Sue Epstein lives in Israel and is a member of my cookbook
collectors’ club. She has written “Budget Cooking; Elegant Dining: The
Kosher Experience” to illustrate that good food is not always
synonymous with a fat wallet.
Baked chicken Epstein
1 chicken, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons powdered chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
Dash of lemon juice
Place the chicken pieces, skin side up, in a baking pan. Sprinkle
with the seasonings and add one to two cups of water. Bake in a 400
degree oven for about one hour, or until the skin is crisp and the
chicken is done. Additional water may be added as necessary to keep the
chicken from sticking to the pan; however, don’t let the chicken cook
in the water. Yields four to six servings.
Crusty potato cake
6 large potatoes, peeled
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons margarine, softened
Using a food processor with a thin slicing disk, slice the potatoes
very thin. Place the slices in cold water to cover for about one-half
hour. This prevents discoloration. Rinse potato slices thoroughly under
running water, drain and dry thoroughly on kitchen towels.
Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a heavy non-stick frying pan,
over medium heat, until the oil begins to ripple. Add dry potato slices
and onion slices. Saute, shaking the pan and turning the potatoes
frequently until they are lightly browned and beginning to soften,
about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and press potatoes down
with a spatula. Continue cooking and shaking pan to prevent sticking,
until the bottom is golden brown, about seven to 10 minutes.
Invert the potato cake onto a lightly oiled large flat plate so the
browned side faces up. If the frying pan is dry, add the remaining
tablespoon of oil at this time. When the oil is heated, slide the cake
back into the pan, white side down, and cook until the potatoes are
tender and the second side is golden brown, about seven to 10 minutes.
Serves eight.
Pasta with garlic, oil and anchovies
1 pound spaghetti or other dry pasta
3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
1/2 cup olive oil
1 can (2 oz.) flat anchovy fillets in oil, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. While it is
cooking, brown the garlic in a small skillet in the olive oil. Watch so
it doesn’t burn. Discard the garlic and stir in the anchovies, crushing
them with the back of a large spoon or with a potato masher. Add the
parsley, stir and remove skillet from the heat. Drain the cooked pasta,
add the sauce and mix.
Note: If you don’t think you
like the flavor of anchovies, begin by using just one or two fillets
rather than the entire can. You might be pleasantly surprised at this
dish.
The recipes in this book are warm and cozy, not pretentious but
delicious enough for company. Sue keeps a kosher kitchen so the recipes
are divided into categories for dairy and meat, which are never mixed.
Traditional Jewish recipes sit along more contemporary dishes, a
delightful mix.
And…that’s all she wrote.
Editor’s Note: The writer is the former Sandy Snyder, whose parents owned the Pine Grove Hotel on Canadarago Lake.
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