Cooking Vacations In Israel

Perhaps one of the best ways to get to know a country and its culture is through its food. Food is an expression of a cultures heart and soul, through its food and cuisine you also get to see the history of the country and the culture of its people. This is especially true of your cooking vacation in Israel. Israel is truly a melting pot of cultures and nationalities. Since its foundation in 1948 over 4 million Jews from every corner of the world have made Israel their home. During your cooking vacation you will have the chance to sample food from Morocco and Yemen, from India and China, from Russia and Tashkent, from the United States to England, from Greek to Arab the list just goes on and on and on.

Just to give you an idea as to what awaits on your cooking vacation, here are just a few examples of the mouth watering dishes awaiting you.

Yemen: a common ingredient in Yemenite dishes is the eggplant or aubergine. It can be prepared and cooked in an amazing variety of ways but perhaps one of the most well known is eggplant salad. Here"'""s a simple, basic but very good recipe.
1 pound (450 gram) eggplant

1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup of tomato paste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon zhoug (a spicy Yemenite pesto"')
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C.).

Place the eggplant on a baking tray and bake until it is very soft, usually about 35 minutes but this can vary.
Peel and allow to cool completely. When cool mash the eggplant into a pulp and mix in the chopped tomato. Stir well and then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Morocco: when people talk of Moroccan food they usually think of the tajin or Moroccan sweet pastries. But Moroccan food has so much more to offer. This recipe is for Green Pea Soup and while it might sound ordinary, belief me, it is delicious.

Peas (fresh or frozen but not canned) 2 cups
2 medium sized carrots peeled and diced into small cubes
2 medium onions diced into small pieces
8 cups of water
Half a cup of oil
Spices: ' teaspoon fresh milled black pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin, ' teaspoon corcum, salt to taste.

Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan and fry the onions and the carrots until they begin to caramelize (just start to brown). Allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes.
Add the green peas and then the water but carefully as it may spatter. Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for about 1 hour.
Add the spices, stir well and simmer for another 10 minutes.


Georgia: Georgian cooking is known for its great diversity due to its geographical location that, over the centuries, brought it into contact with many diverse cultures. Here is a recipe for a marinade that goes well with poultry and with fish.

4 large oranges
3 lemons
' cup of dry white wine
1 medium onion finely diced
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
3 tablespoons of paprika
' tablespoon olive oil
1-2 teapoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
' teaspoon of salt
' teaspoon of grated nutmeg
2 cinnamon sticks

Grate the zest from 1 orange and one lemon and set aside, you will need it later. Juice the remaining oranges and lemons. Place the wine and the lemon and orange juice into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil until there is only ' a cup of liquid left. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, put the onions, garlic and ginger into a bowl and add the cooled liquid, the grated zest, paprika, oil, sugar, pepper, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix well and pour over your poultry or fish. Allow to marinate for at least one hour before cooking.


So be prepared, your cooking vacation will be not only an eye opener, but a culinary extravaganza of tastes and smells. Bon Appetite! Or as we say here in Israel Betayavon!