tevzi (georgian poached fish with pomegranate sauce)
Yield
5 To 6 servi
Measure / Ingredient1 / Whole (3- to 4-pound) pan-dressed fish, such as red snapper, sea bass, or trout
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
5tablespoons / Butter, melted, or vegetable oil
1cup / Pomegranate sauce, about (recipe below)
¼cup / Pomegranate seeds or chopped fresh parsley for garnish
4mediums / Pomegranates (about 8 ounces each) (up to 5)
2tablespoons / Minced yellow onion
2tablespoons / Chopped fresh basil
2tablespoons / Chopped fresh coriander
1 / Clove garlic, minced
POMEGRANATE SAUCE The World Of Jewish Cooking, Gil Marks
Preheat the oven to 375-degrees F. Set aside a baking dish large enough to fit the fish. Sprinkle the fish with the salt and pepper and place in the baking dish. Drizzle with the butter or oil. Add enough water to almost cover the fish. Place in the oven and poach, basting occasionally, until tender, about 35 minutes for 3 pounds, about 50 minutes for 4 pounds. Transfer the fish to a serving platter and drizzle with the pomegranate sauce. Garnish with the pomegranate sees or parsley. This is frequently served with fried eggplant slices.
Pomegranate Sauce Cut the fruit in half. Squeeze the juice into a strainer and discard the hard white kernels. Boil the pomegranate juice until reduced almost by half. Add the onion, basil, coriander, and garlic. Let cool
georgian cheese pastries
easure / Ingredient1½cup / Flour,all-purpose
½teaspoon / Salt
½teaspoon / Cream of tartar
1 / Egg
1cup / Muenster cheese,shredded
1cup / Cheddar cheese,shredded
3tablespoons / Parmesan cheese,grated
10tablespoons / Butter,unsalted,cold
¼cup / Water,ice
¼cup / Parsley,chopped
2tablespoons / Chives,chopped
2tablespoons / Mint,chopped
PASTRY CHEESE FILLING 1. Prepare Pastry: Place flour, salt, cream of tartar and butter in food processor. Whirl until texture of coarse meal. Add water. Whirl just until combined and mixture begins to mass together. Place on plastic wrap, flatten to a disk, and wrap airtight. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 30 days.
2. Roll dough on floured surface to 1/8" thickness. Cut out 24 circles with 3" round cookie cutter, rerolling scraps; or trace around 3" water glass. Pleat edges of circles and fit in bottom of muffin tins.
3. Prepare Filling: Beat egg in bowl. Add Meunster, Cheddar, Parmesan, parsley, chives and mint. Spoon 2 teaspoons filling in each pastry shell; spread level. (Can be prepared up to 3 hours ahead and refrigerated.)
4. Bake in preheated hot oven (425'F) for 12-15 minutes or until the filling is golden brown and the pastry begins to color. Remove from tins; cook on rack. Serve warm.
khachapur'y (georgian cheese bread)
2 Servings
Measure / Ingredient2cups / Flour
3tablespoons / Oil
¾cup / Plain yogurt
1tablespoon / Cornstarch
¾teaspoon / Baking soda
¼teaspoon / Salt
½cup / Feta cheese "or"
¼cup / Roquefort cheese
1cup / Grated mozarrela ( or Georgian suluguni cheese )
1 / Egg beaten
1teaspoon / Unsalted butter
In medium bowl with wooden spoon beat in 1/3 cup flour with oil. add yoghurt and mix well. Then stir in 1/3 cup more flour. Sift cornstarch , baking soda and salt and stir in flour mixture.Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft but not sticky dough.Lightly dust with flour and cover with a kitchen towl and let rest at room temp, 1 to hours.
If using feta, soak in water 10 minutes and drain and crumble. In medium bowl mix feta or roquefort and mozarella and egg.. Shape cheeses into 2 medium balls and set aside. Divide dough into 2 portions and roll each into a balls. On floured surface flatten each ball into a 7 inch round. With floured hands gently rotate dough and pull into a 10 inch circle, 1/4 inch thick.Be careful not to tear dough. Pat each cheese ball into a 5 inch circle on center of dough.Gently pull up edges of dough pleating and pinching to enclose cheese. Pat into a 7inch round.
Heat a large cast iron or non stick skillet over low heat for 3 minutes. Lighly film skillet with melted butter. Place bread seam side up into skillet. Cover and cook for 12 minutes over very low heat, shaking pan ocassionally.Uncover and flip bread over, cover and cooking over low heat until deep gholden brown, about 12 minutes.Lightly brush top of bread with butter and let bread stand for 5 minutes. Use a serrated knife to cut bread and serve warm.
ORIGIN: Galina Stilonina, Tbilisi-Georgia, Circa 1994 From: Dr. Donald Houston Posted to MM-Recipes Digest V4 #16 by docdonald@... on May 17, 1999
Soko Khakhvita Da Kindzit (Mushrooms With Onions and Cilantro)
- 3medium onions, finely chopped
- 3tablespoons butter
- 1lb mushroom, cleaned and quartered
- 1/2cup mushroom stock
- 1 1/4cups walnuts, finely chopped
- 1bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
serves 4
Fry the onions in the butter.. Add teh mushrooms and stock and simmer until the mushrooms are just cooked. Stir in the walnuts and the cilantro and season to taste.
Meatballs with Egg-Lemon Sauce
6 to 8 servings
1-1/2 pounds ground lamb or beef
1/2 cup long-grain rice
1/2 cup minced onion
1 egg
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt, freshly ground pepper
2 cups beef bouillon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
In a large bowl combine the lamb or beef, rice, onion, egg, tomato sauce, parsley, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Shape into 2-inch meatballs. In a large saucepan bring the bouillon to a boil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and butter. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, until meatballs are tender, about 30 minutes. Test one to see if rice is tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl beat the egg yolks. Stir in lemon juice. Add 1/2 cup hot liquid; mix well. Add to meatballs, stirring constantly while adding. Leave over low heat about 5 minutes, long enough to thicken a little. Serve at once. Do not reheat.
Georgian Egg Salad - Azelila
- 4large eggs, hardboiled
- 1tablespoon butter, at room temperature
- 1/4cup shelledwalnuts
- 2tablespoons mincedfresh dill
- 1pinch salt
- 1tablespoon hot mexicansalsa
- lettuce leafor other salad greens, for serving
Hardboil the eggs and allow them to cool; separate the yolks from the whites. With a food processor, grind the 1/4 cup of walnuts until they're the texture you desire (we prefer them a little crumbly). Mash the yolks with the softened butter, then stir in the ground walnuts, dill, salt, and salsa.
Place lettuce leaves or salad greens onto a serving plate, then turn the yolk mixture out onto the prepared plate, surround with the chopped egg whites, and serve.
Variation: for a creamier salad, do not separate the hard-boiled eggs; mash the eggs with 3 Tbsp of softened butter, the ground walnuts, the dill, 2 Tbsp each of minced cilantro and scallion (white part only), and 1/8 teaspoon salt, then sprinkle 2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds on top of the salad for garnish.
Spinach with Walnut and Garlic Sauce
Pkhali
2 pounds fresh spinach
WALNUT SAUCE AND GARNISH
3/4 cup ground walnuts
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds or 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1/2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
3 tablespoons water
Salt, to taste
Pomegranate seeds or walnut pieces for garnish
1. Rinse the spinach thoroughly and discard the stems. Cook in salted water until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Drain the spinach and cool until manageable. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
3. Chop the spinach as fine as you can, or mince in a food processor, being careful not to overpuree. (The Georgians insist that it is best to put it through an old-fashioned meat grinder.)
4. To make the sauce, mix the ground walnuts with the garlic, onion, cilantro, coriander seeds, cayenne, fenugreek, vinegar, and water in a bowl.
5. Add this mixture to the spinach and stir until thoroughly blended and smooth. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.
6. To serve, spread the pkhali on a plate and smooth the top with a spatula. With a knife, make a pattern of diamonds in the top and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if available, or with walnut pieces.
Serves 4 to 6
Bottom of Form
Çerkez Tavuğu (Circassian Chicken)
1 large Chicken breast (1 1/2#)
3 cups Walnuts
5 thin slices Bread (stale)
8 cloves Roasted Garlic
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black pepper
2 1/2 cups Chicken broth
2 tsp Olive oil
1+ tsp Red pepper (cayenne)
2 tabs fried crisp shallots (the kind from Asian markets)
Pita Bread lightly brushed with olive oil, fried, then cut into triangles
Inner small leaves of romaine lettuce
Italian flat leaf parsley chopped for garnish
RED-TINTED OIL
1 Tbs. walnut oil
1/4 tsp. Near East or Aleppo pepper
How to make Çerkez Tavuğu (Circassian Chicken)
Simmer chicken in water for 35 minutes or until tender; drain. Reserve broth. Bone chicken. Remove skin. Cut or tear into 5-6 cm (1-1 ½ inch) long and 1-1 ½ cm (1/4-1/2 inch) thick strips.
Arrange leaves and pita bread around the side of the dish/platter. Then arrange the chicken into the center of the serving dish or large platter just to the edges of the pita and romaine. Set aside.
Combine walnuts, bread slices (soaked in reserved chicken broth and squeezed dry) garlic; chopped crisp shallots, mix well. Place into blender or a food processor container. Process until well blended. Add salt, black pepper and chicken broth gradually blending thoroughly until it gets medium white sauce consistency. Pour over chicken.
Heat oil. Stir in red pepper. Remove from heat. Sprinkle over walnut sauce.
To make the red-tinted oil: Gently reheat the cooked chicken in a 350° F oven until warm. Heat the walnut oil in a very small saucepan, add the Near East pepper, and swirl to combine; heat just to a sizzle. Remove from the heat and allow the pepper to settle. Dribble the red-tinted oil over the surface of the dish, making decorative swirls.
Garnish with a little chopped parsley Serve at room temperature.
Excellent with a dry crisp white wine such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
The dish originated from the Circassians. It is called “Mamursa†in Bolu province and served with traditional corn bread.
In original recipe walnuts are crushed between two stones and oil is dispersed. This oil is sprinkled over walnut sauce.
In some villages of Bolu, boiled rice is used instead of bread in sauce. In the black sea region hazelnuts are substituted for walnuts.
This dish is very popular all over the country. It is usually prepared for buffet type luncheons or suppers, or served on special days as an appetizer. It may be garnished with parsley.
Spinach, Pine Nut, and Pomegranate Salad
Serves 6
Salad:
1 pound cleaned spinach leaves, tough stems removed
3/4 cup diced red onion
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Seeds from 1 pomegranate (approx. 1 cup)
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
Pomegranate Dressing
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Place the spinach in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle on the red onion, parsley, pomegranate seeds and pine nuts. Just before serving, dress the salad with Pomegranate Dressing to taste, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Pomegranate Dressing
Makes about 1/2 cup
4 teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons honey
Mix together the water and salt until the salt dissolves. With a fork or whisk, beat in the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, and honey until a thick dressing is formed. (If the dressing is too thick and strong, add more water). Drizzle the dressing to taste over spinach or other greens.
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and ground black pepper
Honey Walnut Candies (Gozinaki)
Yield: 30 diamonds
1 cup honey
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2-1/4 cups toasted walnut halves, finely chopped
30 small square candy wrappers or cellophane
1. Rinse a clean, large wooden board with cold water. Allow water droplets to remain on board.
2. Stir honey and sugar together in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 220 degrees F.; do not burn. Stir in nuts and continue to cook until it reaches 240 degrees F. (soft-ball stage) or until golden, which will likely be less than 10 minutes.
3. Scrape mixture onto prepared board. Rinse fingers in cold water and press the mixture out to a flat even layer (about l/2 inch thick); be careful, as candy will be hot.
4. Let candy sit at cool room temperature until cooled and set, about 2 hours.
5. Cut into diamond shapes with a sharp knife dipped in water to help prevent sticking. Pick up individual candies with an offset spatula. Wrap individually in candy wrappers.
Make sure your wooden board does not smell like onions or your candy will pick up the flavors! You could try making these by spreading the mixture on a rinsed jelly-roll pan, but I found that the candy sticks to metal even more than to wood. Keeps 2 weeks refrigerated in airtight container in single layers separated by waxed or parchment paper