From: Ruth 
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 12:48 PM
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com 
Subject: Retachlich Recipe

Hi there!
I am looking for a recipe for the Jewish recipe called retachlich or 
shvartze retach mit schmaltz. This is a black radish salad with chicken 
fat that used to be very popular in Jewish restaurants. My father used 
to pine for it after it became unavailable. I can't find anything other 
than a general description. I would be so grateful for a recipe.
Thank you!

Hi Ruth,

There are recipes out there. People have just Anglicized the name and made it sound more palatable. Instead of “retachlich” or “shvartze retach mit schmaltz”, now they call it things like “Black Radish And Onion Conserve.”

I found some history of the dish in “The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food” by Gil Marks:
In particular, a characteristic dish of Lithuania, Northern Poland, and Ukraine was grated black radishes, schmalz, onion, salt and pepper, sometimes raw and sometimes sauteed, known as "shvartze retach mit schmaltz" or simply "retachlich". A little grated carrot was sometimes added for a touch of sweetness and a little color.

I found some home recipes on message boards:
“Take one black radish and grate it and about a handful of chopped onion and a hard boiled egg. Chop it all together and chop,chop chop and put enough chicken fat to bind it all together. Salt and pepper to taste.”

“Heat the schmaltz to liquify it, put it into a pitcher of some sort, and let it cool to room temp. Shred the radishes, mix with some grated onion, salt and pepper, and pour the liquefied schmaltz over. Toss to coat. Great alone, better to use as a topping for an open-faced chopped chicken liver sandwich on good Jewish rye bread."

I also found recipes on these sites:
Black Magic Radish

Black Radish & Onion Conserve

Phaed

I saw a request for Manuel's Tamales in New Orleans.

Manuels was wiped out by Hurricane Katrina and did not return. The actual recipe is in the possession of Manuel's daughter, Frances Schneider, who had hopes of reopening Manuel's as recently as 2008.
See:
NOLA

These are supposed to be similar:

Homestyle hot tamales

Makes about 90
3 pounds ground chuck
4 medium onions, finely chopped
3 ounces chili powder
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
4 or 5 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 cup plain corn meal plus more for rolling

Mix by hand in a large bowl the meat, onion, 2 ounces chili powder, 1 can tomato 
sauce, water, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne and 1/2 cup corn meal. 
Prepare two shallow bowls, one with water and one with additional plain corn meal. 
Take about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture at a time and shape into a small log. 
Roll lightly in additional corn meal. Roll in paper that has been passed through 
water (one paper at a time). Close one end and roll up, folding remaining edge under. 
Put tamales in rows in opposite directions in a large roaster that can be covered 
and used on the stove. Bring two quarts water to a boil and add remaining tomato 
sauce and 1 ounce chili powder. Cover tamales with mixture, adding more water if 
needed. Cover and simmer for 2 hours on stovetop. Serve warm with buttered crackers. 
Tamales re-warm well in microwave.
------------------------------
Hot Tamales

Ingredients 
1 lb. ground chuck 
3 Tbs. corn meal 
1 tsp. granulated garlic 
1/2 tsp. Cayenne 
1/4 tsp. white pepper 
1/4 tsp. black pepper 
1 tsp. salt 
1 tsp. cumin 
1/4 tsp. turmeric 
1/4 tsp. ground cardomom 
Pinch nutmeg 
1/4 cup tomato paste 
1/2 cup dry red wine 
1 large onion, chopped very fine 
3 cups yellow corn meal 

1. Put all ingredients except the final 3 cups of corn meal into a food processor and 
mix together very well. 
2. With a tablespoon, scoop out the mixture and roll it out into a cigar shape. Then roll 
it through the corn meal to stick a thick layer of meal onto the meat mixture. 
3. Soak paper tamale wrappers in warm water. Put each corn meal-coated cigar onto a paper 
and roll it up, folding in the ends of the papers to completely enclose the tamale. 
4. Put the tamales on their sides in a large saucepan or Dutch oven, alternating direction 
of layers. Pour water enough to cover all the tamales, plus about an inch. 
Place on medium fire until the water boils. Lower heat to maintain a simmer and cook, with 
cover on, for an hour and a half to two hours. 

Makes about three dozen tamales.

I saw that someone had been asking for recipes from the Evangeline Restaurant in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Evangeline's Stuffed Crabs
Source: This is the original Trina Velich recipe from the Evangeline Restaurant in Pascagoula, 
Mississippi.

4 pounds crab meat (2 special and 2 claw)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
About 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
About 1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup onions, finely chopped
About 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
Bread crumbs (day old bread or French bread)
Milk
1 tablespoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce or to taste
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Fish fry mix

Saute vegetables in melted butter. Add to rest of mixture and form into crab shells. Deep fry.

NOTE: 1 egg into this mixture is optional.

Yields: about 20 stuffed crabs

May use as stuffing for fish or place in a buttered casserole dish and bake!

Someone was looking for these. They are also known as "bon bon balls".

Martha  Washington  Balls

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1 stick real butter, melted
1 box sifted powdered sugar
14 oz. pkg. Angel Flake coconut
1 3/4 c. chopped pecans
8 or 9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 - 3/4 stick paraffin wax (Gulf Wax)

Mix together sweetened condensed milk and melted butter.  Add powdered sugar, coconut 
and chopped pecans. 
Refrigerate mixture until firm, about 2 hours. Roll into small balls and refrigerate (1 hour).  
Melt chocolate and paraffin in top of double boiler.  Dip ball in chocolate with toothpick 
and place on buttered waxed paper. 
----------------------------------------------
Martha  Washington  Balls

2 boxes confectioners' sugar
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
2 sticks margarine, melted
1 can coconut
2 c. chopped pecans
26 oz. semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 block paraffin wax

Mix first 5 ingredients.  Chill 1 hour.  Form into balls and chill one more hour.  
Melt semi-sweet chocolate bits and paraffin wax in top of double boiler. Dip balls.
----------------------------------------------
Chocolate  Bon  Bon  Balls

2 boxes confectioners sugar
2 sticks margarine at room temperature
1 sm. can condensed milk
2 c. chopped pecans
1 can coconut (use 1 1/2 or 2 cans)
15 candied cherries, chopped

 Mix first three ingredients with mixer, then other ingredients with spoon. Roll in balls.  
Stick toothpicks in each ball and let chill in refrigerator or deep freezer.  
Then melt 1 1/2 pound chocolate almond bark and dip each ball to coat with chocolate.