The Herald-News from Passaic, New Jersey • 38

C-4 The Herald-News, Wednesday, August 17, 1983 Serving North Jersey What's this stuff called halvahg How to handle shellfish own very rich ice cream; they include It in their list of flavors a few times a yea J. "You either like it or you don't," Mary Garfield of the halvah-flavorefl ic cream; the statement is equally true if halvah by itself. SESAME FANS CAN buy tahinipr-duced by several manufacturers, groceries and specialty food to Levin, Joyva has seeJCSSi "exponential" rise in popularity fot'Qis product, again because of its nutritiinSil properties. The company is offerir ja free booklet with 19 recipes thaj? tahini in soups, salad dressi2i, spreads, desserts and main courseiZTb get a copy, address your request tLt3jj-va, 53 Varick Avenue, Brooklyn, 11237. The recipes that follow are jSfo "Cooking with Joyva Sesame TahinjZ TAHINI HONEY SPREAD i- V2 cup Joyva tahini ZZ Vi cup honey.

Mix well and spread on brea3)r crackers. Makes a delicious topping for caltes and cookies. Yield: 1 cup. Variations: You may add cup tSr isins, sunflower seeds or crushedJ5at nuts to this mixture. 2 TAHINI SALAD DRESSING 2 cups water 1 can Joyva tahini ZZ Juice of 2 small lemons, 5 2 cloves garlic, crushed Onion powder, thyme, basil and fesi) dill to taste Pour water in blender, and tahini.

Add lemon juice and garlifan blend for 1 minute. Add rest of he ingredients and blend again. a For best results make day before ing. Recipe makes 1 quart. Can be kept refrigerated for 2 weeks.

ROSIE'S DROPS IV2 cups instant oats 1 6 tablespoons Joyva tahini Vt cup finely chopped walnuts or peanuts V2 cup honey 1 teaspoon cinnamon Raisins (optional chopped applet lit dates) legg pt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend well all ingredients in order Teaspoon onto oiled cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, or until sides jif golden brown. Makes 18 to 24 cookies. more often for butter-sugar-flour halvah, or mixes of oil, honey, and farina, sometimes with pinenuts almonds and sometimes without Some authors proposed it as a Lenten treat Sesame, however, was the heart and soul of the recipe Radutzky's father, Nathan, brought to this country from Russia, and sesame seeds are what he put into the vats where he stirred up the.

batches of halvah with which he started the family food firm in 1905. The seed itself is tropical, cultivated and used as a foodstuff in Africa, the Middle East, India and China since ancient times; its name is rooted in Assyrian and Aramaic tongues. Ali Baba used the magic in the word as access to a -world of wealth; other legends, accord- ing to Jack Levin of Baltimore's Schecter and Levin Advertising Agency which 35 years ago created the "Joy-va" title and the sultan's head logo for the Radutzky company also give an aphrodisiac aura to sesame seed concoctions. Most certainly, by the time Nathan Radutzky started producing halvah here, there was a constituency eager to get it: for the Jews of Eastern Europe, who immigrated to America in major waves as the pogroms of Russia escalated in severity from 1880 onward, halvah has always beena jgreat favorite. Hard-core halvah addicts may remember the good old days when this was the kind of food a kid could grow up on.

Lev in remembers the bad old Depression days, when a nickel's worth of halvah Spread between two slices of bread was a cheap but nourishing meal. What people didn't know about nutrition then would probably fill volumes; but it just happens that all those wonderful things they used to say about halvah were true. Milton Radutzky, who's seen a 20 to 25 percent increase in sales over the past few years, credits some of the new popularity of the old confection to a current surge of interest in the nutritional properties of sesame. The seeds are "26 percent protein," he said, "and they are also polyunsaturated." HIS OWN HALVAH runs a whopping 2,500 calories to the pound; but that breaks down to only about 156 calories to the ounce, which is not a great deal more fattening than a candy bar. "It only eats rich," he said.

It eats even richer in the halvah ice cream created and sold by Mary and Leon Garfield, owners of Lee's Ice Cream Factory. Three years ago the couple began adding Joyva halvah to their By GERRI KOBREN Independent Press Service They said it tasted like peanut butter, like Viennese marzipan, like malted-milk balls, like sand or like sawdust wrapped in newspaper. Some said, "Mmmmmmm," and immediately had some more. Others seemed dubious, walked away, then came back for seconds and thirds, chunking off larger pieces each time. A few coughed and headed for the coffee pot One of the men was very succinct: "A little of this goes a long, long way," he said.

IT WAS NOT A scientific taste test The stuff just sat out in a busy office; those who knew what it was and others who did not helped themselves to tiny nibbles or majorslabs." The dieters approached with caution. "My goodness, this must be fattening," moaned a calorie-counter as she bit into a chunk." Another, who knew a hunk of halvah when she saw it, cried, "Cruel!" and then studiously avoided the samples. Halvah: a Middle Eastern confection, composed of ground sesame seeds, glucose, vegetable oils, dried egg albumen and flavorings. At certain delis, supermarkets and specialty groceries, you can buy it plain, chocolate-flavored, marbled, nutted or chocolate-covered, in small bars, bigger cans.w sliced to-you order off opened loaves or wheels. According to Milton Radutzky, one of the four brothers who run the Joyva Corp.

of Brooklyn, N.Y., which produces "a couple of million pounds of halvah a year" along with other kinds of candy, your best buy is probably the smaller, vacuum-sealed packages, in which freshness is guaranteed. In the open, or even in the refrigerator, halvah tends to dry out and to pick up other flavors and aromas; leftovers should be tightly wrapped in plastic or foil. Joyva is not the only halvah producer in the world, though it may be the biggest manufacturer in the United States. Radutzky mentioned one other American producer, Sahadi, based in New Jersey; Fantastic Foodsof California, also makes halvah, with carob and cashews to appeal to the health food crowd. THE STUFF HAS got a peculiar past.

The word itself Halvah means "sweetmeat," a term that applies to any kind of confection. Commercially, it is made on a base of sesame seed paste, but recipes discovered in Russian, Armenian and Greek cookbooks mention sesame only in passing; instructions are (Continued from Page C-l) "Never let steamed crabs come in contact with any surfaces, baskets or containers that have held uncooked crabs. Bacteria will spread like wild fire." "If shrimp are large and the vein appears to have sand, devein it with a knife or toothpick. The beak of a beer can opener does an adequate job, too." "Scallops should never be cooked and then rewarmed. They have to be cooked once and quickly." Oysters are the hardest shellfish to open.

I think more people have been injured opening oysters than any other shellfish." Crabs are the hardest shellfish to get the meat out of. "So much crab is wasted; people can eat a dozen crabs and still be hungry. A normal person should be able to get enough crabmeat out of three crabs, you know, good-sized crabs." Clams are the best buy in seafood. "The bigger the clam, the "cheaper because small clams are more valuable. Get one large-chowder clam and you can really make two good cups of clam chowder out of it." Mussels are Robinson's favorite shellfish.

He recommends preparing them in a very watery sauce so the sand will drop to the bottom. "Never eat the bottom of a plate of mussels," he warns. One of the easiest ways to open clams is to freeze them first for about four hours; this weakens the muscles so they can be opened from the front. "A wok is just a perfect implement for a clambake; it requires so little liquid to steam the clams." "One of the best things for cleaning shellfish is a wire brush for cleaning barbecue grills." It will get oysters squeaky clean. DESPITE ALL HIS know-how and experience, Robinson admits to eating shellfish mainly when he's testing recipes for a book.

"When I go out now. I really don't order shellfish because it's so doggone rich- It's not like chicken, you know; chicken you can eat quite a bit of." Nor are his wife and two children enjoying the benefits of dad's work. "My family is not a shellfish-loving family," he says. This explains, perhaps, why his wife still thinks that the easiest way to get food from a shellfish is to have someone else even her husband doit. Following are recipes from Robinson's book: CLAM BAKE SANS SAND Water Enough large clams to cover bottom of pot Lettuce, spinach, corn husks or any other greens-enough to make three layers in pot (Approximately two heads of lettuce) 4 peeled onions 4 unpeeled potatoes, white or sweet 1 chicken, cut up (salted and peppered) 1 dozen clams or steamers, mussels, lobsters; lobster tails, crabs, any shellfish and filets of fish Put about 1 inch of water in the bottom of a large-pot.

Add clams and bring water to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Place a layer of greens over the clams. Place potatoes and onions on top of greens. Cover ith another layer of greens. Place chicken on this layer of greens, then cover with a third layer.

Cover pot tightly and steam 45 minutes. Add the remaining seafood, re-cover pot and let steam 20 minutes or until shellfish is done and clams have opened. Can be cooked on the stove or barbecue grill. Makes enough for four hungry people. For ease in lifting out the layers of food, cheesecloth can be used to hold foods together in packets.

Notes: Traditionally, corn on the cob is cooked with the shellfish and other vegetables. But it is suggested that the corn be cooked separately because it takes up so much room in the pot and it neither adds to nor absorbs enough of the taste of the clams to warrant inclusion. i PILGRIMS CLAM PIE 3 dozen shell clams or 3 8-ounce cans minced clams 1V4 cups water v4 cup margarine or butter 'i cup sliced fresh mushrooms 2 tablespoons minced onion 'A cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon liquid hot pepper sauce teaspoon dry mustard 'a teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 cup reserved clam liquor 1 cup half-and-half 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 tablespoons chopped pimiento Pastry for 1-crust 9-inch pie "The Essential Book of Shellfish" is a fund-raising project of the Child's In-patient Psychiatry Unit of the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. To get a copy, send a $7 check payable to In-patient Child Psychiatry to Carole Schenk, The Johns Hopkins Children's Center, CMSC 4W. 600 N.

Wolfe Baltimore. Md. 21205 Summer sweets need not be fattening lightly on the inside of an 8-inch springform pan. Sprinkle it evenly with graham cracker crumbs. Refrigerate the pan 1 hour, or freeze 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the cheesecake mixture.

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water; set aside to soften. Beat the egg yolks until thick and light. Add A Slim I ty Gourmet Barbara Gibbons Summer is the time for eating light. Sweets that are calorie-heavy will fuel the feeling of warmth and turn up your body's thermostat. Foods that are high in sugar and fat ice cream, for example will make you feel warm even if they seem cool and light.

Here are some summer-right variations on favorite desserts, lightened for warm weather dining: LIGHT SUMMER CHEESECAKE 1 tablespoon butter half-cup graham cracker crumbs 2 envelopes plain gelatin third-cup cold water 2 eggs, separated 1 cup fresh skim milk 16-ounce container pot cheese (low-fat cottage cheese) half-cup fructose (fruit sugar) or equivalent sugar substitute (12 packets) 1 tablespoon lemon juice half-teaspoon grated lemon rind optional: pinch of salt 1 cup light pressurized whipped cream Have butter at room temperature; spread it FLOUNDER SCR0D the milk. Cook and stir in a heavy pan over very low flame (or in a double boiler) until eggs are thickened. Remove from heat and stir in softened gelatin until melted. Combine pot cheese with sweetener, lemon juice and rind. Puree smooth in blender or food processor, using the steel blade.

In a large bowl, combine egg yolk mixture with cheese mixture. Mix well, then refrigerate until beginning to thicken. Add salt, if desired to egg whites; beat until stiff. Gently but thoroughly fold egg whites into slightly thickened cheesecake mixture. Spray light whipped cream into a 1-cup measure; fold into cheesecake mixture.

Spoon cheesecake mixture into crumb-coated springform pan and chill until set, about 4 hours. Drizzle each slice with Orange Strawberry Sauce (recipe follows) before serving, or garnish with fresh fruit. Makes 12 servings (cheesecake only), 110 calories each with fructose; 85 calories each with sugar substitute. ORANGE STRAWBERRY SAUCE 1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, hulled FILLET NO LIMIT 3 tablespoons undiluted thawed orgrw juice concentrate optional: sugar substitute to taste ZZ Combine ingredients in blender orUZB processor, using steel blade; puree compIdE-ly smooth. Refrigerate until serving Adds under 20 calories per serving.

ORANGE RASPBERRY SAUCE: Substitute fresh (or frozen) unsweetened raspberries for the strawberries. (Thaw before and add the juices to the sauce.) Five adbT tional calories per serving. LIGHT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FOR SUJ0C, MER FRUITS fresh fruit: grapes, peach or nectar slices, whole strawberries, blackberries," cubes of unpared apple dipped in orange juice, melon balls, pineapple chunks, etc. 1 cup light pressurized whipped cream 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 8 1 tablespoon plain cocoa powder 1 tablespoon carob powder optional: 1 teaspoon brandy (or rum) (or to taste) optional: half-teaspoon instant coffee der iZZZ optional: piach of salt izZZ Prepare fruit and refrigerate. Spray jjgh' whipped cream ipto a 1-cup measure and" transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Combine re-, maining ingredients in blender or food pVoC cessor; puree completely smooth. Add trJtKp light whipped cream. Gently but thoroughly fold together until light and fluffy; don't oyer; mix. Refrigerate until serving time. Serve in little bowls surrounded by fruit for dipping, or layer mousse and fruit in gjaisi dessert dishes.

Makes six servings, 85 calo-, ries each (mousse only); half-cup servingjjf, mixed fruit, under 40 calories. SUMMER-LIGHT FRESH FRUIT PIE Fill a ready-to-serve graham cracker-pie shell with 2 to 3 cups sliced raw fresh fruif (strawberries, blueberries, sliced nectarines, or a combination of fruits)." Cover fruit with a glaze of fruit juice until gel glaze is set To prepare gelatin glaze: Soften half ati'en velope (1 and one-half teaspoons) plain gela tin in one-third cup cold water; heat gmt-Z until melted. Remove from heat and stir half-cup ice-cold apple juice. (Sweeten 'frlT; sugar substitute, if desired.) Refrigerate until syrupy. Meanwhile, assemble they- 3 Spoon syrupy gelatin over the fruit Mak'--eight servings, under 120 calories each, Calling ali cheesecake lovers, Amerfc grandest desserts decolorized'.

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