Harvesting the Best and Brightest of Season in Celebration of First Fruits : Colorful Dishes Incorporate Traditional Shavuot Foods

The Jewish holiday Shavuot marks the onset of the wheat harvest, as well as the gathering of the season’s first fruits. In ancient lore, harvests included wheat, barley, grapes, figs, honey and olives. It is also traditional to serve milk, eggs and cheese that were often encased in doughs, in dishes such as kreplach and blintzes.

This year, Shavuot, which also marks an important religious event--the receiving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai--will be celebrated next Thursday. In planning a light, interesting menu for family and friends, I have tried to incorporate as many traditional foods as possible, with an eye to modern tastes and nutrition.

The overall menu features a variety of whole grains, beginning with multi-seeded whole-wheat harvest seed breads. Hearty Lentil Soup is accented with rich vegetable flavors and topped with Herbed Sour Cream. This garnish is optional, but it adds a touch of glamour and gives us another of the dairy foods the holiday decrees.

Then we will enjoy an unusual and decorative casserole, combining the textures, flavors and colors of three different varieties of squash. This is enriched by the addition of three cheeses--again the prescribed dairy foods.

Adding a Little Color

A spicy Barley and Kasha Salad is a variation of the more familiar tabbouleh salad. Parsley and peppers add color, and more can be achieved by serving the salad on bronze or red leaf lettuce.

For dessert, according to Shavuot custom, we should include one of the fruits of the season. Strawberry Dessert Blintzes are served with Fresh Strawberry Sauce, decorated with sliced berries and topped with sweetened whipped cream.

If you want a lighter dessert, serve the berries with Fresh Strawberry Sauce or their creamy topping by themselves or fashion a medley of seasonal fruits.

Even confirmed steak eaters will enjoy Shavuot dinner as a welcome change from everyday foods. Vegetarians can find a menu they can relate to.

A kosher white wine would be a pleasant accompaniment to this holiday menu. Serve Sauvignon Blanc or a Chardonnay from one of the California Kosher vineyards in place of the more traditional sweeter wines.

SHAVUOT MENU

Hearty Lentil Soup With Herbed Sour Cream

Barley and Kasha Salad

Tri-Color Squash Casserole With 3 Cheeses

Harvest Seed Loaves

Strawberry Dessert Blintzes HEARTY LENTIL SOUP WITH HERBED SOUR CREAM

1 1/2 cups lentils

2 bay leaves, crumbled

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, finely chopped

1 parsnip, peeled, finely chopped

4 carrots, peeled, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely sliced

1/2 cup minced parsley

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried

4 tomatoes, peeled, finely diced

Salt, pepper

2 cups sour cream

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 tablespoon minced green onions

1 tablespoon minced basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

Soak lentils in 4 cups water 6 hours or overnight. Drain lentils and place in large pot with 8 cups warm water and bay leaves. Bring to boil, then simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until tender.

Heat butter and olive oil in large saucepan. Add garlic, onion, parsnip, carrots, celery and parsley. Saute 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add rosemary and tomatoes. Simmer 10 minutes.

Drain lentils, returning liquid to large pot. Remove bay leaves. Add 2 cups drained lentils to garlic mixture and mix well.

Place remaining drained lentils in food processor or blender with 1/2 cup reserved liquid and puree. Add pureed lentils and lentils with garlic mixture to pot with reserved liquid. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and simmer until soup thickens, about 30 to 40 minutes.

While soup is simmering, beat sour cream until smooth. Spoon into serving bowl. Sprinkle parsley, green onions and basil on top. Serve with soup. May serve soup in hot tureen along with bowl of sour cream, or ladle into soup bowls and garnish with sour cream. Makes 8 to 10 servings. BARLEY AND KASHA SALAD

1 cup barley

1 cup kasha (roasted buckwheat kernels)

1 cup minced parsley

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1 sweet red pepper, finely diced

1 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons tahini (crushed sesame seeds), optional

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt, pepper

Lettuce leaves

Black olives

1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced

Bring 2 quarts salted water to boil in large pot. Stir in barley and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until tender.

Bring 2 quarts salted water to boil in another pot. Stir in kasha and simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain kasha and place in large bowl. Toss gently. Cover with plastic wrap and cool. (Will keep in refrigerator up to 1 week.)

Combine parsley, celery, diced red pepper and green onions in small bowl. Toss parsley mixture with barley mixture. (If not serving immediately, reserve green onions until just before serving.)

Combine lemon juice, olive oil, tahini and cumin in small bowl. Pour into barley mixture and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss again. Serve on lettuce leaves and garnish with olives and thinly sliced red peppers. Makes 8 to 10 servings. TRI-COLOR SQUASH CASSEROLE WITH 3 CHEESES

Oil

4 large zucchini, sliced 1/8 inch thick

Tomato Sauce

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

4 large pattypan squash, sliced 1/8 inch thick

2 cups shredded Jack cheese

4 large crookneck squash, sliced 1/8 inch thick

Salt, pepper

Lightly grease 13x9-inch baking pan. Cover with sliced zucchini. Spoon generous amount Tomato Sauce over zucchini and sprinkle with 1/3 of Parmesan and 1/2 of mozzarella.

Arrange pattypan squash over cheeses and spoon Tomato Sauce over squash. Sprinkle with another 1/3 Parmesan and 1/2 of Jack cheese. Arrange crookneck squash over cheeses and cover with remaining 1/3 Parmesan and remaining mozzarella and Jack cheeses. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees 30 to 40 minutes, or until squash is tender and cheese is melted. Makes 8 to 10 servings. Tomato Sauce

1/3 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, diced

4 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup basil leaves, minced

Salt, pepper

Heat olive oil, then add garlic and onions. Saute until tender. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer 30 minutes, partially covered. Set aside until ready to use. HARVEST SEED LOAVES

2 packages dry yeast

1 cup warm water

Dash sugar

1 1/2 cups warm milk

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

1/4 cup honey

4 eggs

6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 tablespoon salt

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup poppy seeds

2 tablespoons celery seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar. Combine milk, butter and honey in large mixing bowl. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add yeast mixture, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole-wheat flour and salt. Beat until well blended. Add remaining whole-wheat flour and enough all-purpose flour to make soft dough.

Combine sesame seeds, poppy seeds, celery seeds and sunflower seeds in small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup seed mixture for top of loaves. Turn dough out onto floured board and knead in seed mixture, with additional all-purpose flour, 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, grease top of dough, cover with towel and let rest in warm place 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled and dough springs back to touch.

Divide dough into 6 parts. Shape each part into loaf. Place on baking sheets or in 6 (7x3-inch) loaf pans, greased and sprinkled with yellow cornmeal. Cover with towels and let rest in warm place 1 hour or until doubled. Brush with remaining egg and sprinkle with reserved seed mixture. Bake at 375 degrees 20 to 30 minutes, or until brown. Makes 6 loaves. STRAWBERRY DESSERT BLINTZES

4 eggs

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups milk

Butter

Cheese Filling

Strawberry Sauce

Strawberries

Orange peels, curled

Sweetened Whipped Cream

Beat eggs well. Add flour and salt, alternately with milk, beating until smooth. Add 1/4 cup melted butter and blend well. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

Melt 2 teaspoons butter, over low heat, in small skillet or crepe pan. When butter begins to bubble, pour in about 1/4 cup batter and rotate pan quickly to spread as thin as possible. Pour off excess batter. First crepe will be thicker. Cook on 1 side until lightly browned around edges. Turn onto paper towels to cool. Repeat with remaining batter, stacking crepes on platter with wax paper between each crepe.

Spoon 1 tablespoon Cheese Filling in center of each crepe. Fold over, envelope fashion, completely enclosing filling. Place on large platter, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, heat additional butter in large skillet and brown blintzes lightly on both sides. Serve with Strawberry Sauce, garnish with sliced strawberries, orange peel curls and Sweetened Whipped Cream. Makes 6 servings. Cheese Filling

4 ounces cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups ricotta cheese

Grated peel of 1 orange

1 cup sliced strawberries

Blend cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and salt in bowl. Add ricotta and orange peel and beat until fluffy. Fold in sliced strawberries. Strawberry Sauce

2 cups sliced strawberries

1/2 cup strained strawberry or raspberry preserves

1 tablespoon strawberry liqueur, optional

Place strawberries in food processor or blender and puree. Strain into bowl. Blend in preserves and liqueur. Sweetened Whipped Cream

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon strawberry liqueur, optional

Combine cream, sugar and liqueur in mixing bowl. Beat to stiff peaks.