by Gil Marks
Purim Katan
The Purim of Persia is not the only one on the Jewish calendar. There has long been a widespread practice that whenever a community or individual was saved from eminent peril, the anniversary of that deliverance was commemorated with a special Purim Katan (literally "small Purim").
Although personal celebrations date back to the Bible, the first known community-wide Purim Katan was instituted in 1039 by Shmuel Hanagid, vizier and military commander of Granada, which was held in commemoration of his escape from an assassination attempt, as well as his victory in a war with the fanatical Almeria. In response, the vizier's family along with the entire city of Granada celebrated a Purim on the first day of the month of Elul. More than a hundred community Purims have subsequently been instituted across the globe. In some instances, the Purim Katan was commemorated only once or for only a few years; in other cases, the observation continued for centuries. In some instances, communities have established multiple Purim Katans, such as the town of Ancona, Italy, which memorialized four such acts of deliverance during a hundred-year period.
Some Purim Katans were established in commemoration of a community's escape from a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or a fire, but more often than not they were in response to man-made tribulations, notably wars, riots, and blood libels (false claims of Jews using blood in religious rituals, frequently resulting in pogroms and expulsions). Many of these near disasters are reminiscent of the original Purim story. Cairo, Egypt, observed a Purim Katan on the twenty-eighth of Adar, the day in 1524 on which the recently appointed governor of Egypt, Ahmed Pasha, planned to massacre the Jews of his realm. Instead, the evil governor was assassinated by forces loyal to Sultan Suleiman. Frankfort, Germany, memorialized the twentieth of Adar with Purim Vintz, the day in 1614 on which a virulent anti-Semite named Vincenz (hence Vintz) Fettmilch, who was preparing to lead a mob against the Jewish quarters, was executed by the Emperor. The Jewish community on the island of Rhodes actually celebrated a double Purim on the fourteenth of Adar because on that day in 1840, the sultan removed the governor of the island, who had instigated a blood libel against its Jewish residents.
The day preceding a Purim Katan is customarily observed with a fast and the day itself is observed by reciting special prayers, giving charity to the poor, holding a festive meal (seudah) with many of the dishes traditional on Purim, and, in some instances, holding a public reading of a special megillah and sending mishloach manot (gifts of foods).
Q
Quadrucci
Quadrucci are small egg-pasta squares.
Origin: northern Italy
Other names: quadrettini.
After the concept of pasta reached mainland Italy around the thirteenth century, one of the first shapes was small squares named quadrucci after the flat, square tiles used for paving floors. Unlike southern Italy, where semolina pasta was widespread, Italy's north was not favorable for growing durum wheat, so pasta was made from common wheat flour and bound with eggs. Since the egg dough was too soft to shape into forms, it was always flat.
These small squares are primarily added to soups, giving textural contrast and extra body to light broths and bean soups. In the spring, green peas are sometimes featured in the soups. Quadrucci in brodo, pasta squares in either chicken or beef broth, is traditional Sabbath and holiday fare. Fresh spinach is sometimes added to the soup to make quadrucci coi spinaci, a dish that begins the meal following the fast of Yom Kippur.
(See also Pasta)
Quail
At the end of the eleventh century, Rabbi Menachem ben Machir of Ratisbon (Regensburg) in Bavaria, Germany, composed a still-very-popular Sabbath song, "Mah Yedidut" (How Beloved), with the refrain "To delight in delicacies, in fatted fowl [goose], and slav, and fish." The reference to slav is most certainly an allusion to one of the foods eaten by the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai after leaving Egypt. Unlike many other animals that make a brief appearance in the Bible, practical unanimity exists as to the identity of the slav. Jewish tradition, supported by Semitic cognates (slawi in Arabic), depictions on ancient Egyptian murals, and other historical accounts, designate the slav (from shalah, "to be secure" or "tranquil," connoting the sluggishness of its flight) as the quail.
The Talmud relates that there are four kinds of slav: "shichli [grouse], kivli [partridges], pisyuni [pheasant], and slav [quail], with sichli being the most superior and slav the most inferior." The Talmud's perception of game birds may have been based upon size rather than the quality of the flesh, as each quail possesses very little meat. Still, many gourmets consider grouse, with its flavorful, dark meat, the choicest of all game birds. Birds belonging to the genus Galliformes, which includes the chicken as well as many game birds (partridge, pheasant, and grouse), are distinguished by a stocky body, a small head, and short wings. As a result, their flight is rapid, yet low to the ground. The quail is the smallest member and is also known as the common quail, Mediterranean quail, migratory quail, pharaoh quail, and, in England, "wet-my-lips," a reference to the male's call.
Many ancient Greek and Roman authorities— including Aristotle, Galen, Lucretius, and Philo— mentioned poisoning by quail, a condition now called coturnism, which is possibly produced by a genetic susceptibility. Various medieval Sephardic physicians, including Maimonides, noted similar accounts. Except for quail, no migratory bird exhibits any toxicity, and the only quails that are toxic—and toxicity only occurs occasionally—are those that use the western flyway during the spring northward migration. What transforms a harmless quail into a toxic delicacy is its winter diet, possibly the seeds of Stachys annua, a member of the mint family. This could account for the biblical account of some Israelites dying after eating them.
Quails were not indigenous to the lands of the Ashkenazim and, indeed, some groups will not eat them as quail lack an established tradition (mesorah) in Europe. Mizrachim and Sephardim, on the other hand, have a long-established tradition of eating quail and enjoy, on occasion, both the birds and eggs. In any case, kosher quail is difficult if not impossible to find commercially in either Israel or the United States, although some slaughterers will prepare it on demand. In addition, a few select kosher restaurants feature quail.
Quajado
Quajado is an egg and vegetable casserole.
Origin: Spain
Other names: Greek: sfoungato; Ladino: cuajada, cuazbado, kwazado; Spanish: cuajada.
Among the signature and enduring features of Sephardic cuisine is the combination of eggs and vegetables, frequently with the addition of cheese. Indeed, the Spanish Inquisition considered these dishes a sign of practicing Judaism and preparing them could lead to imprisonment. Initially, the mixture was fried in a skillet atop a fire, the dish known as fritada. For those Sephardim with a home oven, the baked fritada became known as quajado, meaning "coagulated" in Ladino. Quajados were a particular favorite among the Sephardim of Rhodes.
These baked casseroles typically contain a smaller amount of egg and larger amount of cheese than a fritada, concentrating on the vegetables—especially spinach, eggplant, leek, tomato, and zucchini. In Turkey, the eggplant version is known as almodrote or almodroti, which also became a Ladino term for hodgepodge. Most versions contain a combination of soft cheese and hard cheese—the soft cheese imparts a custardy texture and the hard cheese provides flavor and saltiness. The addition of bread crumbs or potatoes, which can be omitted, reflects a Turkish influence and results in a firmer-textured dish that holds together better when it is removed from the pan. Soaked crumbled matza is frequently added during Passover. Besides vegetables, quajado can contain ground meat (quajado de carne) or cooked chicken (quajado de gayina).
Quajados are popular for Passover. A version in which ground meat is substituted for the cheese is called megina and it is a frequent sight at a Greek or Turkish Seder. A leek or spinach quajado appears at some Sephardic Rosh Hashanah dinners as one of the symbolic foods of the Yehi Ratzones (May It Be Your Will), a Seder-like ceremony featu
ring various foods representing a good omen for the ensuing year. Cheese versions, served hot or cold, are popular at a Sabbath desayuno (brunch) and for the meal to break the fast after Yom Kippur.
(See also Almodrote, Fritada, and Sfoungato)
Sephardic Egg and Vegetable Casserole (Quajado de Legumbres)
6 to 8 servings
[DAIRY]
¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (5 ounces) farmer, pot, or creamy feta cheese; or ½ cup farmer or pot cheese and ½ cup feta
1 cup (4 ounces) grated kashkaval, Cheddar, Gruyère, Muenster, or Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or dill, or ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
About 1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Ground black pepper to taste or about ½ teaspoon cayenne
5 to 6 cups vegetables, such as 3 pounds sliced and cooked leeks, 2 pounds chopped spinach, 3 pounds seeded and chopped tomatoes, or 2 pounds grated and squeezed zucchini
Yogurt (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil one 9-inch square baking dish or 11-by-7-inch baking dish.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cheeses, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir in the vegetables and onions.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake until set in the center and golden brown, about 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. If desired, top each wedge with a dollop of yogurt.
Quince
Quince is a member of the Rosaceae family; its fruit resembles a combination of two relatives, apples and pears. It is a temperate weather tree, requiring a cold period to yield fruit. In the areas in which it thrives, it is a beloved part of the pantry. Today, there are two primary varieties: the oblong perfumed quince and the pear-shaped pineapple quince, which was developed by Luther Burbank. The exterior of the fruit is lumpy and covered with a grayish fuzz, which is sometimes removed before the fruit arrives on the supermarket shelves. As quinces mature, the greenish skin turns a pale yellow color with blotches and the fruit develops an intense musky aroma. The quince's fragrance is highly regarded—the Talmud prescribed a benediction be recited over the aroma of the quince and the etrog, the only fruits to require such a distinction. Some cultivated quinces, however, lack the characteristic intense aroma.
The quince is a native of the Caucasus and was first cultivated in Mesopotamia, long before the apple. Many scholars believe that quince is the tapuach of Song of Songs. Among the quince's names in the Talmud are asphargal and p'rish. The Jerusalem Talmud discussed these names: "Why are asarpharlnin called p'rishin [from the Hebrew meaning "set aside/separated"]? Because there is no tree [species of fruit] parush [set aside] for the cooking pot [that is only edible when cooked] except that kind." Indeed, quinces have a hard, granular texture and intense astringency, so they are not eaten raw. The pale yellow flesh becomes pink and sweet when cooked; if cooked in an aluminum pan, it becomes deep red.
The peel and core of quinces have a high pectin content; honey and acid, in the form of vinegar or verjuice (unripe grape juice), were added to the quince peel and core, creating a solid gel and thus producing the first jams and jellies. (Later sugar and lemon juice were added instead.) Quince was not only the first fruit preserve—until relatively recently, it was the most common and widespread type of fruit preserve. The word for marmalade comes from the Portuguese word for quince, marmelo, because the original marmalade was made from quince. Marmalade reached Britain during the fifteenth century and the British eventually began experimenting with other fruits to substitute for quinces, replacing them with oranges in the seventeenth century. During the early twentieth century, quinces as well as preserves made from them lost favor in the West to the point of disappearing in many places, but both the fruit and the preserves remain very popular in the Middle East.
Some cultures use quinces in cooking without honey or sugar; the quinces are cooked with meat, especially lamb and poultry, to add a touch of sweetness, or quinces are poached and served as a side dish to meats. Unlike most other fruits, quince flesh does not break down during cooking, but rather remains firm, making it ideal for slow-simmering in compotes, stews, and pilaus. The addition of quinces to stews became popular in the region extending from Spain through Morocco to central Asia.
Quinces were an important part of Sephardic cuisine from the onset. An anonymous Andalusian cookbook of the thirteenth century included a recipe for "Sarafjaliyya," a lamb or veal stew simmered with peeled and quartered quince and verjuice. The same cookbook also recorded "A Dish of Chicken or Partridge with Quince or Apple." A third quince recipe in the book was "Quince Paste," made from peeled, seeded, and chopped quinces simmered with honey or sugar "until it takes the form of a paste." Similar quince dishes remain a part of the Sephardic repertoire today.
A traditional part of many Sephardic homes has been a cucharera, a decorated silver bowl with small silver spoons, which would be filled with dulce de bimbrillo (quince paste) or another dulce (sweet paste) and offered to guests, who would take a spoonful, recite a blessing or wish, sample the preserves, and take a sip of cold water.
Quinces ripen around Rosh Hashanah and are traditional Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot fare among Sephardim and many Mizrachim. Georgians serve poached quinces topped with whipped cream (kompot iz aivi). During quince season, Sephardim frequently cook them with chicken for Sabbath dinner or simply poach them in sugar syrup (bimbriyo or membrillo). Bukharans add quinces to their classic rice dish, plov. Persian Jews commonly serve stuffed quinces (dolma bay) on the Sabbath and Sukkot. In Greek and Iraqi communities, quince preserves, poached quinces, or candied quinces are enjoyed on Rosh Hashanah instead of apples and honey. Turks poach them in pomegranate juice, combining two traditional Rosh Hashanah foods in one dish (ayva tatlisi). Italians poach quinces in wine (cotogne in giulebbe) and serve them at the meal to break the fast of Yom Kippur and on special occasions with sponge cake. Candied quince is a beloved Passover treat. Some Mizrachim, especially Kurds, and some Sephardim incorporate grated, peeled raw quince into their Passover charoset.
(See also Charoset, Dulce, and Hilu)
R
Radish
Radishes are edible roots of the Brassicaceae family with varying amounts of pungency. There are numerous varieties of radishes in three basic categories: table (red) radishes, black radishes, and Asian (white) radishes. Horseradish, despite its name, is not a real radish.
The most familiar radishes in the West today, only developed in the early eighteenth century, are the small globular red-skinned types. They are variously called table radish, European radish, spring radish, and, in Hebrew, tznonit.
The most ancient type of radish and the one consumed by people for most of history is the black radish, also known as winter radish and, in Hebrew, tznon, from the root "to be sharp/pointed." Although some black radishes actually have a sooty exterior, many are violet, tan, or white in color as well as round, oval, or cylindrical in shape, the latter sometimes stretching up to a foot in length. Whatever the shape or exterior color, the interior is ivory and crisp. Currently, the most popular member of the black radish family is the Round Black Spanish variety, which is shaped like a large beet and has a black or purple-brown exterior. Black radishes are larger and more pungent, and have a much longer shelf life, than the red varieties. Black radishes are predominantly eaten raw; they are sometimes salted, particularly large roots, to mellow their bite and remove excess water.
Black radishes, probably native to the area between the Mediterranean and the Caspian Sea, were one of the earliest cultivated crops; they have been eaten in the Mediterranean area since the dawn of recorded history. Radishes reached Egypt by at least 2800 BCE. The seeds of some varieties subsequently provided the country with its main sourc
e of oil until the medieval period. When one Talmudic rabbi wanted to limit the fuel for the Sabbath lights exclusively to olive oil, another sage asked, "What will the inhabitants of Alexandria do who have only radish oil?" According to Herodotus, radishes were one of the primary foods of the workers building the pyramids. Although radishes are not mentioned in the Bible, by biblical times Jews were certainly eating them. Black radishes were generally a seasonal item, available during the autumn and winter; they were unable to withstand the heat of the summer and continued to grow until killed by the ground freezing. The Talmud cited as a sign of the affluence of Rabbi Judah Ha'Nasi that "lettuce [typically spring and summer produce], chate melon [a late-summer and early-autumn plant], and [black] radishes were not absent from his table either in summer or winter." The Talmud continues, "Radish helps the food to dissolve, lettuce helps the food to be digested, chate melon makes the intestines expand." In many cultures, radishes have long been considered beneficial to health.
Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, radishes disappeared from European records until the thirteenth century, except in rabbinic literature. One reason for the constant presence of the radish in Jewish sources is its status as the archetype of a devar charif (sharp food)—if one cuts a cold radish with a cold meat knife, the entire root cannot be eaten with dairy because, as the Talmud explains, "the sharpness of the radish assisted with [the friction of] the knife in the meat's absorption into the radish."
Radishes endure in many forms of Jewish cooking. Sephardim typically add them to a mixed salad. Moroccans sometimes mix them into an orange salad. Bukharans add black radishes to stews and soups, such as lagman (meat-and-vegetable soup served over noodles). Yemenites cook meat-stuffed radishes and mix grated raw radishes with tahini (sesame seed paste).
It was among northeastern Europeans, who suffered from a dearth of vegetables, that radishes commonly served as the headliner and sometimes, with black bread, constituted "a poor person's dinner." The crisp, sharp, white flesh was used in salads, added to tzimmes, and even cooked with honey and ginger into preserves for a favorite Passover treat. Since black radishes can be stored through the winter and red ones can be planted in late winter and mature in about twenty-two days, some eastern Europeans used radish leaves or roots for the karpas or chazeret (a second green different from that used for the maror) of the Passover Seder. Raw radishes with sour cream (retachlich mit smeteneh) are popular on Shavuot and during the summer.
