Menorah, Photograph: Public Domain via Wikipedia

Dreidel, Photograph: Public Domain via Wikipedia

HAPPY HANUKAH

Tomorrow is the start of the Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukah!  For those who may not know, Hanukah commemorates the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 B.C.E. and the victory of the Maccabees (the Jews) over Antiochus and the Greeks, who placed a statue of Zeus in the temple and imprisoned the Jews. This 2,300 year old festival celebrates a military victory and the perseverance of a people who adhered to their faith despite persecution.  It is a festival that reminds us of the rewards of perseverance and blessings of religious freedom, which  -  in my view  - can only be ensured for one group by ensuring it for all groups. 

Hanukah means “new beginnings,” as in a new beginning with the rededication of the temple.   After the Maccabees won their freedom and got the temple back, they found that there was only enough olive oil to light the temple lamps for one day. It is reported that a miracle happened: the oil lasted eight days, just the amount of time needed to complete a press to make more olive oil. Hence, the festival is celebrated over the course of eight days.  Each night another candle on the menorah is lighted and gifts are exchanged.

The dreidel, a four-sided wooden toy with lettering on each side is also significant in this celebration.  It was used by imprisoned Jews as a cover for discussing the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew bible. The Jews would spin the dreidel and pretend to be gambling.  The letters stand for “miracle,” “great,” “was,” and “there.”  Or, “A great miracle happened there.” 

You will see the name of this festival spelled various ways: Hanukah, Hanukkah, and Chanukah.

Although the Jewish peoples hail from countries all over the world, there is some consistency in their foods because of the dietary guidelines of their religion.  In the U.S., if you are fortunate enough to live in an area with a large Jewish population, you have also been fortunate enough to enjoy their many wonderful foods: potato knishes, Kasha Varnishes, blintzes, Kosher chicken (the best chickens, bar none), honey cake and challah bread, to name just a few.  Here, I have chosen to share two of the recipes my old neighbor, Gussie, shared with me, latkes (traditionally served with applesauce and sour cream) and cucumber salad. Both of these dishes are naturally wheat-and-gluten free, a benefit for those with Celiac Disease.

Gluten-Free Latkes with Homemade Applesauce and Sour Cream

Serves four

I’ve modified the original latke recipe.  These days I increase the variety of vegetables used in recipes whenever and wherever I can, following my doctor’s injunction to make sure to eat “all your colors.”  So I have added carrot and minced parsley, neither of which is traditional, as far as I know. Olive oil is used since that is what was used to light the temple lamps. You can use a light olive oil.  In my view, it doesn’t have to be first press for this dish. The flavor may actually benefit from the lighter olive flavor.

The recipe:

Prepare the applesauce:

4 Granny Smith apples, washed, cored and diced, leave the skin on

1/2 cup of white wine

1/2 cup organic sugar 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, Smart Balance, or Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, mix well, and simmer until the apples are cooked through. Keep stirring through the process to make sure the sauce doesn’t stick or burn and that there is enough liquid.  Add a bit of water if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl when the latkes are done and serve the applesauce warm.

Prepare the latkes:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees and line a platter with paper towels.  As you finish frying the latkes, place them on the platter in the oven to keep warm.

1 1/2 pounds of baking potatoes, scrubbed

1/2 pound of carrots, scrubbed and tipped and topped

1 small white onion, minced

1 omega-three egg, beaten

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

sea salt to taste

cracked black pepper to taste

1/2 -3/4 cup olive oil

Large-shred potatoes.  Lay potato shreds on a clean, dry kitchen towel.  Roll towel and squeeze to remove excess water from the potatoes.  Place potatoes in a mixing bowl and shred carrots into it. Add parsley, salt, and pepper and mix well.  Add egg and mix well.

Heat oil in a fry pan to medium-high heat.  Cook three or four latke – each about two tablespoons potato mixture – at a time, as will fit in your fry pan.  As a you complete each batch, place the latke on the platter in the oven to keep warm.  Serve with applesauce and gluten-free sour cream.  If you have Celiac Disease, be sure to read the ingredients on the sour cream to ensure that there are no forbidden starches or other gluten/wheat ingredients.  I have not found a vegan tofu-based sour “cream” that is wheat/gluten free. 

Gluten-Free Cucumber Salad

2 cucumbers, skinned and sliced as thinly as possible

1 small red onion, cut in half and sliced thin

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

1 cup organic, gluten-free vegetable broth

1/2 cup organic sugar 

1/2 teaspoon each of celery seed and mustard seed

Combine the cucumbers and onions in a bowl.

In a sauce pan combine the liquids and the sugar. Heat through, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Remove from heat and add the the celery seed and mustard seed.  Pour over the vegetables, cover and refrigerate until chilled through.  

Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

For more on Latkes and for a great post on a Classic N.Y. Egg Cream see Jason Perlow’s Off the Broiler.

For my fellow Celiacs, I’m going to guess that the Fox’s Ubet used for Egg Cream is not for us.  :-(

Healthy Foods for Under $1.