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Asparagus with Egg & Lemon Sauce

24 large asparagus, fresh
1 cup avgolemono sauce, hot (recipe follows)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
juice of 1 large lemon
dill, chopped, for garnish

Trim the stems and cook the asparagus in boiling salted water with the lemon juice and oil added, just until tender. Lift out gently with a slotted spoon and let drain.

Pour the avgolemono sauce over the asparagus, sprinkle with the dill and serve at once.

Serves four to six.

Avgolemono Sauce

Note: Greeks adore this sauce and it can be put to good use in soups, in fish and lamb dishes and with salads.

6 egg yolks
juice of 2 lemons
1 cup chicken or beef stock
salt and pepper to taste

Beat together the egg yolks and lemon juice and add these to the stock. Over a low flame, stirring constantly, cook until the sauce has thickened. Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve hot. (Yields about 1 cup).

Serves four to six.

Bean Soup

2 1/2 cups dried lima beans
1/2 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped finely
2 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 cup tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. tomato puree
1/2 tsp. each salt, pepper and sugar
4 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp. parsley, chopped

Place the beans in a mixing bowl and pour over 4 cups of cold water. Cover and soak overnight.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and saute the onion, carrots, celery and garlic until the onions are translucent.

Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, salt, pepper and sugar. Cover and simmer on a medium low flame for about 10 minutes. Add the beans, stock and the water in which the beans were soaked.

Cover and continue to simmer gently for 2 hours longer. Add 1 Tbsp. of the parsley and cook until the beans are tender (about 45 minutes). Sprinkle over with the remaining parsley and serve hot.

Serves four to six.

Braised Potatoes

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 medium to large potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. tomato puree
1/2 tsp. each salt, pepper and oregano
about 1 cup chicken stock
Tabasco sauce to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and saute the onion and garlic until golden-brown. Add the potato slices, tomato puree, salt, pepper, oregano and just enough stock to cover the potatoes. Season to taste with Tabasco. Bring to a boil and then reduce the flame. Simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender (about 25 minutes).

Serves four to six.

Herbed Fried Fish

1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
2 eggs, well beaten with 2 Tbsp. water
750 gr. sole fillets
1/4 cup each olive oil
1/4 cup wine vinegar
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. each rosemary, oregano and paprika
lemon wedges and parsley for garnish

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dip the fillets first in the egg mixture and then in the flour, coating each piece well. Repeat this process 2-3 times and then shake off whatever excess adheres.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and fry the fillets, several at a time, until golden brown. Set aside to drain on paper toweling. Add the remaining ingredients (except the parsley and lemon wedges) to the oil and, over a low flame, stirring, scrape the bottom and sides of the skillet well, until the sauce begins to bubble. Pour over the fish and serve immediately, garnished with the parsley and lemon wedges.

Serves four to six.

Honey Cake with Nuts

225 gr. very fine sugar
1/2 cup honey
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
225 gr. flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking powder
225 gr. walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 eggs, separated, at room temperature

In a small saucepan, heat 3/4 cup of water and in this dissolve half the sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in the honey, lemon juice and half of the cinnamon and simmer, stirring for 5 minutes longer. Remove from the flame and let cool for 1/2 hour.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, half the nuts and the remaining cinnamon.

In another bowl, cream together the butter and remaining sugar until light in color. To this mixture add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well. Beat in the walnut mixture.

In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites stiff and gently fold these into the nut and flour mixture. Transfer to a well-greased baking tin about 8" (20 cm) square, sprinkle the top with the remaining nuts and bake in a medium oven until a wooden toothpick placed in the center comes out clean (about 50 minutes). Remove the cake from the oven and cut into square or diamond portions in the baking tin. Pour the cooled syrup over and let stand, covered, overnight. Serve at room temperature.

Serves four to six.

Leg of Lamb with Olive Sauce

about 1/2 kg. lamb bones
3 large carrots, diced
3 large onions, chopped coarsely
1 bouquet garni made by tying together 3 sprigs of parsley, 1 bay leaf, several celery leaves and fresh thyme
1 leg of lamb, about 2 1/2 kgs.
4 - 5 cloves garlic, cut in slivers
375 gr. black olives, pitted and chopped
1 can anchovy fillets, about 60 gr., rinsed under cold water and then mashed
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped finely
1 tsp. garlic, chopped finely
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil as required

Prepare a stock by combining the lamb bones, carrots, onions, bouquet garni and 3 1/2 cups of cold water. Season with salt and pepper, cover, bring just to the point of boiling and then immediately reduce the flame so that the stock simmers gently for 1 hour.

Place the leg of lamb on a roasting pan. Make insertions into the lamb with a very sharp knife, and in each insertion, place a sliver of garlic. Rub the meat with salt and pepper and then with olive oil. Place in an oven that has been preheated to 200 degrees Celsius.

After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees Celsius and continue to roast the meat, basting often with the drippings and oil until the meat is done. Remove the lamb to a preheated platter and set aside to keep warm.

Spoon off the excess fat from the pan juices and discard.

Strain the stock and add 1 cup to the pan juices. Place the pan over a medium flame and stir well, scraping all the particles that stick to the pan. Add the remaining stock, stirring constantly and boil the mixture down until it leaves about 2 cups of gravy. Add the olives, anchovies, parsley, chopped garlic, lemon juice and paprika and heat through, stirring constantly until well blended. Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Carve the lamb and serve the gravy in a separate dish.

Serves four to six.

White Bean Soup

1 cup dried white beans
1 kg. marrow bones
3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, diced
2 medium onions
1 small celery root, cleaned
salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans overnight in cold water. Drain, rinse and place the beans in a large saucepan with the marrow bones. Add cold water to cover. On a high flame, bring to a rapid boil and skim the foam from the surface. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, opening occasionally to skim.

Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil again and let boil for 2 - 3 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Discard the onion and celery root before serving. Serve with the bones.

Sources: Embassy of Israel; Israeli Foreign Ministry; Ruth's Kitchen; Manischewitz; Rogov's Ramblings- Reprinted with permission.

Daniel Rogov is the restaurant and wine critic for the daily newspaper Ha'aretz. He is also the senior writer for Wine and Gourmet Magazine and contributes culinary and wine articles to newspapers in Europe and the United States.

Regional Jewish Foods: Greece