Apio (appetizer)

Last updated
Apio
Apiu.jpg
Apio, garnished with parsley
Alternative namesApiu
Type Salatim
Course Salad
Place of originToday: Israel, Jewish diaspora; historically: Jewish communities in the Balkans
Region or state Middle East
Created by Sephardic Jews [1]
Serving temperatureCold
Main ingredients Celery root, carrots, lemon juice or vinegar, olive oil, kosher salt, parsley

Apio, also known as apiu is a Balkan Jewish appetizer made from celeriac and carrot and served cold. It is customary to serve the appetizer on the three pilgrimage festivals before the ritual meals. [2]

Contents

Etymology

The word Apio is likely derived from the word Apium, which is the Spanish terminology for celery. [2]

History

During the 19th century there was a significant decline in the economic situation of the Balkan Jews in general and the regions of Bulgaria and Macedonia in particular, which coincided with the end of the Ottoman Empire. The Jews lived in poverty and, as happened in many Jewish communities in Europe, purchased the most inexpensive and popular food products and so the food was based on the root of celery and carrots. The Balkan Jews who for many generations preserved the Ladino language called the appetizer after its main ingredient. [2]

Preparation

Apio is prepared by cooking slices of celery root and carrots in a variety of spices suitable for the purpose of the dish, usually herbs and lemon juice or vinegar. [3] [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parsley</span> Species of flowering plant in the celery family Apiaceae cultivated as an herb

Parsley, or garden parsley is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae that is native to Greece, Morocco and the former Yugoslavia. It has been introduced and naturalized in Europe and elsewhere in the world with suitable climates, and is widely cultivated as an herb and a vegetable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicken soup</span> Soup made from chicken

Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta, noodles, dumplings, or carrots, and grains such as rice and barley. Chicken soup is commonly considered a comfort food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salad</span> Food mixture, served chilled or at room temperature

A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments and salad dressings, which exist in a variety of flavors, are used to make a salad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirepoix</span> Flavor base made of vegetables

A mirepoix is a mixture of diced vegetables cooked with fat for a long time on low heat without coloring or browning. The ingredients are not sautéed or otherwise hard-cooked, because the intention is to sweeten rather than caramelize them. Mirepoix is a long-standing part of French cuisine and is the flavor base for a wide variety of dishes, including stocks, soups, stews, and sauces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gefilte fish</span> Ashkenazi Jewish dish made from ground fish

Gefilte fish is a dish made from a poached mixture of ground deboned fish, such as carp, whitefish, or pike. It is traditionally served as an appetizer by Ashkenazi Jewish households. Popular on Shabbat and Jewish holidays such as Passover, it may be consumed throughout the year. It is typically garnished with a slice of cooked carrot on top.

<i>Meze</i> Small dish in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines

Meze is a selection of small dishes served as appetizers in Armenian, Balkan, Greek, Levantine, and Turkish cuisines. It is similar to Spanish tapas and Italian antipasti. A meze may be served as a part of a multi-course meal or form a meal in itself. Meze are often served with spirits such as arak, rakia, raki, oghi, ouzo, or grappa at meyhane and ouzeri or at regular restaurants.

<i>Arracacia xanthorrhiza</i> Root vegetable originally from the Andes

Arracacia xanthorrhiza is a root vegetable that originates in the Andes, whose starchy taproot is a popular food item across South America where it is a major commercial crop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latke</span> Jewish potato pancake dish

A latke is a type of potato pancake or fritter in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine that is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah. Latkes can be made with ingredients other than potatoes such as cheese, onion, carrot, and zucchini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewish cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Jewish communities around the world

Jewish cuisine refers to the worldwide cooking traditions of the Jewish people. During its evolution over the course of many centuries, it has been shaped by Jewish dietary laws (kashrut), Jewish festivals and holidays, and traditions centred around Shabbat. Jewish cuisine is influenced by the economics, agriculture, and culinary traditions of the many countries where Jewish communities have settled and varies widely throughout the entire world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tripe soup</span> Food

Tripe soup or tripe stew is a soup or stew made with tripe. It is widely considered to be a hangover remedy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulgarian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Bulgaria

Bulgarian cuisine is part of the cuisine of Southeast Europe, sharing characteristics with other Balkan cuisines. Bulgarian cooking traditions are diverse because of geographical factors such as climatic conditions suitable for a variety of vegetables, herbs, and fruit. Aside from the variety of local Bulgarian dishes, Bulgarian cuisine shares a number of dishes with its neighboring countries, in particular with Turkish and Greek cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zacuscă</span> Romanian-Moldovan dish

Zacuscă is a vegetable spread popular in Romania and Moldova which originated from Romania, Ialomita, Slobozia. Similar spreads are found in other countries in the Balkan region, and bordering regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pickling</span> Procedure of preserving food in brine or vinegar

Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling procedure typically affects the food's texture and flavor. The resulting food is called a pickle, or, if named, the name is prefaced with the word "pickled". Foods that are pickled include vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, meats, fish, dairy and eggs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Börek</span> Stuffed phyllo pastry

Börek or burek is a family of pastries or pies found in Ottoman cuisine. The pastry is made of a thin flaky dough such as filo with a variety of fillings, such as meat, cheese, spinach, or potatoes. A borek may be prepared in a large pan and cut into portions after baking, or as individual pastries. They are usually baked but some varieties can be fried. Borek is sometimes sprinkled with sesame or nigella seeds, and it can be served hot or cold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarma (food)</span> Stuffed dish

Sarma is a traditional food in Ottoman cuisine – nowadays, Turkish, Greek, Armenian, etc. – made of vegetable leaves rolled around a filling of minced meat, grains such as rice, or both. It is commonly marketed in the English-speaking world as stuffed grape leaves, stuffed vine leaves, or stuffed cabbage leaves. The vegetable leaves may be cabbage, patience dock, collard, grapevine, kale or chard leaves. Sarma is part of the broader category of stuffed dishes known as dolma, and has equivalents in Eastern European cuisines from the northern Baltic through Romania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israeli cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Israel

Israeli cuisine primarily comprises dishes brought from the Jewish diaspora, and has more recently been defined by the development of a notable fusion cuisine characterized by the mixing of Jewish cuisine and Arab cuisine. It also blends together the culinary traditions of the various diaspora groups, namely those of Middle Eastern Jews with roots in Southwest Asia and North Africa, Sephardi Jews from Iberia, and Ashkenazi Jews from Central and Eastern Europe.

Apio may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torshi</span> Middle Eastern and Balkan pickled vegetables

Torshi are the pickled vegetables of many Middle Eastern, Iranian, Slavic and Balkan cuisines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine</span> Cooking traditions among Ashkenazi Jews

Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine is an assortment of cooking traditions that was developed by the Ashkenazi Jews of Central, Eastern, Northwestern and Northern Europe, and their descendants, particularly in the United States and other Western countries.

References

  1. Marks, Rabbi Gil. The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Keshlas, Chaim (1967). The First Generations, The Encyclopedia of Bulgarian Jewish Postcards (in Hebrew). Jerusalem, Israel. p. 57.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. Selwyn, Karen & Philip. "Apio - Braised Celery Root & Carrot - pareve". CyberKitchen. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2020.