How a Libyan Shabbat Tagine Became a Beloved New York Dish

Shared by Maya Jankelowitz
Recipe Roots: Tripoli, Libya > Ramat Gan, Israel > New York City 

When Maya Ginach was eight years old, her parents moved the family from the East Coast of the United States to Israel.  “The culture shock to young Maya was as alluring as it was disorienting,” explains Sarah Tihany in the Jack’s Wife Freda cookbook, which shares recipes from a restaurant Maya now owns with her husband. She didn’t speak Hebrew yet or understand the bustle of Israeli culture. “The language, the tradition, and the culture,” it was all a shock, Maya explains.

Saturdays in her new homeland were taken over with visits to see Rapael and Buba, her maternal grandparents, in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv. With their nine children and 26 grandchildren, family gatherings were busy affairs. Maya remembers she and her cousins would play in the backyard or cards and get into trouble — and there was always lots to eat.

Safta Buba, as they called her grandmother, who moved to Palestine from Libya in the 1940s, would cook recipes from her hometown of Tripoli for the Shabbat feasts. There was chraime, or fish cooked in a piquant tomato sauce, bastilla, or a casserole of ground meat, vegetables and mashed potatoes, and fresh, hand-rolled couscous to go with tagine, a slow-cooked North African dish made with chicken or beef by safta Buba. 

And there were the mezze, numerous dips and salads dotted each meal. Buba was known for beets with labneh, za’atar and olive oil, a carrot salad, a chopped tomato and cucumber salad, pickles, olives, and pickled kohlrabi. The family lunches continued often until Maya was a teenager and her grandparents passed away. 

The recipes, fortunately, were preserved. Maya’s mother and aunts have faithfully tended to safta Buba’s recipes. “All of my mom’s sisters cook exactly the same food and one of them ended up in Amsterdam many years ago… She’s doing the same exact table over there,” Maya explains.  

In 2012, when Maya and her husband Dean Jankelowitz, a South African Jew, opened their restaurant Jack’s Wife Freda in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood, the menu honored their roots and their families. Recipes from safta Buba, like her fried zucchini and eggplant have been updated, but the roots are clear. “Our salt and pepper eggplant, zucchini chips, beet dip and roasted cauliflower are all takes and revised memories from what I used to eat at safta’s house,” Maya adds.  

The tagine has remained close to its origins. Though there’s one update: the simpler chicken or beef that safta Buba used is sometimes replaced with a more decadent duck or lamb. And the dish has been a special at the restaurant since it opened. “We have a lot of regulars that just wait for it,” Maya says.  

Safta Buba’s recipe is a perfect fit for the end of the year, when the daylight hours are short and the air chilly. If you’re feeling ambitious, channel Buba, and invite your entire family (or group of friends) over for this dinner spread. 

Duck Tagine

Makes: 4 servings
Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients
1 large yellow onion, chopped into a medium dice
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
½ cup prunes, chopped into ¼” pieces
½ cup dried apricots, chopped into ¼” pieces
¼ cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne 
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Juice and zest of 1 orange
3 medium carrots, cut in half lengthwise and cut across into ½” half-moons
4 duck legs
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 pack couscous, for serving

Preparation
1. Combine the onion, garlic and ginger into a small bowl and set aside.

2. Combine the prunes, apricots and raisins into a separate bowl and set aside. 

3. Combine the coriander, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne in a small bowl and set aside. 

4. Combine the juice and zest of the lemon and orange in a small bowl and set aside.

5. Trim any excess fat from the duck legs and salt liberally on both sides. Heat a Dutch oven, large enough to hold all 4 legs comfortably, over high heat. Pour in the olive oil. Place all 4 legs into the pot, skin side down, and sear until dark golden brown. Turn down the heat and transfer the duck legs to a plate.

6. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pot, or enough to cover the bottom of the Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and saute until the vegetables have softened, roughly 5 minutes. Add the spices and stir so the spices completely coat the vegetables. 

7. Turn the heat to medium-high. Deglaze with the citrus juice-zest mixture and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add the dried fruits and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and gently place the duck legs, skin side up, back into the Dutch oven, making sure they are completely submerged in the liquid. Place the carrots on top and cover the Dutch oven. Either turn the stove top to the lowest heat or place in a preheated 300 degree oven for 2 hours. After 2 hours check to see if the duck legs are so tender that the meat easily begins to fall off the bone. If they are not yet tender, cook for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. 

8. Carefully transfer the duck legs to a serving dish. Stir the cooking liquid, which should have thickened to a sauce. If it’s not quite thick enough, return to medium heat and reduce for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the sauce over the meat and garnish with the chopped parsley and mint. Serve with couscous.

Roasted Cauliflower

Makes: 2 to 4 servings
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
¼ cup capers
¼ cup packed fresh parsley leaves
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cracked black pepper

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Quarter the cauliflower and cut out the ribs. Set one quarter of the cauliflower aside. Break the rest of the cauliflower into large florets roughly the same size. If any florets are too large, cut in half with a knife. Toss the florets in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning the cauliflower halfway through the cooking process, until browned and cooked to your liking.

2. In a sauté pan over medium heat, heat ¼ cup of the olive oil, and fry the capers, shaking the pan often to cook evenly. Do take care since the capers may burst and sometimes jump out of the pan. You may want to cover the pan with a lid. Once the capers are light brown and toasted, strain and allow them to drain on a few pieces of paper towel. 

3. Cut the remaining quarter of cauliflower across into very thin slices, using only the florets and not the stem. Coarsley chop the parsley leaves. Combine the raw cauliflower, parsley, and fried capers in a small bowl.

4. In a blender or food processor, blend the lemon juice, garlic, egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard untli combined. While the blender is running, slowly add the remaining 1 cup olive oil in a slow, steady stream. If the consistency is too thick, add 1 tablespoon water. Add the Parmesan and blend until combined. Transfer the dressing to a small bowl and season with pepper.

5. To assemble the dish, spoon ¼ cup of dressing into a thin layer covering the bottom of your serving dish. Place the cooked cauliflower on top of the dressing in an even layer. Dress the raw cauliflower salad with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the dressing or until well coated. Salt to taste. Spread the raw cauliflower salad on top of the cooked cauliflower. Feel free to garnish with additional parsley and cracked pepper.

Zucchini Chips

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
For the zucchini chips:
3 medium green zucchini
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 ¼ cups seltzer water
2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 cups vegetable oil

For the Smoked Paprika Aioli:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Zest of ½ lemon

Preparation
1. Rinse the zucchini and cut across on a slight angle into ¼ inch thick slices. 

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly whisk in the seltzer water.

3. Place the panko bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Using one hand for the wet mixture and one hand for the dry, dip the zucchini into the wet batter, using the side of the bowl to wipe off any excess, and place in the panko. Coat all sides of the zucchini thoroughly with the panko. Place on a baking sheet and continue with the rest of the zucchini.

4. In a deep saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat to roughly 350 degrees. Fry the zucchini on each side until golden in color, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and salt lightly.

5. Make the Smoked Paprika Aioli: In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Use a rubber spatula to remove any lumps of paprika, stirring until uniform in color.

6. Place the Smoked Paprika Aioli in a small bowl, whisking in 1 or 2 tablespoons cold water if needed to thin the aioli slightly. Serve the zucchini chips with Smoked Paprika Ailoi for dipping.

Spiced Beet Dip

Makes: 2 to 3 cups
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 ½ lbs beets (3 medium beets), peeled and cut into quarters
8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup tahini
Juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon zaatar
2 tablespoons crumbled feta
Pita, for serving

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a small bowl, toss the beets with the garlic and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer to a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 30 minutes. The beets will be very tender when a small knife is inserted in the middle (be sure to test out a few larger pieces); if the beets are not easily pierced, roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes and test again. 

3. Once beets and garlic cool slightly, place them in a food processor and process until combined. Add the tahini, lemon juice, and salt and blend again, scraping any bits off the sides. Process again , pouring the remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a slow stream into the food processor while the mixture is blending. Once all the ingredients are added, process for 3 minutes or until the mixture is very smooth. Transfer to a plate for serving or into a container and refrigerate.

4. To serve, sprinkle the za’atar over the dip, add the crumbled feta cheese on top, and finish with a hefty splash of extra virgin olive oil. Serve with pita for dipping.

Kohlrabi and Carrot Salad

Photos by Penny De Los Santos

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Total Time: 15 to 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 large kohlrabi, peeled and cut into quarters and sliced thinly
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into thin diagonal slices
Juice from 1 lemon
¼ cup water

Preparation
1. Place the kohlrabi slices, carrot slices, lemon juice and water into a medium mixing bowl. Mix until combined well.

2. Serve cold or at room temperature. 

Make Ahead: You can make this salad in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

All recipes are excerpted with permission from Jack’s Wife Freda Cookbook, from Blue Rider Press.