Arts & 6ife
Food
Holiday `Scrolls'
Rollin' and rollin' in honor of Sukkot and Simchat Torah.
ANNABEL COHEN
Special to the Jewish News
A
t the end of Sukkot — the
Feast of Tabernacles — are
the related holidays of
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
These two days are really the finale
of the High Holy Days.
The eighth day of Sukkot —
Shemini Atzeret — we still eat in
the Sukkah. On Simchat Torah, we
begin to eat our meals indoors, a
sign that the holidays are ending and
we're back to everyday living.
Since Simchat Torah is literally
about the "joy of Torah," it's tradi-
tionally celebrated with yet another
feast, and dancing. There are no spe-
cific foods specified for Sukkot in
general and Simchat Torah — other
than reference to roasted whole ani-
mals — so harvest foods are still
appropriate. This translates into
fresh fruits and vegetables.
Hearty or "rich" foods also remind
us of the richness of the season.
Stuffed and sweet foods suggest
abundance. And because Simchat
Torah is all about the Torah scroll,
it's fun to serve foods that are rolled
or "scrolled" (think stuffed cabbage
or dolmades — grape leaves).
The following recipes are perfect
for Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Some
are scrolled, some are rich and some
include the bounty of harvest.
CHICKEN AND SALAD
"SCROLLS" (WRAPS)
2 pounds boneless and skinless
chicken breasts
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. red pepper sauce (such as
Tabasco)
1-inch fresh gingerroot, unpleeled,
sliced thin
1 t. minced garlic
1/2 t. ground black pepper
8 large (10 inches of more) whole-
wheat tortillas
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
16 leaf or butter lettuce leaves
8 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 cucumber, halved, seeded and
sliced thin
2 cups bean spouts (mung)
1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
plum sauce, optional
Prepare chicken: Combine chicken
with soy sauce, oil, vinegar, sugar,
pepper sauce, gingerroot, garlic and
pepper in a large zipper style plastic
bag. Seal the bag and turn it many
times to coat the chicken. Chill the
chicken in the bag for 2 hours.
Heat grill to medium high.
Remove the chicken from the bag
(discard the bag and marinade).
Grill the chicken breasts for about 5
minutes on each sides until just
cooked through (do not overcook).
Remove the chicken from the grill
and allow to cool to the touch. Slice
the chicken, lengthwise, into very
thin slices.
Place a tortilla on a clean surface.
Brush the top half of the tortilla
lightly with hoisin sauce. Lay two
lettuce leaves on the lower half of
the tortilla (the half closest to you).
Arrange several thin strips of chicken
over the lettuce.
Arrange some scallion pieces,
cucumber slices, bean sprouts and
cilantro over the chicken. Wrap the
chicken into a "scroll" and cut in
half, at a slight angle. Repeat with
remaining tortillas and fillings.
Serve with plum sauce on the side,
if desired. Makes 8 servings.
Melt butter in a large skillet over
medium-high heat. Add the onions
and garlic and cook, stirring fre-
quently, for 3 minutes. Add the
mushrooms and cook until they give
up their liquid and it evaporates (the
mushrooms should not have any liq-
uid left). Add the wine and cook
until it evaporates. Add the spinach
and heat through. Add the nutmeg,
salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the brie in half, horizontally.
Arrange the bottom layer of brie in
an attractive baking dish (you will
serve the brie in this dish). Spoon all
of the mushroom and spinach mix-
ture over the bottom layer of brie.
Place the top layer of the brie over
the mushroom-spinach mixture.
Cover with plastic wrap until 30
minutes before serving (up to a day
ahead).
Preheat oven to 350F. Remove
plastic wrap from the baking dish -
and bake the brie uncovered for 30-
40 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Serve hot with gourmet crackers or
French bread slices. Serves up to 25
as an appetizer.
PUMPKIN STUFFED
MANICOTTI "SCROLLS"
Crepes:
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. paprika
Filling:
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (fresh or
canned)
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
1/2 t. nutmeg
salt to taste
white pepper to taste
Topping:
2 cups fresh marinara sauce (or pre-
made good quality jarred sauce)
1 cup half-and-half
Make crepes: Combine all the
crepe ingredients in the pitcher of a
blender and blend well. Let stand
for 15 minutes.
Spray a small (8-inch) non-stick
skillet with non-stick cooking spray.
Place over medium-high heat until
hot.
Blend the crepe mixture again for
a second or two and pour about 1/4
cup of batter into the skillet (don't
worry if you pour .too much).
Quickly tip the pan to pour excess
batter back into the pitcher (the
crepe batter should just coat the
skillet). Cook for about 30 seconds,
until the top of crepe is no longer
wet looking.
Turn the pan over onto a dinner-
sized plate. (Don't worry if the first
crepe isn't perfect, this is your test
crepe.) You will not need to repeat
the spraying of the skillet with each
crepe — only as necessary. Repeat
with remaining batter, adjusting the
heat if it's too hot. Stack the crepes
on top of one another.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Make filling: Combine all filling
ingredients in a large bowl and stir
until smooth.
FOOD on page 64
UNSTUFFED MUSHROOM
AND SPINACH BAKED BRIE
All the wonderful aspects of stuffed
brie without the fuss associated with
wrapping it in pastry.
2 T. butter or olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 t. minced garlic
12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup white wine, any kind
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped
spinach, thawed
1/2 t. freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1 whole brie wheel (about 2
pounds), uncut, chilled
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
AIN
10/ 1
2004
63