Category: Food

Think of it as lessening your carbon footprint—homemade Chanukah coins sprinkled with real gold, elegant, delicious and no foil wrappers to pick up.  The following recipe is adapted from the classic les palets d’or (translation: gold-flecked chocolate coins), the house specialty at Bernachon, the legendary Lyon, France chocolate house. Our country’s own dessert diva and [...]

Great restauranteurs share their seasonal recipes for fall.
By Julie Canter

Steven Waxman
Trax Restaurant & Café
“My mom Janet and grandmother Gertrude had a limited but successful repertoire that they infused upon us. We collaborated on a lot of the family meals, always traditional foods like brisket with potatoes, carrots and onions, always chicken soup. I remember shopping with my grandmother as a youngster at the Ogontz Avenue kosher butcher shop for kosher chickens—nothing tastes like that. The winner of all the meals was chicken fricassee with light tomato sauce on carrots and celery. My grandmother’s standing rib roast with crispy potatoes finished in the beef fat is a favorite memory, along with the side dishes that were always saved for Rosh Hashanah and that I only got at home when I was kid—kasha and bowties, the barley and mushrooms in beef stock, kugel with apricots, some middle eastern foods that were introduced—all a change from everyday dining. Dinner was always a sitdown, and we still do it that way. I do parts and bring from the restaurant and we have it at either my home, my sister’s or my mom’s—they usually give me the protein dish and soup to make!” This recipe is a delicious variation on traditional chicken, made with fresh flavors and herbs, a hallmark of Trax’s approach to fresh, locally grown ingredients, including from its own garden.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken
4 teaspoons oil
4 chicken breasts, with skin on, approximately 9 ounces each (see note)
Chicken rub (see below)
Lemon rosemary sauce (see below)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If you haven’t pre-marinated the chicken, place rub on all sides of the chicken breasts. Heat a sauté pan on the stovetop until hot, add oil and add chicken, skin side down; cook for 3-5 minutes. Place pan in the oven and bake chicken for 4 minutes, then take out and return to stovetop. Turn breast over and reduce heat. Cook until finished, approximately 2 minutes. Remove breast, then add at least 1/2 cup of the rosemary lemon sauce to the pan. Stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir until hot, then place chicken back in pan and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with more sauce if desired.
Chef’s note: I recommend purchasing 3-4 pound Euro free-range chickens to yield the breasts. The legs and thighs can be cut off and used for another meal. At Trax, we jerk them and then smoke them and use them in our House-Smoked Chicken Spring Roll. Also, the chicken bones can be used for stock. If you are not comfortable cutting up a whole chicken, you can buy the breast on the bone and then just filet the breast or buy boneless breasts with the skin still on.

Chicken Rub
1 cup chili peppers
1 cup oil
OR
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon oil
Salt and pepper to taste
To make the chicken rub, soak chili peppers in oil for 24 hours, then puree and make a paste. Note: The paste will last a long time and can be used for a variety of items. For a faster alternative, just mix paprika, oil, salt and pepper and rub on your chicken breast. This can be done right before you cook or a couple days ahead to allow it to marinate.

Lemon Rosemary Sauce
2 cups extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup red onions, diced medium
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cups  dry white wine
1/2 cup capers
1/4 cup black and green olives, sliced thin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)
Place 1 cup of olive oil in pot and sauté onions until clear. Add garlic and rosemary, and cook until the garlic starts to brown. Add lemon juice and white wine, then cook at a simmer for 10 minutes, whisking gently. Whisk in the remaining cup of olive oil, the capers and olives, and cook at a simmer for 5 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste—it may not need much salt, depending on the olives and capers. Slivered almonds can be added when the sauce is done. Makes 1 quart. Note: You’ll have extra sauce, which can be refrigerated and used on meat, fish or chicken (breasts or whole chicken, cut-up).

Caleb Lentchner
Marsha Brown’s Creole Kitchen & Lounge
For Caleb, Rosh Hashanah is an intimate dinner for 10 with his mom coming down from upstate New York. Influenced by the roots of southern and Creole cooking with its distinct, bold flavors, he’s inclined to make a southern style brisket to celebrate. “I love doing braised meats,” he says. If it’s the traditional Jewish pot roast, expect his to include tomato, vinegar and sugar for a more sweet and sour barbecue-y flavor. “I love cooking that way, something about that is warm and flavorful and I love comfort foods—I’m a glutton for lots of carbohydrates.” A New Yorker with a background in hotel and corporate dining before coming to Marsha Brown’s as executive chef, he still makes the pilgrimage back to the Big Apple for delicacies from Katz’s, Barney Greengrass and the Second Avenue Deli. To celebrate the New Year, Caleb starts with a cocktail inspired by honey and apples.

New Year’s Honey Appletini
2 parts vodka
1 part apple schnapps
Splash of lime juice and honey
Honey and apple slice for garnish
Drizzle honey on a chilled martini glass. Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, then strain into glass and garnish with apple slice.

David Katz
Mémé
“Mom and Aunt Rae would make us Sephardic Jewish food—my Mom is from Morocco,” says David Katz. “Our dishes were pasteles minced spicy ground beef and lamb rolled in phyllo and fried, a raw carrot salad with lemon juice and olive oil, a cooked hot pepper salad eaten cold, raw pepper salad with parsley and tomatoes drizzled white vinegar and oil—eaten with couscous and yellow rice.”
David reminisces about the Shabbat dinner his mother grew up with, a rich, complex slow-cooked dish of “beef shanks, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, whole eggs in the shell, all put in one pot with broth, cumin, turmeric and onions.” All the ingredients would go into the pot at once on Friday at sundown and cook all night at lowest setting possible in oven. “When mom was growing up in Casablanca, grandma—Mémé—would send her to a communal oven to cook it, and then bring it home.” David’s mom left Morocco as a young woman in the ’60s, first moving to Montreal, then to the US, and Cape May where David grew up.  Mémé is named for David’s Moroccan grandmother and though some entrees have rich Mediterranean flavors, most of the dishes are simple American food, as he describes it, with locally sourced produce, sustainable wild fish and natural meat. His next restaurant will pay homage to Mémé’s food—his plan is to open a restaurant based on Moroccan Jewish cuisine, which is different than the typical dishes people associate with the north African country. “There’s more French influence and technique, shared seasonings and ingredients. A lot of lamb, nuts, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, saffron, orange flower water, couscous, figs, almond teas and rosewater,” he explains. “I’m not going to do ‘cookie-cutter Moroccan.’”

Carrot Salad
6 medium carrots
Juice of 1 lemon
Chopped flat leaf parsley
Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
Peel and grate the carrots on the large holes of a box grater into a mixing bowl. Pour in lemon juice, olive oil and parsley. Mix well and season with a tiny bit of salt and black pepper. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Meat “Cigars”
1 pound ground beef
3 sheets of phyllo dough
1 teaspoon each mace and cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper
Vegetable and peanut oil
Cook the ground beef in a medium-sized sauce pot until brown and cooked through, stirring often. Drain the cooked beef in a colander to remove all fat and juices. Put the beef into a food processor and season with the mace, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. Process well, until the beef is in tiny clumps and the mixture feels a little dry. Lay out the phyllo on a flat work surface. Brush each layer gently with vegetable oil until you have stacked the three layers. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut the phyllo into vertical strips about 4” wide. Place some meat in the center of the phyllo and fold each end over, then roll like a cigar and brush the seams with a little more oil to seal. In a skillet with peanut or vegetable oil heated to 350 degrees, gently fry the cigars until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with some salt while they are hot, and then serve.

Audrey Claire Taichman
Audrey Claire & Twenty Manning Grill
Brisket. It’s the traditional essence of the holiday and the days after. “My father Norton Taichman—‘Nissel’ aka Zaida—made this sandwich one Shabbas afternoon from the leftovers from the Shabbas dinner the night before. It really was all that was left in the refrigerator. Soon, it became known as the best sandwich in the world,” says Audrey. “Years later, when I decided to launch Twenty Manning Grill, a neighborhood restaurant serving simple classic pleasures, I thought this sandwich would be perfect. Serving the sandwich every Sunday night is a huge crowd pleaser. So many of the Jewish folks in the neighborhood know the night and wait for Sunday to get it. And so many of the neighborhood Bubbies love to tell me their own brisket recipe!”
The food business does not fall far from the Taichman tree. The Taichman sisters learned to cook alongside their mother and father, as well as in the kitchens of their bubbies. Bubbie’s Apple Cake, a Best of Philly winner and by far the most popular dessert at Audrey Claire (for years made by Bubbie herself) has now been handed down to Susan Taichman-Robins, Audrey’s oldest sister. The parve dessert is in high demand and can be ordered in advance for Rosh Hashanah. (Stay tuned for Bubbie’s apple cake to be available nationwide when its own website is launched.) “In our home, Shabbas dinner is the longest meal, second only to our seders, and no Shabbat would be complete without something delicious to serve with a cup of tea,” says Audrey.

Zaida’s Brisket Sandwich
Sliced braised brisket (quantity is as big or little as you would like to make your sandwich!)
2 slices cooked asparagus, chilled (at room temperature is great, too)
1 tablespoon white horseradish
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
French baguette or country roll
Take all of the above and arrange on the baguette. Nissel’s note: Be sure to spread the horseradish on one side and the dijon on the other—he swears it makes a difference, says Audrey. Makes 1 sandwich.

The Brisket
8-10 pound side of brisket
Flour for dusting
Vegetable oil
Fresh herbs  (a small bouquet of whatever you like)
3 whole garlic cloves, smashed
2 pieces diced celery
1 large diced onion
1 large diced carrots
64 ounces (2 cans) beef broth
Wine, optional (red or white)
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season both sides of brisket with salt and pepper. Lightly dust with flour. Sear in big pan on medium heat with vegetable oil. Remove meat. Use the same pan to sauté all the vegetables with herbs and garlic. Return meat to the pan. Add wine if desired and reduce it, then add beef broth. Bring to boil. Cover with foil, then bake for 3-1/2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste. Trim fat after cooking, not before.

Bubbie’s Apple Cake
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons vanilla
6 medium peeled Braeburn or Fiji apples
5 tablespoons sugar mixed with 5 teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; pour in oil, eggs, orange juice and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until well blended to yield a thick batter. Combine apples with the sugar and cinnamon mixture just before preparing layers (if allowed to stand, the mixture becomes too wet). Spoon 1/3 of the batter into a well greased tube pan, add half the apples, but do not allow them to touch the sides. Layer another 1/3 of batter on top of apples, add another layer of apples and finish with the remaining batter. Bake for 45 minutes (and be sure cake isn’t getting too brown—if it is, cover with foil and continue to bake). Wait 2 hours before inverting and removing from the pan. Yields about 14 generous slices.

Steven Katz
Max & David’s
Named for Steven’s grandfather and father respectively, Max and David’s reflects the Katz family tradition of hospitality that Steven experienced growing up. Wanting to create a restaurant that celebrated international cuisines—and that just happened to be kosher—led to a menu with many wonderful flavors, including those of the Mediterranean. There is an unmistakable emphasis on choice meat—Steven has said he was tired of driving to New York City for a great steak. While chopped liver, matzo ball soup, a high-domed round challah and honey cake are some of the Katz family’s traditional favorites, this lamb main course is a delicious departure.

Roasted Rack Of Lamb
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put all the ingredients into food processor and blend until well combined. Spread half the mixture, about 1/4 cup, over each of two racks of lamb (estimate 1 rack for every 2-3 guests), including the ribs. Marinate at least 1 day and up to 2 days. To roast, preheat the oven to 500 degrees to sear the lamb to lock in juices for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Note: This marinade is also great for braised short ribs.

Jason Hanin
Barclay Prime
Executive Chef Jason Hanin says, “When I think about my family and my childhood memories, the Jewish holidays always come to mind. Having so many family members in one house was great. They are for the most part my only memories of when all the family was still around. As I was reaching the age of 8 or 9, I started helping my mother, Glenda Hanin, in the kitchen when it was her turn to host Rosh Hashanah. That was the best. Not only did everyone come over, but I was able to cook side by side with my mom. When everyone would arrive and finally be sitting down to relax, my mom seemed so excited to tell everyone that her little boy was helping with the dinner. That made me feel so important around all the adults.
One specific memory dates from around 1985.  As for every Jewish holiday, my mom made her special matzo balls, but this year they came out like golf balls! They were bad, and it seemed to be the topic of conversation for most of the night. No one could understand what happened. So the following year, my uncle Dave came over to the house early, before everyone else, and handed my mom a package. In the package were perfect little matzos balls, enough for everyone coming over. My uncle was so concerned that my mom had lost her magic matzo ball touch that he bought them from a local Jewish deli in his neighborhood. My uncle said it would be our little secret. He never told anyone, and my mom, well, she was a little shocked, but she still found it to be quite funny. It makes me smile when I think back to all those dinners and the people I shared them with.

Great Grandma Mary’s Blintzes
The “Leaves”
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon melted butter
Mix 3/4 cup of milk with the eggs. Gradually mix in 1 cup of flour, then add the melted butter. If too thick, add some more milk. Heat a small amount of butter in a 6” nonstick pan. Make one “leaf,” and if it fries up too thick just add more milk and try again. Repeat until all batter is used.

The Cheese Filling
1 pound farmer cheese
1/4 pound cream cheese
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon sugar
Mix the cheeses together, then add the sugar and finally the egg. Mix well, then fill each blintz and fold over the sides, one by one, envelope style. Sauté on low heat to brown evenly and heat through. This recipe makes about 24 blintzes.

Ruth, Rich & Ron Silverberg
The Silverspoon
“At Rosh Hashanah, the whole family participates in the cooking,” says patriarch Rich Silverberg. “Whoever is hosting makes the main dish, which is usually my mom’s brisket or sweet and sour meatballs. We’ll often serve spit-roasted chicken as well (my recipe). Traditionally, we’ll start with the round challah, apples and honey and hard-boiled eggs. (Nanny Peg used to serve just the egg yolks at the start.) The Rosh Hashanah meal is a feast. Depending on who hosts, we sometimes start with matzo ball soup or a salad. Along with the main course we usually have a potato and a noodle kugel and at least one traditional green vegetable but usually two—spinach and artichoke, string bean almondine or sautéed asparagus. Oh, and Grammy’s dried fruit and sweet potato tzimmes. Dessert, as if anyone has room, is all homemade and could be apple cake, Nanny Peg’s always valiant effort at German plum kuchen, blueberry peach cobbler and Grammy’s cherry cake (still my favorite, although her recipe is lost).”
As soon as they could, all three Silverberg kids, Rachel, Debra and Ron, were involved in Rosh Hashanah meal planning. “We made our annual excursion to the apple orchard in West Chester to pick apples,” continues Rich. “Ron was the daredevil and always had to climb the highest limb. And once old enough, they all helped chop, slice and peel. Today, they are all adults and great cooks. Ron, everyone will admit, has always had the ‘calling’ and can cook all of us under the table. Ruth and I opened the original Silverspoon in the winter of 2002. We specialized in homemade lunch fare. In January 2010 we moved to our current location with a full kitchen and larger seating area, and under the expert guidance of our son Ron, as executive chef, we serve lunch and dinner and weekend brunch. The atmosphere is casual country, bouchon style as you might find in France or Napa.”
On September 15, in honor of the High Holidays, The Silverspoon is planning their “Wednesday world tour” dinner around Jewish cooking from four distinct global traditions. The menu will start with an amuse bouche of seasonal local apple with honey, then culinary “stops” in Athens for Leek and Potato Croquette served with citrus wedges, a favorite among Greek Jews; in India for Curried Fish with Tamarind and Red Chili, an aromatic dish prepared by the Bene Israel Jews of Bombay; in Hungary for a modern take on the classic Molasses Duck with Cabbage, Carrot and Kasha from the dynamic Budapest community; and in Brussels for a traditional plum tart.

Molasses Duck Breast With Cabbage, Carrot And Kasha
4 duck breasts with skin on
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 cup diced shallots
1/2 cup each diced carrot and celery
1 zucchini, julienned
1 medium head Savoy cabbage, outer leaves and core removed
1 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup uncooked kasha
2 cups chicken stock (unsalted)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Sauté the shallots, carrots and celery in just enough olive oil to lightly coat your pan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir while cooking, and remove from heat when shallots are translucent. Add chopped parsley and set aside. In small saucepan, simmer the molasses until thickened to a syrup. Turn down temperature to low. In another pan heat 1 teaspoon olive oil, add the kasha, cook for 3 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover and cook until kasha is tender and stock is absorbed. Then add half the shallot-carrot-celery mixture. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and remove from heat. At this point the cooked kasha can be divided into timbales or just placed in a 175-degree oven to hold, covered.
Season duck breasts with salt and cut a crosshatch pattern in the skin. Place the 4 breasts, skin side down, in a sauté pan large enough to cook them without crowding. Cook slowly on medium heat to render the fat. Pour off fat as a lot will accumulate. This process could take 15-20 minutes. Once the skin is crispy brown, turn duck over and cook another 5 minutes or until meat is medium rare in center. Take off heat and let sit.
In a medium sized pot heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the cabbage, stirring to coat with the oil. Cook covered for 5 minutes, add the zucchini and toasted caraway seeds, salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes until cabbage is tender. Add the remaining shallot-carrot-celery mixture. Taste and re-season if needed. To plate, slice the duck breast, place skin side up on the plate and surround with kasha and cabbage. Drizzle molasses reduction on the duck and each plate.