Healthy Jewish Cooking

Just in time for the High Holy Days, the bestselling maestro of low-fat cooking makes the cuisine that gave us chicken soup healthier than ever

Jewish cooking with a light touch? It sounds like an oxymoron, but Steven Raichlen--who continues to teach millions of Americans how to adapt rich dishes to today's leaner culinary lifestyle--proves it's not. Here, some of the heretofore heaviest food in the world is transformed by savvy techniques similar to those he shared in his award-winning High-Flavor, Low-Fat cookbook series.

In his newest book, readers will find delicious kugels, pirogis, and latkes of Raichlen's childhood reinvented with fresh ingredients, "bake frying,"and grilling techniques, and flavorful substitutions. Healthy Jewish Cooking is full of secrets: Yukon gold potatoes have a richer, more buttery taste; chicken broth instead of schmaltz lightens up dishes while cinnamon and nutmeg spice them up; olive oil replaces butter in Hanukkah fritters with honey syrup.

Tantalizing color photographs accompany all the recipes in this festively packaged book whose ingenious practical tips make it a lifesaver for the health-conscious Jewish holiday cook and gift giver.

No, says author Steven Raichlen, healthy Jewish cooking is not an oxymoron. Inspired by the large family gatherings of his childhood which were filled with homemade Jewish delicacies, Raichlen set out to re-create these meals with an eye towards the fat- and cholesterol-conscious. And he's done well. Raichlen finds still-tasty ways to greatly reduce or cut out schmaltz (rendered chicken fat), butter, oil, and eggs. With meat, he advocates using just enough for flavor but upping the ratio of vegetables, and to try grilling to release a smoky sweetness.

By following his "10 commandments" of healthy cooking, you'll be able to have traditional and not-so-traditional Jewish meals--but with drastically less fat and calories. Remember to "Think flavor, not fat" and "Roast your way to aroma" and you're on your way to lighter versions of old favorites like the Amazing Low-Fat Chopped Liver, Cheese Blintzes, and Sweet and Sour Turkey-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. Raichlen's family included Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews, so in addition to German and Eastern European-inspired recipes, he also includes Moroccan and Middle Eastern dishes like Greek Lamb Stew with Romaine Lettuce and Dill and Bulghur Pilaf. For kugel aficionados, there is an entire chapter of sweet and savory recipes. There are many kosher recipes and suggestions on how to amend nonkosher dishes.

Besides the appetizing, straightforward recipes, the allure of Healthy Jewish Cooking is Raichlen's remembrances of the men and women in his family who taught him how to cook and appreciate the importance of food in the Jewish culture. "Above all, have fun," says Raichlen. "Jewish cooking is about family, love, and abundance. Cook with all three and your life will be rich beyond measure." --Dana Van Nest