Recipes for Shabbat

Shavuot

By Eileen Goltz

The counting of the days of the Omer are winding down and I, for one, am looking forward to that plethora of weddings and Bar Mitzvahs that are on my calendar. But first, Shavuot.

Shavuot is a great holiday. However, every other Jewish holiday seems to have a specific food that it is inexorably linked with but poor Shavuot the best we can do is come up with is the generic "Oh, yeah, it’s that dairy holiday".

"Doing" dairy for a holiday meal in itself isn't difficult. It’s finding really good recipes that you haven’t had 37 times and doesn’t have 3 times your daily allowance of cholesterol that’s hard. Too much cheese and dairy products aren’t really too good for anyone so we have to walk that fine line between what tastes good and what’s good for you. The following recipes are a nice mixture of main dishes and side dishes that you can use for lunches and dinners and not have to worry about congestion in the artery department.

Oh, one more note, in searching for the reasons why we're supposed to eat only dairy/parve foods on Shavuot I found several charming answers. My personal favorite is that the custom is derived from the beautiful verse "honey and milk shall be under your tongue” from the Song of Songs (4:11). This refers to the studying of Torah, implying that the words of the Torah are as enjoyable and agreeable to our ears and hearts as milk and honey are to our mouths.

APPLE BRAISED SALMON WITH CITRUS SPICED COUSCOUS

Blend together all ingredients in the poaching liquid. It is best to do this a day ahead of time so that the flavors develop. The poaching liquid will last up to a week in your refrigerator.

Sear the salmon in a very hot, ovenproof skillet. Add 6 oz. of the prepared vinaigrette and cook in a 400° oven for 8-10 minutes. Bring remaining vinaigrette to a boil in a small pan along with apple slices.

Prepare the couscous in advance using the water or stock along with the lemon and lime juices in place of the plain water that called for on the package instructions. Serve the salmon on top of the couscous. Spoon additional vinaigrette with apple slices over the top. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4.

PORTABELLA MUSHROOM BURGERS

In a bowl combine all the marinade ingredients together. Place each mushroom in another bowl, gill side up. Pour 1/2 of the marinade over each mushroom, pouring a little in the bottom of the bowl first, to wet the upside down cap, and the remainder into the upturned cap. Marinate for 5-10 minutes. Do not marinate longer as the mushrooms will absorb too much marinade.

Grill mushrooms on a wood or charcoal fire, or in a hot skillet on the stovetop, or under a broiler. 2-3 minutes per side will usually do, or until the mushrooms are browned and tender. If you like, melt a slice of cheese on top during the last minute or so of cooking. Serve on burger buns with toppings of your choice. Serves 2.

PASTA WITH TEQUILA LIME CREAM SAUCE

In a saucepan combine the garlic and shallots with the tequila, lime juice and vinegar. Cook until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Add the cream and cook until reduced by 1/2. Strain out garlic and shallot if desired. Return sauce to heat and whisk in butter. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Whisk into sauce to thicken it. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta. Add green onions and tomatoes to hot pasta pot and stir. Add drained pasta and sauce and mix well. Serve garnished with cilantro, if desired. You can also top the pasta with grilled fish. Serves 4

EGGS TETRAZZINI

In a skillet cook the celery, green pepper, onion, and mushrooms in the butter until it’s tender. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and cook stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in the cheese, salt, Worcestershire, and sherry. Stir until cheese is melted. Add the chopped cooked eggs and cook for 1 minute. Serve over spaghetti. Garnish with sliced egg. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serves 4. This sauce is great over spinach or green beans or grilled or baked fish.

FRESH CORN SALAD

In bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Using a knife, cut the kernels off cobs and then add them to the dressing; toss to coat. Serves 6. This is great over a cold poached salmon steak.

LAYERED SOUTHWEST PASTA SALAD

Prepare elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain again. Toss the pasta with the oil, cumin, and salt. To make the salad you need a large bowl. The first layer on the bottom of the bowl should be the macaroni and then layer the beans, corn, bell peppers, and onions (in that order). In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and taco sauce and mix well. Spread the sour cream mixture evenly over top of pasta, sealing to edge of bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill overnight. To serve, sprinkle the fried onions over the top of the salad and toss, making sure that everything is mixed well. Serves 4 to 6.

Eileen Goltz, a professional chef and caterer, is the author of the new cookbook, Perfectly Pareve.