![\"image](\"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/apr-26-Israeli-food.26.LEKET-Cooking-for-a-Cause-Digital-Cookbook-cover.png\")
<\/a>The result is a unique cookbook that is interesting both for its recipes and its stories \u2013 each entry tells users a bit about the contributor and\/or the food being presented, and there are eye-catching colour photos throughout. The cookbook \u201cis not arranged from starters to desserts and it is not consistent in its format,\u201d writes Hersh. \u201cI say this not as an apology but with pride, as this book is deliberately different. It reflects a cacophony of voices that have come together to support Leket and the people of Israel. Each contributor presents their connection to Jewish food and expresses it with a different perspective, writing style and point of view. You, the reader, benefit from diverse cooking techniques, interpretations of Jewish cuisine and fresh commentary with each recipe.\u201d<\/p>\nRecipes that caught my eye as I skimmed through the book included Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Holishkes) by writer Joe Baur; Pandora\u2019s Chicken with Artichokes, Oregano, Olives and Sundried Tomatoes by Joan Nathan, \u201caward-winning \u2018godmother\u2019 of Jewish food\u201d; Aunt Rini\u2019s Tahini Cookies by Elise Addlem, founder of Feminists Against Antisemitism; and Olio Egg Salad by Ben Poremba, who \u201cinfuses his Israeli-Moroccan heritage into all his restaurants.\u201d<\/p>\n
I have bookmarked these recipes for future cooking\/baking sessions, and will certainly try others as well. Between the Jewish Independent<\/i>\u2019s Passover and Israel special issues, I only had time to try out three recipes. In addition to Coconut Cream Malabi, which Baum writes was inspired by \u201cOur Chef Sevim [Zakuto], with her Turkish-Jewish roots, [who] shared the cherished recipe from her grandmother,\u201d I made Rachel Simons\u2019 Fennel and Herb Salad (Simons is a co-founder of the company Seed+Mill) and award-winning chef and restaurateur Jonathan Waxman\u2019s Steelhead Trout with Vermouth, Baby Sorrel, Chanterelles and Fingerlings.<\/p>\n
The salad was as big of a hit as the malabi, and I enjoyed the meal part of the trout recipe but wasn\u2019t so keen on the sauce, which contained vermouth. Not being a lover of vermouth, I had put the sauce on the side, and I thought the food was better without it. When I make the fish again, I\u2019ll try to halve the vermouth or reduce it on the stove to see if that makes it taste less sharp.<\/p>\n
COCONUT CREAM MALABI
\n<\/b>(by Inbal Baum)<\/i>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
1 can coconut cream (fat content should be greater than 14% for the best results)
\n<\/b>3 tbsp sugar
\n<\/b>3 tbsp cornstarch
\n<\/b>1\/3 cup of water
\n<\/b>1 tsp of vanilla extract, or rose or orange blossom water
\n<\/b>crushed (or chopped) nuts, to taste
\n<\/b>desiccated coconut, for serving
\n<\/b>pomegranate molasses and\/or silan, for serving
\n<\/b>optional toppings: chopped seasonal fruit (strawberries, apricots, mango)<\/b><\/p>\n
In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until well combined. Slowly add the cornstarch to the saucepan, continuously stirring.<\/p>\n
Over medium heat, continue stirring until the pudding thickens \u2013 this may take 3 to 5 minutes. If needed to thicken, add additional cornstarch in small amounts until the mixture begins to thicken.<\/p>\n
Mix in the vanilla extract, orange blossom or rose water, then pour or ladle into four small bowls.<\/p>\n
Allow to cool before serving (approximately one hour, but can be less).<\/p>\n
When ready to serve, top with a layer of pomegranate molasses or silan (date honey), desiccated coconut and ground nuts.<\/p>\n
FENNEL AND HERB SALAD
\n<\/b>(by Rachel Simons; 4 servings; 30 minutes to prepare)<\/i><\/p>\n
1 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced crosswise Place the sliced fennel into a bowl with the lemon juice and cold water. Let sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the fennel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In a large bowl, mix the fennel, mint leaves, parsley leaves, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan (if using). Mix to combine well. Serve the salad cold.<\/p>\n STEELHEAD TROUT WITH VERMOUTH, BABY SORREL, CHANTERELLES AND FINGERLINGS 4 x 4.5-ounce skin-on, boneless steelhead trout fillets Season steelhead with sea salt and fresh ground white pepper.<\/p>\n Cook the potatoes in simmering salted water for 12 minutes. Set aside.<\/p>\n Wash mushrooms.<\/p>\n In a saut\u00e9 pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter, heat to sizzling, add the trout, skin side down and saut\u00e9 for 2 minutes.<\/p>\n When skin is crispy, turn over and add remaining olive oil and butter. Then add the potatoes and chanterelles to pan. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes.<\/p>\n Remove steelhead to a warm platter. Ensure potatoes and chanterelles are cooked, add them to the fish platter.<\/p>\n Add the vermouth to pan and then add the cream. Turn off heat and add the sorrel leaves.<\/p>\n Taste sauce for seasoning and gently coat the potatoes and chanterelles with sauce. Serve hot.<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n To purchase Cooking for a Cause<\/i>, go to chef.leket.org<\/a>.\u00a0For more on Leket Israel \u2013 including how you could join the organization\u2019s approximately 54,000 annual volunteers \u201cin gleaning, sorting and packaging rescued food for the Israelis in need\u201d \u2013 visit leket.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My new favourite dessert: Inbal Baum\u2019s Coconut Cream Malabi. Baum is one of the contributors to June Hersh\u2019s new digital cookbook, Cooking for a Cause. (photo by Ingrid Weisenbach) I have a new favourite dessert: malabi. At least Inbal Baum\u2019s Coconut Cream Malabi. Baum is one of more than 70 cooks, bloggers and others who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":44188,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[784,4329],"tags":[3797,3584,23173,3128,23172,23170,3456,23171],"class_list":["post-44165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","category-israel","tag-baking","tag-cooking","tag-cooking-for-a-cause","tag-fundraising","tag-june-hersh","tag-leket-israel","tag-recipes","tag-tikkin-olam"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44165","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44165"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44165\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44165"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44165"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44165"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/span><\/b>juice of 1 lemon
\n<\/span><\/b>1 cup cold water
\n<\/b>1\/2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
\n<\/b>1\/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
\n<\/b>1 tbsp white wine vinegar
\n<\/span><\/b>2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
\n<\/span><\/b>1 tsp flaky sea salt
\n<\/b>1\/8 tsp ground black pepper
\n<\/span><\/b>1 cup parmesan cheese, thinly shaved (optional)<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/b>(by Jonathan Waxman; serves 4)<\/i><\/p>\n
\n<\/b>1\/2 cup white vermouth
\n<\/b>2 tbsp butter
\n<\/b>2 tbsp olive oil
\n<\/b>1 cup baby sorrel
\n<\/b>1 cup cream
\n<\/b>1 cup sliced raw fingerling potatoes
\n<\/b>1 cup button chanterelle mushrooms<\/b><\/p>\n