The ‘watchful’ ALMOND: GOOD, & good for you

BY MARGI LENGA KAHN | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Almonds play a special role in the Torah. Indeed, other than pistachios, they are the only nuts mentioned in the Torah. And not just once but multiple times.

For example, in Exodus 25:32, God directs Moses to have the Children of Israel build a sanctuary. Among the specifics for the sanctuary are directions for the creation of a gold menorah: “There should be three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a knop and a flower.”

Native to Israel, almond trees date back thousands of years. They are the first fruit trees to bloom, and they do so before spring arrives. And before the leaves appear, these trees produce fragrant and beautiful flowers.

Bitter almond trees, the oldest ones, produce nuts that contain a poisonous acid called HCN. To make them edible, these bitter almonds must undergo a process to remove that deadly acid. The resulting nut meat, with its concentrated flavor, is the key ingredient in almond extract.

Recipes

• Lemony Spinach, Date & Almond Salad

• Almond & Pistachio Lemon Tea Bread

• Almond Tahini Dip

There are two species of almond trees: cultivated almond trees and bitter almond trees. The cultivated variety, the majority of which are now grown in California, are the ones we delight in eating. The skins of these almonds are edible; however, for baking purposes, many people prefer to use blanched almonds, which are almonds that have had their skins removed. You can purchase blanched almonds at some ethnic markets, or you can do it yourself. Simply place almonds in a pot of boiling water for one minute, rinse them in cold water, and then slip off the skins.

Almonds have been an indispensable ingredient in cuisines the world over and are used in many foods we associate with those cuisines. For example, Greek skordalia, a sauce made from almonds and potatoes, is frequently served with fish and vegetables or as a dip. So, too, Spanish ajo blanco, made with almonds, bread and garlic, is the original gazpacho, created long before tomatoes made their way to Spain from the new world. And macarons, the French “rainbow” sandwich cookies, are made with almonds and egg whites.

Sephardic cuisine includes almonds in many main dishes and desserts. For example, there’s the Sephardic almond sauce bademli, which is made from a mixture of water, almonds and parsley and used to top a variety of meat and fish dishes. There is also almond baklava; fnaro, a honey-sweetened egg custard; travados, an almond and currant filled pastry; and other such dishes featuring or incorporating this ancient tree nut.

So, too, almonds are plentiful is Ashkenazi cuisine, including the iconic mandelbrodt (“mandel” is Yiddish for “almond”); almond milk, which long predated the current health craze; kifli, ground almond cookies in a crescent shape; rolled cakes with an almond filling; haroset for Passover; and those delicious dumplings for chicken soup that include finely chopped almonds in an egg and matzah meal mixture.

The Hebrew word for almonds is shakeid, which means “watchful.” It is symbolic for God’s watchfulness over the Jewish people. For many cultures, almonds are a symbol of hope, happiness and renewal. For example, at many Jewish weddings, newlyweds are showered with almonds as they leave the chuppah. Jordan almonds, the pastel candy-coated almonds, are frequently given out as a traditional wedding party treat at many Jewish and Greek wedding receptions.

There are so many ways to enjoy almonds: out of hand, ground into milk, almond butter, marzipan, almond paste, frangipane

LEMONY SPINACH, DATE & ALMOND SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

Vinaigrette:

3 tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

½ small shallot, peeled and finely minced

½ c. extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

Pinch of crushed red chili flakes (optional)

Coarse kosher salt, to taste

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Salad:

12 oz. fresh baby spinach, rinsed and spun dry

6 Medjool dates, pitted and cut into strips number of exciting culinary creations.

Besides being delicious, almonds pack a wallop of nutritional benefits. In their beautiful book “Almonds,” my friend Barbara Bryant and her co-author Betsy Fentress identify almonds as a superfood: “Compared to other tree nuts, they rank first in protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin and niacin. Plus, they deliver another startling property: Even though a 1 ounce (30 g) serving has 160 calories, the body absorbs only 129 of those calories.”

So, what are you waiting for? Grab a handful of almonds to snack on. Or, for a more elaborate snack, stuff an almond inside a pitted date. Or sprinkle a large handful of chopped almonds on top of your favorite salad, hot grain dish or

Passionate Palate

Margi Lenga Kahn is the mother of five and grandmother of nine. While teaching virtual cooking classes and preparing meals for the local Meals On Wheels program, she continues to work on a project to preserve the stories and recipes of heritage cooks. She welcomes your comments and suggestions at margikahn@gmail.com.

¾ c. unsalted almonds, toasted, cooled and coarsely chopped

2 pita breads split in half, br`shed with olive oil, lightly salted, toasted in the oven until crisp, and torn into 1-in. pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1. For vinaigrette, whisk together vinegar, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and minced shallot.

2. Drizzle in ½ c. of olive oil while whisking until dressing has emulsified. Add crushed chili flakes (if using) and salt and pepper to taste and whisk again.

3. Whisk in additional lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

4. Place spinach in a large salad bowl.

5. Add dates, almonds and pita pieces to spinach and toss to combine.

6. Drizzle two-thirds of the vinaigrette evenly over the salad and toss well.

7. Taste, adding more vinaigrette and salt and pepper as needed.

Makes 6-8 side salad servings.