Galaktoboureko • 12 Jerky • 8 Noodle Kugel • 16 Politics as Usual

Katherine Haidar, owner of Cooking Greek in Carmel, is a first-generation American who enjoys mixing traditional Greek dishes with American classics for the holidays.

Born in Kentucky, Haidar crisscrossed the country growing up, spending time in Florida, Michigan, New York and even her parents’ native Greece for a time.

She started her first business teaching cooking classes at a kitchen supply store while living in Tallahassee, Florida. “There were no Greek restaurants in Tallahassee,” Haidar says. “We had to drive clear to Tampa Bay for authentic Greek food.”

Yet another move, this time for her husband’s job, brought Haidar and their four children to Indiana. She continued her business using other people’s kitchens until a year ago, when she moved into a space on Old Meridian Street big enough for her cooking classes, catering and a small restaurant area. She also stocks Greek supplies for the community.

Marrying the food of her forefathers with downhome fare just seemed to fit.

“We do a little bit of everything,” Haidar says of holiday meals. It’s a practice she employs in her catering business, too.

Her staple holiday meal is a turkey cooked with lots of sage, butter and wine, and plenty of accompanying Greek dishes such as stuffed grape leaves and pastichio (Greek lasagna). “But we stuff our turkey with a rice, beef and cinnamon mixture,” says Haidar.

“And, yes,” she admits with a smile, “we do fry a turkey, too.”

Dessert is an assortment of traditional pies, baklava and galaktoboureko, a Greek custard.

Her favorite tradition to go along with the food? Gathering people who don’t have family or friends close by and inviting them to celebrate.

Then she gets everybody involved in the meal preparation. “They want to feel like family, not strangers,” she says. “If they wanted to be served, they’d go to a restaurant.”

With a kitchen full of helping hands and the smell of both Greek and American spices permeating the air, Haidar relishes the chaos of the holidays. “It’s fun. Things are going to burn. Things are going to spill. What makes it perfect is spending time with your family and friends,” she says.

GALAKTOBOUREKO

Recipe courtesy of Katherine Haidar

This Greek dessert is the perfect finish for a holiday feast.

4 cups milk 6 eggs, beaten ½ cup Cream of Wheat 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons butter ¼ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 package phyllo dough 2 sticks butter, melted, for buttering phyllo sheets

For syrup: 3 cups sugar 1 cup water Juice of one lemon ½ cup honey 1. In a saucepan, add milk and beaten eggs on medium-high heat. Continue to whisk thoroughly. 2. When milk is heated, add the cream of wheat, sugar, 2 teaspoons butter, salt and vanilla, while continuing to whisk. Once mixture has thickened, remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes. 3. In a 13- by 9-inch buttered pan, arrange 10 phyllo sheets one at a time with some of the sheets hanging over the sides of the pan. Make sure to butter the phyllo sheets using the 2 sticks of melted butter. 4. Pour in the cream mixture and fold over phyllo dough sheets one at a time, buttering each. 5. Add additional phyllo sheets to top, continuing to butter each. 6. Place in fridge for 15 minutes and then score the top of the phyllo into diamond shapes. 7. Place in preheated oven at 350° for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. 8. Remove from oven and pour syrup (directions below) over the top. 9. Let stand for at least an hour and then place in fridge for an additional 2 hours or overnight. Cut only when completely cooled.

To make syrup: Place sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue to stir until sugar water is clear. Add lemon juice and continue to stir until it thickens. Take off heat and let stand for a couple of minutes, then add honey. Mix thoroughly and pour over Greek custard.

Nancy Landman, who grew up in a Reform Jewish household in Indianapolis and owns the Great Cooks at Home kosher catering business, caught the holiday entertaining bug from her mother.

Mom used to throw elaborate parties, Landman recalls. “One time she was having a big party, and when she left to get one more thing, I decided to assist.” Then Nancy proceeded to move all the furniture to the wall on one side of the room, and when her mother came home proudly proclaimed, “I’ve made it so you can have a ball!

“I can only imagine how horrifying that was,” she laughs. “But at an early age I decided I was into parties and celebrations. The little nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Landman’s first career was in urban education. She worked within the Indianapolis Public Schools system for a number of years, and food and party planning were just a hobby.

Realizing she couldn’t do food and school, this educator became a student again and studied culinary arts in Europe.

“I never really thought I would be a chef,” Landman says. “I just wanted to have the best dinner party in town.”

That, and she loves to travel. “When I was growing up, Indianapolis was totally meat and potatoes, and I knew there was more out there,” she says.

Though her mother didn’t come with family recipes, Landman says she did a great job of collecting them and passing them on to her five children.

“Mom made the best kugel,” a Jewish casserole most commonly made from noodles.

Landman was also influenced by a rabbi friend who kept a kosher home. “He said, ‘I want my home to be available for anyone to eat in,’ and I never forgot that,” says Landman, “because everyone can come together when it comes to food.”

So holidays in her household are celebrated to the fullest. The table presentation is as important as the food, and the dining room table is adorned with nature’s seasonal decorations, such as nuts, fruits and dates.

A dinner might include potato pancakes, salmon stuffed with a fish mousse, a kugel for something traditional and perhaps a squash soup.

In keeping with the act of remembrance associated with the observance of a number of Jewish holidays, the meal will often be served by candlelight. Of course, candles are a nice touch for purely aesthetic reasons, too.

NOODLE KUGEL Recipe courtesy of Nancy Landman

A kosher kugel with a touch of sweetness is sure to satisfy.

Makes 12 servings

1 pound broad noodles ½ pound cream cheese, softened (be sure to use good quality) 1 cup sour cream ¼ pound butter, melted 4 eggs ½ cup sugar 1¾ cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup golden raisins (optional) 2 cups corn flakes, crumbled Cinnamon and sugar, to taste

1. Cook noodles as directed on package. 2. Blend cream cheese, sour cream and butter together. Mix in noodles. 3. Pour into 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish, greased. 4. Beat together eggs, sugar, milk and vanilla. Mix in raisins.

Pour over mixture in dish. 5. Top with corn flakes. Coat generously with cinnamon and sugar. 6. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes in 350° oven.