When Middle East cuisine meets American tradition.
By SHARON FEIEREISENStuffed pumpkin(photo credit: AVI STEINITZ)
For many, 2020 will mark the first year Thanksgiving is celebrated without friends and family. It’s a tough pill to swallow in what has already been a challenging year. In the midst of it all, it’s easy to forget what the day is all about: gratitude. So, whether you’ll be celebrating via Zoom or in-person with your nuclear family, make this a memorable year by giving classic American Thanksgiving dishes an Israeli twist.For those observing the day in Israel, this year on November 26, you’ll want to remember to order your turkey with your butcher at least a few days in advance; check your local Asian specialty shop for all things pumpkin purée, and yes, you can get marshmallows in Israel – even high fructose corn syrup-free vegan Dandies! (Most supermarkets, like Shufersal and AM/PM, have marshmallows in-store; you can also find them via on Shufersal online.)Now let’s get cooking. We’ve reached out to leaders in the Middle Eastern food scene and asked them to share their favorite recipes with us.Stuffed Pumpkin (serves 6-8) By Avi Steinitz, culinary manager at Dan Gourmet “This recipe is a take off a traditional Thanksgiving dish using some of the first winter vegetables in the market here in Israel.”1 kg. pumpkin2 cups freekeh1.5 white onion choppedA bunch of mint, parsley, and cilantro
3 green onions3-4 celery stalksA handful of roasted hazelnuts1 cup pomegranate seeds1 squeezed lemon4 Tsp. date honeyHeat the oven to 190°C. Place the pumpkin on a flat baking rack and brush with olive oil and roast for an hour or until soft. Wash the freekeh and strain. Heat olive oil in a pot and glaze the onion; add the freekeh and salt. Keep heating for a few minutes before adding water and stirring. Cover the pot and lower the heat to minimum heat for 8-10 minute. Chill. Chop all the greens. Place the cooked freekeh in a ball, add all other ingredients and season to taste.Sumac Sweet Potato and Marshmallow Casserole (serves 4-6) By Natalie Seeff, owner of Natflat Supperclub in Tel Aviv“I believe that when in Rome one should do as the Romans do. It makes sense to adapt recipes and traditions to one’s current location.One thing I love about Tel Aviv is going to the shuk and being met by an array and abundance of local spices and delicacies to incorporate into my culinary creations.”1.5 kg. sweet potatoes4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil2 Tbsp. lemon juice2 tsp. ground cinnamon2 tsp. sumac spice1 Tbsp. salt280 g. Dandies vegan vanilla marshmallowsPreheat the oven to 220°C. Peel and chop sweet potatoes and boil until soft. Mix all ingredients except for marshmallows with the sweet potatoes and mash to a smooth puree.Spoon mash halfway into ceramic ramekins and cover with marshmallows. Bake 15 minutes.SUMAC SWEET potato and marshmallow casserole. (Natalie Seeff)Baharat Whole Roasted Chicken (serves 4) By Eden Grinshpan with Rachel Holtzman, authors of Eating Out Loud“This is a great substitute for a Thanksgiving turkey. Baharat is Arabic for ‘spice’ and it’s basically an all-purpose spice blend with savory notes like cumin, clove and coriander. Serving it with jammy-roasted shallots, creamy garlic and caramelized sweet potatoes adds so much richness to the chicken, and the preserved lemon you finish it with really breaks up that richness and adds a pop of bright citrus flavor.”1.5-3 kg. chicken¾ cup extra virgin olive oil1½ Tbsp. baharat spice blendKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean, cut lengthwise into 2.5cm wedges6 shallots, halved lengthwise1 head of garlic separated into cloves, unpeeled1 preserved lemon rind, store-bought rinsed and finely choppedPreheat the oven to 220°C. Slide your fingers beneath the skin of the chicken to gently separate it from the meat. Pour ¼ cup of the olive oil over the chicken, rubbing it under the skin and all over the outside of the bird. Season with the baharat, salt, and pepper. In a roasting pan, toss the sweet potatoes, shallots, and garlic with another ¼ cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Set the chicken breast-side up on top of the vegetables.Roast about an hour. Carefully remove the chicken from the pan and tent it with foil. Return the pan with the vegetables to the oven and roast for another five minutes. Peel the garlic and discard the skins. Return the roasted cloves to the pan. In a small bowl, mix together the chopped lemon rind and the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil. Serve the chicken surrounded with the roasted vegetables and drizzled with the preserved lemon oil.BAHARAT WHOLE roasted chicken. (Aubrie Pick)Harissa Turkey Breast Roast (serves 4) By Jamie Geller, founder of Kosher Media Network“Turkey breast is one of the leanest sources of high-quality protein. You can eat it hot from the oven on Thanksgiving and then cold the next day. You can even slice it up deli style and freeze it for future quick lunches.”½ cup pomegranate molasses**2 Tbsp. harissa1 large skinless, boneless turkey breastKosher saltFreshly cracked black pepperPreheat the oven to 180°C. Mix pomegranate molasses with harissa in a bowl. Season the turkey breast with salt and pepper. Coat with pomegranate harissa mixture on all sides, best to do this with your hands. Roll the turkey breast and wrap with butcher twine so that it will cook more evenly. Place on a sheet pan and into the oven for about an hour. Remove the turkey breast from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes. ** To make pomegranate molasses, simply simmer two cups pomegranate juice with ¼ cup honey over medium heat until it is reduced to a syrupy consistency.HARISSA TURKEY breast roast. (Shutterstock)Pumpkin Challah (makes 1 challah) By Carlton Tel Aviv chef Eran Nachshon“This recipe is a fairly easy one and it’s ideal since it combines the American holiday season’s much used pumpkin with traditionally Jewish challah bread.” 1 kg. flour2 Tbsp. dry yeast6 Tbsp. sugar350 ml. lukewarm water1/2 cup olive oil1 Tbsp. salt2 eggs130 g. pumpkin cubes + 1 Tbsp olive oil1 egg yolk + 1 Tbsp. date honeyPeeled pumpkin seedsPreheat oven to 170°C. Mix the pumpkin cubes with olive oil and bake in the oven till they soften. In the mixer, mix the water, yeast and sugar. Add the olive oil and eggs while mixing.Add the flour and mix for another three minutes on medium speed. Add the pumpkin and the salt while mixing for another four minutes. Allow the dough to rise till it doubles in size (30-60 minutes). Knead and cut it into three equal portions and braid the challah. Allow the challah to rise again for 30-60 minutes (the warmer the room, the quicker the dough rises). Brush with the egg yolk and date honey and sprinkle the pumpkin seeds or any other desired topping.Bake for 30 minutes.PUMPKIN CHALLAH. (Carlton Tel Aviv)Pumpkin Stew With Carrots and Raisins (serves 4-6) By Orly Ziv, author of Cook in Israel“This is one of those dishes that I prepared for a cooking class and it was such a big hit that I’ve kept it in my rotation. It’s sweet and savory with a distinct flavor that’s perfect for Thanksgiving in Israel.”300 g. pumpkin diced2-3 carrots sliced2 onions sliced150 g. white raisins1 cup chickpeas cooked1-2 Tbsp. sugar½ tsp. cinnamon¼ tsp. ground clovesVegetable oilSalt to balance the tasteCut the pumpkin and the carrots and cook separately in water until soft. Sauté the onions in vegetable oil until golden. Combine the pumpkin, carrot, raisins, chickpeas, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and little water and cook together 10-15 minutes. Season with salt.PUMPKIN STEW with carrots and raisins. (Orly Ziv)Lemon Sumac Green Beans (serves 4-6) By Jamie Geller“We use Middle Eastern flavors and spices to enhance Thanksgiving foods. Green beans are so much more vibrant when paired with tangy sumac and lemon. Skip the whole boiling water routine and just sauté the beans in extra virgin olive oil with a sprinkling of garlic.”½ lemon, thinly sliced and then slices cut into quartersExtra virgin olive oil½ kg. trimmed green beans3 minced garlic clovesKosher saltFreshly ground black pepperZest and juice from ½ lemon3 tsp. sumac3 tsp. chopped flat-leaf parsleySumacHeat a large sauté pan, lightly coated with oil over medium-high heat. Sear lemon slices for just a minute until they begin to brown.Add green beans, garlic, salt, and pepper and sauté until beans begin to cook through. Add zest, juice, sumac, and parsley. Continue cooking for another five minutes. Transfer beans to platter and garnish with sumac.LEMON SUMAC green beans. (Jamie Geller)Inside-Out Apple Crumble (serves 6) By Danielle Renov, author of Peas Love and Carrots and the host of online Jewish-themed cooking demos via the 92Y“I love this recipe for Thanksgiving since I can find all the ingredients at Israeli markets and it’s easy to put together. It’s also light and comforting.”6 apples, washed and cored¾ cup brown sugar, divided1 Tbsp. bourbon1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract¾ cup quick cooking oats½ cup flour½ tsp. kosher salt¼ cup canola oilPreheat oven to 180°C. Coat baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar into the pan. Drizzle vanilla and bourbon over the sugar. Add cored apples. In a bowl combine remaining ingredients, mixing until well blended into a crumble.Stuff about two tablespoons of granola into the cavity of each apple. Sprinkle any remaining mixture into the nooks and crannies between the apples. Liberally coat a large piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray; cover the baking dish tightly. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake 10 minutes. Serve hot.INSIDE-OUT apple crumble. (Moshe Wulliger)
