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.

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.

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.

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.

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The post Rosh Hashanah Customs 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.

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.

In fact, it wasn’t until the late 1500s that potatoes arrived in Europe from South America. Thus, the history of creative, non-potato latkes recipes runs deep. So if you’re interested in latkes but you can’t stomach any more Yukon Gold, just grate some beets, cauliflower, or carrots, or fry up some cheese!

Plantain latkes with avocado crema (above)

Indian-spiced cauliflower latkes with cilantro chutney

Broccoli stem latkes

Ramen latkes with Sriracha mayo

Cheese latkes

Colorful veggie latkes

Gingered sweet potato latkes

Curried sweet potato latkes

Healthy spinach latkes

The post 9 Latke Recipes That Don’t Use Potatoes appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

But the truth is, everyone loves latkes, regardless of their background. There’s something about the crispy, shredded potatoes that no one can resist. And even though we didn’t grow up eating them (it was all about sufganiyot for us), we make them for our family every year…and not only during Hanukkah!

This year we wanted to go the sweet route, since we’ve always made savory latkes. We added Gala apples, cinnamon and cardamom to the batter. The simple yet delicious dipping sauce combines tahini and silan, a sweet, dark amber-colored syrup made from dates and water.

The inspiration for this sauce comes from a tahini-silan spread our parents used to eat when we were kids. They would serve it on a plate with big pieces of pita or French baguette. Consider it the Middle Eastern PB&J!

The post Apple Potato Latkes Recipe with Tahini Silan Sauce appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

But there are few things more indulgent and drool-worthy than a grilled cheese latke sandwich. And since it is traditional to eat dairy and fried foods for Hanukkah, making one of these melty masterpieces is practically a mitzvah.

Check out our short video on how to create your own cheesy Hanukkah sandwich. For the full recipe for this ooey gooey goodness check out Melinda’s full recipe here. Also make sure to check out Melinda’s blog Kitchen-Tested to check out some of her other drool-worthy dishes.

The post How to Make Grilled Cheese Latkes appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

If you can never decide what Jewish treat to nosh on because you’d rather just have a little bit of everything, mashup recipes are the ones for you–they seem to say, yes you really can have it all!

The post Babka Cheesecake and Other Awesome Jewish Dessert Mash-ups appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

So why not have sweet bourekas on the table too? I will be taking care of that this year. These are filled with a sweetened ricotta cheese and macerated strawberries since they are in season. No fresh strawberries around? Try using jam in whatever flavor you like.   

You can also make these ahead and freeze them, baking one by one for a midnight snack if you really want. The beauty of bourekas is that you can bake them even if they are frozen. I love a good make-ahead recipe when I know I’m making a whole slew of things during the holidays.

The post Sweet Ricotta & Strawberry Bourekas Recipe appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Trying to eat seasonally? One of the earliest spring crops is asparagus, a perennial plant that yields for up to 20 years after the plants are established! Asparagus can be picked when they reach a height of 6­-8 inches, which syncs with the soil temperature reaching 50 degrees (F). This is why asparagus so often find their way onto early spring menus.

This velvety, bright green asparagus soup is a perfect starter. It comes together in one pot, making it easy to assemble, puree and re­heat without adding extra dishes to your load. It owes its creamy texture to cauliflower, but don’t tell anyone. The only flavor it lends is a sweet nuttiness to the distinctive, slightly grassy flavor of these early spring stalks. The soup is dairy-free, gluten ­free and vegan so you won’t get any pushback from the crowd gathering to celebrate the start of the new season.

Notes: This soup may be made in advance and refrigerated for 2-­3 days. It may also be frozen for up to 2­-3 weeks. You may use a food processor to puree, but an immersion blender is infinitely less messy and well worth the purchase. Place the pot in the sink to puree so any splatters are contained. Adding herbs at the very end maintains their bright and distinctive flavors.

The post Creamy Non-Dairy Asparagus Soup Recipe appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Pronounced either lot-key or lot-kuh, the origin of the word is Yiddish and means something along the lines of “little oily thing.” Although it’s etymological and ritualistic narrative is rather long and windy, taking one through Russia, Greece, and Italy (there’s even cheese involved in its story), we can thank Ashkenazi Jews (Jews from Central and Eastern Europe) in particular for the latke we know today.

In addition to acting as a vehicle for religion-sponsored oil intake on Hanukkah, latkes have become a canvas for a variety of toppings, most commonly applesauce or sour cream, or both (Jews really like options). But almost anything you can think of has probably been paired with a latke; and sometimes even the traditional potato is swapped for another vegetable altogether.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’ve never had a bad latke (don’t be ridiculous, it’s not pizza), but at least the premise of hot fried starch is always attractive. It’s definitely a good way to add a few pounds in winter and save money on an expensive thick coat.

Here are a few latke recipes to try:

Classic potato latkes

Zucchini potato latkes

Pulled brisket topped latkes

Ramen noodle latkes

Grilled cheese latkes

Everything bagel latkes

Indian-spiced cauliflower latkes

Parsnip sweet potato latkes

Coconut latkes with cranberry applesauce

Sweet potato latkes with toasted marshmallows

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The post What is a Latke? appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

But what if I told you all those generations of moms and bubbes were wrong? Sit down before you hurt yourself and just listen. What I learned from Michelin-Star Chef Bill Telepan several years ago changed my latke making forever: he told me to leave some of the starchy potato liquid in my potato latke mixture for crispy, creamy latkes every time.

I was skeptical, but I’ve never been awarded a Michelin star, so I went home to test out his method and recipe, which also included a high ratio of onion to potato.

Here’s how to make  Grate your potatoes, then let them sit for a few minutes; wring out the liquid, but look at the bottom of the bowl and you will see  some starchy liquid at the bottom. Add that into your latke mix and you will be amazed how creamy and moist your latkes turn out.

So yes, you should still squeeze out some of the liquid, but don’t kill yourself wringing it all out. Still skeptical? Give it a try and let us know what you think.

The post The One Trick You Need to Make Better Latkes appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

While often grouped together with ubiquitous bagels, bialys are very much their own thing. The word “bialy” is a shortened version of Bialystocker Kuchen, or “bread from Bialystok, Poland.” For the wealthy, kuchen was an accompaniment to meals, while, for the poor, it was the whole meal. Today the bialy is a delicacy unto itself.

Whereas bagels are boiled, then baked, bialys are baked in a hot oven. This means the bialy’s outside is matte, not shiny like bagels, and its edges are crunchier. The bialy’s interior is similar to a ciabatta bread, and its crust is pleasantly crisp. They are almost always filled with cooked onions, and often also with poppy seeds, as in this version.

I once read a recipe for traditional bialys, and discovered that the dough is nearly identical to my pizza dough recipe. As such, I now love to use simple, cheap pizza dough (either store-bought or homemade) to make my bialys.

Once the dough has come to room temperature, you only have to cook the filling, spoon it into the dough rounds, and pop them in the oven. Because it is so easy to prepare, this recipe is a fabulous brunch option. Throw together a frittata or scramble, set out some cream cheese, butter, whitefish, and lox, then pull your hot bialys out of the oven and pop them onto a platter. Depending on where you live, it can be hard to find a decent bialy, but with this recipe, you can have a New York morning whenever you please.

Pizza Dough Bialys

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This store-bought hack gives you light, savory bialys in no time at all.

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6-8

Ingredients

• all-purpose flour for rolling and baking
• 1 lb. prepared pizza dough (store-bought is fine)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil or canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 6 Tbsp poppy seeds
• salt, to taste

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 475°F.
 Flour a baking sheet and set aside.
2. Cut dough into 6 (for larger bialys) or 8 (for smaller ones) equal pieces.
3. Shape each piece of dough into some semblance of a 4” or 5” circle (they need not be perfect—in fact it’s better if they aren’t). Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes.
4. While the dough rests, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
5. Add the chopped onion and cook for 7-9 minutes, or until very soft and golden-brown.
6. Add the poppy seeds and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes.
8. Press about 1 ½ Tbsp of the onion mixture (more, if it will fit) into the well you created in each bialy.
9. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the bialys are golden-brown with crisp bottoms.

• Author: Gabi Moskowitz
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Ashkenazi

The post Make Your Own Bialys At Home with Pizza Dough appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Leeks can be gritty and have sand buried in them, so be sure to wash them very well before cooking. Leeks are delicate in flavor and those flavors deepen as they are cooked, making them sweeter.

Note: These leeks can be made ahead and served at room temperature.

Braised Leeks with Thyme and Pomegranate

Print Recipe

This easy Rosh Hashanah side dish is caramelized and comforting.

• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 medium leeks, white and light green parts only
• 15 small sprigs of fresh thyme
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp pomegranate juice
• kosher salt
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds, for serving

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F .
2. Cut leeks lengthwise down the middle and wash them carefully to remove any grit.
3. Arrange the leek halves cut-side down in a snug single layer in a shallow 8-inch square baking dish. Nestle the thyme sprigs among the leeks.
4. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, wine and pomegranate juice and drizzle over the leeks. Sprinkle evenly with ½ tsp salt.
5. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
6. Braise the leeks in the oven until completely tender and easy to pierce with a fork, about 45 minutes. Uncover the dish and continue to braise until the leeks are caramelized, about 15 minutes more.
7. Serve the leeks warm or at room temperature. When ready to serve, spread the fresh pomegranate seeds over the leeks.

Notes

These leeks can be made ahead and served at room temperature.

• Author: Leora Kimmel Greene
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Side dish
• Method: Braising
• Cuisine: Sephardic

The post Braised Leeks with Thyme and Pomegranate appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

When I became pregnant with my daughter four years ago, and then again when we started serving our daughter solid food, my husband and I really began to think critically about the kind of food we were putting into our bodies and wanted to know where our meat was coming from. In the kosher world, the answer can be pretty depressing at times.

Grow and Behold is one of the few kosher companies providing pasture-raised meat. It’s not just kosher; it’s a higher quality of meat and the taste really shows. But more than that, it’s Glatt kosher meat you can feel good about feeding your family. Grow and Behold meats are produced from animals that spend the majority of their time living on pasture. No meat grown in a factory, but part of a healthy ecosystem.

While they are not available in stores, they offer free weekly home delivery in the New York City area and ship nation-wide anywhere that FedEx delivers. If you are looking to try something new to serve your family this Rosh Hashanah, give Grow and Behold a try, but order soon to get your meat in time for the holidays.

I had a chance to get my hands on one of their beautiful briskets recently, and want to share our step-by-step simple cooking method for a classic, delicious (and easy) brisket. Check out our video below.

Regardless of the recipe you use, something new, old, traditional or not, there are a few important tips to remember when cooking brisket.

• How much meat? You will need around 1/4-1/3 pound per person, depending on the appetite of your guests and how many other dishes you are serving.
• Equipment? Cook the brisket in a Dutch oven, crock pot or pan where you can seal tightly with foil.
• How long should it cook? Cook until tender, not necessarily a specific temperature, which can be anywhere from 2-6 hours depending on the size of the brisket. It’s done when you can easily pull the meat apart with a fork.
• Pro tip: Brisket is better the next day. Cool, then refrigerate in the cooking liquid. Reheat in liquid at a low temperature so it doesn’t dry out.

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The post How to Make Perfect Holiday Brisket with Help from Grow and Behold appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

And while a classic apple pie or cake is a lovely way to commemorate our hopes for a “sweet new year,” I thought it would be fun to change things up a bit. These apple and honey pie “pops” are a cinch to make – and even more fun to eat! They can be assembled (and frozen) in advance, and are especially nice to serve for a crowd – no cutting or forks needed!

Even better, you only need a few simple ingredients, yet wind up with something truly delicious, and a little different. Sweet indeed!

Notes:

• The pops can be frozen before baking. Reheat directly from the freezer, adjusting baking time by a few extra minutes.
• The pops may be kept tightly sealed, at room temperature, for 3-5 days.
• For this recipe you will need a 2-3” cookie cutter (or drinking glass) and lollipop sticks.

Apple and Honey Pie Pops

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These pops are an easier — and more adorable — version of pie!

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12-16 pops

Ingredients

• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp honey
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 package (2 crusts) refrigerated pie crusts, set out at room temperature for 15 minutes
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water
• raw or “sanding” sugar, for sprinkling

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Instructions

1. In a medium pan combine the apples, sugar, honey cinnamon and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, or till the apples have softened and the juices have thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Unroll one pie crust on a work surface. Use your cutter to make as many circles as you can; place on your prepared baking sheets.
3. Put a lollipop stick in the center of each circle, pressing down lightly to secure. Place 1 tsp cooled filling on each circle. Use a pastry brush to brush a bit of the beaten egg around the edge of each circle.
4. Unroll the second pie crust and cut out an equal number of circles to the first crust – place atop the filled crusts and press lightly to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork and make a few small incisions in the center to allow steam to escape.
5. Brush tops with the egg and sprinkle with the raw sugar (pops may be frozen at this point – reheat directly from the freezer, adjusting baking time by a few extra minutes).
6. Bake pops for 20 minutes; transfer trays to wire racks to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

• The pops can be frozen before baking. Reheat directly from the freezer, adjusting baking time by a few extra minutes.
• The pops may be kept tightly sealed, at room temperature, for 3-5 days.
• You will need a 2-3” cookie cutter (or drinking glass) and lollipop sticks for this recipe.

• Author: Sheri Silver
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: High Holidays

The post Apple and Honey Pie Pops appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Instead of the traditional, flourless chocolate cake, I wanted to create a chocolate dessert that was a bit lighter, while still remaining rich and chocolaty. The raspberry jam adds a slight tang to the torte, and pecan crust lends a nice crunch. I literally could not stop eating this, and so I gave it to my neighbors to eat instead. Suckers.

Note:
After you bake the pecan crust it might look a little funny, like it didn’t work – almost a little too bubbly. I was also worried when I made it, but it is totally fine. I would also recommend topping your torte with fresh raspberries and even a few sprigs of mint for an extra beautiful presentation.

The post Raspberry Swirl Chocolate Torte with Pecan Crust appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

There are as many recipes for all these potato-topped pies as there are cooks, so finding an “original” recipe is all but impossible. Some recipes harken back to the Tudor era, with its mincemeat pies, meat pies flavored with sweet dried fruits and warm spices and flavorings such as saffron and candied citrus peels. In general though, shepherd’s pies tend to contain peas and legumes, while cottage pie, which seems to be a bit older, is simpler, with just a few root vegetables, chopped meat and plenty of sauce.

Cumberland pie is likely a variant of the cottage pie. Early recipes for Cumberland pie often include butter-rich mashed potatoes and occasionally there is cheddar cheese in the potato mix. With the accessibility of so many pareve milk-style products—from almond and cashew to soy or oat—creamy potatoes are now easy for kosher cooks. But what sets Cumberland pie apart is the crunchy topping, often a broiled top with plenty of toasted breadcrumbs.

When I lived outside of London in the 1980s, I ate more than my fair share of butter and cucumber sandwiches on pullman loaves, and fried egg and potatoes. But British food has undergone a renaissance, in much the same way that American food has.

My Cumberland pie is slowly braised at a low temperature with sweet wine. The parsnips in the stew are what gives it a decidedly Anglo-Ashkenazi spin. The recipe is easy to make in parts—perfect for Seder fare.  The meat should be made at least a day in advance, but it can be made up to five days ahead. The potatoes can be made the day before. The day you are serving the pie, skim the brisket pot well and remove the meat and vegetables. Heat the sauce until it has reduced in volume enough to coat the back of a spoon. That nappe (as French chefs call it) will make the dish flavor-rich. Cover the pie with the potatoes, warm in the oven, top with the crusty topping and broil at the last minute. It’s a showy and fun dish, perfect for a crowd and anything but bland.

This recipe is actually as easy as pie to make but fear not the long list of ingredients. You’ll have a memorably hearty and flavor-rich dish that is worth the time.

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