The Shabbat Table: Food memories from Winnipeg

Eggplant salad WIKI COMMONS PHOTO

The Shabbat Table is the latest CJN column from noted chef and food blogger Norene Gilletz. Click here for last week’s recipes.


Shabbat Shalom, Good Shabbos! I recently attended a family wedding in my hometown, Winnipeg. It was wonderful celebrating with my family and friends – for me, a visit to Winnipeg is always a trip down memory lane and a connection with the beloved foods of my childhood.

There was a beautiful Shabbat dinner for the out-of-towners, with more than 100 people in attendance. The best part of the evening was sharing Shabbat dinner with my aunt and uncle, Fay and Ben Rykiss, the grandparents of the groom, and many of my first cousins.

Matthew and Yaffa Rykiss’ wedding was a fairy-tale event, with an outdoor chuppah and a touching ceremony, culminating with dinner and lots of dancing. The celebrations ended on Monday morning with a beautiful brunch for family and out-of-towners.

Throughout the weekend, I indulged in smoked goldeye and pickerel, knishes from Gunn’s Bakery, and Jeanne’s cake (see my kosher version called Genie’s cake, below).

Image result for jeanne's bakery cake recipe
JEANE’S BAKERY PHOTO

I stayed with my close friends, Evita and Lyle Smordin, who are the most wonderful hosts! Evita made a delicious eggplant spread (see Evita’s recipe, below) that we brought to Winnipeg Beach to enjoy for Shabbat lunch along with Winnipeg rye bread, smoked goldeye, and corn on the cob, plus date and pecan loaf for dessert. Evita’s eggplant recipe is a simpler version of my Smoky Eggplant Spread.

On the way to Smordin’s cottage, we stopped by the Winnipeg Beach shul just in time to see everyone gathered around the kiddush table that had been set up for lunch for the congregation after Shabbat services. One of the dishes was a beautiful Barley Salad (see recipe, below).

Have a delicious Shabbos!


EVITA’S EASY EGGPLANT SPREAD

There’s no need to cut up the eggplants or bell peppers before baking them. Easy peasy!

2 medium eggplants

1 red bell pepper

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or canola oil)

1 Tbsp white vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

1. Place eggplants and bell pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake uncovered in a preheated 375 F oven for about 1 hour, until eggplants are tender and have collapsed. Cool completely.

2. Cut eggplants and bell pepper in half. Scoop out eggplant flesh with a spoon and place into bowl of a food processor; discard peel.

3. Discard seeds and core from bell pepper. Add bell pepper flesh to food processor.

4. Process, using on/off pulses, until combined. Add salt, pepper and garlic. Process briefly, just until mixed.

5. Transfer to a storage container, cover and refrigerate. Adjust seasonings to taste before serving. Serve chilled.

Yield: about 2 cups. Keeps several days in the refrigerator. Freezes well.

Optional: To make Babaganoush, blend in 2 Tbsp of mayonnaise.

***

My longtime friend, Bev Binder of Winnipeg, was kind enough to get the recipe for this yummy barley salad for me from Lenore Kagan. This salad is often served at the Shabbat Kiddush at The Hebrew Congregation of Winnipeg Beach, the last functioning synagogue in Manitoba outside of Winnipeg.

The shul has always been a summer-only institution. For years, there used to be twice-daily minyans, in addition to Shabbat services, throughout the summer. Now the shul only has services on Shabbat through July and August, led by the members. The last Shabbat service of the summer will be held on Labor Day weekend.


LENORE KAGAN’S BARLEY SALAD

1 cup pearl barley

2 cups water

1 cup parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh mint, finely chopped

1/2 cup diced onion

1 small cucumber, diced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp salt (or to taste)

3 plum tomatoes, diced

Additional mint for garnish

1. Cook barley in water until tender, about 35-45 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a large bowl and cool completely.

2. Add parsley, mint, onion and cucumber. Add oil, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt and toss to combine.

3. Top with tomatoes and additional mint for garnish. Serve chilled.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings. You can double or triple the recipe for a large crowd. Keeps 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.


LENORE KAGAN’S HERRING SALAD

Thanks to Bev Binder for letting me know about this scrumptious salad. It was a big hit at the Shabbat Kiddush the week after I visited – too bad that I was already back home in Toronto by then!

24 oz jar marinated herring fillets, drained and cut up

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch green onions (5-6 green onions), chopped

1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

4 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 Tbsp brown sugar

WIKI COMMONS PHOTO

1. Combine herring with remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Serve chilled.

Yield: For a large crowd


GENIE’S BIRTHDAY CAKE

Adapted from The New Food Processor Bible

This is an old-time Winnipeg favourite. This was the cake I always had for my birthday parties when I was a little girl. Too bad a genie can’t make the calories magically disappear!

Base:

1/3 cup soft shortening or tub margarine

1 cup flour

1/4 cup icing sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Batter:

1/2 cup soft shortening or tub margarine

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk (or rice or soy milk)

1 1/3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Genie’s Icing (recipe follows)

Chocolate sprinkles or grated chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Use the Steel Blade of your food processor to process all ingredients.

2. For Base: Process all ingredients for base until blended, about 10 seconds. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving about 1 inch of paper extending beyond top of pan on either side. Press dough firmly into bottom of pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes. When cool, remove from pan. Place on serving plate and peel off paper.

3. For Batter: Process shortening or margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract on the Steel Blade for 2 minutes. Do not insert pusher in feed tube. Add milk and process 3 seconds. Add dry ingredients and process with 3 or 4 quick on/off pulses, just until flour disappears. Do not overprocess. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.

4. Pour batter into sprayed 8-inch square pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan.

5. Assembly: Prepare Genie’s Icing as directed. Spread base with a thin layer of icing. Cover with cooled cake. Frost completely, reserving about 1/2 cup icing. Add a few drops of food colouring to reserved icing; pipe leaves and flowers with a cake decorating set. Coat sides of cake with chocolate sprinkles or grated sweet chocolate.

Yield: 12 servings. Freezes well.


GENIE’S ICING

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 cup milk (or rice or soy milk)

1 cup unsalted butter or shortening, softened

1. Steel Blade: Place sugar and cornstarch in processor. Add milk through feed tube while machine is running. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring often, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and cover surface of mixture with waxed paper. Cool thoroughly.

2. Using an electric mixer, cream butter or shortening until light and fluffy. Add cooled mixture and beat at high speed for at least 5 minutes. Add a few drops of food colouring, if desired.

Note: Icing may be processed with the Steel Blade for about 2 minutes. However, it will not have the same light, fluffy texture as when beaten with an electric mixer. Taste will not be affected.

Yield: For one 8-inch square cake or two 9-inch layers (12 servings). Freezes well.


Norene Gilletz is the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada. She is the author of eleven cookbooks and divides her time between work as a food writer, food manufacturer, consultant, spokesperson, cooking instructor, lecturer, and cookbook editor.

Norene lives in Toronto, Canada and her motto is “Food that’s good for you should taste good!” For more information, visit her website or email her at [email protected].