Page 12 - Aruba Today

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WORLD NEWSMonday 29 February 2016

Visiting French chefs scramble Palestinian cuisine

M. DARAGHMEH in Japan, Brazil, India, Mo- dle Eastern recipes, thanks Lebanese, Mexican, Japa- a hot water bath. He also
D. CHESLOW rocco and elsewhere. to a strong agrarian tradi- nese and Italian fare. But relished the small touches
Associated Press A parallel festival began tion and a shortage of cli- most cooks learn on the Dreyer introduced. “He
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) four years ago and ran entele with disposable in- job. poached sliced garlic in
— At a time of simmering concurrently in Israel. Many come. Dishes lean on chick- “Someone wanted to work milk for two hours, then
Mideast tensions and rising Israeli chefs train in Europe, peas, lentils and rice, often for us after he came from a dried it and then deep fried
malaise, a group of French and in the last 20 years, a spiced with cumin, drizzled construction site. Another it,” Sakakini said. “And then
chefs recently visited the cosmopolitan Israeli cuisine in olive oil and accompa- one dropped out of high used it as a garnish. They
school,” said Jamal Nimer, looked phenomenal. I nev-
A mixed Palestinian French dish, Freekeh lamb rack, is seen at Orjuwan restaurant in the West owner of the Caesar Hotel er tried this before.”
Bank city of Ramallah. At a time of simmering Mideast tensions and rising malaise, a group of in Ramallah, which opened In the southern West Bank
French chefs recently visited the West Bank to bring a little joie de vivre to Palestinian kitchens. five years ago. “You have town of Hebron, Mahmoud
to teach the people how Halaika worked with Vin-
(AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) to work.” cent Lucas -- who cooks
That’s where the French in a Michelin-starred res-
West Bank to bring a little has emerged, incorporat- nied by sides like hummus, come in. taurant in southwestern
joie de vivre to Palestinian ing techniques and flavors tabbouleh and yogurt. Pal- One of the chefs gave France. The two prepared
kitchens. from across the Jewish di- estinian food also draws on lessons in baking bread, steak in a creamy mush-
The eight chefs visited aspora -- everything from Levantine flavors like zaatar cakes and macaron cook- room sauce alongside
restaurants in Ramallah, Moroccan couscous and -- a thyme-like herb -- as ies to the 32 students at the lamb neck stuffed with aro-
Hebron, Nablus and east Libyan fish stews to Ger- well as sumac and pome- Caesar Hospitality College matic rice and served with
Jerusalem in a weeklong man potato pancakes and granate molasses. in Ramallah, which Nimer yogurt -- a Palestinian spe-
event earlier this month Austrian-inspired chicken Ramallah, seat of the Pal- opened earlier this year to cialty.
sponsored by the French schnitzel. estinian Authority, has seen train staff. Halaika said he loved pre-
government, which prides By contrast, Palestinian dozens of new restaurants At the Orjuwan restaurant paring food as a child and
itself on culinary diplomacy cooking has remained and cafes open in recent nearby, co-owner Saleem spent six years cooking in
and has held similar events steeped in local and Mid- years, serving Palestinian, Sakakini said visiting chef an Israeli restaurant outside
Alex Dreyer helped his staff Tel Aviv, where he earned a
master basic techniques good salary but feared that
as they prepared a special authorities would discover
menu featuring salmon in he was sleeping in Israel il-
hollandaise sauce, a lamb legally during the week. He
rack served over herb- eventually moved back
infused mashed potatoes to Hebron and took a job
and an apple tarte tatin. cooking for half the pay at
“I liked the Palestinian food, the Pasha Palace restau-
because I think it’s a very rant, where a local clien-
specific flavor that anyone tele enjoys Palestinian fare
can enjoy,” said Dreyer, in a leafy courtyard.
who works as a chef in Par- Hebron, which has long
is. “The flavor is so bold and been a flashpoint for Is-
beautiful.” raeli-Palestinian violence,
Sakakini said he was grate- sees few tourists, making
ful his dozen kitchen staff the chef’s visit all the more
could get a master class in special. “We learned their
using the “sous vide” appli- techniques.
ance, which cooks meat Their slow cooking,” Halai-
or vegetables uniformly via ka said.q