Regional Jewish Foods:
Tunisia

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Few people celebrate religious festivals, weddings or other joyous family occasions with more culinary gusto than those Israelis who have their roots in Tunisia. In traditional homes, such festivals or other celebrations are perceived as reasons for entire families to gather together. On arrival, each family member is greeted with a cup of hot, sweet tea - even before having entered the home. Once settled, hot savory pastries and hors d'oeuvres are passed around on huge copper trays, candied almonds and stuffed prunes are served hot from the oven and an incredible amount of tea is consumed.

The actual celebratory dinner starts only when the oldest member of the family invites everyone to take their place at the table. Tunisian cuisine is not as exotic as some may imagine. If there is a single major descriptor appropriate for the food of Tunisia it is that the people like their food hot. In fact, Tunisian Jews probably have as many recipes for making hot sauce as Russian and Polish Jews have for borscht.

The Tunisian kitchen, although based on a country-style cuisine, is a rich one. Especially popular dishes both in Tunisia and Israel include tagines - meat or poultry stews often cooked together with fruits; fish dishes that rely on subtle seasonings and vegetables; couscous; merguez, a sausage that comes in what seems to be an infinite variety of flavors and of hotness; and a collection of marvelous sweet pastries and cream desserts.

Click Any Dish to Reveal Recipe:

Honey Cream

100 gr. (6 oz.) very fine sugar
1 1/4 cups sweet white wine
5 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
pinch of ground cinnamon
4 whole eggs
2 egg yolks

In a heavy skillet, slowly heat the sugar in 2 tsp. of water, stirring regularly, until the sugar has melted and turned into a caramel syrup. Immediately pour the syrup into a cake tin, tilting so that the entire bottom of the tin is coated. Let cool.

Heat the wine and honey in a saucepan, stirring until the honey dissolves. Add the cinnamon and lemon rind, stirring well. Remove from the flame and let cool 5-6 minutes.

Beat together the egg yolks and whole eggs in a mixing bowl. Add these to the honey-wine mixture, beating until well blended, and pour into the cake tin. Place the tin in a large pot of water (be sure that the water is not higher than 1 cm. (1/2 ") from the lip of the tin) and bake in a medium oven until the mixture is set (about 45 minutes). Let cool for 15-20 minutes and then refrigerate.

Just before serving, run a thin knife blade around the edges to loosen the sides and invert onto a chilled serving dish.

Serves 6-8.

Sole with Zucchini Sauce

16 small to medium sole fillets
salt and pepper to taste
the juice of 6 lemons
8 small zucchinis
1/2 cup olive oil
4 medium onions, chopped
4 cups tomato sauce
1 - 2 tsp. tabil, harissa, zhug or other hot sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
oil for frying
4 eggs, lightly beaten with 3 Tbsp. water
flour for dredging

Wash and dry the fish fillets, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle over half the lemon juice and set aside.

Peel the zucchinis and slice into thin rounds. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet and saute the zucchini rounds until browned on both sides. Remove the slices with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reheat the oil and saute the onions until translucent. Add the tomato sauce, hot sauce, garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook, uncovered, over a medium high flame, for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Return the squash to the sauce and continue to simmer on a low flame, uncovered, for 5 minutes longer.

In a separate skillet, heat oil about 1/2" (1 cm) deep. Dip the fish fillets first in the egg and then dredge in the flour and fry until nicely browned on both sides. Drain the fillets on paper toweling.

Add the remaining lemon juice to the sauce, correct the seasoning with salt and pepper and pour over the fish fillets. Serve hot.

Serves 6-8.

Stuffed Fennel Bulbs

6 fennel bulbs, well washed
675 gr. (1 1/4 pounds) minced beef or lamb
3 Tbsp. parsley, chopped finely
1 1/2 tsp. tabil spice mixture (recipe follows)
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
6 Tbsp. olive oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. dried breadcrumbs
375 gr. spicy tomato sauce

Cut off the hard bases of the fennel bulbs and cook in lightly salted water just until tender (about 15 minutes). Drain and cut in half lengthwise.

In a mixing bowl, combine the meat, parsley, tabil, pepper and salt to taste. Blend thoroughly. Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the mixture until well browned. Let cool, and then mix in the eggs and breadcrumbs.

Place 6 of the fennel halves cut side up on a greased baking dish and pile the filling on top. Top with the remaining fennel halves, spoon over the tomato sauce and place in a hot oven to bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves 6-8.

Tabil Spice Mixture

This is the most popular Tunisian spice mixture and is used to season meat or poultry, stuffings and vegetables. To make the mixture, combine 2 1/2 tsp. each finely chopped garlic, ground caraway seeds, crushed hot red pepper flakes and ground coriander seeds. The mixture may be made as hot or mild as one likes by varying the amount of hot pepper flakes used. Tabil may be stored nearly indefinitely in a well-sealed jar.

Tangine with Chicken & Fruits

1 large or 2 small chickens,
cut into convenient serving pieces
2 onions, chopped finely
1/4 cup parsley, chopped finely
2 - 3 Tbsp. parve margarine
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 kg. (1 lb.) pears, apples, prunes or a mixture of these (pears and apples should be peeled, cored and sliced)

Place the chicken, onions and parsley in a large pot, pour over water to cover, add the margarine and ginger and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently, covered, until the chicken is very tender (about 1 hour). Add the fruits and continue to simmer until they are just tender, taking care not to let the fruits disintegrate. Serve with rice or couscous.

Serves 6-8.

Sources: Embassy of Israel; Israeli Foreign Ministry; Ruth's Kitchen; Manischewitz; Rogov's Ramblings- Reprinted with permission.

Daniel Rogov is the restaurant and wine critic for the daily newspaper Ha'aretz. He is also the senior writer for Wine and Gourmet Magazine and contributes culinary and wine articles to newspapers in Europe and the United States.