Lieberman Recipes

HADASSAH LIEBERMAN’S PAREVE VEGETABLESOUP

1 medium onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, crushed

3 medium carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 bay leaf

kosher salt

dash of cayenne pepper

dash of cinnamon

Water or vegetable stock to cover (about 11¼2 quarts)

1 large sweet potato, chopped

1 parsnip, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes

13¼4 cups chickpeas, lima beans or lentils, cooked

olive oil for sautéing (about 2 tablespoons)

1 medium onion, sliced

In a soup kettle sauté onion, garlic, celery, carrots and seasonings for 10 minutes. Cover with water or stock. Bring to boil, lower flame and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add remaining vegetables, peas or beans; simmer 1¼2 hour more or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, pour olive oil into a skillet; add the second onion. Saute until browned but not burnt. Add onion to the soup. Stir thoroughly; simmer 15 minutes more. Serves 12.

LILI DEUTSCH’S HUNGARIAN VEALGOULASH

When Mindy Weisel knows the Liebermans are coming for dinner, she fixes Joe’s favorite Veal Goulash, a recipe she inherited from her mother, Lili. If you prefer a lighter flavor, add more vegetables.

Olive oil for sautéing

2 large yellow onions, chopped (about 11¼2 cups)

4 cloves garlic, chopped, more, if desired

2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika

4 pounds veal, cut into 11¼2-inch cubes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1¼2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more, if desired

1¼2 cup chopped parsley

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cups sliced carrots, quartered

1 cup chopped potatoes

1¼ 2 cup sliced celery

2 cups good tomato sauce or 2 cups canned or fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 cups good red wine, such as merlot

2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

Preheat oven to 400. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in paprika. Rinse veal with water; pat dry. Return Dutch oven to heat, add veal, salt and pepper, and sauté until meat is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add parsley, marjoram, carrots, celery, tomato sauce, wine and stock. Place cover on pot, place in oven, lower temperature to 375. Bake for 2 hours or until meat is fork tender. If gravy seems too thick, add boiling water, a little at a time. Or you can bake it in a slow oven (250) overnight, which yields a moist, delicious flavor. According to Weisel, this tastes better when made in advance and reheated. Serve with noodles, rice, or cous cous, and Hadassah’s favorites, cabbage and baked sweet potatoes. Serves 10.

HADASSAH’S PISTACHIO RICE PILAF

Turkish apricots are wonderful in this dish.

1¼4 cup currants

1 cup long-grain brown rice, washed and drained

2 cups water or vegetable broth

kosher salt to taste

1¼4 cup dried apricots, cut into strips

1¼2 cup unsalted pistachio nuts

cinnamon

Soak currants for 15 minutes in warm water. Drain and set aside. Wash rice and drain. Toast rice by placing it in a skillet over medium heat; stirring it until dry and lightly browned. Be careful not to burn it. Place rice in a 11¼2 quart saucepan; cover with water or broth. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low; cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer for 25 minutes, take off cover; place currants, apricots and nuts on top of rice. Do not stir in. Return lid and continue simmering 20 minutes or until rice is tender and water absorbed. Remove from heat, let stand two minutes.

Using a spatula, turn into a serving dish, being careful to keep the fruit and nuts on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Serves 6.

HADASSAH’S STEAMED CABBAGE ANDONIONS

Steaming the cabbage to finish the dish is an Eastern European tradition. For a beautiful look and distinctive taste, use half purple and half green cabbage.

olive oil for sautéing

1 large onion, sliced in chunks

2 plump garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, sliced in rounds

pinch of paprika

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 green cabbage, sliced in thick chunks

1¼2 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)

In a heavy kettle, heat olive oil. Add onion, garlic, carrots, if desired, paprika, salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables are translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add cabbage, caraway seeds, if desired, sauté 5 minutes more. Place kettle in 350 oven to steam, about 15 minutes, or until tender. Serves 6 to 8.

MARCIA LIEBERMAN’S HONEY CAKE

This cake has been one of Joe’s favorites from the time he was a boy.

3 cups cake flour

11¼2 teaspoons baking powder

3¼4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sugar

1¼4 teaspoon ground cloves

1¼4 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup honey

3 eggs

3¼4 cup water

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

grated rind of 1 lemon

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon brandy

3¼4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 10-inch tube pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon. Place honey, eggs, water, lemon juice and rind, oil, and brandy into a bowl. Beat together until well blended. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until combined thoroughly. Fold in walnuts. Pour batter into pan. Bake in oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. If desired, serve with the dried fruit topping. Serves 12.

DRIED FRUIT TOPPING

Hadassah likes dried fruit and nuts for dessert. When Mindy entertains the Liebermans, she piles fruits and nuts onto one of her painted ceramic platters. You can also turn them into a fruit and nut topping, which is delicious served with Marcia’s honey cake. If you have purchased very tender dried fruit (e.g., from a Farmer’s Market), you won’t need to cook it. Just marinate it in the liquid.

1 cup brown sugar or honey

3 cups cold water

3 cups dry white wine

1¼2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 pounds mixed dried fruit (apricots, apples, pineapple, figs, peaches, pears, prunes, nectarines, cherries, cherries, white raisins, preferably, unsulphured)

6 thin lemon slices

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1¼2 teaspoon dried lavender

6 lavender leaves

1¼4 cup fruit flavored brandy, whiskey or orange liqueur

1¼2 cup very fresh walnuts

Fresh lavender flowers for garnish (optional)

Bring all ingredients except brandy, walnuts and lavender flowers to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and gently poach until just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove fruit from pan and reserve.

Increase heat to high; boil cooking liquid until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add brandy and return to a boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat; return the fruit. Spoon warmed fruit topping over honey cake. If desired, garnish with lavender flowers. Serves 6 to 8.