Rosh Hashanah… Sound the Shofar
Wow, I have been so preoccupied with writing and preparing for the release of Unorthoboxed Magazine that it just hit me that in just over a week the holiday of Rosh Hashanah begins. Known as the Jewish New year it is a time of celebration and reflection on the past year in preparation for Yom Kippur. As with all other chagim (holidays) Rosh Hashanah is associated with many traditional foods. The foods that grace our holiday tables vary depending on where in the world your ancestors are from. One thing they have in common is they tend to be sweet. Sweet sauces over chicken and meat, sweet side dishes and of course sweet treats for dessert. Even our challot are sweetened with the addition of dried fruits, sugar and honey. All of this to ensure that the upcoming year is a sweet on filled with simcha (joy) and bracha (blessing).
As with my weekly dinner and Shabbat meal I try to plan ahead and create a menu of what I will be serving. Sadly, it looks as though my DH and I will be alone for most if not all of the meals of the chagim again because of the current covid situation in Houston. This won’t deter me from making festive meals and family favorites. Below is this year’s proposed menu (it may change) and a few of the recipes that I will be preparing.
Apricot Honey Chicken
Ingredients:
· 1 whole Chicken – Spatchcocked or cut up into parts OR 4 – 6 Chicken Leg Quarters
· ½ cup Caramelized Onion
· ½ cup Apricot Preserves/ Jam
· ½ cup Thousand Island Dressing (homemade or store bought)
· Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350F
2. Prepare a sheet pan (flat low rimmed pan NOT a 9 x 13 baking pan) by covering with foil & spraying or wiping lightly with olive oil/ grapeseed oil).
3. Prepare the chicken by Spatchcocking it or trimming excess fat.
4. Pat chicken dry and lay evenly spaced around the sheet pan.
5. In a measuring cup or a bowl mix together the caramelized onion, apricot preserves and thousand island dressing.
6. Season the chicken with the dry spices.
7. Using a pastry brush spread the sauce mixture over the chicken and bake. Brush the chicken occasionally during the baking process.
8. The chicken is finished when it is golden & a little caramelized on the outside and reaches the temperature of 165F with a meat thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the chicken but not hitting the bone.
(For a saucier less caramelized version cook in a roasting pan not on a sheet pan)
Tahini Honey Roast Chicken
Ingredients:
· 1 whole Chicken – Spatchcocked or cut up into parts OR 4 – 6 Chicken Leg Quarters
· ½ cup Tehina Paste
· ¼ cup Honey
· Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt & Pepper to taste
· Lemon Wedges (for serving)
· Fresh Cilantro, chopped to sprinkle over before serving
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375F
2. Prepare a sheet pan (flat low rimmed pan NOT a 9 x 13 baking pan) by covering with foil & spraying or wiping lightly with olive oil/ grapeseed oil).
3. Prepare the chicken by Spatchcocking it or trimming excess fat.
4. Pat chicken dry and lay evenly spaced around the sheet pan.
5. In a measuring cup or a bowl mix together the tahina and honey.
6. Season the chicken with the dry spices.
7. Spread some of the sauce under the skin.
8. Using a pastry brush spread the sauce mixture over the chicken and bake. Brush the chicken occasionally during the baking process.
9. The chicken is finished when it is golden & a little caramelized on the outside and reaches the temperature of 165F with a meat thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the chicken but not hitting the bone.
Elise’s Sweet Noodle Kugel
Ingredients:
· 16 oz. Medium Egg Noodles
· 6 Eggs, beaten
· 1 cup Sugar
· 1 8 oz. can Crushed Pineapple / Applesauce
· ½ cup Golden Raisins
· 1 stick (1/4 lb.) Earth Balance Vegan Butter
· 1 teaspoon Vanilla
· Ground Cinnamon for sprinkling on top
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, drain.
3. Melt the Earth Balance.
4. In a bowl mix together the cooked noodles and the remaining ingredients.
5. Stir in the melted Earth Balance.
6. Lightly oil a 9” x 13” baking dish.
7. Pour the noodle mixture into the baking dish.
8. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
9. Bake in preheated oven for one hour.
Applesauce Spice Cake
Ingredients:
· 2¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
· 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
· 1 teaspoon Salt
· 1 ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
· ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
· ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
· 2 cups Unsweetened Applesauce
· 1 ½ cups Brown Sugar
· ½ cup Grapeseed Oil
· Golden / Dark Raisins (optional)
· ¼ cup White or Apple-Cider Vinegar
· 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
· Veggie Oil Spray
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Lightly grease a Bundt pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together applesauce, brown sugar, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.
4. Sift in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger then whisk until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. If using raisins, fold in now.
Fill the prepared pan evenly with batter.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry with a few crumbs clinging to it. Rotate the cake halfway through baking time.
Let the cake cool completely before unmolding.
Glaze with Vanilla Spice Glaze or frosting of your choice.
Vanilla Spice Glaze
based on recipe from kosher.com
Ingredients:
2 cups Confectioners' Sugar
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Dried Cinnamon
1/2 cup of boiling hot water, this is an approximate measurement
Directions:
In a large bowl, add oil, vanilla and cinnamon to the confectioners' sugar.
Add a few tablespoons of the water and stir the glaze with a spoon until combined and all lumps have been worked out.
Add confectioners' sugar or water a little at a time as needed, until desired consistency is reached. Glaze should be thick and viscous, not easily pourable, while still remaining pliable.
Pipe onto cake and bang carefully on a countertop to let the glaze run down slowly.
Toby's Rosh Hashanah Salad
Ingredients:
· 1 Medium Head Romaine
· 10 Oz Baby Spinach
· 1 Leek, white & green chopped
· 1 medium to large Roasted Beet cubed (Whole canned beets can be subbed)
· I pkg Pomegranate Seeds
· Shredded Carrots
· 1 Granny Smith Apple peeled & cubed
· 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
· ¼ cup water
· 1 cup cooked Black Eyed Peas / 1 15oz can Black Eyed peas
· 1 cup chopped Pitted Dates
· 1 Tablespoon Grainy Mustard
· 1 to 2 Tablespoons Honey
· 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
· ¼ cup Olive Oil
Directions:
1. If using canned black eyed peas skip the cooking step just drain, rinse and set aside. If using dry peas soak the black eyed peas in water overnight. Rinse and put in a pot, cover with water add a few dashes of salt and cook until soft but not mushy. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Roast & peel the beet. Set aside to to cool. When it can be handled, cut into ¼ inch cubes.
3. Wash & check the leafy greens and the leeks. Using a lettuce spinner dry well.
4. Peel and core the apple. Cut into ¼ inch cubes toss with the lemon juice & water to keep from oxidizing, set aside.
5. Chop the pitted dates and set aside.
6. To assemble the salad place the leafy greens in a large bowl or a 2 gallon zipper bag.
7. Add the shredded carrots, black eyed peas, cubed vegetables, apple cubes, chopped dates and pomegranate seeds.
8. Toss well to mix.
9. In a container with a lid mix the remaining ingredients together until well blended.
10. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat salad with dressing.