Cafe Liz

Blood orange jam

Blood oranges aren’t so common, although I’m not sure why not. They have a relatively discreet exterior — only a hint of a blush that tells you that no, this is not a normal orange; inside lies a shockingly red jewel of a fruit.

This year, I’ve found only one person selling blood oranges at the Carmel Market — the guy near the bottom of the shook, who also sells steamed corn and fruit juices. Coincidentally, he’s across from the one person at the shook who had limes several months ago.

What is it with the scarcity of interesting citrus this year? In any case, I decided to preserve some blood oranges for posterity, or at the very least for the next few months. Because what would make a marmalade more beautiful than a ruby red sheen? Continue reading Blood orange jam…

Pasta with fresh peas and pistachios

Legume season is on us with a vengeance, and prices are rapidly plummeting — a kilo of peas may have cost upwards of 20 shekels a month ago, if you could even find them, and now they’re closer to 10. Fava beans are 6.

How could a person resist fresh sweet peas, especially given how sweet they are? And they’re a bright, springtime green. Eitan suggested feeding them to children as candy.

They’re certainly fodder for adults as well, if a little more labor intensive than frozen peas. But they taste so much better. Certainly better than dried peas. And canned. *Shudder*

This pasta dish is a springtime green, too, due to not only the peas but some lovely pink and green pistachios, and a light hint of fresh herbs. Only minimal cooking involved. Continue reading Pasta with fresh peas and pistachios…

Buckwheat pancakes

Sometimes ideas come out of nowhere. For some reason, I had the idea to make buckwheat pancakes. I’m not sure I’ve even had them more than two or three times, but it’s an American southern classic, and I guess the sound of the name just said breakfast to me. So we made buckwheat pancakes.

Buckwheat is not actually related to wheat; in fact, it isn’t even a grain. It plays a role in different cultures around the world, and my favorite use is probably in Japanese soba noodles. It also appears in Breton crepes and polenta variations. Plus, it’s gluten-free. Continue reading Buckwheat pancakes…

Greens of the season: What’s in your yard, what’s in the market — and what’s off-limits

The winter rains bring with them an explosion of green growth, much of which filters its way into our markets -- well, some of them, at least. For whatever reason -- wealth? -- many of the wild greens do not play a role in most people's diets. And it's a pity, because native plants are an excellent way to embrace the land, eating local at its best.

However, you can still find them. A few of them may be in your yard, or growing alongside parking lots, or next to roads. Well, any of them could be there -- these are wild plants, after all. But you can save yourself the trouble (and potential danger) of identifying them yourself by buying them after someone else did the foraging -- Arab and interracial locales, as well as less well-off places, are a good bet for this.

There's a potential catch, though. Some plants that have been part of the culinary tradition for hundreds of years are now protected by law due to overpicking, but they're still being sold in the markets. Most likely it's a matter of ignorance. However, there's a reason they're protected -- they've become endangered by the harvesting habits, which in many cases prevent them from reproducing.

Here's a list of what's what -- the plants I've identified around my house (mallow, sorrel, nettle), the delights in various markets (wild beet, chicory, mustard, and Jerusalem sage) a few that were there but shouldn't be (cyclamen, tumbleweed). Last but not least -- some simple recipes that highlight the vibrant freshness of the season.

But before we begin, a warning: If you're not 100 percent sure you know what you're picking, don't eat it. People have died over misidentifications. At the very least, this guide will give you the satisfaction of knowing what's in your yard. Knowing how to identify the urban flora makes your environment a little bit more familiar -- especially when you see your friend the mallow bush peeking out at every opportunity.

Now, let's go. Continue reading Greens of the season: What’s in your yard, what’s in the market — and what’s off-limits...

Purim special: Hamentaschen-shaped bird’s nest baklava

Purim is approaching, and while I haven’t decided on a costume, I did decide to dress up my hamentaschen in Middle Eastern outfits. Hamentaschen are traditional Ashkenazi Jewish cookies notable for their three-pointed form, which according to tradition resembles the three-cornered hat of Haman, the holiday’s antagonist. (In Hebrew, for some reason, they’re called oznei haman, or “Haman’s ears.”) Last year I dressed up my hamantaschen as Japanese-inspired mochi cookies, this year I they resembled Middle Eastern pastries.

The Purim story is set in first-century Persia, so it’s unlikely that Mordechai, Esther or Haman ever had baklava. While the Persians (or Ottomans) are thought to have invented baklava, filo came into being only somewhere between the 6th and the 10th centuries. But still, it’s a twist that makes me smile. Continue reading Purim special: Hamentaschen-shaped bird’s nest baklava…

Eggplants stuffed with herbs and rice

Here in the Levant we like to stuff things. It’s a habit picked up by all the places that used to be part of the Ottoman empire and its neighbors. Because rice is never so good as when it’s cooked packed inside a vegetable, and picks up its flavors and aroma during cooking.

Since stuffing isn’t limited only to peppers, which are born hollow and ready to be stuffed, there are special tools to help with the job. Previously I used a paring knife, but inspired by Sarah and Miriam’s posts on Nazareth, I picked up a special hollowing tool, for seven shekels (Photo after the jump). I got it from a little store on Jaffa’s Jerusalem boulevard, where the shopkeeper showed me an Egyptian pound someone had passed off as 10-shekel coin earlier that day — both have a bronze disc surrounded by a silver border, except the pound has a picture of a pharaoh and is worth, um, about 1/20th of a 10-shekel coin. Continue reading Eggplants stuffed with herbs and rice…

Cabbage salad with soy sauce and raisins

This cabbage salad is simple, quick and generally popular — as are most sweet, salty things. As the cabbage absorbs the soy sauce and vinegar, it wilts and softens. As a bonus, this is one salad that can be left in the fridge for a few days, to no ill effects. It’s supposed to be wilted, after all. Continue reading Cabbage salad with soy sauce and raisins…

Spiced wine with quince and roses

People, believe it or not, I've found a use for kiddush wine. For those who have never had it, it's a traditionally sweet wine to represent the sweetness of blessings, but there's just so much sweetness a person can handle until terms like cloying and sickly come to mind. But add some spices and fruit, and heat it up, and it's actually quite nice. There you have it, mulled wine, no sugar added. Good for the cold weather, too.

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of attending a Tel Aviv food blogger meet-up. Yael of Oranges and Honey (in Finnish), Irene of Irene Sharon Hodes, Sarah of Foodbridge, Michelle of Baroness Tapuzina and Miriam of Israeli Kitchen and I met at Mazzarine in Tel Aviv for dinner (see my previous review). The management had caught wind of our nature, and sent over a handful of offerings on the house, along with the new chef. Culinary highlights: I quite liked the foccaccia and the mustard mayonnaise; chef Sharon Artzi, who had been there a week at the time, told us he planned to renovate the menu with new dishes; and the mulled wine that closed our meal was excellent. A traditional Scandinavian holiday drink, as Yael pointed out. (Non-food highlight: Have you ever been out to eat with six people who all get up and methodologically photograph every dish? It's nice to be with like minds.)

Along with cubes of fresh fruit, Mazzarine added a few dried rosebuds to their mulled wine, and while they don't add a prominent flavor, they make a nice visual touch.

Now, you could make mulled wine from slightly better stock, but why bother? I've never exactly been a wine connoisseur, and in any case, why ruin something that's worth drinking on its own? And who doesn't have a random, unwanted bottle of kiddush wine sitting around? Continue reading Spiced wine with quince and roses...

Black bean soup with citrus

It’s a simple black bean soup, but with a citrus tang — from oranges, kumquats or both. I first encountered a similar recipe about 10 years ago, and while I’ve long since forgotten which cookbook it was in, the mix of flavors has etched itself a place in my mind.

Most such recipes call for orange juice, but I see no reason not to throw in the whole fruit — the zest goes in during the cooking stage, then I remove the white pith, and blend the flesh into the cooked soup. It’s like juice, but with extra fiber.

Kumquats also make an excellent addition, as the sweet little balls of zest are in season, too. I added a few sliced up as garnishes to the finished soup, kind of like fruity croutons, but you could substitute them for the oranges entirely, if you want. Continue reading Black bean soup with citrus…

Hatikva market — the other side of Tel Aviv

I don't usually feel like a stranger in my own city. I observe minute changes in the scenery as they occur, and I probably could get around with my eyes closed, that is, if I weren't afraid of walking into a tree or getting hit by a car. Yet there are neighborhoods I don't know very well, and even some where I've never been. Hatikva was one of them.

The neighborhood happens to have a great market, and countless restaurants. It also happens to be the Tel Aviv neighborhood with the worst reputation, one of crime and poverty. But not surprisingly, it's not a bad place at all. In fact, it's a pretty decent place. I could think of at least one Tel Aviv neighborhood that is way grosser than the wrongly defamed Hatikva quarter (ahem, central bus station).

This may be part of the reason that the prices in Hatikva are so reasonable -- to the residents' dismay, the area doesn't have the same draw as yuppified Neve Tzekek, or even the Carmel market and the many Yemenite restaurants nearby.

In fact, the Hatikva market is wider and cleaner than Tel Aviv's more popular Carmel market, thanks to a 2005 renovation. Huh. Continue reading Hatikva market — the other side of Tel Aviv...