Rosh Hashana

[ronnie_suburban]

And, by the way, I just checked and there isn't one single brisket recipe in the eGRA.

As an experiment I made a smoked brisket yesterday that turned out wonderfully. I can 't decide whether or not it's worth giving it a try at Rosh Hashana. I fear it might be received with complaints.

The only sure fire way to work it in would be to make my traditional brisket and then also offer this. But, I'm already going to be stressed enough, and this is basically just more work disguised as a brisket.

I do have a very good, tried and true, brisket recipe if anyone would like it.

=R=

[JFLinLA]

I do have a very good, tried and true, brisket recipe if anyone would like it.

=R=

Yes, I'll take your recipe. I'm the family baker so someone else usually does the brisket so it's not something I have a lot of experience with. I can roast a chicken like nobody's business and I've got an arsenal of great chametz-free desserts for Passover but I may make a brisket this year.

[alacarte]

a little Rosh Hash holiday humor:

When I found this recipe I thought it was perfect for people like me who just are not sure how to tell when poultry is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out. Give this a try.

BAKED STUFFED CHICKEN

6-7 lb. chicken

1 cup melted butter

1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is good)

1 cup uncooked popcorn (Orville Redenbacher's)

salt/pepper , other spices to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

> Brush chicken well with melted butter, salt and pepper.

> Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn.

> Place in baking pan with the neck end towards the back of the oven.

> Listen for the popping sounds. When the chicken's ass blows the oven door opens and the chicken flies across the room, it's done.

[Kenk]

For Rosh Hashana,

Please replace the butter with olive oil for this chicken recipe.

[Alex]

How about a part-sephardic menu? A chicken tagine, perhaps? Pan-fried gefilte fish with cumin, coriander, cilantro, and garlic?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Kenk Posted: Sep 6 2003, 01:26 PM 

For Rosh Hashana,

Please replace the butter with olive oil for this chicken recipe.

Perhaps you enjoy your popcorn with olive oil ... but most of us like it with butter ... and does the EVOO make the finished more chicken kosher(er)? Yep! Ya Betcha'! Flies outta the oven like a brand new El Al 747!

[Suzanne F]

The first time I hosted Pesach (more of a family get-together for us than Rosh Hashanah), I planned on serving steamed/sauteed duck, very similar to Mark Bittman's version. Alas, of the ducks I bought, only one of three was usable. So I made Fesanjon, a Persian duck-and-meatball stew. No one minded a bit. Of course, they knew that by then I was a professional cook.

But I think Separdic recipes in general work better for Rosh Hashanah, because people still get the willies when you serve them rice on Pesach. I know I did, when I went to a Seder hosted by an Israeli family in in Los Angeles in 1990. Have a look at Joyce Goldstein's Cucina Ebraica for some fabulous dishes!

One slight correction: the way I first saw that chicken recipe, you had to position it with its rear to the back of the oven -- more force for flying out! I wonder if anyone has actually tried it??

[bloviatrix]

Last year, we were invited to a Rosh Hashanah seder, which is a sephardic tradition. It was really quite interesting. Before the meal, we had a variety of different foods including fish, head of lamb, fresh dates and pomegranates. Each food has a signifigance related to welcoming in the New Year, and there is a recitation before each food. Once we went through the ceremony we sat down a complete meal (of course, we were quite full by then).

This was the first time I had attended something like this, and I loved the way they integrated the ritual foods and celebrated each one. I've done some research and have found that there is an ashkenaz tradition for the Rosh Hashana seder as well, although it is not as common. Some of the foods used are different, so head of lamb is replaced with fish heads, and carrots are used. I'm hoping to introduce the seder as part of my meal this year. I think rituals such as this make the holiday that much more meaningful.

[marie-louise]

Last year, we were invited to a Rosh Hashanah seder, which is a sephardic tradition.  It was really quite interesting.  Before the meal, we had a variety of different foods including fish, head of lamb, fresh dates and pomegranates.  Each food has a signifigance related to welcoming in the New Year, and there is a recitation before each food.  Once we went through the ceremony we sat down a complete meal (of course, we were quite full by then).

This was the first time I had attended something like this, and I loved the way they integrated the ritual foods and celebrated each one.  I've done some research and have found that there is an ashkenaz tradition for the Rosh Hashana seder as well, although it is not as common.  Some of the foods used are different, so head of lamb is replaced with fish heads, and carrots are used.  I'm hoping to introduce the seder as part of my meal this year.  I think rituals such as this make the holiday that much more meaningful.

Sigh... this year we will be traveling in the middle of nowhere on Rosh Hashanah. Probably eating bacon and hamburgers at the local diner. We will have to celebrate belatedly with an extra-special meal. Your idea sounds like just the thing.

Please tell me more details about what you did.

I know about the prayers, and I know about the ritual foods (including my two favorites, sweet round challah and apples), but I like the idea of creating a seder-like meal of it. Did they have something like a Haggadah to read from? Was it a professional book, or something they created?

[bloviatrix]

Marie-louise,

The document we used at the RH seder last year was from a bound book. Our host had made photo copies for all of us. I assume the text was from something in his personal library. It is my understanding that there are elaborate books on the topic. My cousin was stuck in Milan in 2001 and celebrated RH there. She had an opportunity to attend a RH seder where each guest was given their own book with the service. I think the seder varies depending on one's family origin and the foods are different.

My husband found a sheet with an ashkenaz version of the RH seder. The foods used and symbolism are:

Challah in Honey - to hope for a sweet year

Dates - so our adversaries will be eradicated

Pomegranates - we should have a multiple of good deeds like the seeds of the pomegranate

Apple in Honey - to usher in a good and sweet year

Fish - so we can be fruitful and multiply like fish

Fish heads - so we may be likened to the head not the tail

Carrots (in tzimmes) - that are merits may be multiplied

Personally, I'm not thrilled with the document I have - the symbolism of the dates makes no sense to me - so I'm continuing my research. I plan to check one of the local Judaica stores this week to see what they have in the way of texts.

Before I became aware of this tradition, I tried to use traditional foods of jewish communities around the world. For example, black-eyed peas are eaten by Syrians. And the Indian jewish community would eat a banana curry. To me, adapting the customs to my own just adds to the sense of making the holiday special.

Once I figure out what I'm doing I'll be glad to share - this is the first year I'm doing this at my own home.

[marie-louise]

Afikomen is a great resource. You might want to call them and ask them what they have. I don't live far from them, I'll try to get by one of these days and check it out.

Please do post what you end up doing for dinner.

[hsm]

Dates - so our adversaries will be eradicated

Personally, I'm not thrilled with the document I have - the symbolism of the dates makes no sense to me - so I'm continuing my research.

I'd be interested in what you learn. Although I hadn't heard the date connection before, the idea of eradicating enemies is included in many of the prayers of the season.

(Along with the one my 'usual suspects' use hoping I won't be tempted to change the usual matzoh ball soup/brisket/roast potatoes/roast vegetables menu. <sigh> At least I get to vary any 'before we sit down' food.)

[bloviatrix]

I picked up a book at the Judaica store yesterday (Artscroll's Rosh Hashanah:Its significance, laws and prayers).

In the mean time, my husband looked at the text regarding the dates and realized that it's a play on words. Date in hebrew is "tamar." The word for consumed/eradication is "yitam." And when a food relates to evil, it's taken as an allusion to our enemies. Hence, dates are eaten to symoblize our enemies being destroyed.

It seems that many communities developed customs based on the names of foods. Ukranian Jews would give their children chicken livers. The Yiddish for liver is leberlach which sounds like leb ehrlich which means "live honestly."

[Suzanne F]

So the generic definition of Jewish holidays is linguistically accurate?

They tried to kill us. We won. Let's eat.

[Nancy Berry]

Two relatively recent recipes have become favorites in my house. The first is Joyce Goldstein's delicious Pollo Arrosto all'Arancia, Limone, e Zenzero

(Roast Chicken with Orange, Lemon, and Ginger). It is a fantastic recipe!

Here's a link: Pollo Arrosto all'Arancia, Limone, e Zenzero

The second is Patricia Unterman's recipe for Potato Kugelettes, little potato kugels baked in mini-muffin tins. Please try to use schmaltz in this recipe. It really makes the dish better. I also make these for Passover.

Here's a link to this recipe:

Potato Kugelettes

[bloviatrix]

I guess I've been in denial that the holiday is quickly approaching, but yesterday I paniced. There was a big sign in the butcher stating last day for orders is September 5th. This means I have about a week to put together my menus so I can determine whether I need any unusually large pieces of meat.

So, for those of you cooking -- what interesting dishes are you planning? And how many people are you cooking for?

[jackal10]

I go to my brothers, but since I'm not religious, but cook traditional foods for nostalgia...

Honey cake recipes please...

Strudel and teiglach too I guess...

As ashkenazi, we don't have the custom of some communities of cooking a sheeps head...

[Gifted Gourmet]

Spank you for the reminder, bloviatrix .... will consider the various options when I am back at home next week ... until then? What exactly is Rosh Hashonah?

[NancyH]

I still make my mother's Rosh Hashonah dinner :

Round Challah, honey, sliced apples

Gefilte Fish (from scratch - it is abominable any other way!)

Homemade horseradish (ok, mom got hers from a jar, but my husband grows the stuff)

Chicken Soup, Noodles, Matzoh Balls

Brisket (mom's secret ingredient is the only canned/processed product in my pantry - Maneschevitz Tomato Mushroom sauce)

Potato Kugel (which my schagetz husband has become darn good at making)

Green Vegetable (probably green beans from the garden)

Dessert - not my strong suit, so I get whatever looks good at the Jewish bakery - usually honeycake, sponge cake and mandel brot.

Oy, do I need to start planning and ordering already?

[NancyH]

Almost forgot - if I have time, I will make a tzimmes out if it, the way my father's father, who was from Budapest Hungary, made it:

Brown 1/2 to a pound of flanken in a heavy pot

Add peeled carrots cut into large chunks and a bit of sweet potato to fill the pot

Add a few prunes, finely chopped (they disintegrate, but add a mellow sweetness)

AddHungarian Paprika, salt and pepper to taste

Lower the heat and just let it stew for hours and hours (that's the secret - stew it until the meat has come off the bones and fallen apart and the bones are dry)

Re-season, add brown sugar if it isn't sweet enough for your taste.

Yum, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

[bloviatrix]

Nancy, Welcome to egullet!! That tzimmes sounds fabulous. Will you be cooking just for immediate family? Or will you have guests as well?

Coincidentally, this afternoon we received an invite for one meal during the holiday. Since the holiday segues into the Sabbath, this now means I only have to cook for 5 meals.

[NancyH]

Thank you for the welcome!

I'm not sure how many I am cooking for this year - the holidays kind of snuck up on me. One of the reasons I cook my mom's meal is that since I got married and moved to Ohio nine years ago, I spend many holidays without anyone from my family at the table, and I don't want to lose what I learned from my mom (she is disabled and can't cook anymore, anyway). My husband is not Jewish, so even though his family are good sports about joining us for the occasional Jewish holiday, it isn't the same as having my family. So, I may invite a few friends, or a couple of my husband's brothers or cousins. Sometimes its just us.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Nancy, please allow me to welcome you to eGullet as well, and tell you how very exciting it is to hear another "voice in the wilderness" of Jewish holiday cuisine! As you will find out in very short order, we literally dissect each and every nuance of holiday food .... offering each other (and everyone else with the interest in this type of not-so-very-esoteric cooking) truly great, useful, delightful ideas .. and we do it with a minimum of "kvetching" ... (see Passover for maximum kvetching" )

Anyway, welcome, and if you are serving all of those delightful holiday foods, please include a specific address so we can arrive in time to share the bounty of your table!

[Jason Perlow]

Oh my.. the Jewish holidays.. Already?

[NancyH]

Gifted Gourmet - is there a link to the Passover discussion?

Thanks - NJH