Many of the ingredients that make Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine special are widely available in kitchens throughout the world. Despite this, very few truly Israeli dishes have become well known outside of the country. One of the reasons for this is that many of the dishes that make up the Israeli table have been brought by immigrants from the countries of their origin. Thus, even though dishes such as couscous, felafel and shishlik are extraordinarily popular throughout the country, none of them can be considered "truly Israeli". Couscous, for example, originated in the Maghreb nations of North Africa; the roots of felafel are Egyptian; and shishlik first came from Turkey.

It is not enough for a dish to rely on ingredients, cooking methods or recipes traditional to a geographical area in order for it to be considered a unique part of a national cuisine. Truly national al dishes must have a unique "twist", something that marks them as belonging to that and only to that nation. Happily, Israel has several talented, creative chefs who are gradually adding such dishes to the national repertoire.

There is a very good chance that no Israeli chef has produced as many original dishes as Tsachi Buchester. Born of parents who immigrated from Eastern Europe, Buchester burst on the local scene when he opened his first Tel Aviv restaurant, "The Pink Ladle", about twenty years ago. Then part of a the "new wave" of Israeli chefs, he proudly presented his locally inspired version of nouvelle cuisine that was largely based on unique combinations of local ingredients.

Even though "The Pink Ladle" has been closed for nearly a decade Buchester continues to be well known as a television and media figure who writes and talks about food. Buchester continues to make his influence felt in other ways as well. There is, for example, an entire generation of young chefs that Buchester has trained, and even more that he has influenced, and many of whom are making good names for themselves in restaurants of their own throughout the country. Interestingly, Buchester's name has also spread far beyond the borders of Israel because many of the dishes he invented now appear as regular offerings on the menus of many of the most prestigious restaurants in France, Monaco, England, Belgium, and the United States.

Of the recipes that follow, each of which was created by Buchester, none is more often copied than that for "halvah parfait". Sadly, I have met at least a dozen chefs who claim the invention as their own. Each of those chefs is either having memory problems or lying, as the simple truth is that the dish made its world premiere in Buchester's restaurant on the evening of October 12, 1984. Unless otherwise noted, each of the following dishes will serve 4.

Fried Goats' Cheese with Mint Salad

350 gr. goats' cheese, shaped into a log and well chilled
flour as required
1 egg, lightly beaten and seasoned with thyme and nutmeg
vegetable oil as required
garlic to taste
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. wine vinegar
dash or two of Tabasco
1/2 cup of chopped fresh mint

Slice the cheese and dip the slices first in the flour, then in the beaten egg and then in the flour again, coating well. Heat the oil in a skillet until it just begins to smoke and then slide the cheese slices into the pan, cooking on both sides until golden brown.

Rub the insider of a salad bowl with garlic and mix together the chopped onion, olive oil, vinegar, tabasco and mint. Spoon the mixture onto individual plates and on this place the cheese slices. Serve as an appetizer.

Horn of Plenty

4 leaves filo pastry
1 Tbsp. flour
vegetable oil as required

For the Marinade:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic

For the Bean Sauce:
450 gr. fresh fava beans (broad beans)
1/2 cup chicken stock
dill, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste

For the Filling:
225 gr. fillet steak, cubed
225 fillet of sea bass (or any other firm sea fish)
1 Tbsp. pistachio nuts, shelled
1 small onion, chopped
60 gr. carrots, diced small
60 gr. leeks, chopped
180 gr. asparagus, chopped
60 gr. turnips, diced small
1/2 cup dry red wine

Roll each leaf of filo into a cone shape, tucking the edges over and fastening them with a dab of flour and water. Let the cones dry.

In a mixing bowl combine all of the marinade ingredients and then add the beef, fish, pistachio nuts and onion. Let stand to marinate for 1 hour.

Boil or steam the beans until just tender and then drain. In a food processor or blender puree the beans together with the cream, chicken broth and spices. Set aside to keep warm.

Simmer or steam the carrots, leeks, asparagus and turnips until they are al dente (still offering resistance to the teeth).

Drain the beef, fish, pistachio and onions and saute them in butter in a hot skillet, adding the cooked vegetables and red wine.

Deep fry the filo cones in hot vegetable oil until they are crisp and golden and then fill them with the meat and vege- table mixture. Make sure the bean puree is hot and then spon it onto individual plates and place a filled filo cone on top.

Halvah Parfait

1 cup (225 ml.) sweet cream
6 Tbsp. sugar
6 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. Amaretto liqueur
150 gr. halvah, broken into small pieces

In a bowl whip the sweet cream until it forms stiff peaks.

In a small saucepan mix the sugar with 6 Tbsp. of water and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool.

In the top of a double boiler, over but not in boiling water place the syrup and add the egg yolks and Amaretto. Mix with a hand mixer without stopping until the mixture is thick in texture and lighter in color and begins to form a foam on the surface. Remove from the heat, transfer to a mixing bowl and add the halvah. Mix at a high speed without stopping for 15 minutes and then fold in the whipped cream, mixing gently with a plastic spatula until the mixture is even throughout.

Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or English cake pan, cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper and place in the freezer for a minimum of 6 - 8 hours. Serve in thick slices. (Serves 4 - 6 as a dessert).

Flambeed Prickly Pears

1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. brown sugar
powdered cardamom
2 prickly pears (Sabra cactus fruits) per person, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. Sabra or Grand Marnier liqueur
whipped cream for serving

In a skillet melt half the butter, add the sugar and cardamom and in this saute the prickly pear slices for « minute. Add the liqueur, let it warm through for a few seconds and then very carefully set it aflame. When the flames die down, add the remaining butter and let melt. Serve with whipped cream.

© Daniel Rogov