Recipe: Rosh Hashonah Recipes

By Julie Riven, Globe Correspondent, 09/24/97

ven cataract surgery a few days earlier can't dampen
91-year-old Jeanette Levine's spirits as she talks about
preparing food for the Jewish High Holy Days. Levine has been
chief cook for all family festivities since her 1926 marriage to
Irving, who died 21 years ago. Three children, 16
grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren (two more on the
way) later, she laments the fact that she's no longer allowed to
make gefilte fish for Rosh Hashonah. ''They fired me from the
fish,'' says Levine, who lives in Braintree.

Rosh Hashonah begins next Wednesday at sundown. The New
Year, one of the most important holidays in the Jewish
calendar, is followed nine days later by Yom Kippur, a day of
fasting and penitence.

Much of the holiday spirit is derived from planning, preparing,
and serving the meal. Weeks before Rosh Hashonah begins,
cooks start sharing menu ideas and swapping recipes. Menus
vary subtly from household to household, depending on
ancestry. For example, Ashkenazic Jews, from Eastern Europe,
are known for their potato kugels, while Sephardic Jews, of
Mediterranean descent, make rice pilafs or other grain dishes to
go with the meat or fish.

What never varies is the interest cooks show in each other's
recipes and customs. Levine, whose family came from Austria,
always made her own challah, gefilte fish, and strudel. She also
prepared chicken soup with knadlach (matzo balls), roast
chicken prepared with the chicken from the soup, and stuffed
cabbage or tzimmes. Honey cake and apple squares made up
dessert.

Levine's two daughters (her son passed away five years ago),
Judy Joseph of Needham and Claire Cohen-Stelzer of
Longmeadow, want her to slow down. ''There comes a time
when [parents] can't do it anymore,'' Cohen-Stelzer says. So
Levine will continue to contribute to the holidays, but she no
longer will host them. Joseph will. ''I used to have 33 people
two nights in a row,'' Levine says. ''Now the baton has been
passed to my daughter Judy.'' This year Levine will make the
honey cake and the challah but not gefilte fish. Like many
modern Jewish families, if Grandma can't make the gefilte fish,
no one will make it.

Levine misses the ritual of preparing it. ''I used to make 25
pounds of fish and I enjoyed doing it more than anything,'' she
says. But there will be many of Levine's other favorites, which
Joseph will prepare. ''She is a takeoff on me,'' says Levine.

The Rosh Hashonah table is laden with significance. To mirror
hopes for a sweet New Year, all Jewish cooks serve sweet
entrees. Honey, mentioned in the Old Testament, is often the
sweetener of choice.

Some cooks think there is no such thing as too much of a good
thing. Myra Kraft, philanthropist, patron of the arts, and wife of
Patriots owner Robert Kraft, oozes enthusiasm as she shares
her recipe for tzimmes. ''There is a pound of honey in my
tzimmes,'' she says, along with a whole brisket, sweet potatoes,
carrots, and dried fruit. ''The trick is lifting the pan,'' says
Kraft.

Kraft is a testament to the fact that no matter how busy one is,
when it comes to sharing recipes there is always time. So,

en route to Logan Airport recently, she calls from her car. She
apologizes because she can't remember the exact proportions of
ingredients in the potato kugel she bakes on top of the tzimmes.
Still, she rattles off the ingredients: eggs, onion, grated potatoes,
matzo meal. Just as she's about to sign off, she adds, ''Oh, and
don't forget the schmaltz.'' Kraft is referring to rendered
chicken fat, which our grandmothers and great-grandmothers
always had on hand. Schmaltz, some mavens would say, is the
difference between a good dish and a great one.

This story ran on page E1 of the Boston Globe on 09/24/97.
Copyright 1997 Globe Newspaper Company.

Rosh Hashonah recipes

MYRA KRAFT'S TZIMMES (BRISKET, SWEET
POTATOES, AND CARROTS)

Kraft got the recipe for tzimmes from her mother, but has no
idea where her mother got it. The tzimmes can be made without
the kugel baked on top if you prefer.

For the meat and vegetables:
6-7 pounds brisket
Salt to taste
8 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1-pound box dried apricots
1-pound box pitted prunes
1-pound jar clover honey
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

For the potato kugel (optional):
1 onion, grated
3 russet potatoes, peeled and grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or schmaltz
1/4 cup matzo meal or flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the brisket in a large cover, heavy-based casserole with a
cover . Season the meat with the salt. Add water to cover and
bring to a boil. Simmer the meat, covered, on the stove for 1
hours.

Set the oven at 325 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes and
carrots around the meat. Tuck the apricots and prunes under
the meat. Pour the honey, pineapple juice, and orange juice
over the ingredients. Bake the tzimmes, covered, in the
preheated oven for 5 hours, checking frequently to make sure
the liquid doesn't evaporate.

For the kugel, mix the onion, potatoes (drained of any
accumulated moisture), and eggs in a bowl. Stir in the oil, matzo
meal, salt, and pepper. Remove the tzimmes from the oven.
Spoon the kugel on top and bake in the hot oven for 45 minutes
or until brown. Remove the tzimmes from the oven and serve.

Serves 12.

ROASTED HONEY CHICKEN WITH DRIED
FRUIT AND POTATOES

10 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup white wine
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried apricots
2 tablespoons capers

1/2 cup honey
5 russet potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks, and
parboiled

Place the chicken breasts in a baking pan large enough to hold
them all in one layer (or use 2 pans). Season with the salt and
pepper. Pour the wine over the chicken. Season with the thyme
and oregano. Place the prunes, cranberries, raisins, apricots,
and capers over the chicken. Cover the pan and refrigerate for 4
hours.

Set the oven at 350 degrees. Remove the chicken from the
refrigerator and bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove the foil
and drizzle the chicken with honey. Arrange the potatoes
around the meat and continue to bake about 45 minutes or until
the chicken is tender and the potatoes are slightly browned.
Remove from the oven and serve at once.

Serves 10.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES AND
HONEY

This recipe is adapted from ''The Sephardic Kitchen,'' by Rabbi
Robert Sternberg (HarperCollins, 1996). ''This dish is a
specialty of Moroccan Jews,'' writes Sternberg. ''The sweetness
of the honey and the cinnamon strengthens the heady aroma of
the saffron, which colors the sauce bright orange.'' Traditionally
the dish is made with whole chickens, but Sternberg opts for
boneless breasts.

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock
10 ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, or 2 24-ounce
cans good-quality tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads dissolved in cup boiling
water
1/3 cup honey
2 sticks cinnamon
1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled

In a deep, wide saute pan with a cover, heat the oil. Add the
breasts and brown on both sides. Remove the chicken and set
aside. Add the onion and saute over medium heat for 10
minutes, stirring often. Add the chicken stock and stir with a
wooden spoon, scraping up any brown bits clinging to the
bottom of the pan.

Add the tomatoes and cook over medium heat until they begin
to soften, stirring occasionally. Add the saffron and honey and
stir to dissolve. Add the cinnamon, ginger, and chicken, making
sure the breasts are coated with the sauce. Turn the heat to low
and cover. Cook for 30 minutes or until tender. Serve at once
with the sauce.

Serves 8.

JENNIE LEVINE'S HONEY CAKE

3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup dark honey
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Grated rind of 1 orange
1 cup strong black coffee, cooled
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup golden raisins
Extra walnut halves, for garnish

Set the oven at 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a
9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, allspice, and cinnamon
and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the oil and
sugar for 1 minute. Add the eggs and beat for 1 more minute.
Add the honey and the lemon and orange rind and mix to
combine. Add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the
coffee, beginning and ending with the dry.

Remove the bowl from the mixer. Place the nuts and raisins in a
plastic bag with 1 tablespoon of flour. Shake the bag to coat the
ingredients with the flour. Fold the nuts and the raisins into the
mixture just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared
pan, garnish with the walnut halves, and bake in the hot oven
for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center
comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool.
Cut into 12 squares, wrap well, and set aside until the next day
to serve. This cake tastes better if made a day or so ahead,
which allows the flavors to ripen.

Serves 12.

JENNIE LEVINE'S APPLE SQUARES

For the dough:
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening or margarine
1 egg
About 1/2 cup ice water

For the filling:
3 pounds Cortland apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the topping:
1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon
cinnamon

In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar
together. With a fork, mix in the shortening. Add the egg and
mix until the dough is crumbly. Add enough of the ice water so
that a dough forms (you want it just to come together but not
be too sticky). Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic
wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, set the oven at 350 degrees. Grease a
10-by-15-by-1-inch jellyroll pan. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon
juice. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a
floured board. Working with two-thirds of the dough, roll out
into a rectangular shape large enough to fit the pan and to hang
an inch over the sides. Place the dough in the pan.

Arrange the apples over the surface of the dough. Roll out the
remaining one-third of dough. Place this piece over the apples
and turn the overhang up over the surface, crimping the edges
together. Slit the top of the dough in 6 places. Sprinkle with the
sugar-and-cinnamon topping. Bake in the hot oven 40-50
minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a
rack. Cut into 16 pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 16 pieces.

JENNIE LEVINE'S CHALLAH

For the sponge:
3 packages dry yeast (not rapid rise)
3/4cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon flour

Place the yeast, water, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl and
stir to mix. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 10 minutes or
until bubbly. el1l

For the egg wash:
5 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4cup water

In a bowl, beat the eggs. Remove 2 tablespoons of the beaten
egg to a small cup. To the small cup add the sugar and water
and mix. Cover and refrigerate this egg wash until the bread is
formed.

For the dough:
7 cups flour
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3/4cup sugar
1/2cup vegetable oil
3/4cup warm water
Bubbly sponge
Extra flour, for kneading

In a large bowl, place the flour, salt, and sugar and mix well.
Make a well in the center and add the remainder of the 5 beaten
eggs along with the oil, warm water, and sponge. Beat
vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a soft
dough. Turn the mixture out onto a floured board. Knead the
mixture for 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary just
until the dough isn't sticky.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl large enough to hold it
once it has doubled in volume. Cover with a damp towel and
set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk,
approximately 1 hour.

Punch the dough down. Knead briefly on the floured board.
Invert the bowl over the dough and let rest for 10 minutes.
Grease 3 9-by-5-by-3-inch pans. Set aside.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Working with one of the 3
pieces, divide it into 3 more pieces. Roll each piece into a
10-12-inch rope. Braid the 3 ropes, pinching together at each
end. Place in the prepared pan. Cover with a towel and let rise
in a warm place until doubled. Repeat with the remaining 2
batches of dough.

Set the oven at 375 degrees. Remove the egg wash from the
refrigerator and brush it over the dough. Place the pans in the
hot oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350
degrees and continue to bake for 20 minutes more or until
golden and the bread sounds hollow when tapped in the center.
Let cool on a wire rack.

Makes 3 challahs.