This is the well-known and now universal soup of the
"Yiddishe mama" as it was served in east European Jewish homes.
Former Prime Minister of Israel Golda
Meir was known to cook a fine-tasting chicken soup for both family
and VIPs whenever they came to call. Chicken soup is reputed to cure
the sick but is equally recommended to the healthy.
1 soup chicken
2 cubes chicken bouillon
3 1/2 quarts water
2 onions
2 sprigs dill
1 tbs. salt
2 carrots
3 celery stalks
1 parsley root
3 sprigs parsley
1 tsp. lemon pepper salt
Clean chicken thoroughly. Combine in a deep saucepan
with water, onions, and bouillon. Bring to a boil and cook over medium
heat for 1 hour. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook over low
heat 1/2 hour longer, or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and
strain soup. Taste and correct seasonings. Makes about 2 to 2-1/2 quarts
of soup. Use the chicken in other dishes or serve with the soup.
Meat borscht comes from Russia and is a winter favorite.
It is cooked for several hours on a low flame and its pungent aroma
penetrates every corner of the home. It has become popular to serve
hot borscht at parties at the stroke of midnight. No one wanting to
miss this treat will go home before that hour. The influx of thousands
of newcomers from the former Soviet Union in recent years has reinforced
the popularity of the various types of borscht in Israel.
3 quarts water
2 lbs. brisket
beef bones
8 beets, grated
2 onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs. salt
3 tbs. brown sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2-15 oz. can tomato pure
2 eggs
1/2 cabbage, shredded
Combine water, meat and bones in a deep saucepan. Bring
to a boil and skim. Add beets, cabbage, tomato puree, onions, garlic
and salt. Cover and cook over medium heat for 2 hours. Add brown sugar
and lemon juice. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Taste to correct
seasoning.
Beat eggs in a bowl. Gradually add a little hot soup,
beating steadily to prevent curdling. Return to saucepan. Serve hot.
Serves 8-10.
Tarato comes from Bulgaria. The Jews of Bulgaria,
like those of Holland, Greece, Turkey,
and Italy, are descended from Jews expelled
from Spain and Portugal
in the 15th century. This cold soup is particularly suitable for hot
summer nights in Israel. Yogurt,
the main ingredient, has been a popular food in Israel for many years.
3 cups plain yogurt
3 cups water
crushed nuts
dash of salt
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. vinegar
2 cucumbers (diced or cut into small pieces)
Mix all ingredients except nuts. Sprinkle with nuts
and cool in refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving.
Ingredients:
Chicken legs
Potatoes cut into quarters
Hawayij: spice for soup
chicken bullion cubes
3 tablespoons oil
Coriander leaves
1 whole onion
Water
For each person:
one leg of a chicken
1 potato
1 cup of water
Hawayij: a cury-like, yemenite spice mixture:
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon saffron
2 teaspoons turmeric
Put the chicken legs into a pot and boil. Take the
white foam out. Lower the fire and add the rest of the ingredients.
Cook for 3/4 of an hour until the chicken is ready. Add Chilbah.
Grind the spices together thoroughly, and store them
in an airtight jar.