The Celebration of Apples and Honey

My daughter – for a Sunday school assignment – was asked to draw a picture representing her favorite holiday. Much to my surprise, she drew a picture of apples and honey. She loves the combination so much that she asks for it as a snack, in her lunch for school and all other times of the year. But, for some reason, we only dip the apples (and challah) in honey once a year.

This week, Jews around the globe will be wishing each other a sweet New Year, coming together to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. In this New Year of 5775, we rejoice in another year of Jewish continuity, survival and the yearly door opening to a string of high holy days.

Like most holiday menus, looking at the dishes on the Rosh Hashanah table is a lesson in symbolism and culinary anthropology. Apples and honey are an amuse buche at the beginning of the Rosh Hashanah meal symbolizing a wish for sweet New Year. Recipes are passed from generation to generation, certain ingredients become symbols of the celebration and over time, the dish becomes synonymous with the holiday. The holiday without the dish – and vice versa – is unthinkable.

I grew up with Sephardic (North African descent) and Ashkenazi (Eastern European descent) Jewish cultural and food traditions. Translation? Our holiday tables were a hodge-podge of foods (think North African Mezze salads with Matzoh Ball soup) and therefore no brisket recipe that’s been passed down and is now the centerpiece of our holiday meal.

But, a few years ago, a family friend, Michele, was with us for Rosh Hashanah and she made her grandmother Nanny Frieda’s brisket. I was struck by the sheer joy on her face when she served it to us. Our appreciation brought her Nanny into the room and injected her memory into each of our hearts, at least for one meal. When Michele sent me this recipe, she told me about her Nanny - a story that’s echoed in countless Jewish American families. Her Nanny was the youngest of 13 children, “a fieisty redhead with bright blue eyes who traveled to America alone at 13 years old.” Michele was the youngest of six grandchildren and at 15, Nanny Frieda taught Michele all of her recipes.

For Michele, the joy is in making the dish because well ... she hates brisket. The brisket is a physical connection to a woman who lives in memories of love, warmth and security. An opportunity to share it with her children, friends and others is another moment to keep that memory as sweet and vibrant as the dish.

Before the brisket recipe was shared. Michele w/ her Nanny Frieda.

Nanny Frieda's Brisket with Onions, Carrots, Raisins and Apricots

The Ingredients:

• 4-6 pounds of beef brisket, trimmed
• 6 -10 cloves garlic
• 2 -3 large yellow onions
• I package baby carrots 
• 1 package (6-8 ounces) dried California apricots
• 1 cup yellow raisins
• 1 1/2 cups white wine or beef broth or a combination of both (I usually combine)
• 2 Tablespoons Ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 pkg Lipton's dried onion soup
• garlic and onion powder
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• white pepper

What to do with the ingredients:

1. Prepare brisket a day in advance. 
2. In a large baking pan (I often use disposable foil ones), cut 2-3 onions in slices. Place on bottom of the pain with chopped garlic cloves.   Place the meat on top of the onions and garlic.  sprinkle, sprinkle liberally with garlic and onion powder, a pepper.   
3. Place the carrots, apricots and raisins around and on top of the meat.   
4. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour evenly over the entire concoction.   Cover pan tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for three to four hours, or until meat is tender.  Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then refrigerate.  
5. When the meat is cold, remove every trace of fat that has congealed on top.  slice the meat and return it to the pan with the fruit and vegetables.   When ready to serve, heat in a 350 degree oven, covered with foil, until heated through, about half an hour.  Serve on a large platter, surrounded with fruit and vegetables. 

There is one brisket recipe I’ve used from Joan Nathan’s Jewish Cooking in America. This is a more savory recipe than the one shared above. I’ve made this recipe in my crock-pot – I think I just increased the cook time. Also, I serve it with couscous (as I said, a hodge podge of dishes at my table).

Moroccan Brisket with Olives

(10 – 12 servings)

The Ingredients:

• 1 5-6 pound beef brisket (I like to trim it of fat)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
• ¼ c olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric or a few strands of saffron
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 2 large onions, diced
• ¼ cup chopped celery with leaves (I hate celery and always leave this out)
• 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced in paper thin rounds
• 2 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced, or a 1 lbs can of stewed tomatoes
• 1 lbs green olives (I liked to get pitted ones)
• ½ cup water if needed
• Juice of 1 lemon 

What to do with the Ingredients: 

1. Sprinkle the brisket with salt and pepper and rub in the garlic. Sear the meat on all sides in a little bit of the olive oil in a heavy roasting pan with a cover. Remove.
2. To the same pan, add the remaining olive oil, turmeric or saffron, and ginger and saute the onions until limp. Then add the celery and carrots and saute a few minutes more. Add the tomatoes and mix. Remove a third of the onion mixture and place the brisket in the onions in the pan. (This is where I put it in the crock-pot). Cover with the remaining onions and bake, covered, in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 3 hours or until the fork goes in and out easily. Remove and refrigerate.
3. Meanwhile, pit the olives (the entire reason I buy ones that are already pitted). Put them in a pot, cover with water, and boil a minute or two. Drain the olives and cover again with water, Drain Again (this is done to remove some of the saltiness).
4. Take the brisket out of the refrigerator, remove any fat that has congealed, and slive against the grain. Return to the heavy pan with the reserved onion mixture. Add the olives and sprinkle over the sliced brisket. Add water and lemon. Reheat in a 350-degree oven for a half hour and serve.