Rebellion was brewing in the Middle East in 165 BCE. The Syrian Greeks, led by their king, Antiochus, had attempted to impose heathen practices on the Jewish population. The practice of circumcision was forbidden, as well as observance of Shabbat and the traditional Jewish festivals. All copies of the Law of Moses were burned. The final blow: Antiochus invaded Jerusalem, turning the Temple into a pagan shrine. It was little wonder that the Jews rebelled.
An army led by five brothers, all members of the Hasmonean family, fought to recapture the Temple. After the fact, only one sealed jug of oil could be found—enough to burn for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days, giving time for the holy site to be cleaned and rededicated. According to one theory, Judah, the army leader, was given the name Maccabee (“the Hammer”) because of his outstanding strength and determination to save the Jewish population.
Think about it. The story of the Maccabees is all about restoring safety, dignity and freedom, as well as saving a people and a nation. It’s what Israelis have been doing for the past two years: serving as modern-day Maccabees.
And not just soldiers and reservists, but emergency workers, first responders and medical personnel. They act swiftly when needed, sometimes putting their own lives in danger. In Israel, they operate north to south, east to west, in a small country marked by crises. In America, these highly trained professionals cover every town, city and state, including rural areas. They work to protect lives—to ensure that people can live freely and in safety.
Bob Bourke, in Lynn, Mass., a suburb of Boston, has served as a fire marshal for 28 years. He notes that “firefighters do more than fight fires. We respond to medical calls, car crashes, remove hazardous materials and provide public education on fire safety.”
He explains that he fell into his career: “A friend persuaded me to take the exam. I passed and never looked back.”
Bourke says the camaraderie in firehouses is legendary. And so is the food; he states that “we might be on 24-hour shifts, but there are always a couple of good cooks among us to keep us fed.” Some city-based firehouses have full-time workers in kitchens with fare that rivals restaurant chefs.
In addition to career firefighters is a core of trained volunteers who perform many of the same duties, though typically serve part-time. They usually don’t get a salary but may receive a modest stipend. In rural areas where the population is small or there’s no funding for a permanent force, volunteers make up much, if not all, of the fire service.
What Bourke says they have in common is a desire to help save property and lives, giving members a “strong sense of purpose and pride.”
And keep this in mind: Due to candles, cooking, heating devices and holiday decorations, December brings with it higher rates of house and office fires.
As we light the candles on the menorah and heat up the oil for typically fried foods, let’s keep these workers in mind—those who battle like Maccabees to protect us every day. That includes police and other law enforcement. A smile, a wave or a kind word in passing shows respect and appreciation.
Chanukah is an especially good time to let them know they matter. Drop off a plate of cookies or a box of jelly doughnuts to neighborhood firefighters or police officers with a note of thanks—and a promise to keep an eye on those candles.
Wishing you eight nights of light and delicious fried foods!
Fried Gefilte Fish, British-Style (Pareve)
Makes 4-6 servings
Cook’s Tips:
*Any combination of fish, including salmon, may be used.
Ingredients:
1 pound haddock fillets
½ to ¾ pound cod fillets
¼ medium onion, cut into chunks
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1½ teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
½ to ¾ cup matzah meal, plus more to coat
vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
Cut haddock and cod into 2-inch pieces.
Place in the food processor. Add the onion. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
Transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in the eggs, salt, pepper and enough matzah meal to form a soft but workable mixture.
With wet hands, shape into oval patties about 3x2 inches and ¾-inch thick. Dredge in additional matzah meal to coat on both sides.
Heat about ¼ inch of oil in a large heavy skillet. Fry patties over medium heat, turning once until nicely browned on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Drain on paper towels.
Serve hot or at room temperature with the Egg and Lemon Sauce.
Egg and Lemon Sauce (Pareve)
Makes 1½ cups
Cook’s Tips:
*May be chilled or used at room temperature. To reheat, place the sauce in a small pan and whisk over low heat until warm.
Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 eggs
juice of 2 large lemons
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne
Directions:
In a small saucepan, heat ¾ cup broth over medium heat until simmering.
In a bowl, blend the cornstarch with the remaining ¼ cup of cold broth. Whisk in eggs, lemon juice, salt and cayenne. Gradually whisk this mixture into the hot broth in the saucepan.
Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from heat immediately. Do not let the sauce boil.
Use warm or at room temperature.
Air-Fryer Latkes (Pareve)
Makes 8-10
Cook’s Tips:
*In a pinch, you could use frozen hash-brown potatoes.
*Use Russet or Idaho potatoes
Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes, peeled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
⅓ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon matzah meal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon each white pepper and garlic powder
olive cooking spray to brush
Directions:
Grate potatoes in a food processor on a grater blade or with a box grater. Place in a clean towel. Squeeze firmly to drain off any liquid. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the eggs, onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder, matzah meal and flour. Mix well.
Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees. Spray the tray with olive-oil baking spray.
In batches, drop mixture by ¼ cupfuls onto tray. Press lightly to flatten. Spray lightly with olive-oil baking spray.
Cook for 14 to 16 minutes until latkes are nicely browned and crisp. Turn once halfway through cooking.
Serve with applesauce or sour cream for a dairy meal.
Spongy Apricot Strudel (Pareve)
Makes 30-36 pieces
Cook’s Tips:
*In place of self-rising flour, use 3¾ cups all-purpose flour mixed with 4¼ teaspoons baking powder.
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3¾ cups self-rising flour
6 tablespoons apricot preserves, warmed
1 cup chopped apricots
¾ cup golden raisins
6 tablespoons chopped walnuts
cinnamon to sprinkle
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick vegetable spray.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until thick and pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the oil. Fold in the flour gradually. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Divide the dough into three pieces. On a floured board, press one piece into a rectangle about 6x10 inches.
Spread 2 tablespoons of preserves over the dough. Sprinkle ⅓ cup apricots, ¼ cup raisins and 2 tablespoons chopped nuts over top. Dust with cinnamon.
Roll up as for a jelly roll, sealing ends tightly. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes. Cool. Cut into slices ½-inch thick. Freezes well.
Sephardic Olive-Oil Cake (Pareve)
Serves 12
Cook’s Tips:
*Must use extra-virgin olive oil to create a moist texture.
*Do not use a flavored olive oil.
Ingredients:
2 large eggs
⅔ cup sugar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup milk
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
confectioners’ sugar to dust
diced candied orange peel to garnish (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line the bottom of an 8-inch baking pan with a circle of wax paper. Spray the pan with nonstick baking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until well beaten. Add sugar, ⅓ cup at a time, whisking until thick and creamy. Add the oil and whisk until blended.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Gradually fold into egg mixture, mixing until smooth. Transfer to the prepared cake pan.
Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes or so in the pan. Turn onto a wire tray to cool completely. Peel off the wax paper.
To serve: Dust with confectioners’ sugar and garnish with diced candied orange peel (optional).
Ethel G. Hofman is a widely syndicated American Jewish food and travel columnist, author and culinary consultant.
