layer of olive oil.

Some of the patties didn't survive the fry, but we enjoyed eating the crumbs.  The combination of cauliflower and onion with a fried coating made for a very tasty meal.  My husband's verdict was "Better than latkes!" and his uncle said "I had no idea cauliflower could taste good!"  So, this was the winner of the dinner.

Apple Cake in Cross Section

The Bukharan Braised Carrots were also tasty - I really liked the smoky tomato sauce they were prepared in.  The Romanian Vegetable Stew was ok - a tetch watery for my taste.  I prefer my veg roasted or sauteed to give it more depth of flavor.  But, I did like the combination of veggies, so I may tinker.   And the apple cake, which I have now made for my husband's family four times, continues to be a favorite.  And of course, we served apples and honey, along with a round challah!

Well, that wraps up my inaugural vegetarian Rosh Hashanah.  L'Shanah Tovah to all - have a happy and sweet year!

Vegetarian Rosh Hashanah Part III: Bukharan Braised Baby Carrots

The third dish I prepared this evening for tomorrow's festival meal is another recipe from Olive Trees and Honey.  This dish has roots in Central Asia, where, according to Rabbi Marks, Jews often enjoyed savory carrot dishes.

For this dish, onions and carrots are sauteed at high heat, and then seasoned with fresh garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin seed, tomato paste and salt, and then braised on medium low hear until tender.

The baby carrots I used were quite large, so I extended the cooking time a bit, 15 minutes versus 10 on the initial saute, and 15 minutes versus 8 during the braise.  I also used smoked paprika instead of cayenne to cut the spice quotient a bit.  While the husband and I love spicy, I don't want to torture his grandmother with the level of heat we're accustomed to eating.  And, while the recipe called for cottonseed oil, which was the oil of choice in Central Asia, I used olive oil.

I love cooking with smoked paprika and cumin seed, so if the smell of this one is any indication, we'll enjoy it tomorrow!

Vegetarian Rosh Hashanah Part II: Romanian Vegetable Stew

For my bridal shower, my friend Maya gave me a wonderful cookbook, Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World.  It's written by Gil Marks, who is both a rabbi and a chef.  The book contains hundreds of recipes, all of which include a history of the dishes in question, as well as background on the region and cultures where the dishes originated.

I'll be making several dishes from this book for tomorrows meal.  Tonight, I made Romanian Vegetable Stew, or Guvetch.  According to Rabbi Marks, Guvetch is a popular Romanian dish that his family enjoys at potlucks and other family celebrations.  Its origins can be traced back to Turkey in the 14th century.  The flavor comes from slow cooking of a variety of vegetables.  The Rabbi adds that you can use whatever veggies you like, but the Romanian version includes plenty of garlic.

The version I made included eggplant, tomatoes, green beans, onions, zucchini, red and green peppers and garlic.  I used our Le Creuset baker, which was just a tetch too small for the amount of veg called for in the recipe, but will be perfect for reheating and presentation.  There's not a lot of seasoning, but the sauteeing of the eggplant, onions and garlic looks like it will add a nice flavor dimension, and I made sure to add plenty of salt and pepper.  Also, the 90 minute cooking time should help the flavors develop.

We won't be tasting the dish until tomorrow, but I thought I'd share a visual preview.