SALADS | 19 Michal writes: This is a recipe that my mom used to make a lot. Cut cabbage into small pieces. Season with soy sauce, silan (or brown sugar), olive oil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar (or lemon). Before serving, add toasted pine nuts, hazel nuts and sesame seeds. MICHAL WRITES: My Mom Yael’s cooking. My mother was an amazing cook. It always amazed me the diversity of dishes she was able to make. But this did not start until we were a bit older. When we were young, my mother, struggling between teaching, studying, and taking care of the family cooked the simplest improvised dishes repeatedly. We used to eat minced beef with beans from a can, pasta with ragout (Italian sauce with meat and vegetables), pizza on pitta, lots of salad and hummus. Every Friday we would eat chicken with potatoes for dinner. Not that I complain- it was all tasty and we were not expecting anything else, but her talent and creativity in the kitchen only came into bloom later. By the time we had our own families and came for Friday dinners, she would make the most delicious and creative dinners. She would combine the Italian kitchen of her childhood home (my grandparents used to make their own ravioli and gnocchi), French cooking (France was my parent’s; only destination for a vacation for many years), Asiatic (that she picked up from cooking programs), and more. Whatever she cooked was done to perfection and we would all gobble it up and lick the plates clean. Moreover, she invented dishes that I’ve never encountered anywhere else. For example, I’ve never seen anyone cook artichoke in soy sauce (a family favorite) and her cholent was different, but the best I ever tasted. Over the years she also became a big fan of dining out. When we were young, she would consider it a waste of time and money. My parents always used to mention the one time we went to a Chinese restaurant as kids, and we didn’t like any of the dishes and made a fuss till they decided not to take us out ever again. But as the years passed, she learned (like many others) to appreciate a good meal in a restaurant. She would take us to the best places (not necessarily the most fancy and expensive ones) and would always pick the best dish on the menu. Till today, I judge every bite I eat, through her eyes (Mom would have liked it, Mom would not have liked it…). I miss you, Mom! A saying by my Mom: French make the best cooking from the best ingredients, but Italians make the best cooking from the simplest ingredients.
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