A Holiday Made for Cheese

A holiday to celebrate cheese sounds like a French idea. But it is Shavuot, the upcoming Jewish festival, that highlights dairy foods. The official purpose of the two-day holiday, which begins on Sunday evening, is to commemorate Moses receiving the Scriptures on Mount Sinai. Its unofficial raison d’etre is that on this day you’re supposed to indulge in creamy delights--noodle kugels with sour cream, cheese filo pastries, cheese blintzes, and most important of all, cheesecakes.

Did the ancient Israelites bake cheesecakes during their sojourn in the Sinai sands? Probably not. As far as we can tell, there was no divine decree saying, “Thou shalt eat cheese desserts in the desert.”

Many experts explain the practice in religious terms. On the day before the solemn event of receiving the Torah, the Hebrews abstained from eating meat to purify themselves. Rabbi Michael Strassfeld, author of “The Jewish Holidays” (Harper & Row, 1985), writes, “When the Israelites received the laws of kashrut (keeping kosher) at Sinai, they realized that all their pots were not kosher and so ate uncooked dairy dishes.” Kashrut requires separating meat and dairy foods in menus and using different pans to cook them.

Naturally, at this historic moment, the Hebrews did not want to incur divine displeasure due to improper pots. And desert nomads couldn’t go down to their local cookware store to purchase two sets of pots and pans! So, for this unique occasion they feasted on fresh cheese.

There is another, seasonal, rationale. Around May and June, goats, sheep and cows give plenty of milk and historically people have always eaten more dairy products at this time of year. For people wandering in the desert, this practical reason may have prevailed.

Today I’m sure that many families observe this custom just because they love the food. When I lived in Israel, my neighbors began discussing their favorite cheesecake recipes weeks before Shavuot. As a child, I preferred the meals of Shavuot above all others because I adored all of that cheese, sour cream, butter and eggs. I wanted the holiday to last as long as Passover or Hanukkah so I could enjoy these rich treats for a whole week.

Dairy foods are not the only traditional ingredients for Shavuot. It is also a harvest holiday. Once the Hebrews were established in the land of Israel, they brought offerings to the Holy Temple to express gratitude for their grains and for the first fruits of their fields. I can easily understand how this thanksgiving tradition came about; I am always thrilled to see the first fruits of my own garden--peaches and nectarines--at this time of year.

For Shavuot meal planning, this emphasis on produce is a good thing. Even for cheese aficionados, fresh vegetables and fruits provide a welcome balance.

My Shavuot meals usually turn out to be eclectic. I like to prepare some classic dishes that I grew up with, such as a savory noodle kugel or the easy-to-fix vegetable spread known as mock chopped liver that’s made in Jewish homes in dozens of versions.

One or two Sephardic specialties that I came to know and love in Israel also appear on my menu. This year I’ll fix a spicy Tomato-Pepper Dip of Mediterranean-Jewish origin. Since I spent years studying cooking in Paris, it’s natural that a French culinary influence creeps into my Jewish holiday dishes too. A lox pate inspired by my Parisian mentor, chef Fernand Chambrette, is a favorite appetizer on my Shavuot table.

Don’t tell my mother, but in my kitchen even her cheesecake recipe has a subtle French twist (I add a little sour cream to make it richer).

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Levy is the author of “1,000 Jewish Recipes” (Hungry Minds, 2000).

Sephardic Tomato Pepper Dip

Active Work Time: 1 hour 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours

To many Californians the jalapenos, cumin and cilantro recall Mexican cooking, but these seasonings are equally popular in the Jewish cooking from the Middle East. If you’re not sure how hot you would like the dip, use only 2 or 3 jalapeno, then season the finished dip to taste with cayenne pepper if needed. The dip is good cold, hot or at room temperature. If you’d like to add a baked or grilled fish to your Shavuot menu, this dip makes a terrific sauce to accompany it.

1/4 cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin

2 large green bell peppers, diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large red bell pepper, diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large yellow bell pepper, diced into 1/2-inch pieces

2 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced, or 2 (28-ounce) cans tomatoes, drained and diced

Salt

5 large cloves garlic, chopped

2 to 4 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Cayenne pepper, optional

Heat the oil in a large, wide, deep pan over medium-low heat. Add the green, red and yellow bell peppers and cook them until softened, 10 minutes. Remove the peppers with a slotted spoon. Add the tomatoes to the pan, sprinkle them with salt and cook over high heat until they begin to boil. Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Return the peppers to the pan and add the garlic, jalapenos, cumin and paprika. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the bell peppers are tender and the sauce is thick, 10 minutes. Add half the cilantro and cook for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding cayenne if you like. Stir in the remaining cilantro. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature.

Stir before serving.

16 servings. Each serving: 57 calories; 70 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1.68 grams fiber.

Noodle Kugel With Mushrooms and Sour Cream

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 1/2 hours * Vegetarian

Like macaroni and cheese, noodle kugel is a satisfying comfort food and has always been one of the dishes I love most. This kugel gains its good flavor from well-browned onions and mushrooms, and therefore the sauteing step shouldn’t be rushed. Even when I substitute oil for all or part of the butter to saute the vegetables and use low-fat versions of the sour cream and cottage cheese, the kugel is delicious. Still, for Shavuot, I follow my family’s tradition and prepare it the old-fashioned way.

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1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, divided

2 large onions, chopped

1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, halved and cut in thick slices

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons sweet paprika, plus a little for sprinkling

Cayenne pepper, optional

14 ounces medium egg noodles

2 cups creamed cottage cheese

1 1/3 cups sour cream

4 eggs, beaten

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 3-quart baking dish.

Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until very tender, 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, the paprika and a dash of cayenne. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onions are browned, 10 minutes. If liquid remains in the pan, cook over high heat, stirring, a few minutes until it evaporates. (If you don’t have a large enough skillet, you can divide the ingredients among 2 skillets.)

Cook the noodles uncovered in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat until they’re nearly tender but firmer than usual, 5 minutes. Drain, rinse them with cold water and drain well. Transfer them to a large bowl. Add the mushroom mixture and mix well. Add the cottage cheese and sour cream; mix well. Taste, and season the mixture generously. Stir in the eggs.

Pour the noodle mixture into the dish. Dot the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake the kugel uncovered until set and lightly browned on top, 1 hour. Serve from the baking dish.

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8 to 12 servings. Each of 12 servings: 249 calories; 284 mg sodium; 117 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 1.47 grams fiber.

My Mother’s Jerusalem Cheesecake

Active Work Time: 30 minutes

Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 10 minutes plus 2 hours chilling

This recipe evolved from three continents. My mother began making it when we lived in Washington, D.C., as a cream cheesecake with a sour cream topping. In Jerusalem, where she has lived for the last 30 years, she gave the cake a more pronounced citrus accent and added nuts to the crust. She chose pecans, which are very popular in Israeli baking. I added a Gallic touch after I tasted a creamy cheese tart from the Auvergne region in central France. To make the cake softer and creamier, I stirred some sour cream into the cream cheese mixture instead of putting it all on the top. Fresh berries make the perfect accompaniment and a reminder that Shavuot is a celebration of cheese and fruit.

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1/4 cup pecans

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

5 ounces graham crackers (to obtain 1 1/4 cups crumbs)

1/3 cup melted butter

1 pound cream cheese, cut in pieces and softened

2 cups sour cream, divided

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest

2 teaspoons strained fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

Fresh raspberries or small halved strawberries, for optional garnish

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan and set it aside

Finely chop the pecans with 3 tablespoons of the sugar in a food processor. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Process the graham crackers in the food processor to fine crumbs. Measure 1 1/4 cups crumbs, add them to the bowl of pecans and mix well. Add the melted butter and mix well.

Press the crumb mixture in an even layer on the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

Leave the oven at 350 degrees.

Beat the cream cheese with 1/2 cup sour cream at low speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup of sugar. Beat in the eggs, one by one. Stir in the lemon and orange zests, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Carefully pour the filling into the cooled crust.

Bake the cheesecake until the center is just firm, 45 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and cool for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Mix together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl. Carefully spread the topping on the cake, in an even layer, without letting it drip over the crust. Bake the cake 7 minutes to set the topping; it will still look soft but will become firmer as it cools. Remove the cake from the oven and cool it to room temperature.

Refrigerate it at least 2 hours before serving. Just before serving, remove the sides of the pan and garnish the cake with the berries.

10 servings. Each serving: 503 calories; 325 mg sodium; 149 mg cholesterol; 37 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.75 gram fiber.