Flan was popular in medieval Spain and Sephardic cooks were known for their simple, elegant desserts, transforming eggs, sugar and milk into something silky and soothing. Flan, a soft, creamy custard with a clear caramel topping, has always been close to my heart. As a young boy growing up in the port city of Larache…
We hope next time you bake challah, you try this wonderful savory babka recipe. Serve it warm with a pat of butter or a dollop of sweet jam. Between the ancient stone structures of the port city of Jaffa and the ultra-modern skyscrapers of Tel Aviv lie the charming, narrow streets of Neve Tzedek. It…
This recipe connects my family to generations of Moroccan Jews who ended their week the same way. Long before I light my candles, the smoky scent of my Moroccan fish signals that Shabbat is coming. Like my mother and my grandmothers before me, I serve my family and friends this flavorful, saucy fish dish every…
This hearty harvest veggie soup recipe includes my favorite cooking technique — roasting vegetables on a sheet pan. There’s an old Ladino saying, “Vinieron los huesos a su lugar,” which roughly translates to “Your bones have come back in their place.” It is a colloquial way of describing something that is restorative, to body and…
This classic slow-roasted chicken and rice dish is most emblematic of the Babylonian kitchen. Years ago, when Sharon and I were part of the Sephardic Educational Center’s Young Professionals, a large group of us would meet every Shabbat at Kahal Joseph Congregation. After the services, David and Sue, Sharon’s parents, would host all the singles…
On Sukkot, there is a tradition of eating stuffed foods from vegetables to pastries. These cooler, amber-infused days of autumn lend themselves perfectly to the outdoor festival of Chag ha’Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). This holiday, a reminder of the Jewish people’s 40 years of wandering in the desert, symbolizes the temporary nature of life. Just…
Shorba, the tomato, chicken and rice soup recipe that we highlight here is a beloved classic from the Babylonian kitchen. Sometimes there are glimpses of Jewish life in Los Angeles that remind you of what it must have felt like to live in the shtetl. (Of course, in Morocco the Jewish quarter was a Mella…
1/4 cup olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 15oz can of tomato purée 1 15oz can of cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes 2 tsp salt 1 tbsp sweet paprika 1 tsp hot paprika 1 tsp cumin 2 dried chilis 1/2 cup sliced…
For this Tu b’Av, Sharon and I share this recipe for pavlova with wishes for sweetness in your life. Friday night dinners at my grandparents house were epic. It was the early ’70s and everyone was young. I can still picture my uncles with their muttonchop sideburns and wide-collar shirts. My mother and her younger…
During the nine days leading up to the fast of Tisha b’Av, it is traditional to eat lentils. In 2007, Tisha B’Av fell on the evening of July 23, which happens to be Alan’s birthday. My extended family, including my grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins were in Israel for the upcoming wedding of my brother…
Rosca have a texture that is similar to challah, but the flavor is unique. At the henna party beforE our wedding, Neil and I were dressed in the traditional Moroccan costume — embroidered caftans. Neil wore a red fez and I wore an elaborate bejeweled crown and neckpiece. A special moment of the celebration was…
No matter where you’re born or how you were raised, one thing is certain — the more vegetables you place on the table, the more your family will learn to love them and expect them My Nana Aziza was in her late 20s when she and my grandfather landed in the ma’aborot (transit camps) of…
Pairing the tender fish brochettes with the vibrant herb sauce and crispy potatoes reminded us of eating by the sea with the scent of saltwater in the air. The sepia engagement portrait of my beloved Nana Aziza and Aba Naji is legendary. He sits leaning in to her, looking off into the distance, dashingly handsome…
Bright, earthy and deeply refreshing, this salad brings together the forest-like aroma of fresh herbs with a sweet and nutty crunch. The deep bond between my mother and her sister Mercedes endured despite decades of living on different continents, with my mother living in Los Angeles and my aunt in Haifa. Luckily for me, the…
The meatballs are light and fluffy because they are filled with grated onion and potato starch. The addition of chili oil, paprika and cinnamon lends them a sublime, flavorful taste. You cannot imagine how surreal it is to be stuck in Israel during this time of war. All the places that make Israel iconic are…
Nothing says summer better than biting into a ripe peach. Peaches are sunshine, sweetness and home. Last Wednesday, Alan, our youngest daughter Shevy and I arrived at LAX, only to discover that the Amsterdam to Tel Aviv leg of our flight had been canceled. Somehow, the amazing supervisor on duty arranged for us to fly…
There is nothing better in the world than a fabulous, old fashioned meat and potatoes dish like shepherds pie. One night, on our recent trip to Jerusalem, Neil and I wandered over to Mahane Yehuda. The bustling, vibrant food stalls of the Shuk were closed, but the nightlife was already buzzing. The bars were open,…
We offer this week one incredible recipe to honor two incredible fathers. When my brother Rafi and I were little, we loved hearing stories of my father’s life growing up in Baghdad. He would tell us about his father’s wholesale food business and his silly Arab workers who would try to cheat him and how…
This rustic cheesecake has a burnt top that imparts a delicious caramelized flavor. The interior is smooth, soft and sweet, with a creamy custard flavor. This past week, I had the rare pleasure of a private tour of the Mach’ne Yehuda Market. The Shuk, as it is affectionately known, is the bustling heart of Jerusalem and…
This week’s recipe is exactly the kind of fish dish that is perfect for eating by the seaside in Tel Aviv or Greece. The other day, Neil and I were in a taxi headed to the Tel Aviv train station, where we would take a train to visit my cousins in Haifa. The driver was…
Since opening Molino, the restaurant has taken off like fire. In 1973, when my family left Casablanca for the United States, my aunt Clara and uncle Menasse moved to Barcelona, then joined his extended family in Paris.In 1983, they decided to move to Los Angeles, with the hope of giving their kids a better chance…
