Skip to main content

Zahav: A world of Israeli cooking

It's no question that foods have the ability to help us recall memories.  I was particularly moved, however, by the ability of a cookbook to have this effect on me.  This weekend, in a matter of a few hours over 2 days, I read all 368 pages of Zahav: A world of Israeli cooking, by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook.  Page after beautiful page, I was transported to my childhood and the food memories of it; allow me to explain.

I was 4 years old when my sister Kayla was born.  Since both of our parents worked, they hired a nanny, Batsheva, to care for Kayla (I was already in school).  Batsheva was originally from Israel, of Morrocan decent and, I believe, had some family from Yemen as well.  She truly became an extension of our family; her kids were like our siblings, and Batsheva loved us as if we were her own children.  Kayla still keeps in touch with her 30+ years later!  One thing I remember most from those years is Batsheva's cooking.  It was probably my first exposure to Israeli dishes such as falafel, hummus, and even the simple chopped salad known as "Israeli salad".  I still connect dishes such as Morrocan spicy poached fish, schug, and babaganouj with this time in my life, since I was first introduced to them by Batsheva.  She also took the time to teach my mother how to cook the dishes she cooked, skills my mother passed along to me.  

Zahav is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have ever seen, and I've read quite a few (my first stop whenever I go to the library is the nonfiction section, call number 641).  Unlike many cookbooks which are lists of recipes, instructions, and often some pictures, Zahav is written as a story.  It's the story of Michael Solomonov's family, his childhood, his journey of how he developed into the chef he is today.  All of this is accompanied by pictures, not only of the dishes in the cookbook, but of family events and meals, of shops where the ingredients are purchased, and what some plants (like sesame seeds and garbanzo beans) look like while growing.  Each section begins with 3-4 pages of personal history and background to the section; most recipes have a brief intro to them in which Solomonov weaves more of his personal story.  The photos are stunning.  There are images of people laughing and you can feel that happiness.  Photos of vegetables, fruits, and spices in the markets present these ingredients as the jewels they are.  Images of bread in the oven or meat on the grill make you feel the warmth the cook is experiencing.  While so many cookbooks have great pictures of the prepared dishes, in Zahav, the majority of recipes also have photos of the process of making the dish, with none other than the author in these photos, preparing the dishes himself.

In addition to traditional Israeli foods, the cookbook has several recipes based on Solomonov's Bulgarian background.  Some of these dishes bear a strong resemblance to traditional Turkish dishes my mother made, usually for holidays.  After refreshing my memory by looking at a map, it shouldn't surprise me that two neighboring countries share a similar cuisine.  In the chapter on borekas, there is a recipe for a meat pie very similar to the one my grandmother made, albeit with a slightly different dough; I don't think my grandmother would ever take the time to make a laminated dough, even if there were promises of all the chocolate mousse in the world!  In the mezze chapter, Solomonov features a recipe for okra, calling it by the same name my father does, bamya.  There is also a recipe for stuffed grape leaves, which made me recall sitting at the table with my mother and rolling yaprakes.  I saw a recipe for agristada, the egg-lemon sauce, and shuddered because it called for flour; a true cook would thicken it with egg alone!

I think it is a combination of a few things that made this cookbook resonate so much with me.  It's written in a relatable way, almost like Solomonov is speaking with the reader.  Add to this photos that make you feel like you are there, at the table, holding the spoon to serve yourself a portion of that beautiful dish.  Above all, the recipes are very similar to dishes I was first exposed to in my youth, by family and others very special to me.  And yes, I did end up buying the book (e-book version).  I'm sure I'll get my use out of it.

Recipes from Zahav I'll be trying in the near future:
  • Hummus
  • Schnitzel with za'atar in the breading
  • Techina shortbread cookies
  • Techina semifreddo
  • Laffa and pita in the home oven
  • Pastel (meat pie)
  • Pargiot (grilled chicken thighs)
    • Solomonov marinates his in pureed onion, along with varying spices and herbs, plus lemon juice and oil.  The natural sugars in the onion helps the chicken thighs caramelize while they grill.  I plan to try this method with a shwarma seasoning blend.

Podcasts featuring Michael Solomonov and his cookbooks:
Interview part 1 on Serious Eats podcast, 11/8/18

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome!

Welcome to Musings of a Kosher Cook! My name is Miriam, and I love of all things related to food.  I love reading cookbooks, grocery shopping, visiting farmers' markets and food factories, watching cooking shows (especially cooking competitions!), and of course, cooking.  Cooking is a fantastic creative outlet for me, something I find relaxing, technical, challenging and rewarding all at the same time.  I starting helping my mother with cooking at about 4-5 years old (not sure how much help I actually was...), and by 11 years old I was cooking full meals.  My love of food ultimately influenced my decision to pursue a career as a registered dietitian, where I can combine this love with helping people live healthier lives. A little while ago, a few people in my life independently suggested I write a blog about cooking.  One of these people was my husband, who sees daily how much I enjoy the cooking experience, and he suggested I share it with others.  I mulled over the idea f

The 2019 Healthyish farmers' market challenge

I like to read the Healthyish portion of the Bon Appetit website (in addition to the majority of the site at large) because I never know what I'll find.  One day it's an article on edible face masks, the next I'm getting ideas of how to add vegetables to my breakfast.  But an article posted earlier this month got the wheels turning.  Termed "The 2019 Healthyish Farmers' Market Challenge", the article encourages people to try 10 in-season fruits and vegetables, and provides recipes to give people ideas of what to do with this produce. The fruits and vegetables in the challenge are: Summer squash Peaches Corn Mint Peppers Eggplant Cucumbers Tomatoes Swiss chard Berries I thought this was a really cool idea.  While several of the recipes look delicious, I decided to accept the challenge, but use the produce in whatever applications I wanted, and not to restrict myself to the 10 recipes provided.   So, what have I made so far, and what'

Chronicles of a garden

I grew up in a big city.  I guess the neighborhood where I lived as a kid is technically the suburbs, but it still has a big city feel due to the very close proximity to the city.  Big buildings.  Lots of cars.  Fast pace of life.  When I got married, my husband and I moved to a different area in the same city, a part that is somewhat more urban and less suburban than the area in which I grew up.  We liked the area, had friends there, and at that time, I worked nearby.  Yes, it was fast paced, but it was really all I ever knew as home. Fast forward a few years.  We were looking to move to New Jersey, but now we are specifically looking for a neighborhood that was very suburban.  What do I mean by that?  Little traffic, less overall congestion (not only cars but also buildings), a neighborhood that is easy to walk around, among other qualities.  But of utmost importance to us was a home with a big backyard. Backyards are great places.  Kids can create their own makeshift baseba