The New 60 The country and its food and wine have come a long way. Annabel Cohen Special to the Jewish News T here's one 60-year old that looks better than ever. Israel at 60 hardly resembles the scrappy land it was six decades ago. In many ways, this ancient land is extremely young. Officially part of Asia, it seems European and American is so many ways. The food of this small country is mod- em as well. There is every type of res- taurant serving some of the world's most interesting and contemporary cuisine. However, to many, the best Israeli food is that that we have come to identify as the national cuisine, with its mish-mash of traditional Middle East and European offerings. Sure falafel can be found in every dive and on every corner. Shawarma is omni- present as well. Moreover, every little establishment will serve simple to elabo- rate salads that are fresh, crisp and laced with olive oil. It's all that I need to make me happy. For variety, however, I offer these reci- pes — also found in so many restaurants — as my takes on easy Israeli cuisine. They are not trendy, just delicious. And together — the menu as a whole is a complete dinner, just perfect for celebrat- ing this momentous birthday. Carrot Salad 8 cups shredded or coarsely grated carrots 1 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. ground paprika 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco) Kosher salt and pepper to taste Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Cover and chill up to a day ahead. Adjust seasonings to taste, toss again and serve. Makes 8 servings. Kibbe Bi Sanyeh The difference between the egg-shaped kibbe you see on the streets of Israel and this dish is purely presentation. This mixture is spread in a pie dish or round A42 August 21 • 2008 Ai cake pan and baked. It calls for the kibbe to be cut into wedges and served warm. Filling: 3 Tbsp. olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped onions 1 pound lean ground lamb 1 tsp. ground allspice Y2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. ground cumin Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 2 tsp. pomegranate molasses (optional), available at specialty stores 1 /2 cup pine nuts, toasted in a 350°F oven until golden, about 5 minutes Kibbe: 1 pound lean ground lamb 2 cups fine chopped onions 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 1-2 tsp. salt Ground black pepper to taste 1 /2 tsp. ground allspice 1/ tsp. ground cinnamon 1 Tbsp. red-hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco) 1 1/2 cups fine-ground bulgur Make filling: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for about 8 minutes until they are softened. Add the lamb and spices and cook, breaking the meat up as you stir until just cooked through. Remove from heat and add the molasses, if using, and pine nuts. Stir to combine well and set aside. Make kibbe: Combine all kibbe ingre- dients except bulgur in a large bowl and set aside. Put the bulgur in a large bowl and stir in hot water to cover. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain the bulgur and rinse well. Cover the bulgur with fresh water and allow it to soak for about 20 minutes more. Drain the bulgur again, squeezing with your hands or paper towels to remove as much water as possible. Mix the bulgur with the kibbe mixture and knead well to combine. Preheat oven to 350F. Pat half of the kibbe mixture into a 10-inch-round cake pan or pie plate. Spread all of the lamb mixture over the kibbe and cover with remaining kibbe mixture. Press the mixture to make it smooth. Cut the kibbe into 8-10 wedges and brush the top with a little olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes and broil to darken the top of the kibbe. Let stand about 15 minutes before recutting the wedges. Serve warm or at room tem- perature. Serves 8-10. Roasted Eggplant With Red Pepper Dip Similar to baba ganouche, this Bulgarian- inspired Israeli recipe is a bit more com- plex. I medium eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds) 3 red bell peppers 1 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp. minced garlic 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar Kosher salt to taste Preheat oven to 450F. Prick whole egg- plant in several places with a fork and place on a sheet of foil. Place the bell peppers on the foil as well and roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes (bell pepper) to 1 hour (eggplant), or until the egg- plant is very soft and skin is dark (turn the vegetables over halfway through cooking). Allow the eggplant and peppers to cool to the touch. Rub the skin from the peppers, remove the stem and seeds and chop finely. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the flesh, discarding the peel. Cut the cooked eggplant and add to the bowl with the peppers. Add remaining ingre- dients and stir well. Chill until ready to serve, up to 2 days ahead. Stir well, adjust salt to taste and transfer to a serving dish. Serve with pita wedges. Makes 8-12 servings. Baked Chicken Cutlet (Shnitzel) Olive oil 11/2 cups flour 2 eggs 2 cups plain bread crumbs 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds) Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 2 lemons, sliced in wedges Preheat oven to 375F. Coat a baking sheet lightly with sides Israeli Wines Wine has been mentioned in Jewish literature forever. But only in the last 50 years has it become an important Israeli industry. According to Tom Natoci, a partner at Cloverleaf Fine Wine in Royal Oak, there's more good wine from Israel being imported to the U.S. than ever. "In general, Americans are drinking more wine," he said. "Think about California. Thirty years ago, there weren't nearly the number of wineries as there are today. Increased supply comes from increased demand." The big question is are Israeli wines any good? According to Natoci the answer is a resounding yes. The wines Natoci suggests: • Dalton, Canaan Cabernet, Merlot and Shiraz blend and its Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling blend • Segal's, Galilee Heights Chardonnay, Cabernet Merlot Blend and Special Reserve Merlot • Galil Mountain Cabernet • Benyamina Yogev Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Blend and Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - Annabel Cohen