A DAY TO EAT, DRINK, BE MERRY : PURIM

Who can resist the carnival spirit of Purim . . . the only Jewish holiday that encourages drinking wine, dressing in colorful costumes and eating delicious food? Purim, which is this Sunday, celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from the hands of the villain Haman through the intervention of Queen Esther Purim.

The Scroll of Esther tells us that Queen Esther was a vegetarian, and many interesting food customs that surround Purim are based on the eating of seeds, grains, garbanzo beans and fresh and dried fruits. Poppy seeds, which can be traced back to biblical days, are the favored seeds. The most beautiful poppy seeds, glossy blue-black ones, come from Holland today, but most food markets sell them in some form.

Purim customs include baking quantities of cakes, cookies and pastries and sharing them with family and friends. In ancient times, large trays of baked delicacies and dried fruits were attractively arranged on large trays and dropped off at homes in the neighborhood. Purim also is a time for sharing with the poor. Many families enlist all their members in a baking bonanza to share with the less fortunate. Children always enjoy helping and are encouraged to participate.

Since Purim is a happy holiday, filled with merriment and good will, I am planning a festive menu that will be enjoyed by several generations. The traditional poppy seeds appear in miniature round loaves of bread, in a rich cake named in honor of Queen Esther and in a salad dressing especially good with fruit salads.

Purim would not be the same without hamantaschen , the traditional triangle-shaped pastries that may be made with a wide variety of doughs and fillings. The recipe given here is a Sephardic one, with a filling of almonds and wine, accented with aromatic rose water. The dough is a simple one to make, and you might want to experiment with some of the other time-honored fillings: plum, cherry, apricot or prune preserves, or any of the interesting poppy-seed variations.

Other holiday foods are included in the menu. Lean, low-calorie skirt steak is marinated, threaded on wooden skewers, pan-broiled and served as “lollipops.” Children love them, and the skirt steak, properly prepared, can be as tasty and tender as filet mignon. After removing the “lollipops” from the marinade, it only takes a few minutes from pan to table.

My guests will be greeted with steaming mugs of pea, bean and barley soup--a warm welcome if the day is chilly. The table will be decorated with cornucopias of fruit and grains, and grogers (noise-makers) will appear next to each plate.

Confetti Kasha and Varnishkas (bow-knot noodles) are enlivened with red, green and yellow peppers. The kasha is a welcome change from rice and a good choice for a holiday that emphasizes eating grains.

For dessert there will be a colorful array of fresh fruits of the season with a rosy hue due to the addition of some wine. Queen Esther’s Seed Cake has a rich batter without the addition of egg yolks. A variation of the classic poundcake, it contains a combination of seeds: poppy seeds, caraway seeds and sesame seeds, which gives it an unusual nut-like flavor.

When making hamantaschen , remember that this is a job with which children and grandchildren can help. Even the youngest children can help roll, fold and shape the dough. Older children may spoon in the fillings of these delicious three-cornered pastries.

PURIM FESTIVAL MENU FOR 12

Hearty Pea, Bean and Barley Soup

Round Poppy Seed Loaves

Skirt Steak “Lollipops”

Confetti Kasha and Varnishkas

Fresh Fruit Salad With Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

Queen Esther’s Seed Cake

Hamantaschen

( Sephardic Filled Pastries )

Hearty Red Wine

HEARTY PEA, BEAN AND BARLEY SOUP

1/2 cup barley

1 cup dried navy beans

1 cup dried split peas

2 pounds short ribs

2 onions, diced

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

8 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 parsnip, peeled and thinly sliced

1 rutabaga, peeled and diced

2 bay leaves, crumbled

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

Salt, pepper

1 (16-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

Cover barley, beans and split peas with 3 quarts water and soak at least 4 hours or overnight.

Place short ribs, onions, celery, carrots, parsnip and rutabaga in large pot. Add 10 to 12 cups water or enough to cover.

Drain barley, beans and peas and add to pot with bay leaves, thyme and marjoram. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add undrained tomatoes. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer gently until barley, beans and peas are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If serving in mugs, remove meat from bones and serve pieces of meat with soup. Makes about 12 servings.

Note: Soup is better on the second day; it can be prepared a day before serving.

ROUND POPPY SEED LOAVES

1 package dry yeast

1 cup warm water

Sugar

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

4 1/2 to 5 cups flour

Combine yeast, 1/2 cup warm water and dash sugar and let stand 5 minutes until bubbly and light.

In large mixing bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup warm water, 1/4 cup sugar, oil, salt and yeast mixture and blend well. Blend in eggs and poppy seeds.

Add flour, 1 cup at a time, blending well after each addition until dough is soft. Sprinkle flour on pastry board and turn dough out onto flour. Knead flour into dough, folding and punching until smooth and satiny, 5 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with towel and allow to rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Knead dough and divide to fill 1/4 to 1/3 of 4 well-greased (1-pound) or 3 (2-pound) coffee cans lined with parchment paper circles on bottom. Cover with towel and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Place cans on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees 30 to 35 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Carefully remove from cans. If bread is difficult to remove, loosen with sharp knife or take off bottom lid with can opener and gently push bread out. Return loaves to oven on baking sheet and bake additional 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 3 or 4 loaves.

SKIRT STEAK “LOLLIPOPS”

4 pounds skirt steak

1/4 cup chopped parsley

3 cloves garlic, peeled

Freshly crushed black peppercorns

Coarse kosher salt

Marinade

Place skirt steak on wooden board and pound with meat mallet until thin. Cut in lengths measuring about 8 to 10 inches. Blend parsley and garlic in food processor. Sprinkle parsley mixture over skirt steaks.

Starting at narrow end, roll lengthwise as tight as possible, jellyroll style. At seam edge, push 1 water-soaked 4 1/2-inch wooden skewer about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from side through roll and continue placing skewers 1/2 to 1 inch apart. With sharp knife, slice between skewers so you have rolled “lollipop” steaks.

Place lollipops in Marinade, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours, turning every hour.

When ready to serve, press crushed black peppercorns and coarse salt on cut sides of “lollipops” and place in heated, heavy cast-iron, ridged skillet or on broiler or barbecue and cook, turning once, about 5 minutes on each side for rare. Makes about 12 servings.

Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

Freshly ground black pepper

In large, shallow, glass baking dish, combine olive oil, red wine, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, ginger and pepper.

CONFETTI KASHA AND VARNISHKAS

1 cup buckwheat groats (kasha)

1 egg

6 tablespoons margarine

2 cups boiling chicken stock

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, finely chopped

1 sweet red pepper, finely diced

1 sweet yellow pepper, finely diced

1 green pepper, finely diced

1 (8-ounce) package egg noodle bows, boiled and drained

Mix groats and egg together. Heat 2 tablespoons margarine in large saucepot and add groat mixture. Stir constantly until kernels are separated and dry. Add chicken stock, 2 tablespoons margarine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover tightly and cook over low heat 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons margarine in skillet and saute onion and peppers until tender. Combine cooked, drained noodle bows with onion mixture and kasha mixture. Serve hot. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

FRESH FRUIT SALAD WITH POPPY SEED DRESSING

2 cups pineapple chunks

2 cups pear chunks or wedges

2 cups apple wedges

2 cups banana chunks

2 cups orange segments

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raspberry wine vinegar

1 cup oil

2 tablespoons minced red onion

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 pint strawberries

2 kiwi, sliced

Fresh mint sprigs

Toss cut-up fruits with lemon juice, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

In food processor or blender, combine sugar, mustard and salt and blend a few seconds. Add vinegar and blend again. With machine on, slowly add oil in continuous stream until incorporated. Transfer to glass bowl. Fold in onion and poppy seeds.

Arrange chilled fruit in serving bowl or on individual plates. Spoon dressing over fruit. Garnish with strawberries, kiwi and mint. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

QUEEN ESTHER’S SEED CAKE

1 cup margarine

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 2/3 cups sifted cake flour

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

8 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Grated peel of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

Powdered sugar

Beat margarine and 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl until creamy. Add vanilla and beat well. Gradually beat in 1 2/3 cups flour and ginger. Set aside.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt in large mixing bowl until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar and beat into stiff peaks.

Add 1/4 of meringue to margarine mixture, blending to lighten batter. Gently but thoroughly fold margarine mixture into remaining meringue. Sift remaining 1 cup flour into batter and gently fold together. Gently fold in lemon peel and seeds. Do not overmix.

Spoon batter into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes or until wood pick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar. Makes 1 cake.

HAMANTASCHEN

(Sephardic Filled Pastries)

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup sweet red wine

Almond Filling

Sugar Syrup

Sift flour, sugar and salt into large bowl. Add butter and blend until fine crumbs form. Add wine gradually, working in quickly, until dough has consistency of wet sand. Allow to set 15 minutes.

Divide dough into 4 parts. Roll each part out on lightly floured board to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut in 2-inch rounds and spoon Almond Filling on each round. Pinch corners to form triangle. Bake at 375 degrees 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon hot Sugar Syrup over hot pastries. Makes about 40.

Almond Filling

1 1/2 cups ground almonds

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup plumped golden raisins

1 tablespoon rose water

In small bowl, mix almonds, sugar, raisins and rose water.

Sugar Syrup

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon honey

Place water, lemon juice and sugar in saucepan, bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes. Add honey.