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ANNABEL COHEN

Special to The Jewish News

T

he book of Esther says it
all — literally the whole
Megillah. And on Purim,
you hear it twice; once by
night and once by day.
There's the daring salvation of the
Jews from King Ahasuerus and his
evil advisor, Haman, and the exalta-
tion of the heroine, Esther. We boo
and hiss at the utterance of Haman's
name, but there is silence as the
story is told followed by drunken
revelry and the traditional mitzvah
of giving at least two gifts to the
poor.
Another Purim tradition is giving
food to other Jews. Shalach manot
(food gifts) are ready to eat immedi-
ately. Each should include two dif-
ferent items. While a gift can be as
simple as an orange and a juice box,
often they include homemade good-
ies such as cookies and candy.
Here's where individuality plays a
starring role. While many gifts are

simple — paper plates with cookies
or a gift bag with a few pieces of
chocolate and fruit --- some are pos-
itively extravagant, with pounds of
homemade treats and store-bought
delicacies, elaborately packaged in
baskets and sent by messenger to
dozens of eager recipients.
Purim is celebrated on the 14th of
Adar (Monday night, Feb. 25) and,
in Jerusalem and other walled cites,
on Adar 15.
You still have several days to get
your shalach manot ready. If baking
is on your to-do list for Purim pack-
ages or for your joyful celebration
and the seudah, the festive holiday
meal, the following ready-to-eat
recipes are fitting, sweet additions
for this time of gladness.

PISTACHIO AND CHERRY
CITRUS BISCOTTI
Not as dry and hard as traditional
biscotti, this has more of a mandle-
bread texture. These are extra deli-
cious drizzled with chocolate.
2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
5 T. butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 T. lemon zest
1 t. vanilla or lemon extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sweetened dried cherries
or cranberries
1 1/2 cups shelled pistachios,
lightly toasted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips,
optional
Position the oven rack in the cen-
ter of the oven and preheat oven to
325F. Line a cookie sheet with
parchment or spray it with nonstick
cooking spray. Set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder
and salt in a medium bowl and stir
together with a fork. Set aside.
Combine butter, sugar, zest and
extract in a large bowl. Beat with an
electric mixture for about 3 minutes,
until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a
time, until incorporated. Beat in the
flour mixture, a little at a time, until
just combined. Beat in cherries and

pistachios until just incorporated.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured
surface and form into a large circle.
Cut the circle in half. Using wet
hands, shape one half into a long log
on the cookie sheet. Flatten the log
slightly with the palm of your hand.
Repeat with the other log, leaving a
large space between the logs. Bake
for 30 minutes or until golden.
Remove from oven (leave the oven
on) and cool for about 10 minutes
before slicing into 1/2-inch slices.
Place the slices back on the cookie
sheet and bake for 15 minutes more.
Let cool completely before drizzling
with chocolate, if desired.
To drizzle with chocolate, place
the chips in a microwave safe bowl.
Cook for 2 minutes on high.
Remove from microwave oven and•
stir the chocolate until smooth.
Using a teaspoon, scoop up some
chocolate and wave the chocolate
over the biscotti (it's easier after a
few tries). Drizzle as much chocolate
over the biscotti as you wish. Makes
about three dozen biscotti.

ti

2/22
2002