The Second Avenue Deli Cookbook Read Online Free PDF Page A

on the topic “Is Deli Dying in New York?” I handledthe fish aspect, he the meat, and together we supplied a massive buffet for the convention. I was a little nervous about speaking, so a few days before the event, I started making notes for my speech, which soon evolved into one hundred pages! I called Abie to see what he had prepared, and he said “Nothing.”

    Russ & Daughters
    When I got up to speak, I was so overprepared that I went on for about half an hour, until they were almost ready to pull me off the stage with a hook. Much of my speech mirrored a popular theme at the convention—the current trend toward lighter, less fatty foods. Fish, I maintained, was good for you.
    Then Abie got up without any notes, looked at the audience for about a full minute in total silence, and exclaimed, “What am I gonna tell you? My food will kill you.” He got a lot of laughs, and went on to speak comfortably, and at an appropriate length, about the deli business. After his speech, all the health-conscious speakers and food writers made a beeline to the buffet … where the very first things to go were Abe’s fatty mountains of kishke, pastrami, and corned beef!
    In keeping with my own speech, I’m supplying the recipe for Russ & Daughters’ famous chopped herring salad, which contains only healthy ingredients.
    Russ & Daughters’ Chopped Herring

    SERVES 6
    1½ pounds pickled herring fillets, coarsely chopped
    1¾ cups cored, peeled, and coarsely chopped Granny Smith apples
    Â¾ cup coarsely chopped celery
    Â½ cup coarsely chopped sweet onions (such as Vidalia or Maui)
    Sugar (only if needed)
    GARNISH
    Lettuce leaves
    1 Granny Smith apple
    4 red potatoes, cooked in skins and chilled
    Dill
    1. Grind all ingredients (coarse chopping is for measurement purposes only) except garnish, in a grinder or food processor. Do not purée; chopped herring should have considerable texture. Since fillets vary in sweetness, add sugar (carefully) to taste if needed.
    2. Create individual portions atop beds of large lettuce leaves, garnishing each mound of herring with a thin slice of Granny Smith apple, and surround it with slices of cold red potato and a few sprigs of dill.

    Coleslaw
    MAKES ABOUT 2 QUARTS
    Our customers rave about our take on traditional deli slaw. We make and serve about 1,000 pounds daily.
    2 pounds green cabbage
    Â¼ cup very finely grated carrot
    3 tablespoons white vinegar
    3 tablespoons sugar
    Â½ cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
    1 teaspoon salt
    Â¼ teaspoon white pepper
    Chopped dried chives
    1. Remove and discard loose outer cabbage leaves and core. Shred cabbage(the easiest way to do this is to cut the cabbage in quarters, julienne each quarter into ⅛-inch or smaller strips with a sharp knife, then pulse chopped cabbage a few times in your food processor). Don’t shred it too fine; you want texture and crunch. Place shredded cabbage in a large bowl, add carrots (these can be shredded very fine in the bowl of a food processor), and mix.
    2. In a separate bowl, mix all other ingredients (except chives). Pour them over the cabbage and carrots, and toss to combine thoroughly. Chill for several hours, or even overnight. Garnish lightly with chives before serving.

    Hawaiian Slaw
    MAKES ABOUT 2 QUARTS
    The addition of a few sweet ingredients gives prosaic coleslaw Hawaiian punch. When we serve this at parties, people always ask for the recipe.
    2 pounds white cabbage
    Â¾ cup finely grated carrot
    Â¾ cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
    2 8¼-ounce cans crushed pineapple in syrup, completely drained of liquid (press extra liquid out in a strainer)
    Â½ cup golden raisins
    3 tablespoons white vinegar
    â…“ cup sugar
    1 teaspoon salt
    Â¼ teaspoon white pepper
    1. Prepare cabbage and carrots as in the above coleslaw recipe.
    2. In a separate bowl, mix all other ingredients. Pour them over the cabbage and carrots, and toss to combine thoroughly. Chill for