By Naomi Nachman
Issue of November 13 2009/ 26 Cheshvan 5770
Naomi Nachman
Even though I may sound Australian with my heavy “Aussie” accent, I am definitely American in my heart. My favorite time of the year is the American holiday of Thanksgiving. I came to the US 18 years ago on Thanksgiving and I met my husband one year later, also on Thanksgiving – so I always consider it a time of celebration. Even though some Orthodox people don’t “celebrate” this holiday, I look at it as an opportunity to thank Hashem for letting us live in this great country, where we can practice our religion in public and where we don’t have to hide, as did so many previous generations.
Every November, entering a season when I am invited to offer cooking classes at various shuls and schools around the tri-state area, I begin thinking about what to make. They’ll usually want something with fall vegetables, turkey, and a fabulous side and, of course, a sensational dessert. I love to come up with new ideas every year to enhance my classes.
You can also do a lot with table settings. I make pumpkin-shaped cookies and decorate them with orange icing, and pipe names on them for place card settings. At Amazing Savings or Party City I pick up matching paper plates and cups. After all that cooking, I can’t wash up too – so it’s a little present to myself to use fancy and elegant disposables.
If possible, prepare in advance. I never leave my cooking until Thursday morning. My family is home that day and we like to do something as a family. I write my menu and shopping list on Monday, do the shopping on Tuesday and cook on Wednesday. All that I leave for Thursday is re-heating. Just don’t over-dry your turkey.
I can’t write about Thanksgiving without mentioning my mother, Miriam Stein of Sydney, Australia, who makes the best turkey. Even though Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Australia, my mother has always loved to prepare turkey for our family – where it is considered a delicacy and must be specially ordered. She seasons the turkey with salt, black pepper, lots and lots of fresh crushed garlic and paprika. She takes two green apples, peels and cores them and stuffs them in the inside cavity. Then she pours approximately 2 cups of dry white wine over it. After the turkey is cooked for a few hours, she takes the gravy, pulls out the apples and purees them together. It makes delicious and robust sweet-and-tart gravy for the turkey.
I love to use root vegetables. These include either tuberous roots or taproots – carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes, potatoes, beets, rutabagas, celery root, just to name a few. They are rich in carbohydrates and have lots of vitamins. Also, they are economical to buy and can serve a lot of people. One recipe I love to make this time of year is a red lentil soup loaded with sautéed root vegetables and butternut squash, with lots of seasonings.
This soup recipe is a favorite at mThanksgiving is not just for Americansy Thanksgiving table. I use it in cooking classes often and it always is very well received.
Red lentil soup
- 1 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 4 cups water
- Bay leaf
- Salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions dices
- 4 cloves mince garlic (I love using the frozen cubes)
- 2-inch piece ginger minced
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon curry
- 2 teaspoon coriander
- 2 cups butternut squash cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 cup zucchini peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 1 medium parsnip peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1-1/2 cups vegetable stock (I buy Trader Joe’s vegetable stock)
- 1 bunch spinach
- Pinch cayenne pepper
Add lentils, water and bay leaf to a medium saucepan. Cover and boil on a simmer for 20 minutes until lentils are tender. Add 1-tablespoon kosher salt and remove bay leaf and puree lentils with an immersion blender.
Add onions to a skillet and sauté until onions are soft. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, curry coriander and sauté for a few more minutes. Add butternut squash, zucchini, parsnip, carrots, salt, and 1-1/2 cups vegetable stock and simmer for 10 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Stir lemon juice and spinach into pureed lentils then add the sautéed vegetables stir to combine. The heat will wilt the spinach. Add cayenne pepper and salt if necessary.
Enjoy… and remember: Thanksgiving is not only for Americans!
Naomi Nachman is the owner of “The Aussie Gourmet,” which provides fully personalized; strictly kosher meals for Shabbatot, Yom Tovim and special occasions. Naomi gives cooking classes and demonstrations throughout the NY/NJ area and beyond. She is also a guest hostess on the QVC TV network. Visit her at www.theaussiegourmet.com.
