Sugie's CookBook

A TASTE OF JERUSALEM: RECIPES FROM SUGIE’S KITCHEN

Table of Contents

A Note from the Cook:

Sugie’s Cakes

SUGIE’S CAKES

Meringue Coffee Cake

Hungarian Coffee Cake

Banana Nut Chiffon Cake

Marble Chiffon Cake

Lemon Curd Cake

Lemon Curd

Chocolate Custard Devil’s Food Cake

Applesauce Cake

Cocoa Brownies

Carrot Cake

Biscotti from Roberta

Buttercream Frosting

Minnie’s Topping

Chocolate Glaze

Orange Glaze

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

My Apple Cake

Meat, Poultry, and Fish

MEAT, POULTRY, AND FISH

Chicken Paradise

Orange Chicken

Turkey Breast

Flo’s Tuna Mousse Soups

SOUPS

Winter Soup

Gazpacho

Side Dishes

SIDE DISHES

Rice Kugel

Roasted Veggies

Carrot Kugel

Dairy Noodle Kugel

Julienned Veggie

Salads

SALADS

Roberta’s Cabbage Salad

Cabbage Salad II

Good Salad

Pesach Recipes

PESACH RECIPES

Matzah Kugel

Sweet Potato, Carrot and Apple Pudding

27 27 27 28

A Note from the Cook:

My Mother, Lil Meltzer Epstein, always said, “If the food looks good it will be delicious.” She set a beautiful table and she told me the secret is lots of double curly parsley, radish roses and big stuffed green olives liberally sprinkled. A bit exaggerated but they really do help. So use your best table linen, crystal, silverware and whatever else pleases you. It makes the background for a wonderful meal.

For years, our dining room table in Jerusalem was full every Friday night with ten or twelve people. Sometimes friends, sometimes family, and quite often they were strangers, sent to us so they could get a taste of Shabbat. I didn’t mind the work because it was very meaningful, and (if everything went well in the kitchen), it usually was also delicious.

My blessing for whoever’s reading this book is that you, in your home, should know the joy of happy faces gathered around your table.

With Love, Sugie (Anita Meltzer Ellis)

Jerusalem

July 2021

P.S. This is dedicated to all those generations of Hadassah and Sisterhood ladies who compiled those terrific cookbooks, full of recipes that I interpreted and made my own. To my friends who are terrific cooks and shared their recipes too. And to Sandy, my Bat Bayit, part of my local family, and my friend ― who convinced me to write it all down and share it with you.

SUGIE’S CAKES Meringue Coffee Cake

Overnight recipe...very easy and worth it!!!

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:

1 cake of yeast / (0.6 oz cube of fresh compressed yeast, equal to 2¼ t. or 7 grams)

¼ C warm water

2 ½ C flour

2 T sugar, separated

1 C margarine

¼ t. salt

¼ c almond milk (or other milk substitute) mixed with ¼ c water

3 egg yolks

¼ c very warm water

For the meringue: For the roll-up

1 C sugar

1 C chopped nuts + raisins

3 egg whites Sprinkled cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

In the microwave, melt the margarine and milk substitute/water mix. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, proof the yeast by breaking it into small pieces and stirring it into ¼C warm water. Add 1 t sugar, set aside and cover until the yeast begins to bubble. In a large bowl, mix flour with salt and 2 T sugar. Add the yolks, as well as the combined “milk” and margarine, to the flour mixture and mix with an electric mixer at medium speed, until thoroughly combined. Add proofed yeast and mix until smooth. The dough will be a very loose and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight

Grease a 10” tube pan. Set aside.

Meringue. Beating 3 egg whites with a hand mixer, slowly add 1 C sugar until very stiff peaks are formed.

Divide the dough in half and roll out flat. Spread half of meringue over dough. Sprinkle with nuts, raisins and cinnamon.

Roll the sprinkled half of the dough up like a jelly roll and place in tube pan. Flatten remaining dough, spread with meringue, sprinkle with nuts, raisins and cinnamon, roll as before. Place second roll into tube pan on top of the other one, and tuck the ends in.

Bake at 350°F for one hour, or until browned. Cool completely (at least half an hour) before removing from pan.

Hungarian Coffee Cake

INGREDIENTS

2 cubes yeast

(Each cube is 0.6 ounce cube of fresh compressed yeast, equal to 2¼ t. or 7 grams)

¼ C warm water

¾ C milk, or non-dairy creamer mixed with water (whichever you choose, the ratio should be half milk, and half water)

½ C sugar

1 heaping t cinnamon

1 C chopped walnuts

240 grams margarine, softened

1 T salt

2 eggs

4 ½ C flour

INSTRUCTIONS

Grease 10” tube pan.

Mix sugar, cinnamon and nuts in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside. Proof the yeast by mixing it into the warm water. Set aside.

Scald milk in large mixing bowl (you can do it in the microwave). Add sugar, margarine and salt. Set to cool.

When milk mixture is cool, add the proofed yeast. Add eggs, and beat well.

Add flour to create dough.

When dough is smooth, pull off small pieces, and roll them into balls. Roll balls in the cinnamon, sugar, and nut mixture. Place the balls in tube pan, and let rise for 1 ½ hours.

Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350° F (180° C).

Banana Nut Chiffon Cake

Great for Pesach. You can substitute regular flour for the matzah cake meal during the rest of the year. Watch for the “upside down” trick that keeps this cake from collapsing flat as it cools.

INGREDIENTS

1 C matzah cake meal

¼ C potato starch

1 ½ C sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ C oil

8 eggs, separated

1 C mashed bananas

¾ C chopped walnuts

2 t grated lemon rind

A good shot of banana liquor

2 t orange rind

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine cake meal, potato starch, sugar and salt in a bowl.

Separate eggs. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add (in this order) oil, egg yolks, mashed banana and lemon rind.

Beat until smooth (about five minutes).

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until VERY STIFF.

Gently fold whites and chopped nuts into the batter together until combined, but do not stir.

Pour batter into an ungreased 10” chiffon cake tube pan.

Bake at 325° F/160° C for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Check with matchstick to make sure it is baked through.

Hang chiffon tube pan upside down on the neck of a bottle and cool thoroughly. Once cool, you can cut the cake from the pan with a spatula or table knife.

Marble Chiffon Cake

2 squares dark chocolate

1½ C sugar, separated

¼ C water

½ t soda

7 eggs, separated

2 C flour

4 t baking powder

1½ C sugar

½ C canola oil

¾ C water

2 t vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

For this recipe, you need a chiffon tube pan. Do not grease the pan. Melt together chocolate, ½ C sugar, ¼ C water and ½ t soda on the stovetop over a low flame, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Turn off flame and set aside to cool.

Separate 7 eggs into two large bowls.

To the bowl with the egg yolks, add flour, 1 C sugar, baking powder, vanilla and water. Using an electric mixer, beat for five minutes, until very well mixed. Clean off the beaters and beat the egg whites until very stiff.

Fold the egg whites into the cake mix until there are no more white streaks. Divide the batter into two bowls.

Add the chocolate mix to half the batter, and fold together. Pour half of the white mixture into the ungreased cake pan. Pour half of chocolate mix on top of that. Pour the remaining white batter on top, followed by the rest of the chocolate batter. Run a spatula through the batter to create a marbled effect. Bake at 350F/180C for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Check with a cake tester. A matchstick should come out of the cake without any crumbs attached to it.

Remove cake from oven and turn upside down on a bottle that fits into the neck of the pan. If you don’t have one, the pan should have legs that will support the cake off of the counter’s surface.

After the cake has cooled completely, take a table knife or long spatula and carefully run it up and down between the cake’s sides and the pan to separate them. Run the knife along bottom of cake to separate it from pan. Turn it right side up and there you have it.

Lemon Curd Cake

This is the very first cake I made in 1949 when Arnie and I were in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (Arnie was at F&M college). Eleanor, a friend of Aunt Loraine served this. She was happy to give me the recipe, and told me to go out and buy a chiffon cake pan. This cake is lovely and can be iced with any icing you prefer. But I recommend the lemon curd icing –see below.

INGREDIENTS

3 C flour

4 t baking powder

½ t salt

1 C margarine

2 C sugar

4 eggs, separated

1 t vanilla

1 cup milk (or half non-dairy creamer and half water)

Lemon curd frosting (see below)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the cake

Grease and line the bottoms of two 9” round layer cake pans

Mix dry ingredients together

Using an electric mixer, beat margarine with sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy

Beat in egg yolks until just blended

Add the milk and dry ingredients alternatively to margarine and sugar mixture

In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff

Fold stiff egg whites into batter

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350F/180C for 30 – 35 minutes.

Cool cakes until ready to assemble, frosting with lemon curd between the layers, and also on top.

Lemon Curd

4 eggs

1 C sugar

2/3 C lemon juice

2 ounces/60 grams margarine

Zest of one lemon

Whisk eggs and sugar together and place in double boiler over low heat. Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Continue to whisk until thick.

Transfer to a bowl, let cool, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove cakes from pans.

Frost the top of the bottom cake with half of the lemon curd, then place second cake on top of that.

Using the remainder of the lemon curd, frost the cake, spreading a circle of curd on the top layer.

Chocolate Custard Devil’s Food Cake

INGREDIENTS

For the custard:

3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 egg, well beaten

½ C milk (I use non-dairy creamer cut in half with water)

2/3 C sugar

For the cake:

1 C sugar

2 C flour

1 egg white and 1 yolk, separated

¼ tsp salt

½ C margarine

1 t baking soda

1 C milk (or non-dairy substitute)

1 t vanilla (added to milk)

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C

On stovetop, melt chocolate in a saucepan over low flame. Add beaten egg to milk, and mix into the melted chocolate. Add 2/3 C sugar. Mix well and continue stirring until a thick custard forms. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Line the bottoms of two 9” layer cake pans with baking parchment cut to fit bottom of pan. Spray the paper with PAM or similar oil spray. Mix flour and baking soda together

In a separate large mixing bowl, cream margarine with sugar.

Add egg and yolk.

Add milk and vanilla mixture alternately with flour and baking soda. Add cooled custard and beat for three minutes.

Pour into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes

Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes.

Un-mold the cakes, remove paper lining and cool completely.

Use whatever chocolate icing you prefer. Duncan Hines is great or I have few recipes.

Applesauce Cake

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ C unsweetened applesauce

1 egg

2 T melted margarine

1 t vanilla

2 C flour

2 t baking soda

1 t cin

½ t cloves

½ t nutmeg

1 C raisins

1 C walnuts, chopped

In a large mixing bowl, combine applesauce, egg, margarine and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients

Add dry ingredients to applesauce mix

Fold in raisins and chopped walnuts

Bake in two “English loaf” pans for 45 minutes, or until a matchstick comes out clean

Cocoa Brownies

INGREDIENTS

½ C all-purpose flour

½ C unsweetened cocoa

¼ t baking powder

¼ t salt

6 T butter or margarine

1 C sugar

2 large eggs

2 t vanilla extract

1/3 C mini chocolate chips (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C. Grease 8-inch by 8-inch metal baking pan. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. In a large saucepan, melt butter on low. Remove saucepan from heat.

Using a spatula, stir in sugar, then eggs, one at a time, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour mixture.

Spread batter in prepared pan; sprinkle with chocolate chips, if using.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in brownies 2 inches from center comes out almost clean.

Cool brownies completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours. When cool, cut brownies into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 4 squares.

Carrot Cake

In 1965, we went to a restaurant in New Hope, Pennsylvania. We ordered the carrot cake, and it was so good we nearly fainted. The owner came over to “kibbitz” with us. I said, “I’ll give you my recipe for Chocolate Custard Devil’s Food Cake” if you give me your Carrot Cake recipe.” He did!

INGREDIENTS

2 C sugar

1/2 C oil

2 C flour

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1 t cinnamon

4 eggs

3 C carrots, grated

1 C chopped walnuts

Zest of one orange

INSTRUCTIONS

Line the bottoms of three baking pans with parchment, and spray with PAM or another oil spray. Set aside.

Mix the sugar, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add the grated carrots to the wet ingredients, alternatively with the flour mixture.

Fold in chopped walnuts and transfer to prepared baking pans.

Bake at 350F/180 C for 40 minutes

When thoroughly cool, remove from pans and frost between the layers with orange buttercream frosting.

Biscotti from Roberta

From Miami. She was my client when I was in the real estate business in Jerusalem. In the end we managed their apartment, and we became friends. She’s a fabulous cook. After baking and cooling, I freeze loaves of this biscotti for future use. Don’t defrost

– after you take it out of the freezer, slice frozen, then heat at 250F/130C for 20 to 30 minutes. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

1 t almond extract

1 cup flour

1 cup whole almonds

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 350F/180 C

Grease loaf pan or line with baking paper

In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs and sugar

Add almond extract

Slowly mix in flour

Add the whole almonds.

Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

When cool, remove loaf from pan, wrap in foil and chill in refrigerator.

TASTE OF JERUSALEM

Buttercream Frosting

Covers 2 8” or 9” layer cakes

1/3 C margarine

¼ C juice of chosen flavour (orange, lemon)

1/8 t salt

1 ½ t flavouring (vanilla, almond, rum…try them all)

3 C sugar

Minnie’s Topping

Use this for cakes, cookies, ice cream, & sweet kugels.

2/3 C sliced almonds (crushed, but not fine)

2 t melted margarine

4 t brown sugar

1 C apricot preserves

Chocolate Glaze

6 oz (200 grams) semi-sweet chocolate

4 T margarine

3 T water

Melt ingredients together. Cool slightly before pouring over cake or cookies.

Orange Glaze

1 C sugar

1 ½ T orange juice

1 t orange zest

Mix together to get the consistency of heavy cream.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate

1 C margarine

1 C sugar

Melt chocolate, then cool completely

Combine margarine and sugar until creamy, then beat at high speed for two minutes until light and fluffy.

Gradually beat in chocolate. Makes 2 ½ C of frosting.

My Apple Cake

INGREDIENTS

5 or 6 apples, peeled and cut into chunks

2 t cinnamon

5 T sugar

3 C flour

1 C oil

2 C sugar

4 eggs

¼ C orange juice

1 t salt

3 t baking powder

2 ½ t vanilla

Grease tube pan. Mix apples with cinnamon and sugar, and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour half the batter into greased tube pan. Place half of apples on top of batter. Add rest of batter, then the rest of the apples. Bake at 350 for 1 ¼-1 ½ hrs.

Let cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.

MEAT, POULTRY, AND FISH

Chicken Paradise

INGREDIENTS

2 chickens, cut into pieces

½ C oil

1 C matza meal

1 t salt

¼ t pepper

2 C onion, chopped

4 C applesauce

1 C orange juice

2 t grated orange rind

1 t cinnamon

1 C blanched almonds (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Roll chicken pieces in matzah meal.

Brown chicken in oiled frying pan, and season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken from pan, and place into large pot.

In remaining oil in the frying pan, cook the onions for about 10 minutes. Add to chicken in pot.

Mix apple sauce, cinnamon, orange juice, orange rind, and almonds and pour over chicken in pot.

Cook for 45 min on a low flame, being careful not to burn bottom. Serve with mashed potatoes (to take advantage of the delicious gravy!).

Orange Chicken

Combine orange marmalade, orange juice and red wine in blender. Marinade chicken overnight.

Transfer chicken to baking dish, and spice with garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and pepper.

Bake until done.

Serve with fresh grated orange rind and orange sections.

Turkey Breast

For marinade:

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 T honey

¼ C soy sauce

¼ C oil

Marinade turkey overnight in a large oven baking bag. Turn over several times.

Preheat oven to 350F/180 C.

Make paste of 1½ c sugar and 2 T Dijon mustard with seeds.

Spread ½ on one side of the turkey, and bake for ½ hour in preheated oven

Turn turkey over and smear the paste on other side.

Open the bag so it doesn’t overcook, and bake for another ½ hour.

Flo’s Tuna Mousse

I pour it into three little pans. Great for taking out for a Kiddush!

1 can tomato soup

1 envelope (14 grams) non-flavored gelatine

250 grams cream cheese (or Tofutti for pareve)

1 c mayonnaise

3 T minced onion

1 6 oz can tuna, drained

Worcestershire sauce

Garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Heat soup and add gelatine until dissolved. Put everything in food processor and process until smooth.

Pour into greased molds and refrigerate. Also freezes well.

SOUPS

Winter Soup

INGREDIENTS

A piece of pumpkin

4 carrots

1 sweet potato

1 white potato (optional)

1 large onion chopped

5-6 Jerusalem artichokes

4 – 5 C water

2 t curry

1 t ginger

1 t salt

3 t bouillion powder

INSTRUCTIONS

Saute onion and then add curry and ginger. Saute some more. Stir in bouillion powder and salt. Add 4-5 cups water and bring to a boil and add vegetables

Lower heat and cook for about 20 minutes until all veggies are soft. Pour into blender after removing some artichokes (they make the soup very thick; add them until you get the desired consistency).

Gazpacho

INGREDIENTS

1 C green onions

2 C tomatoes

1 C celery

1 C cucumbers

2 t freeze dried chives

½ t parsley

Shot of tobasco

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1 t pepper

2 t salt

½ C wine vinegar

Bottle of tomato juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Put everything into food processor in batches. Process just for 5 seconds so it stays chunky. Serve very cold.

SIDE DISHES

Rice Kugel

INGREDIENTS

1 C cooked rice

¼ c. butter

½ C confectioners’ sugar

4 eggs

½ C milk or substitute

½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel

½ c. raisins

¼ c. chopped nuts

INSTRUCTIONS

Cream butter and sugar.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Add cinnamon, lemon peel, raisins, and chopped nuts and mix well.

Add cooked rice.

Bake in a greased casserole at 350F/180C until browned, about 1 hour. Serve hot or cold.

Serves six.

Roasted Veggies

INGREDIENTS

“I use a combination of vegetables: Brussel sprouts, broccoli, string beans, carrots, onions, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, potatoes… I did not use peppers but you could.”

INSTRUCTIONS

Clean and cut vegetables the night before – keeping the mushrooms separate. Put everything but the mushrooms in a bag with a little olive oil and seasoning. Leave bag in the fridge overnight.

Spread bagged vegetable combination out on a cookie sheet and roast in a very hot oven.

Add mushrooms in the last fifteen minutes because they shrink up.

Carrot Kugel

2½ C packed grated carrot

1 C flour

1 C brown sugar

1/3-½ C canola oil

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1 t lemon juice

1 t baking powder

Mix all ingredients and transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake at 350F/180C for 45 minutes.

Dairy Noodle Kugel

½ lb wide noodles, cooked and drained

25 grams melted margarine

250 grams cottage cheese

250 grams sour cream

¼ C sugar

1 t vanilla

2 eggs

¾ C corn flakes

1 t cinnamon

¼ C sugar

Combine ingredients and pour into prepared baking dish. Bake at 350F/180 C for 40 minutes.

Julienned Veggies

Julienne two colors of zucchini, and a carrot

Saute on medium high heat with 1 T oil.

Add 3 cloves garlic, crushed

Add salt and pepper

Add ¼ C diced red onions

Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously.

TASTE OF JERUSALEM

SALADS

Roberta’s Cabbage Salad

2 packages grated cabbage (about ½ a kilo or one pound)

1 orange and 1 yellow pepper, diced small

1 small red onion, diced

2 – 3 small cucumbers, thinly sliced

2 carrots thinly sliced

Dressing

1 C sugar

1 C white vinegar

½ c water

¾ C oil

2 t salt

¾ teaspoon chopped garlic

Pour dressing over chopped ingredients. Chill in a Ziploc bag overnight.

Cabbage Salad II

Sliced cabbage

Toasted sesame seeds

Pine nuts

Green onions

Dress with equal parts oil, sugar, and soy sauce and chill overnight.

Good Salad

4 tomatoes

1 ½ C chopped celery

1 large red onion

1 can chick peas

Combine, add your favorite dressing, and refrigerate overnight.

PESACH RECIPES

Matzah Kugel

INGREDIENTS

4 matzot

3 eggs, well beaten

½ t salt

½ C sugar

¼ C melted margarine, plus 2 additional T

1 t cinnamon

2 large apples peeled, and chopped

½ cup walnuts chopped

½ cup raisins

INSTRUCTIONS

Break up matzot and soak in hot water until soft, then drain. Beat eggs together with salt, sugar, melted margarine and cinnamon. Add to matzahs.

Stir in apple, nuts, and raisins.

Transfer into greased baking dish and dot with additional marg.

Bake at 350F/180C for 45 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Serves six, but multiplies beautifully. The only things I use less of when multiplying is the melted margarine.

Sweet Potato, Carrot and Apple Pudding

This recipe serves six, but you can easily multiply it to serve large crowds. But go easy on the margarine (use less) when multiplying.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup grated sweet potatoes

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup grated apples

½ cup raisins

½ cup chopped dates or prunes

½ cup matzah meal

2 t lemon juice

½ t salt

½ C melted margarine

½ t cinnamon

½ C sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix everything together in a large bowl.

Pour into greased casserole and bake 45 minutes at 350F/180C.

Serves six.

Malka’s Pesach Rolls

INGREDIENTS

1 C water

½ C oil

1 t salt

2 C matzah meal

Dash of cinnamon

4 eggs

1 T sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil oil and water.

Remove from fire and add dry ingredients. Stir to mix.

Add eggs one at a time, and beat well with an electric mixer. Grease hands, make balls and place on baking sheet.

Bake at 400F for half an hour, or up to 45 minutes. Tap the rolls, and when they sound hollow, they’re done.

Pesach Trail Mix

INGREDIENTS

½ C brown sugar

½ C water

1 t cinnamon

½ C nuts

½ C raisins (or cranberries)

¾ C chocolate chips

½ box KLP farfel

1 stick margarine or butter

INSTRUCTIONS

Line cookie sheet with baking paper. Mix farfel, cinnamon and nuts.

Melt margarine, brown sugar and water in a saucepan and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Pour margarine mixture over dry ingredients, and spread on cookie sheet.

Bake at 350° F, tossing at least twice, for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven, add raisins, then return tray to oven for additional 10 minutes. Cool completely before adding chocolate chips.