40 | MARCH 31 • 2022
serve. Reheat in the
microwave and serve
warm. Makes 8 or more
for servings.
KEFTES DE PESCADA
(Sephardic Fish Patties)
For variety, replace the fish
with fresh cooked spinach
(well drained) and serve
with a wedge of lemon.
Ingredients
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 can (28-ounces) diced toma-
toes in juice or 4 cups fresh
chopped plum tomatoes
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
to taste
½ cup fresh chopped basil
Fresh chopped parsley, garnish
Patties:
2 pounds skinned and boned
cod (salmon or whitefish)
ground or chopped in a food
processor
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 eggs
2 cups matzah meal
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
Vegetable oil for frying
1-2 cups matzah meal (to coat
fish patties)
LEMON CHICKEN
Ingredients
Boneless and skinless chicken
breast halves, about 2 pounds
Matzah cake meal (for dredging
chicken) start with 1 cup
Olive oil for sautéing chicken
½-1 bottle white wine (any kind)
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of up to 2 lemons
Chopped parsley, garnish (at
the last minute)
Optional: Artichoke hearts (not
marinated), capers, slivered
almonds as garnish, sliced
mushrooms
Directions
Pound chicken breasts
slightly to make them
more or less the same
thickness throughout, or,
if breasts are large, slice
through them horizontally
making two halves for
each breast half. Dredge
the chicken pieces in the
matzah cake meal and
coat well.
Heat oil, about ¼ cup or
more, in a large non-stick
skillet over medium heat.
Sauté the chicken breasts
(you’ll need to do this a
few times if you have a lot
of breasts) on each side
until they are light golden.
Remove and set aside to
finish remaining breasts
(you may need more
matzah cake meal).
After all the breasts
have been cooked,
place them back in the
pan. Pour wine over the
breasts and cook until the
wine mixture is reduced
and makes a thickened
sauce.
At this point, you could
put this away until the
next day or later the
same day (place in glass
baking dish in fridge).
Or, serve right away with
juice sprinkled on top and
garnished with artichokes,
etc. If keeping to serve
later, 1 hour before serv-
ing, place in 250ºF oven
with garnish ingredients
(except parsley) and heat
through. You may need
to add more liquid if the
sauce has become too
thick. Wine or chicken
broth will do.
Directions
Make sauce: Heat oil in
a medium saucepan over
medium-high heat until
hot. Add the onions and
garlic and cook, stirring
often, for 5 minutes. Add
the tomatoes, bay leaves,
salt and pepper and
bring to a boil. Reduce
heat and simmer for 15
minutes. Adjust season-
ings to taste and add
basil. Keep warm until
ready to serve or chill
and reheat.
Combine cod, onions,
egg, matzah meal, salt
and pepper in a medi-
um bowl and mash well
with your hands until the
mixture is uniform. Cover
with plastic wrap and
chill for 2 or more hours
(up to overnight).
Heat about ¼-inch of
oil in a large, nonstick
skillet over medium-high
heat until very hot. Place
1 cup of matzah meal in
a shallow dish. Using wet
hands, shape the fish
mixture into flattened
patties (about one-third
cup of mixture each).
Carefully dredge the pat-
ties in the matzah meal
and fry on both sides
until golden. Place the
finished patties on the
prepared baking sheet.
Add more oil if needed
and the second cup of
matzah meal if needed
for dredging.
About 30 minutes
before serving, place
the patties (uncovered)
in a 250ºF. oven to
heat. Serve keftes with
sauce spooned over the
top and sprinkled with
chopped parsley. Makes
8 servings.
FOOD
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