What is the poetics of a restaurant? A good way to describe this is, for example, by choosing to season fresh red tuna tartare with olive oil, smoked tomato seeds, oregano and pomegranate juice. Supposedly, a virtuoso choice. But chef Moshiko Gamlieli, who leads the Mona restaurant, knows that the moss taste of oregano corresponds well with the smoked tomato seeds, and that the pomegranate juice will give the sourness that the fish wants. He also knows the taste of the local olive oil, which he must have chosen very carefully, and understands that it is the raw material that will connect all the edges of the bite into a harmonious thing that is finally determined for a few moments in the oral cavity. Thus, an almost innocent dish becomes a chef's poetics. Few touches on the plate but every touch in its place.
Jerusalem's Mona restaurant, which he leads, has undergone several vicissitudes since it opened, but still managed to remain in the eyes of many one of the most beautiful restaurants in Israel - and Mona is a wonderfully romantic restaurant, and has its own poetics. These days, the wonderful restaurant is celebrating its tenth anniversary and in their special way, its people choose to celebrate ten years of activity in a completely different way than usual. Gamlieli and his co-creators (which is Mona), Itamar Navon and Roy Zbag, published a book.
"Mona - Four Meals", Photo: Eyal
"Mona-Four Meals" is an artistic recipe book that brings the reader the poetry in which the restaurant is characterized - that is, the poetic and unique way of a chef like Moshiko Gamlieli to approach raw material, a dish and a culinary experience.
On the occasion of the book's release, special meals will also be served at Mona celebrating the best the restaurant has ever known. For four days, the signature dishes that have appeared on its menu throughout the decade will be served alongside the regular menu. They will be served from September 5 and on September 8 the restaurant will open for the first time for a one-time brunch service - a cause for celebration in itself.
For the two, Gamalieli and Navon, the little is accurate. Their Jerusalemism is evident and expressed in a certain passon - they also simply seek to do their thing, as they love and know, without us defining this activity. "Four Meals" is divided into four chapters - a staff dinner (BBQ), a romantic meal, a family meal and, of course, brunch.
From right: Roy Roy Zbag, Itamar Navon and Moshiko Gamlieli, photo: Eyal
The recipes in it are accurate and accessible. Before being burned into ink on paper, they were tested and measured more than once. I especially liked the base recipes in it, which are a great service for any cook in his home. Among them you will find: garlic confit, white butter sauce, chicken broth - which is certainly incredibly useful and also a perfect vinaigrette for the green salad salad with grilled zucchini listed in the book.
An idea that is not common in every home for a salsa of green onions and burnt lemon suitable for grilled fish is also found in it.
In the brunch chapter you can find a recipe for Gato Basque. A kind of traditional almond and jam pie from the French Basque Country, sold in markets, patisserie and local bakeries as if it were Roguelach. True, this is a slightly complex recipe, but trust Gamalieli and Navon who broke it down so beautifully into the sum of its parts. After you prepare another time, it will already flow out of your hands and become a favorite recipe and rightly so.
Brunch in Mona, Photo: Eyal
The book is simply and subtly designed. The illustration on the cover was created especially by the artist, Liora Semelman. The photography was entrusted to fashion photographer Asaf Eini, the design Natasha Boguslavsky.
Recipe for garlic confit
From the recipe book "Mona - Four Meals"
The slow cooking in oil yields soft and sweet garlic cloves that are suitable for sandwiches, roasted vegetables, pastas and just so much in a bowl next to the meal. Plus, gets a mild garlic-flavored oil as a gift.
Components
Garlic cloves peeled from 4 heads of garlic (can also be used in a store-bought package)
2 branches of thyme
1 rosemary branch
1 bay leaf
10 grains of allspice
Soybean oil, for coverage
Method of preparation
Put the branches of thyme and rosemary, bay leaf and peppercorns in a piece of muslin cloth and tie with string (this is not mandatory but makes it easier to separate all the spices from the cloves of garlic).
Put in a small cauldron the cloves of garlic and the bag of spices and add soybean oil to cover the garlic.
Bring the oil to a boil over medium heat, reduce to the smallest heat and cook until the garlic is completely tender, 30-40 minutes.
Make sure that the garlic does not brown and that the oil does not come to a boil.
Throw away the bag of muslin and cool the garlic in oil to room temperature before transferring to a sterilized jar.
The garlic confit will be kept in the refrigerator for up to a month.
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