Historically, Shavuot is the celebration of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai, beginning seven weeks after the first day of Passover. Agriculturally, it commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple, thus the “Festival of the First Fruits.”
Indeed, fresh fruit and flowers are the hallmark of the holiday, as is wearing white clothing. It symbolizes the purity, joy and the spiritual “marriage” between God and the Jewish people.
This year, the holiday starts at sundown on May 21 and ends the evening of May 23. Traditional dishes are almost certain to include blintzes and kugels, dairy-rich foods that harken back to Eastern Europe and cold climates that necessitated heavy, rib-sticking dishes. Growing up in the Shetland Islands with Ashkenazi parents, my brother and I ate bowlfuls of thick, creamy rice pudding studded with plump raisins. With only four ingredients, the recipe couldn’t be simpler.
Not so in other countries. After being expelled from Spain and Portugal in the 15th century, Jews settled in warmer areas along the Mediterranean. Fresh fruits, vegetables, spices and olive oil were abundant, and local dishes were adapted to cook for Shavuot. Although many of the original dishes are labor-intensive and time-consuming, I’ve tweaked each of them to lessen time in the kitchen and increase moments spent with guests. Using equipment like the food processor and incorporating items like store-bought pie crust make preparation a bit easier.
In Syria, atayef is a sweet, pancake-like pastry that has been enjoyed by Jews and non-Jews for hundreds of years. Use a good-quality mix to make mini-blintzes. Admittedly, it’s a laborious process, although a century ago a woman’s sole role was cooking, cleaning and raising a family. Today, everyone juggles packed schedules.
The Tomato-Basil Bisque is a Parisian-smooth cream soup prepared with seasonal produce. Slow-roasted salmon with a crunchy herb and pomegranate topping is often on Shavuot menus in Tel Aviv’s beach restaurants. Bathed in vegetable oil, the result is moist, soft and delicate. Just be on hand to baste it every 15 minutes or so; it’s done within an hour. It’s a perfect make-ahead main dish.
Back in America, Buttermilk Pie, often called “Depression Pie,” was an affordable dessert during food scarcity in the years before and during World War II. Don’t be put off by the buttermilk; when baked, the result is a custardy filling. It’s not cheating to use a good-quality, store-bought crust (refrigerated or frozen). Top with fruit, yogurt or drizzle with homemade Toasted Caramel Sauce.
And certainly, for the purist, Shavuot wouldn’t be the same without the ubiquitous cheesecake. I suggest Googling what you’re in the mood for: fruit, chocolate, cookie-based, gluten-free, nondairy, low-fat and more. A quick look online will offer a recipe for every palette.
Tomato-Basil Bisque (Dairy)
Serves 4
Cook’s Tips:
*May roast tomatoes to enhance flavor. Quarter the tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and roast in a preheated 400-degree oven for 20 minutes.
*Substitute plain yogurt for heavy cream.
*Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to two days.
Ingredients:
1½ tablespoons olive oil
½ small onion, coarsely diced
⅛ teaspoon bottled chopped garlic
1 pound (4-5 medium) ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup vegetable broth
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt to taste
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
Add the diced onion, garlic and tomatoes. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are broken down and soft. Cool.
Pour into blender jar with the broth, sugar and pepper. Cover and blend until smooth.
Return to the pot. Whisk in the cream and basil. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Slow-Roasted Salmon With Pomegranate Gremolata (Pareve)
Serves 6-8
Cook’s Tips:
*A basic gremolata is a zesty herb and citrus mixture.
*A mixture of chopped herbs may be parsley, mint and basil.
*Before cooking, spread salmon with 2 tablespoons of tahini.
Ingredients:
1 large lemon, thinly sliced
1- to 3-pound salmon fillet, rinsed and patted dry
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup mixed chopped herbs
¼ teaspoon bottled minced garlic
3 tablespoons orange juice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Arrange the sliced lemon to cover the bottom of a large rimmed baking dish.
Place the salmon, skin-side down, on top of the lemon slices. Sprinkle with 1½ teaspoons of salt.
Pour the oil over and around the salmon. Place in preheated oven, basting with the oil every 15 minutes until salmon flakes with a fork, about 45 minutes. Or an instant thermometer inserted in the thickest part should read 130 degrees for medium.
While salmon is cooking, prepare the gremolata. In a small bowl, combine the pomegranate seeds, chopped herbs, garlic, orange juice and ½ teaspoon salt (optional). Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil from around the salmon. Set aside.
To serve, remove cooked salmon from the oven, and let it rest for five to 10 minutes. Cut into large slices.
Transfer to a serving platter. Spoon remaining oil and juices over and top with the gremolata.
Serve hot or cold.
Buttermilk Pie (Dairy)
Serves 6-8
Cook’s Tips:
*Preferably use full-fat buttermilk.
*The butter should be very soft. Soften in the microwave in 10-second bursts.
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
scant ¾ cup sugar (use slightly less)
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
1 9-inch unbaked deep-dish pie crust
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs until frothy. Add the sugar, butter and flour. Beat until smooth. Whisk in the buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla and nutmeg until smooth. Pour into the pie crust.
Bake in preheated oven until center is almost firm, 45 to 50 minutes.
Cool and cut into wedges.
Syrian ‘Atayef’ (Dairy)
Makes 10-12
Cook’s Tips:
*No need to deep-fry as done in Syria. Delicious drizzled with rose water syrup and chopped pistachios.
*Use a good buttermilk pancake mix, such as King Arthur. Just add water.
Ingredients:
2 cups thin buttermilk pancake batter, prepared according to package directions
oil for greasing pan
1 cup of ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons rose water, divided
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
¼ cup chopped pistachios (optional)
Directions:
Lightly grease a nonstick skillet. Heat over medium heat.
Pour about 2 tablespoons of batter onto the skillet to form thin pancakes about 3 inches in diameter.
Cook until tiny bubbles appear and the surface is no longer wet. Flip over for 5 seconds.
With a spatula, remove and place in a single layer on paper towels.
Repeat until batter is finished, greasing the skillet as needed.
To Prepare the Filling: Whisk together the ricotta cheese and 1 teaspoon rosewater. Set aside.
To Prepare the Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup water and the lemon juice. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, stir in 1 teaspoon rose water. Cool. Assemble by placing a teaspoon of the cheese filling in the center of a warm pancake. Fold over. Pinch edges to seal. Drizzle with rose water syrup and sprinkle with chopped pistachios, if using. Serve at room temperature.
My Mom’s Rice Pudding (Dairy)
Serves 4-6
Cook’s Tips:
*Use long-grain rice.
*Stir in ¼ cup heavy cream or vanilla yogurt at the end of cooking time.
Ingredients:
½ cup rice
4 cups milk
1 to 2 tablespoons of honey to taste
½ cup dark or golden raisins
Directions:
In a heavy-bottomed medium pot, stir together the rice, milk and honey.
Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low.
Stir in the raisins.
Cover and cook, stirring often, until thick and creamy, about 30 minutes.
Serve hot, cold or at room temperature.
Toasted Caramel Sauce (Dairy)
Makes ¾ cup
Cook’s Tips:
*For salted caramel sauce, whisk in ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt with the cream.
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cold water
½ cup heavy cream, warmed
1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
In a small (2-quart) saucepan, set over medium heat, add the sugar and water. Stir well.
Cook at medium-low heat without stirring, until the sugar has turned a deep amber color, about 8 to 10 minutes.
When the caramel is ready, reduce the heat and slowly whisk in the warm cream.
Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Whisk in the butter.
Serve warm, spooned over ice-cream, fruit or sponge cake.
Ethel G. Hofman is a widely syndicated American Jewish food and travel columnist, author and culinary consultant.
