There used to be a standing joke that went, “If there was an Israeli guide to fine dining, it would begin and end on page one.”

Happily, today in Israel there is no dearth of excellent restaurants to choose from, and the Holy Land’s dynamic food scene makes for tasty conversation and gossip.

Like many San Franciscans, Israelis are consumed with knowing about the hot new neighborhood bistro or about which chef is going where. Star

chefs have their own cooking shows, and there also is a monthly food and wine magazine called Al Hashulchan (On the Table).

Israel has always been a café society, and now new cafés are springing up everywhere featuring quality coffee and freshly baked pastries.

On my most recent visit to Israel, the question “Where to go for dinner?” elicited a list of fabulous restaurants. The following recipes are my adaptations of their special dishes.

Harira

Serves 10

1⁄4 cup olive oil

11⁄2 lbs. lamb (shoulder or neck), cut into bite-size chunks

3 onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

21⁄2 quarts chicken stock or water

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 cup brown lentils

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. turmeric

1⁄2 tsp. dry ginger

1 tsp. ground coriander seeds

pinch of cinnamon

4 tomatoes, peeled and diced

1⁄2 cup rice

freshly squeezed lemon juice or 1⁄4 lemon per diner

fresh chopped parsley

This is an updated version of a classic Moroccan soup I had at Susannah in Neve Tzedek.

Heat the oil in a heavy pan and brown the lamb. Transfer to a large soup pot with a slotted spoon. Add the remaining ingredients to the soup pot except the rice. Season and cook for one hour. The result should be a tasty, spicy soup. Add the rice and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is soft. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Before serving, add lemon juice and parsley and serve with freshly baked white bread and a spicy condiment, such as harissa (a hot chili sauce).

Chopped Chicken Livers

Serves 12

3⁄4 cup fruity olive oil

5-6 large leeks (white and green parts), thinly sliced

1 Tbs. whole white peppercorns

1 Tbs. whole green peppercorns

1⁄2 tsp. whole cumin seeds

1⁄2 tsp. whole mustard seeds

2 lbs. clean chicken livers

coarse sea salt

Janna Gur is a cooking teacher and food writer. This is her new take on chopped liver.

Heat 1⁄2 cup olive oil in a large skillet or a wide shallow pan and gently sauté the leeks uncovered for 30 minutes until they are very soft, making sure they don’t brown.

Crush peppercorns, cumin and mustard seeds with a mortar and pestle or in a coffee/spice grinder. Brush livers with a little oil and coat them with spices and sea salt.

Thoroughly heat a heavy cast iron skillet and brown the livers 2-3 minutes on each side, being careful not to overcook them. Chop the livers with a large, heavy knife, mix with leeks and serve promptly.

Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Faith Kramer. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).