CELEBRATING ISRAEL from page 82
Market Basket
of Franklin
little portable grill called a mongal
has been a popular take-along on
these picnics. People pack them in
their cars, then eat, drink and be
merry."
The edibles of choice are often
kebabs of lamb and beef. "We also
eat a lot of salads," said Koren. "I'm
famous for my chopped salad. I dice
everything tiny — tomatoes, cucum-
ber, peppers — and add olive oil
and lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Arid I always add scallions."
Among the other favorites are
borekas, cheese-, vegetable- or meat-
filled pastry triangles and huevos
haminados, the Sephardic version of
hard boiled eggs. Not to be forgot-
ten is that favorite street sandwich,
falafel, served in pita pockets and
topped with tahini, chopped salad
and a pickled mango call Kharif.
Here in Michigan, Koren cele-
brates the holiday differently every
year. In the past, he's gone to
parades at the Jewish Community
Center and spends the day with
loved ones, including girlfriend
Shellie Kurtis. "Of course, I'll cele-
brate this year!"
Koren, like many Israelis, greets
others on the Yom HaAtzmaut with
the happy holiday salutation usually
reserved for the High Holidays:
Chag sameach. "We want the holiday
to have the same importance as
Rosh Hashanah, Pesach, Shavout
and Sukkot."
MOSHE KOREN'S
CHOPPED SALAD
This -salad must be chopped or diced
into very small pieces.
4 cups small diced, seeded plum
tomatoes
2 cups diced, seeded, peeled
cucumber
1 yellow bell pepper, diced small
1 orange or red bell pepper, diced
small
1 cup chopped scallions, white
and green parts
juice of 1 or 2 lemons, to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper to
taste
Combine all ingredients in a large
bowl and toss well. Adjust lemon
juice and seasoning to taste. Makes
8-12 servings.
SHORTCUT FALAFEL
Falafel can be quite a patchke. This
recipe uses precooked garbanzo
beans for utmost ease. Although
these are best deep-fried, you can
also fry these in a deep skillet or pot
with about 1 inch of very hot veg-
etable oil.
2 cans (about 15 oz. each) garban-
zo beans, drained
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 t. minced garlic
2 t. ground cumin
salt to taste, begin with 1 t.
1 large egg
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
1/2 t. baking powder
flour for dredging
4 8-inch pita loaves, tops cut off
vegetable oil for deep-frying.
Garnish: chopped tomatoes, shred-
d.ed lettuce, chopped cucumber,
chopped radishes, tahini dressing
from recipe below, plain yogurt
Line a baking sheet with several
layers of paper towel. Set aside.
Combine all falafel ingredients in
the bowl of a food processor and
pulse until the mixture forms a
grainy paste (do not process until
smooth). Scoop about 2 T. sized
balls from the mixture and shape
into balls. Flatten the balls slightly
to make about 1-inch patties and
dredge each patty in flour. Set aside.
Heat oil in a deep fryer according
to manufacturer instructions, or heat
about 1-inch of oil in a large, deep
skillet or pot until very hot (make a
test falafel to ensure the oil is hot
enough and the amount of salt is
right).
Place the falafel patties in the hot
oil and fry for about 6-8 minutes on
each side. Remove the falefal to the
prepared, paper-lined baking sheet
to drain. Serve the falafel hot or
warm in the pita bread pockets gar-
nished as you like. Makes 8 servings.
SPICED MARINATED
BEEF KABABS
This marinade can also be used with
chicken. Marinate chicken for only a
couple of hours before grilling.
Marinade:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. ground cumin
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. fresh ground black pepper
1 T. dried basil
1 t. dried oregano
2 pounds lean beef steak, cut into
1-inch cubes
8 10- or 12-inch bamboo skewers,
soaked for 1 hour in warm water,
or metal skewers
Combine all marinade ingredients
in a large bowl. Add the meat and
turn to coat the beef well. Marinate
2 hours up to overnight.
Heat grill to high. Thread beef
onto the skewers. Grill the kebabs
until the beef is tender, turning
occasionally, about 6-8 minutes for
medium rare. Makes 8 kebabs
HUEVOS HAMINAD 0 S
Onion skins, tea or coffee give the
hard-cooked eggs a dark brownish-
red color.
1 dozen eggs
papery skin and outer layers from
6-8 onions
water
1 T. ground coffee (not prepared
coffee)
Preheat the oven to 225F.
Place the eggs in a baking dish.
Add plenty of water to cover the
eggs (about 2-inches higher than
eggs). Add coffee and onion layers
and skin and cover the dish tightly
with foil. Bake 8-12 hours. Drain
the eggs and serve when cooled
enough to handle. Serve the eggs
with the shell, and peel before eat-
ing. Makes 12 servings.
CHATZILIM
Chatzilim is the generic word for
eggplant in Hebrew. This recipe is
sort of a chopped eggplant salad
that's served as an appetizer. I like it
with lots of lemon and black pepper.
Add a little cumin and tahini
(sesame seed paste) and'you have a
chunky version of baba ganouche.
2 eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 cloves of garlic, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped onions
2-4 T. fresh lemon juice, or to
taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1 t. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 t. fresh ground pepper
Heat grill to medium. Prick the
eggplants all over with a fork. Place
the eggplant on the grill and cook,
turning occasionally, until the egg-
plant is very soft, about 30-40 min-
utes. Alternately, you may bake
them on a baking sheet at 400F for
about 40 minutes.
Remove the eggplant from grill
and cool to the touch. Cut the egg-
plants in half lengthwise and scoop
out the flesh. Chop the flesh well,
and combine with remaining ingre-
dients in a medium bowl. Stir well
and chill until ready to serve. Adjust
seasonings to taste and serve with
pita wedges, vegetables and olives.
Makes 12-20 servings. ❑
32654 Franklin Road
in the \Tillage of Franklin
► 19•Catb
loow
3 ?aid Oriels
hada*
• Blue Sky Salad
Blue cheese, dried cran-
berries, walnuts
• Caesar Salad
• Greek Salad
• Grilled Chicken
Salad
• Cobb Salad
• Maurice Salad
• Mandarin Orange
Salad
CALL AHEAD
for
Madeato-order
Servke
CA stir Ode% 1m)
30 Minute Pick-up
248.626.7583
IAJe. Cater Fartieh,
tua
"Through Our Doors
Come Only the Finest"
671700
5/ 2
2003
83