Nash's Noshes
Hofman, Ethel G.
BOOKS Nash's Noshes Helen Nash's Kosher Kitchen by Helen Nash Random House. 286 Reviewed by Ethel G. Hofman Finally there's a Ixxjk thai brings kosher cooking in step with a new...
...Yet, at a time when nutritionists and researchers are urging us to reduce fat intake in the interest of good health, butter, sour cream, cream cheese and eggs are used liberally in too many of Nash's recipes...
...11/2 pounds fresh shiitake mushrooms 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 3 to 4 tablespoons dry white wine 1/2 cup loosely packed Italian parsley (discard the lower halves of the stems), finely chopped Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Discard the mushroom stems...
...Cheap and bright, they add a naturally fresh flavor to any dish—so why limit...
...Jewish families often lived in danger...
...The result is an abundance of saturated fatty calories...
...Anchin, who is undoubtedly an expert, merely touches on the subject, leaving the reader wanting more...
...You can prepare other varieties of mushrooms—chanterelles, oyster or regular mushrooms—in the same way...
...Follow with Baked Chicken Breasts with Lemon and Mustard, Braised Soy Sauce Duck or Steamed Salmon Steaks with Black 8eans...
...286 Reviewed by Ethel G. Hofman Finally there's a Ixxjk thai brings kosher cooking in step with a new decade...
...Ethel Hofman is a syndicated food columnist and a freelance feature writer for the food section of the Philadelphia Inquirer...
...A final section on kosher wines by Stephen H. Anchin deserves more space and credit...
...But recipes such as these, along with her fried food dishes, have no place in a "healthy" cookbook...
...Add the garlic and stir-fry until golden over low heat remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and discard...
...Stir in the chopped parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper...
...By using trendy ingredients that many cooks—Jewish or not—hesitate to buy, she has created a whole new look to kosher rookery, Shitake mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, black beans —plus dozens ol other ingredients foreign lo lllr Ashkcnazi style of rooking of most American Jewrs—star in dishes you might expect to find only in a fine upscale restaurant...
...I was delighted to note that Nash believes in using fresh herbs such as parsley and basil by the cupful...
...Tips that superchefs may take for granted, such as removing fish bones with tweezers, will save the novice cook much anguish...
...Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and slice them thin...
...In a world where wines are so genericalh/ classed, it is refreshing to read about international vineyards and the availability of fine kosher wines...
...There are no confusing details to cloud the issue...
...Jewish cooks have always been innovative, but usually out of necessity, in Europe and Russia...
...All things considered, every lover of good food will find Helen Nash's Kosher Kitchen enormously enjoyable...
...She has elevated Jewish cooking to a level that tempts and excites the palates of a sophisticated society...
...food was scarce and expensive if available, but the Jewish housewife always seemed able to prepare hearty, satisfying meals...
...It's obvious that Nash has done extensive kitchen research of some calorie-paring techniques...
...They are as common in the Orient as our commercially grown mushrooms...
...She has the unique distinction of being a member of the only Jewish family in the Shetland Isles, north of Scotland...
...Sephardic dishes (from Spanish Jews) based on grains, fruits and vegetables, although nutritionally superior, are not as common in this country...
...I like the book's natural beginning, where the laws of kashrut are explained clearly and concisely...
...Heat a wok or skillet, add the oil and heat well...
...Frozen vegetables are often called for instead of requiring tedious preparation of fresh vegetables...
...By doing so, she has shattered the myth that Jewish food is all bagels and blintzes...
...Add the mushrooms and stir-fry over medium-high heat for a minute...
...Broiling, steaming and marinating are the methods she suggests for preparing fish and meals, and there's a wonderful collection of pasta dishes highlighted with seasonal vegetables...
...True...
...Nash even provides the basic recipe...
...Recognized symbols for kosher food are listed and this is especially helpful to new homemakers who may have consumed everything from mom's kitchen without giving a passing thought to origin...
...The cover comments: "Healthful and nutritious recipes...
...Serving Suggestions...
...You want Hoisin sauce that's certified kosher...
...Helen Mash's Kosher Kitchen is well put together and easy to follow...
...Where relevant, recipes are separated into dairy, pane and meat so that at a glance, ideas for a dairy or meat meal can be found...
...Nash introduces them to the kosher kitchen in recipes that adhere to the laws of kashrut...
...Notes on ingredients and equipment are particularly helpful...
...Personal tastes and experimentation are encouraged by Nash...
...it's the only way to improve on basic cooking skills...
...In HeWn . Vij.sA'j Kosher Kitthfn 'her second cookbook/, Nash shows not only creativity but courage...
...some downright sinfully so, such as the Chocolate Mousse Cake that Nash recommends be served with a super-rich Creme Chantilly...
...In the Roast Turkey recipe, for example, Nash roasts the turkey for 15 minutes per pound but writes, "That's how I like it, keep your own record as to how you like it...
...Unfamiliar ingredients, the passion of gourmets, are fast gaining acceptance...
...Blintzes, latkes and other culinary gems are but part of the legacy passed on to us from the Jews of Eastern Europe...
...Add the wine4and continue to stir until the mushrooms are crispy tender, about a minute more...
...No matter in which country, she made use of inexpensive, local ingredients to create a diverse Jewish cuisine...
...It is a cookbook for impressive entertaining, for having fun—and no holds barred...
...There's no doubt that the results are mouthwatering...
...Stir-fried Shiitake Mushrooms (6 Servings) Shiitake mushrooms are Oriental mushrooms that are cultivated, among other places, in California and Vermont They have a woodsy flavor and are available, in season, in select supermarkets...
Vol. 14 • October 1989 • No. 6
