Each of the chosen foods —generally a pomegranate, date, string bean, beet, pumpkin, leek, and fish head — symbolize a wish or blessing for prosperity and health in the coming year.

Find more Rosh Hashanah recipes here and on our lively Jewish food blog, The Nosher!

Want to learn more about the High Holidays? Sign up for a special High Holiday prep email series.

Rosh Hashanah Recipes

Challah

Honey Whole Wheat Challah

Chocolate Cranberry Challah Rolls with Citrus Sugar

Balsamic Apple Date Challah

Rosh Hashanah Appetizers and Entrees

Brisket, a traditional cut of meat on Rosh Hashanah

Seitan Brisket, a vegetarian alternative to brisket

Pomegranate Brisket with Cranberry Succotash

Pomegranate and Honey Glazed Chicken

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Brisket

Molly Yeh’s Apple Cider Brisket

Pomegranate Chicken

Cocktail Meatballs with Pignolis and Currants

Instant Pot Georgian Pomegranate Chicken

Sheet Pan Tzimmes-Roasted Chicken Thighs

Crockpot Carne con Papas

Rosh Hashanah Sides

Tzimmes, a hot sweet carrot dish

Sephardic Jeweled Rosh Hashanah Rice

Classic Potato Kugel

Gluten-Free Apple Kugel

Mock Chopped Liver

Saffron Rice with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Italian Sweet and Sour Fish

Couscous with Seven Vegetables

Rosh Hashanah Desserts and Drinks

Apples-and-Honey Punch

Tayglach, dough boiled in honey

Honey Cake

Apple Cake

Sour Cream Apple Coffee Cake

Gluten-Free Apple Cake

Apple and Honey Pie Pops

Salted Honey Apple Upside-Down Cake

Sfratti, honey walnut stick cookies

Apple Kugel Crumble Cake

Easy Vegan Apple Turnovers

Honey Pomegranate Cake

Recipes Featuring Symbolic Rosh Hashanah Foods

Orange and Pomegranate Salad

Syrian Candied Gourd

Black-Eyed Peas with Turmeric and Pomegranate

Beet Chips with Spicy Mayo

Braised Leeks with Thyme and Pomegranate

Green Beans and Honey Tahini

Roasted Beets with Pesto

Braised Leeks

Pumpkin Cranberry Cupcakes

Date Coconut Rolls

The post Rosh Hashanah Traditional Foods and Recipes appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Find Sephardic recipes here.

There is logic to this broad grouping: Almost all of these lands were part of the Islamic world. The Arab conquest of the 7th and 8th centuries united land from the Iberian peninsula and the Atlantic Ocean to China and India. Active trading went on between these lands, spreading new food all over the region. Eggplant from India, spinach from Nepal, and spices from the Near East are examples of foods that spread throughout the Islamic empire.

Jews participated actively in Islamic society. They were successful in cultural, political, and financial arenas. Thus Sephardic cuisine often represents refined, even aristocratic, food. Besides the quality of the food, the Jews of the Islamic world stressed quantity as well. Asceticism was not valued, and lifecycle celebrations such as circumcisions and weddings were lengthy and luxurious.

RECIPE: Sephardic Jeweled Rosh Hashanah Rice

Cookbooks that cataloged medical advice alongside recipes were a common genre of literature in the Muslim world. The 13th-century Cookbook of the Maghreb and Andalusia, one of the most important of these books, lists five Jewish recipes. All of these are full of spices and aromas and are detailed in their ingredients and preparation. One such dish, a chicken with giblets, was made with, among other things, fennel stalks, coriander, oil, citron leaves, eggs, flour, and chicken liver. The dish is first roasted and then left to sit in murri — a fermented condiment used in medieval cooking — vinegar, rose water, onion juice, and spices. All the dishes in the book, including the Jewish ones, exhibit delicate attention to flavor, texture, and presentation. Jews also authored recipe and dietetics books. Isaac Israelicus’ 10th-century Book of Foods was translated into Latin in the 15th century and used in medical schools until the 17th century.

When the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, most made their way to North Africa and Ottoman lands such as Turkey and the Balkans. Half of the North African Jews lived in Morocco, and the Jewish style of food that was common there is still considered  one of Morocco’s four national food styles. The Jews who settled in the Ottoman lands were typically upper class, and their foods resembled the foods of the urban nobility. The kebabs, pilafs and dolmades (stuffed vegetables) of Turkish Jewry are still some of the most recognizable Sephardic dishes.

RECIPE: Sumac Chicken and Rice

Fruits, vegetables, spices, and grains were plentiful in the Mediterranean climate, and thus plant foods figured heavily into Sephardic cuisine. Indeed, Jews were responsible for spreading the use of certain plant foods. Italian Jews prepared artichoke in an innovative way. Leeks and fennel, first used in Jewish cooking, were also later used in non-Jewish cooking in the area. Meats were eaten by Mediterranean Jews, but–except for Shabbat (the Sabbath)–fish was more often on the menu.

The Sephardic Jewish communities began to decline in the 18th century. Colonialism and natural disaster hit these communities hard and, on the whole, the Sephardic communities became impoverished. Nonetheless, Sephardic cuisine still retains the character of its unique heritage, a panoply of foods from many different lands that reflect an intense intermingling of cultures that were often well-to-do and sophisticated.

RECIPE: Stuffed Grape Leaves

It is difficult to identify particular Sephardic foods as Spanish or Greek or Arab. The movement of the Sephardic community and the unique blending of cultures gave rise to an assimilated and variegated cuisine.

The post Sephardic Cuisine appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Early in the Middle Ages, most Jews living on the European continent lived in Western Europe, particularly in Germany. In the 13th century, however, the Germans became more antagonistic to the Jews, and many Jews headed eastward to Poland and Russia. The foods of Polish and Russian Jewry reflect this German base. Horseradish, rye bread, and pickles are all German foods eaten by the Jews of Germany and passed on to later generations in Eastern Europe.

Once the Jews arrived in Poland and Russia, they built upon this German foundation and adopted local food customs. Because of the harsh winter climate of this area, Polish and Russian Jews ate a lot of grains, root vegetables, and stews. Fruit was readily available, and it was used in almost everything, including soups and sauces. Perhaps the most famous “Jewish” food of all, bagels, also originated in Poland. The Jews of Poland had a communal sweet tooth, and they added sugar to vegetable dishes and fish. Sweet gefilte fish with beet-sweetened horseradish, or chrain, originated in Poland. Whereas the Polish Jews used a lot of sugar, the Russian Jews opted for peppered and sour foods.

RECIPE: Make Your Own Pickles

RECIPE: How to Make Perfect Chicken Soup and Matzah Balls

The Jews of medieval Europe were active merchants, and they often came into contact with Jews from other regions. Through these meetings, foreign elements entered Jewish cooking. Noodles, though not widely eaten in the general German population, became a staple of German Jewish cooking after being introduced by German Jewish merchants who had traveled to Italy.

In the Middles Ages, Jewish dietary laws were strictly observed, re-enforced by logistics and communal pressure. Most shtetl Jews did not have private cooking facilities. Each community had a communal cooking house, baking house, and slaughterhouse. The cooking and baking areas had separate sections for meat and dairy. The dietary laws were also responsible for pushing Jews into the food trade. Jews had to produce their own foods because the preparation of kosher food must be supervised by Jews. In addition, wine produced by gentiles was also off-limits to Jews, and so Jews had their own vineyards. Some local governments encouraged these food production and trading activities. Many Jews living in the Polish provinces managed the agricultural lands of the Polish nobility. In exchange, the Jews were given flour mills, dairy production facilities, and exclusive rights to produce certain alcoholic beverages.

RECIPE: Make Your Own Gefilte Fish

The Jews of Eastern Europe had special eating habits for Friday night and Saturday, the Sabbath. The Friday night meal was the most luxurious of the week. A typical meal might include sweet and sour fish, chopped goose liver, pickled meat, and kugel (a sweet noodle pudding). Braided challah bread would be served as well. On Saturday, cholent — a slow-cooked meal made from meats, grains, and beans — would be served along with cold leftovers from the night before.

Emancipation changed the social and economic position of European Jewry, and that affected Jewish eating as well. Ashkenazic food, which had until this point been peasant food, became more refined in certain places. Austria-Hungary, with its large assimilated, middle-class Jewish population, developed a range of well-made doughy products and pastries, and the Jews there began cooking with wine and paprika.

READ: 5 Best Old School Jewish Delis in the US

Ashkenazic Jews began immigrating to the Unites States in the 17th century and came in mass numbers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The foods that they brought with them–including chopped liver, borscht (a type of beet soup), bagels, and pickles — became familiar forms of American cuisine. These foods, commonly referred to as “Jewish food,” are, despite their lower-class origins, still eaten and beloved.

The post Ashkenazi Cuisine appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

This recipe is excerpted from Celebrate: Food, Family, Shabbos by Elizabeth Kurtz.

The post Shabbat Chicken with Dried Fruit Recipe appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

The fried foods custom recalls the miracle of Hanukkah, which centered around oil (one cruse lasting for eight days). Latkes (fried potato pancakes) are traditional, topped with applesauce or sour cream, but there are many creative variations to the pancakes and the toppings. Other fried foods for Hanukkah include sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) and other kinds of fritters.

The cheesy foods tradition is based on a story from the apocryphal Book of Judith which takes place during the time of the Maccabean revolt that we commemorate on Hanukkah. In it, an Assyrian warrior named Holofernes besieges the town of Bethulia, and though Bethulia’s elders are ready to surrender, Judith, a widow, enters the Assyrian camp and gives Holofernes salty cheese to make him thirsty and wine to make him drunk. After he becomes intoxicated, she seizes his sword and beheads him, bringing the head back to her village in a basket. The next morning when the Assyrian troops found the headless body of their leader, they fled in terror. While a severed head is not the most appetizing image, we honor Judith’s victorious and brave use of cheese by incorporating the dairy product into our Hanukkah menus.

Find even more Hanukkah recipes here.

Latkes

How to Make Perfect Latkes (Video)
The One Trick You Need to Make Better Latkes
Easy Latkes
Parsnip Latkes
Sweet Potato Latkes
Gingered Sweet Potato Latkes
Curried Sweet Potato Latkes
Sweet Potato Latkes with Toasted Marshmallows
Grilled Cheese Latkes
Beet and Sweet Potato Latkes
Japanese-Style Latkes
Pulled Brisket-Topped Latkes
Everything Bagel Latkes
Green Latkes
French Onion Latkes
Loaded Baked Potato Latkes
Colorful Veggie Latkes
Cajun Potato Latkes
Cheese Latkes
Coconut Latkes
Rectangular Potato Latkes
Latke Hotdish

Learn more about why we eat latkes on Hanukkah from The Nosher.

Latke Toppings

Basil Pesto
Pear and Ginger Compote
Applesauce
Cranberry Applesauce

Doughnuts and Other Fried Treats

Jelly Doughnuts
Sfenj (Moroccan Hanukkah doughnuts)
Peanut Butter Jelly Doughnuts
Bimuelos, honey drizzled fritter
Pumpkin Bimuelos
Chocolate Babka Doughnuts
Gulab Juman (Indian milky doughnuts)
Air Fryer Jelly Doughnuts
Cranberry Challah Doughnuts
Gluten-Free Churros for Hanukkah
Russian Apple Piroshki
Zangula (Sweet Iraqi Funnel Cake)

Read about the history of Hanukkah doughnuts from The Nosher.

Savory Fried Foods

Torzelli, deep-fried curly endive
Tostones, fried plantains
Mozzarella in Carrozza, a fried cheese sandwich
Beer-Battered Pumpkin Rings
Onion and Chickpea Fritters

Click here for eight more Jewish fried foods from around the world to enjoy during Hanukkah.

Non-Fried Hanukkah Desserts

Ultimate Hanukkah Cookies
Jelly-Filled “Sufganiyot” Cupcakes
Lemon Olive Oil Cupcakes
Bourban Pecan and Chocolate Gelt Pie
Spiced Hot Chocolate, made with leftover Hanukkah gelt
Blue Crinkle Hanukkah Cookies

Click here for more Hanukkah recipes from The Nosher.

Explore Hanukkah’s history, global traditions, food and more with My Jewish Learning’s “All About Hanukkah” email series. Sign up to take a journey through Hanukkah and go deeper into the Festival of Lights.

The post Recipes for Hanukkah appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

It wasn’t just any potato kugel, it was his grandmother’s potato kugel, Baba Billie of blessed memory. I ate my weight in rich brisket and kugels that holiday and learned my lesson about moderation of Ashkenazi food, no matter how delicious it may be. I still have flashbacks of that stomach ache.

I cannot take any credit for this recipe, it is 110% Baba Billie, and my husband who has worked to recreate the dish and write it down. I hope it will bring other kugel-less homes as much joy as it has brought mine.

Don’t get scared about the amount of oil in this dish, just embrace it. This is the kind of  kugel you make only a few times during the year, and if you cut out the oil, it just won’t be the same.

Classic Potato Kugel Recipe

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4.7 from 3 reviews

Print Recipe

Prepare to fall in love with this classic Ashkenazi holiday and Shabbat dish.

• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Units USM

• 8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and coarsely shredded
• 2 medium-large onions, coarsely shredded
• 5 large eggs
• ¾ cup matzah meal
• ½ Tbsp salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• paprika for sprinkling
• thick sea salt
• ⅓ cup olive oil

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. When oven is preheated, add ⅓ cup olive oil to a 9×13 Pyrex dish and put into the oven to heat up.
3. Whisk eggs together in a large bowl.
4. Add shredded potato, onion, matzah meal, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix until combined.
5. When oil has been heating about 10 minutes, remove from oven.
6. Add a small spoonful of the potato mixture and if it starts sizzling, it is hot enough. If not, put it back in the oven for a few minutes.
7. When oil is ready, add the entire potato mixture and spread in a even layer using an offset spatula or large spoon.
8. Sprinkle sweet or hot paprika on top and a sprinkle of thick sea salt.
9. Bake for 40-50 minutes until crispy around the edges and golden brown on top.
10. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares. Serve warm or room temperature.

• Author: Shannon Sarna
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
• Category: Side dish
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: Askenazi
• Diet: Vegetarian

The post Classic Potato Kugel appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Each of the chosen foods — generally a pomegranate, date, string bean, beet, pumpkin, leek, and fish head— symbolize a wish or blessing for prosperity and health in the coming year. The food’s significance is most often based on a pun of that food’s name (find out more here.) During the Rosh Hashanah meal, each food is held up, blessed, and eaten as if to personally ingest or take in those good wishes.

Rosh Hashanah’s symbolic foods can make an appearance on the holiday table, regardless of whether one decides to incorporate a full Rosh Hashanah seder into their celebration. For a creative twist on the traditional seder, make dishes inspired by each food (like the ones linked below) and serve them throughout the evening to infuse the entire meal with symbolic meaning as well as delicious flavors.

Pomegranate Brisket with Cranberry Succotash

Beet Chips With Spicy Honey Mayo

Orange and Pomegranate Salad

Pomegranate Truffles

Green Beans with Honey Tahini Glaze

Roasted Beet and Leek Rissotto

Honey Pomegranate Cake

Syrian Candied Gourd

Pomegranate And Honey Glazed Chicken

Roasted Beets with Cilantro-Basil Pesto

Black-Eye Peas With Turmeric and Pomegranate

White Wine Braised Leeks

Pumpkin Cranberry Cupcakes

Date Coconut Rolls

Want to learn more about the High Holidays? Sign up for a special High Holiday prep email series.

The post Beyond Apples and Honey: Symbolic Foods for Rosh Hashanah appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Stuffed cabbage can be made many ways – with more meat than rice, more rice than meat, no rice at all, in a sweet sauce, in a savory sauce, or in this case, a tangy sweet and sour sauce.

Looking for more recipes? Check out these 8 recipes including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and slow-cooker options.

The post VIDEO: How to Make Stuffed Cabbage appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

In July, I finally went back to Mediterranean Cafe since leaving Madison four years ago. I ordered the falafel sandwich, which they wrap several times with a thin pita (like lavash), and a slice of pistachio baklava for dessert. On my way out, I thanked Faycal, the owner, who, every day, cooks his Algerian specialties right there behind the counter. “Where have you been?” he asked.

With that, I told him I’ve been on the other side of the country, trying to re-create his cinnamon-eggplant moussaka and pistachio baklava. He told me to call him up if I needed help–an offer I’ll never forget.

Of all the Med Cafe dishes I’ve tried to imitate, I’ve had the most success with baklava. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that cinnamon and cardamom-spiced nuts covered with honey syrup never tastes wrong. With Rosh Hashanah just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to share this sweet, honey-drenched dessert.

My recipe is unique because it’s made with neither refined sugar nor butter. For Rosh Hashanah, I wanted to use only honey and avoid dairy products so as to make it pareve. Next time, I’ll try replacing honey with silan, or date syrup, for deeper flavor.

Don’t be afraid of phyllo dough! Here are some tips:

Phyllo dough is found in the frozen food section, near pie crusts and puff pastry. Buy it, freeze it, and take out of the freezer by placing in the fridge a day before you plan to use it.

When you’re ready to use it, take the phyllo dough out of the box, unroll it, and place on the plastic sheet that comes wrapped around the dough. Place a dampened paper towel on top to prevent the baklava from drying out.

It’s ok if your phyllo sheets tear or break. You won’t be able to tell in the end. Just piece them back together like puzzle pieces and lightly brush with oil.

Your phyllo dough will likely be wider than the pan. Just fold over the long edge and brush with oil. Do this on different sides, alternating, so that the phyllo sheets stack evenly atop one another.

Note: Baklava can be enjoyed the day of, but its flavors really sink in after a day. You can store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Baklava with Honey and Cardamom Recipe

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Print Recipe

You won’t miss refined sugar or butter with this sweet treat featuring cinnamon and cardamom-spiced nuts covered with honey syrup.

• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Units USM

• 16 oz raw pistachios, walnuts, blanched almonds or hazelnuts (or a mix)
• 2 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 2 tsp cardamom, ground
• ¼ cup honey or brown sugar
• 1 pack frozen phyllo dough sheets, thawed
• 1 cup oil (coconut or olive oil work well) or melted butter

For the syrup:

• 1 ½ cup honey
• ¾ cup water
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• rind of 1 lemon, peeled
• cinnamon stick
• 5 cardamom pods
• 2 Tbsp rose water

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. First, add the nuts to a food processor. Pulse until the nuts are chopped finely but not ground into powder. Transfer to a bowl, and add cinnamon, cardamom and honey. Stir to combine.
3. Next, prepare the dough. Gently take the roll of phyllo dough out from its package, taking care not to rip or tear the sheets. Unroll the dough and place a damp tea towel or paper towel over the top sheet to keep the dough from becoming dry and flaky.
4. Place your bowl of melted butter or oil and the bowl of chopped nuts next to the stack of phyllo dough. Place your baking pan (9x12x2 inches) nearby.
5. Using a pastry brush, oil the bottom and sides of the pan. Then carefully remove the top sheet of phyllo dough and place it in the pan. Lightly brush oil over the entire top of this sheet. Place another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first sheet, brush oil on top, and add another sheet. Continue layering phyllo dough and oil until you have a stack of 10 sheets.
6. On the next sheet, spread 1/2 of the nut mixture on top with your hands. Try and make sure that the nuts are covering the entire sheet.
7. Cover the nuts with another layer of phyllo, and brush oil on top. Continue layering phyllo and oil until you have 5 more sheets. On top of the 6th sheet, add the rest of the nuts.
8. Add 10 more layers of oiled phyllo dough. Brush oil across the top sheet, too.
9. With a chef’s knife, make 6 long rows across the long side of the pan. Then cut diagonally across the pan from one corner to the other, and make cuts parallel to that diagonal line across the rest of the pan. Set in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is crisp and golden.
10. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Combine all syrup ingredients except for rosewater in a saucepan and boil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Take off the heat, and stir in the rosewater. Let cool for at least 10 minutes, then strain.
11. When the baklava is done baking, let it cool for at least 30 minutes. The baklava will hold its crisp layers better if you let it cool down a bit before adding the syrup. When both the syrup and baklava have cooled, drizzle the syrup over the baklava. Don’t be afraid to use it all! Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Notes

Baklava can be enjoyed the day of, but its flavors really sink in after a day. You can store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

• Author: Aly Miller
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern

The post Baklava with Honey and Cardamom Recipe appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Chocolate chip challah on its own is delicious and doesn’t need much other than a little vanilla and cinnamon. But it’s also great when you make double chocolate challah with a chocolate dough or peanut butter and crumb topping. But this High Holiday season I wanted something that was simple, sophisticated and maybe just a little fancy all at the same time.

If you’ve never made challah rolls, they are so easy. In fact sometimes I find them even easier than braiding a regular challah. I suggest using a kitchen scale to measure 2.5-3 oz pieces so the rolls are as uniform as possible. By measuring your rolls, you also ensure they will also bake evenly. Here is how I make mine:

If citrus isn’t your thing just top with a sprinkle of thick sea salt or substitute with a cinnamon sugar topping. This can also be made with dried cherries instead of cranberries, another favorite combination.

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The post Chocolate Cranberry Challah Rolls with Citrus Sugar appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

But these synagogue-based holidays can be enhanced through home rituals that add meaning to the messages of the day. Here are some ideas, old and new, for bringing the lessons and themes of Rosh Hashanah into your home.

Sweet Foods, Like Honey Cake and Challah, for a Sweet Year

As with most Jewish holidays, food is the focus of home celebrations of Rosh Hashanah. Families and friends gather for extended meals, which include traditional foods such as apples and challah dipped in honey. Honey, a symbol of the wish for a sweet new year, also appears in other holiday foods, such as tayglach — a honey and nut pastry — and honey cake. Challah, normally braided, is baked round as a reminder of the never-ending cycle of life.

Like other festival and Shabbat meals, the Rosh Hashanah meal begins with Kiddush, the sanctification of the day over the wine. Both at dinner and at lunch, the Rosh Hashanah Kiddush includes a reference to the shofar, the most prominent symbol of the holiday.

In some families, it is traditional to serve the head of a fish or lamb (though meat substitutes would also do the trick for vegetarians) in the hope that everyone at the table will be at the “head” and not at the “tail” of whatever they do in the new year. You might add personal meaning to these rituals by asking everyone at the table to offer a wish for the new year as they dip the apple or challah in honey.

Why Jews Eat Pomegranates and Other “New Fruits” on Rosh Hashanah

On the second night of Rosh Hashanah, it is common to eat a new fruit– a fruit that participants have not tasted for a long time. This tradition has become a way to literally taste the newness of the year, by enjoying an unfamiliar food. Often, a pomegranate is used as the new fruit, as the pomegranate is said to have 613 seeds, corresponding to the 613 mitzvot (commandments). The pomegranate has also long been a symbol of fertility, and thus of the unlimited possibilities for the new year.

The tradition of eating a new fruit need not, however, be restricted to pomegranates. Instead, this ritual can be an excuse for scouting out the “exotic fruit” section of the produce department, or exploring fruit markets to find fruits that family members have not before tasted. (Interestingly, the custom developed as a technical solution to a legal difficulty surrounding the recitation of the Shechehiyanu blessing on the second day of the holiday. The blessing, usually recited to commemorate a new situation, is said on the second day of Rosh Hashanah both in honor of the day and the new fruit.)

Dates, Beets and Other Hebrew Pun Food

A number of other food-based rituals can also enliven the home celebration of Rosh Hashanah. Sephardic communities (which trace their ancestry to Mediterranean lands) have developed a Rosh Hashanah seder, which revolves around the eating of symbolic foods and the recitation of prayers that transform these foods into wishes for the coming year.

Many of these prayers are based on Hebrew puns involving the food in question. For instance, the prayer before eating a date (tamar in Hebrew) includes the phrase “yitamu hataim”— may the wicked cease. Before eating pumpkin or squash (k’ra’a in Hebrew), Sephardic Jews say “yikaru l’fanekha z’khuyoteinu“– may our good deeds call out our merit before you. Alternatively, they might use the resemblance between the word k’ra’a (pumpkin) and the word kara (to cut or rip) to express the hope that any bad deeds will be ripped out of God’s book.

Other symbolic foods include leeks and onions, which are associated with the Exodus from Egypt; beets, whose Aramaic name silka, similar to the Hebrew salak (go away) is used to express the hope that our enemies disappear; and peas or beans, mentioned in the Talmud as ruviah, a word that sounds like the Hebrew “to increase,” and therefore indicates a desire for increased blessings in the new year.

The foods eaten and puns used change from community to community, according to the types of vegetables available and the inherited traditions. In planning your own Rosh Hashanah menu, you can be creative in developing your own English puns. For instance, you might eat raisins to commit to raisin’ your expectations for the new year” or peas in the hope of increased peace. Your salad might be a chance to say, “Lettuce find happiness in the new year,” or “We will beet any obstacles that come our way.” Children can be involved in creating puns and devising a menu based on these newly symbolic foods.

Tashlich, Teshuvah and Rosh Hashanah Cards

Preparation for Rosh Hashanah, as well as the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, can also include discussions of the meaning of teshuvah (repentance) and family resolutions for the new year. This may be a time for siblings, parents and children to apologize to one another for incidents during the previous year and to make promises for the coming year. Children may also make up lists of classmates, friends, and family members to whom they wish to apologize, and adults may make similar lists of friends, co-workers, family members and others.

Many people have the custom of sending Rosh Hashanah cards to loved ones. Children can be involved in choosing or drawing these cards, and older children may also write personal messages in some of the cards. Children may also create their own cards for family members and for their own friends. In some families, it is traditional to take family pictures before each Rosh Hashanah. Comparing this picture to the picture from the previous year can serve as an opportunity to talk about what has changed over the course of the year.

The first day of Rosh Hashanah (or the second day if the holiday begins on Shabbat) includes the Tashlich ceremony, in which we symbolically toss away our sins by throwing bread crumbs into a body of running water. To make this ritual more concrete, you might help your children to make a list beforehand of the things they want to throw away. As part of Tashlich, you can throw this piece of paper in the trash (not in the water, where the paper will just be a pollutant.) You can also turn the preparation for Tashlich into an art project. Children can paint, with watercolors, what they wish to get rid of in the coming year. When you float the drawings in water, these unwanted habits will magically disappear.

To emphasize the newness of the year, you might try doing something new right before or after the holiday. For instance, you might learn a new game, visit a place you’ve never been, or try a new hobby. Many people buy new clothes for the holiday and wear these clothes for the first time on Rosh Hashanah. Enjoying a new experience or acquiring new knowledge can spark a conversation about what else new might happen in the coming year.

Rosh Hashanah can be an opportunity for reflecting on the year that has passed and setting goals for the year to come. Taking time for such reflection can make the themes of the holiday come alive for the entire family.

Want to learn more about the High Holidays? Sign up for a special High Holiday prep email series.

The post Rosh Hashanah Customs appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

A New Culinary Picture Emerges

The face of the new nation changed, and gradually a new culinary picture emerged. But first the infant state found itself surrounded by enemies, and absorb­ing 100,000 immigrants a year. This time the wave was comprised not only of displaced survivors of the Holocaust, but of Jews from all over the Middle East. With each ethnic group came different styles of eating and cooking.

The massive immigration was a strain on the economy, so the period from 1948 to 1958 was a time of government-regulated zena (food rationing) and ma’abarot (makeshift dwellings). Women cooked with khubeiza (wild greens) from the fields; new foods, like Ben-Gurion’s “Israeli couscous,” were intro­duced to satisfy the needs of the multicultural population; and surplus vegetables, like eggplant, were ingeniously used to simulate meat. Israel’s canning industry increased production, supplying canned tomato paste and puree, hummus, tahina, and mayonnaise in tubes.

READ: Recipe for Israeli Couscous-Stuffed Acorn Squash

One of the many issues to be resolved in this new Jewish country was the official position on the dietary laws [kashrut]. Ben-Gurion decided to remain with the “status quo” agreement, maintaining rabbinical supervision of kashrut in all government organizations, military service, schools, and hospitals.

Even the rabbis, however, had to compromise. The U.S. government, through the Agency for International Development, sent millions of pounds of preserved foods, such as dried eggs, dried skim milk, butter, dried codfish, and cheddar cheese. Maury Atkin, who worked at the newly created Israeli embassy in Washington at the time, recalled how the rabbis in Israel asked if the cheese was kosher. “We told them that cheddar cheese was the most wholesome cheese sold in America, even if it includes a small amount of non-kosher animal rennet. Because there were so many starving children, the Chief Rabbi of Israel issued an edict that the cheddar cheese sent over would be kosher for children up to the age of 14.”

READ: How to Make Israeli Hummus

Kosher meat was scarce as well. Before the war it was often imported to Pales­tine from Romania. After the war, it was eventually supplied from Uganda, Argentina, and Brazil. The only kosher beef in the early years of the state came from male calves produced from the rapidly growing herds of dairy cows. Under a Jewish Agency program, thousands of heifers were being sent to Israel from the United States by plane and ship. It was not until the late Fifties, however, when water sources had improved, that large herds of beef cattle were introduced into the Israeli agricultural economy.

Diversity of Israeli Food

As the fertility of the land increased, so did the excitement of creating food to meet the needs of the growing population. “Israel is unique,” said Shaul Homsky, author of Fruits Grown in Israel. “Within a small area, for example, a subtropical climate exists — near the Sea of Galilee, where mangoes, kiwis and bananas can grow — alongside a temperate climate in the mountains of Galilee and the Golan, where cherries and apples grow.”

Diversity of Israeli agriculture also has been affected by the constantly changing population; the European population that developed in the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s was accustomed to eating apples, plums, and cherries, while later immigrants from Middle Eastern countries liked to eat and grow grapes, olives, and dates.

“Because of the lack of a deep agricultural tradition,” Mr. Homsky wrote, “farmers on the kibbutzim [agricultural collectives] were ready to accept new techniques and experiment with new fruits and vegetables, unlike in a coun­try like Greece, where for generations farmers have been tilling the soil in the same way and people have had the same diet.”

READ: Recipe for Israeli Salad

Sometimes the experiments did not work. In 1961, Moshe Dayan, minister of agriculture, decided to replace Israel’s favorite Marymont — a large, oval, and juicy tomato — with a thicker-skinned, cylindrical, and almost juiceless tomato, slightly larger than a cherry tomato. Dagan thought this “Moneymaker” would be heartier and cheaper to produce, and would appeal to the export market. In the transition from one strain of tomato to the other, 5,000 tons of Mon­eymaker tomatoes were to be grown in the first season, half for local consumption and half for export. Farmers were encouraged to grow only Moneymakers. But he experiment was a failure both inside and outside the country, and the local press dubbed it Dayan’s “assault” on agriculture.

READ: Recipe for Falafel

Still, new fruits and vegetables had an increasing presence in the local market, and ambitious young chefs began to take advantage of their novelty. Chef Uri Guttman, who from the late ’60s on was considered the ambassador of the Israeli kitchen, came up with innovative concoctions like a hot avocado soup; “St. Peter’s fish” with mango and pomegranate; and crepes stuffed with pears, nuts, dates, and figs. Schooled in the French culinary tradition, Guttman traveled around the world representing Israel in cook­ing competitions and adapted unusual recipes to what was available in the country. He also developed menus for army bases and restau­rants, using local products. “One of my dreams was to establish an Israeli cuisine,” he said. “It is hard, though, with Jews coming from so many countries.”

Golan Heights Wine and Grapes

When the Golan Heights were annexed in 1967, apples — one of the few fruits that the Israelis were not adept at growing — were planted there and thrived in the cold nights and the high, dry altitude. Israelis also had the same success with grapes at the Golan Heights Winery, close to the Syrian border. These new varietals were of a much higher quality than Baron de Rothschild’s plantings had been at his low-lying coastal wineries a hundred years earlier. The Golan Heights Winery, jointly owned by the nearby kibbutzim that supplied the grapes, introduced its first vintage in 1983, from grapes planted ten years earlier. These kosher wines have been winning sil­ver and gold medals in international competitions ever since.

In 1973, Dr. Itzhak Adate, a scientist with the Vulcani Institute in Rehovot [an Israeli city] went on a professional tour to New Zealand where he tasted the kiwi, which had been introduced from China. Bringing a few cuttings and seeds back, he asked the kibbutzniks at Kibbutz Ammiad, located down the road from his home, to plant them. By 1980 the first kiwis had come to the market. With the abundant crop, Scottish-born Jeff Marks, a wine hobbyist and a member of the kibbutz, suggested that kiwi wine might taste as good as cordials made from pears, berries, and plums. Today, the kibbutz exports kiwi wine to countries throughout the world. Ironically, although Israel’s agricultural industry is at the forefront of the global marketplace, kibbutz involvement has become proportionally less, with less than 2 percent of Israel’s population now living on the kibbutzim.

Throughout the Middle East, where emotions run high, politics also plays a major role in the complicated global market. Since the 1980s, for example, when all trade with Iran was blocked, Israel has become the main exporter of Iranian variants of mint, parsley, and other herb seeds for Iranian-American growers.

READ: “Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking” Wins James Beard Book of the Year Award

In the past two decades, with a general rise in disposable income and the elimination of travel taxes imposed on the struggling economy, Israelis have become open to new experiences in travel and food. After their two-year mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces, many young Israeli soldiers go abroad, most frequently to travel in East Asia or Latin America and to spend some time working in the United States. Many of these young people return home with new culinary tastes, as did American Peace Corps volunteers in the 1960s. A number of them have become chefs, schooled in international cuisine and influential in the development of modern Israeli cooking.

Biblical Foods

Despite their global lifestyles, the new Israeli chefs still cultivate a link to the foods of the Old Testament. Grapes, dates, lentils, and chickpeas are but a few of the ancient ingredients that have captured their imaginations in producing signa­ture dishes. With constant waves of immigration, Israel is rapidly incorporating the native cuisines of its new populations.

The story of Israeli food is not just a Jewish story — its recipes cross borders more easily than people do. It is also the story of a land that has overcome harsh natural deprivation to bring forth new agricultural produce. Because it constantly incorporates so much from the rest of the world, Israel may never boast of one “cuisine,” but it will always retain a rich mixture of fine tastes. It reflects the modern mosaic of the country, embracing the culinary influences of its Arab neighbors and accommodating the varied tastes of the world’s Jews.

This article is reprinted from The Foods of Israel Today.

The post The Evolution of Israeli Cuisine appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Everything Bagel Latkes

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Perfect for brunch or a Hanukkah dinner!

• Total Time: 50-60 minutes
• Yield: 4-6

Ingredients

For the latkes:

• 3 lbs russet potatoes
• 1 small onion, white or yellow
• 3 large eggs
• 3 cloves garlic, minced fine
• ¾ cup potato starch or all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp everything bagel seasoning
• 2 tsp kosher salt (1 tsp if your everything Bbagel seasoning includes salt)

For the toppings:

• 6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives or scallion
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Thinly sliced smoked salmon (about 4-6 oz)
• Everything bagel season, as needed for garnish

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Instructions

1. Peel your potatoes, and keep them in a large bowl of cold water until ready to shred them. Peel the onion and cut it in half.
2. Using the medium-sized whole on a box grater, or the grating attachment on a food processor, shred the onions and potatoes.
3. Squeeze out excess moisture from the potatoes using a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or paper towels. Add the strained potatoes and onions back to the large bowl.
4. Add the eggs, garlic, potato starch, everything bagel seasoning, and salt to the large bowl. Mix until well combined.
5. To fry the latkes, fill a large skillet with a ¼” depth of oil. Prepare a sheet pan with a rack or paper towels on top. Heat the oil on medium-high, until a drop of latke mixture sizzles when added. Add about a ¼ cup of latke mixture to the hot oil, press lightly down to form an evenly-thick circular shape. Fry on each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. You may have to lower and raise the heat as needed to keep the oil from getting too hot or cold. Once golden brown on both sides, transfer to your lined baking sheet and sprinkle with a little extra salt.
6. To make the cream cheese topping: combine the cream cheese, dill, chives, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
7. To assemble: top each latke with the cream cheese toping, a small piece of smoked salmon, and a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning.

• Author: Sonya Sanford and Shannon Sarna
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Holidays

The post Everything Bagel Latkes Recipe appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

The recipe wasn’t hard to make. Make a broth of the bones, onion, carrot and celery, infused with kosher salt, a palm’s worth of sugar and lots and lots of black pepper. Boil it up until flavorful and then cook the fish in the roiling broth. Give it an hour or two and voila! Gefilte fish — round, ground fish balls — were yours for the taking, white and light, fluffy and sweetly seasoned, to be coupled with hot red chrain, the beet horseradish condiment that served as a counterpoint to the mildly flavored Eastern European delicacy.

Sounds easy, right? Well, it was. Probably as difficult as making meatballs in a bath of tomato sauce. What wasn’t easy was the smell it left in your home, the horrible, heavy scent that made your home NOT smell like home-sweet-home. It was a smell that, when you walked in the front door, forced you to say: “Open the windows!”

As Rosh Hashanah nears, and thoughts grow of the round fish balls that signify a full and plentiful year, I went in search of a 21st-century gefilte fish, a classic with a lightly scented twist. I wanted something equally as simple as the old school variety with a lighter, more pleasing flavor and perfume.

I found it in this updated American-style gefilte fish, made with sweet, white halibut and salmon – and no fish bones! It’s traditional but modern, a nod to the past and an embrace of how we eat and cook today.

The following recipe is printed with permission from “The Community Table and Stories from The Jewish Community Center in Manhattan & Beyond” by Katja Goldman, Judy Bernstein Bunzl and Lisa Rotmil. 

Homemade Salmon-Halibut Gefilte Fish

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A traditional, yet modern, recipe that’s surprisingly simple to make.

• Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Units USM

For the court bouillon (cooking broth):

• 4 quarts water
• ½ bunch fresh thyme
• ½ bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
• ¼ tsp whole black peppercorns
• ¼ tsp whole fennel seeds
• 2 ½ cups dry white wine
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• ½ lemon, cut into ¼-inch slices
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp coarse salt

For the fish:

• 1 ½ lb skinless filleted halibut
• 1 ½ lb skinless filleted salmon
• 2 medium onions, grated (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely grated (about ½ cup)
• finely grated zest of 1 organic lemon
• 1 Tbsp minced celery or minced fennel fronds
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 6 Tbsp matzah meal
• 6 Tbsp water
• 1–3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 ½ Tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. For the court bouillon (cooking broth), fill a stockpot with the water. Place the thyme, parsley, peppercorns and fennel seeds in a small piece of cheesecloth, knot to enclose, and add to the stockpot. Add the wine, onion, carrot, lemon, bay leaves and salt.
2. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove the lid, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the cheesecloth package.
3. For the fish, cut the fillets into 1-inch pieces. Working in batches, pulse the fish in a food processor until roughly ground.
4. Place the ground fish in a large bowl and add the onions, carrots, zest, celery or fennel fronds, eggs, matzah meal, water, sugar (to taste), salt and pepper. Mix until just combined. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Wetting your hands in the water as you work, form ½-cup portions (3 to 4 ounces each) of the fish mixture into ovals or round balls. Bring the court bouillon to a gentle simmer.
6. Add enough fish cakes to make one layer in the pot and poach until the fish turns opaque and its shape is set, about 3 minutes. Add the rest. Simmer, continuing to poach the fish until cooked through, 30 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the gefilte fish to cool in the bouillon, about 20 minutes.
8. Remove the fish from the bouillon and transfer to a storage container. Ladle 2 Tbsp bouillon over the fish, cover the container and chill. Serve with your favorite horseradish.

• Author: Katja Goldman, Judy Bernstein Bunzl and Lisa Rotmil
• Prep Time: 30 minutes + 50 minutes chill
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Quick
• Cuisine: Ashkenazi

The post You Can Actually Make Your Own (Delicious) Gefilte Fish appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

And this is what the flesh of the fruit looks like when it is removed from its thick, green, dragon-egg-like shell:

Jackfruit was originally cultivated in India, but is grown throughout tropical regions including Southeast Asia, South America, Australia and the Caribbean. But you don’t have to travel to the topics to find it — you can buy it in cans from Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. You can even find it fresh at many specialty fruit shops. And when it is cooked, it has an incredibly meaty, hearty taste and texture. It’s also low in calories, high in fiber and is considered an environmentally friendly food, since it is drought resistant.

After reading and researching about this wonder fruit, I thought jackfruit would make a great vegetarian (or vegan, if you omit the honey) brisket option.You can serve this entree for summer picnics and BBQs alongside buns and coleslaw, or save it for Shabbat dinners and holidays. It’s easy, satisfying meat-free deliciousness.

Note: This can be prepared 2-3 days ahead of time and heated through when ready to serve. 

Vegetarian Brisket Recipe

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The plant-based don’t need to miss out this Passover!

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp honey (can also use maple syrup or agave if making dish vegan)
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup red wine (can also use grape juice or sweet kosher wine like Manischewitz)
• 1 chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced, grated or pressed
• 2 (20-oz) cans jackfruit, drained

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Instructions

1. Combine crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, honey, apple cider vinegar, water, wine, onion and garlic in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then add jackfruit.
2. Reduce heat to low-medium and cover pot.
3. Cook for 30 minutes over low-medium heat.
4. Remove cover and test whether you can break up the jackfruit using the back of a wooden spoon. If the jackfruit isn’t tender enough to pull yet, cook it for another 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
5. Serve warm.

Notes

This can be prepared 2-3 days ahead of time and heated through when ready to serve. 

• Author: Shannon Sarna
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Holiday
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Vegan

The post This Vegetarian Brisket Recipe Actually Tastes Like Meat appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

According to Joan Nathan, while Jews have been serving chicken for Friday night dinner since the Middle Ages, it is a relatively recent occurrence that Friday night chicken has become roasted chicken.

Historically, Jews simmered the chicken with rice or made a tagine or fricassee of it. Ashkenazi Jews would boil it, serving the soup as a first course and cutting off the breasts to make cutlets for the Shabbat main dish.

Today chicken is still common (and delicious) to serve on Friday night, and while even the best of us love a good, simple roast chicken, we also crave some variety. So here are 25 totally delicious, different wonderful recipes to try all year round.

1. One Pan Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
2. Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme from Kosher Camembert
3. Roast Chicken with Fresh Pineapple
4. Cranberry Balsamic Roast Chicken from Cotter Crunch
5. Pomegranate BBQ Chicken from Kitchen-Tested
6. Honey Harissa Roast Chicken
7. Beer Can Roasted Chicken from Cooking Glory
8. Roasted Chicken with Autumn Vegetables
9. Simple Spatchcock Chicken
10. Braised Barley Wine Chicken from Nosherium
11. Coconut Pot Roasted Chicken from Recipe Tin Eats
12. Citrus Herb Roast Chicken (with video!)
13. Peri Peri Roast Chicken from Delicious Magazine
14. Pomegranate and Honey Glazed Chicken
15. Honey Horseradish Roasted Chicken
16. Shabbat Chicken with Dried Fruit
17. Ina Garten’s Engagement Roast Chicken
18. One Pot Greek Oven-Roasted Chicken from Super Golden Bakes
19. Seasoned Spatchcock Chicken with Za’atar Potatoes from What’s for Dinner Esq. 
20. Baked Chicken with Fig Orange Balsamic Sauce from Ronnie Fein
21. Oven Roasted Sweet and Sticky Chicken from Don’t Waste the Crumbs
22. Beer Roasted Chicken with Chipotle Chimichurri from The Artful Desperado
23. Maple Mustard Roasted Chicken from Tales of an Overtime Cook
24. Roasted Shabbat Chicken with Spring Vegetables from What Jew Wanna Eat
25. Za’atar Sheet Pan Chicken with Cauliflower and Chickpeas

The post 25 Roast Chicken Recipes for Friday Night Dinner appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

My grandfather on my mother’s side, Francisco, whom we called “Yeye,” was wild about chiles. Not very common in his native Bratislava, I guess. He used to say that what he loved the most about his new country was the predictable weather (especially the bright sunny winters), the colorful markets, and most of all, the chiles. All of them.

He was oh so very crazy about them, that my grandmother used to hide them from him. She complained that he had no boundaries, no sense of measure, when eating chiles. He simply would not stop.

But he knew all her tricks, discovered all her hiding spots, and when he found the prized chiles, he would stuff them in his pockets. Not only fresh jalapeños or serranos but also wet pickled jalapeños. Those must have been some messy pockets to wash…

My “Lali” liked to please him though. She had Austrian training in the kitchen and made exquisite and elegant foods. Once in Mexico, she fell in love with the cuisine and learned how to combine the two culinary traditions. She became a master at it.

She created a classic dish out of her Mushroom-Jalapeño Matzah Ball Soup.

Mushroom Jalapeño Matzah Ball Soup Recipe

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Mushrooms and jalapeños add a flavorful and festive spin to this comforting soup.

• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup matzah ball mix
• 2 Tbsp parsley finely chopped
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• ¾ tsp kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
• 4 large eggs
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp sparkling water (optional)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ cup white onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped
• 2 jalapeño chiles finely chopped, seeded optional, more or less to taste
• ½ lb white mushrooms wiped clean with cloth, sliced
• ¾ tsp kosher or sea salt or to taste
• 8-10 cups chicken broth

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Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the matzah ball mix, parsley, nutmeg and 1 tsp salt.
2. In another small bowl, lightly beat the eggs with ⅓ cup of vegetable oil.
3. Fold in the beaten eggs to the matzah ball mixture with a spatula. Add the sparkling water if you want the matzo balls fluffy, and mix well until well combine.
4. Cover the mix and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Bring about 12 cups of salted water to a rolling boil in a large soup pot.
6. Bring heat down to medium and keep at a steady simmer. With wet hands, make about 1-inch balls out of the matzah ball mix and gently drop them into the water. Cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a large cooking pot. Add the onion, garlic and chiles and sauté for 4-5 minutes until they have softened. Incorporate the sliced mushrooms. sprinkle the salt, stir and cover with a lid. Steam the mushrooms for about 6-8 minutes.
8. Take off the lid and pour the chicken broth over the mushroom base. Once it is simmering, incorporate the already cooked matzah balls, without their cooking liquid, and serve.

• Author: Pati Jinich
• Prep Time: 10 minutes + 30 minutes refrigeration
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Jewish

The post Mushroom Jalapeño Matzah Ball Soup Recipe appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

So when my coworkers suggested I try out a mac and cheese made with Israeli couscous, instead of traditionally larger pasta like elbows or shells or cavatappi, I happily accepted the challenge and decided to combine a more American-style pasta dish with some Israeli flavors, like cottage cheese and feta.

This baked dish is cheesy and familiar enough to feed the kids, but just different enough to grab the attention of adults. You can make it ahead, serve it for a weeknight dinner or serve it alongside some baked salmon for Shavuot.

Israeli Couscous Mac & Cheese Recipe

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An American-style pasta dish gets a Middle Eastern makeover.

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Units USM

• 2 ½ cups uncooked Israeli couscous (also called Middle Eastern couscous, or pearl couscous)
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup whole milk or half & half
• 8 oz 4% cottage cheese (around 1 cup)
• 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper

For the topping:

• ⅓ cup unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ tsp paprika
• pinch salt

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Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add 1 tsp olive oil.
2. Cook couscous 5 minutes. Drain in a large mesh sieve.
3. While couscous is cooking, combine 4 Tbsp butter and all the cheeses, milk, salt and pepper in large bowl.
4. Grease an 8×8 or 9×9-inch square pan.
5. Drain couscous and add to bowl with cheeses. Mix well.
6. Add to couscous mixture to greased pan. Preheat oven to 375°F.
7. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, 1 Tbsp melted butter, paprika and pinch of salt.
8. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over top over couscous.
9. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cutting and serving.

• Author: Shannon Sarna
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Israeli

The post Israeli Couscous Mac & Cheese Recipe appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

I think the secret to great chopped liver is lots of fried onions, a little bit of schmaltz and not over-broiling the livers. According to rules of kashrut livers, must be fully cooked. But if you cook them exactly the right amount of time, or just slightly under, the liver result is much richer than if you over-broil them and dry them out.

You can buy schmaltz (chicken fat) in most grocery stores or butcher shops, but it is also very easy to make. The basic method is to cook pieces of chicken skin and fat in a pan with a little water and lots of onions very low and slow until the fat is release. Strain the fat, and it’s ready for chopped liver! The bits of onion and fried chicken skin are known as gribenes and are absolutely delicious eaten on the side. Think of them like Jewish pork rinds.

Follow this simple, classic recipe and you’ll be schmearing chopped liver before you know it. We love it on pletzl, an Ashkenazi flatbread topped with onion and poppy seeds.

If you have non-meat eaters in your midst, this vegan chopped liver with mushrooms and miso is just as rich and flavorful as the real deal. And this simple mock chopped liver recipe with mushroom and walnuts is a cinch to whip up.

Note: The chopped liver can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days.

Chopped Liver

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This classic chopped liver recipe is surprisingly easy to make from scratch!

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 lb raw livers (or buy already broiled from butcher)
• 2–3 Tbsp olive oil or schmaltz
• 2 onions, sliced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ⅓-½ cup sweet wine or brandy
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• fresh thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. If livers are raw, set oven to broil. Place livers on a baking sheet lined with foil in a single layer.
2. Broil until livers are just no longer pink in the middle, about 3-4 minutes each side. Allow to cool slightly.
3. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add 2-3 Tbsp olive oil or schmaltz. Add onions and cook for 15-20 minutes, until onions are browned.
4. Place livers, half the onions, ¼ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup sweet wine or brandy and the leaves of 2-3 fresh thyme sprigs into a food processor fitted with blade. Pulse a few times.
5. Taste, adding around ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper. Add more to taste. You can also add more wine or brandy at this point depending on desired consistency and taste. Pulse a few more times.
6. Scoop liver mixture into a large bowl. Fold in chopped hard boiled eggs and the other half of the fried onions. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh thyme, if desired.

Notes

The chopped liver can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days.

• Author: Shannon Sarna
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Ashkenazi

The post How to Make Chopped Liver appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Watch below for her tips and tricks, or see the full recipe below. You can also try this recipe from Joan Nathan.

Ronnie Fein’s Meat Kreplach Recipe

The post Kreplach Recipe: Jewish Dumplings You Can Make at Home appeared first on My Jewish Learning.