The “Whys” Behind Rosh Hashana Food Traditions
When summer ends we know Rosh Hashana isn’t far behind. This year, the holiday starts on 9/29—almost 3 weeks later than it did last year! The late start gives us time to breath and plan our menus (not to mention daydream about how we will make our upcoming year better than the previous). I know that not everyone likes to cook but my personal opinion is that even if you make just one thing—a cake, a side dish, an entrée—this effort will change the way you feel about feeding yourself and family for the holiday, in a very positive way. There are a couple of key RH traditions to know about:
Honey—WHY?
As you probably already know, when it comes to Rosh Hashana food, it’s all about foods that support a “sweet new year” and honey is THE food we eat to bring sweetness. This is why we eat honey cake.
Apples-WHY
Simply, because honey tastes good on them and they are a great “vehicle” for transporting honey (better then sticking your finger in the honey pot, right?). This is why we eat apple cake and tzimmes (sweetened with honey) and anything made with apples and honey.
Round Challah—WHY?
Remember, Judaism loves symbolism, even with food. We eat round challah versus braided challah which we eat on Shabbat, to remind us of the endless cycle of life. Both plain and raisin challah are traditional. Why raisin? Sweetness!
Pomegranates—WHY?
Amazing fact: Pomegranates have 613 seeds which is the same number of mitzvot (good deeds) in the Torah. We eat pomegranates to show our intention of achieving all of them in the coming year.
Here are some favorite recipes that include apples and honey.
But of course, these recipes won’t make a complete meal. This is where we go to the archives of Jewish cooking: chicken soup with matzo balls, brisket, roast chicken, potato kugel and more. To help you out, we’re so pleased to offer you a terrific “Jewish” cookbook, Gefilte Manifesto written by our friends from Gefilteria, Jeff Yoskowitz and Liz Alpert. They have agreed to share their recipe for challah with you.
Another mouth watering recipe is from Susan Barocas a well known chef and food writer, who I met at the Hazon Food Conference last month. Like me, Susan is half Sephardic and half Ashkenazi, She has some terrific recipes and shared this one with us: Black-Eyed Pea Salad.
BLACK EYED PEA SALAD
By Susan Barocas©
Black-eyed peas are a centuries-old favorite legume of Sephardic cuisines and eaten at the Sephardic Rosh Hashanah Seder in connection to the blessing for “increasing our merits” in the new year. Lentils or green beans might be used instead for the same blessing depending on family origins and traditions. A heat-loving crop, black-eyed peas grow easily in many places around the world, are highly nutritious and a symbol of good luck, prosperity and fertility in different cultures when they are eaten often on New Year’s Day. In the US, black-eyed peas are a favorite of Southern cooks, especially with rice in Hoppin’ John, but deserve to make their appearance in more dishes in other areas of the country. This is an easy make-ahead dish for holiday meals and gatherings or every-day eating.
1 pound dried or 4 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas
2 bay leaves
3-4 green onions
2 bell peppers of mixed colors (red, green, yellow, orange)
2-3 stalks celery
Dressing
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice and zest from one medium lemon
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch or two of cayenne or Aleppo pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Pomegranate arils (seeds) or chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
If using dried black-eyed peas, sort and wash in a strainer. Put into a 5 or 6 quart pot, add bay leaves and cover the peas with 7 to 8 cups cold water. Bring to a boil on high heat, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook peas, partially covered, about 45 minutes until just tender, but not mushy. When cooked, drain well in a strainer or colander, rinse with cool water to stop cooking.
If using canned peas, drain, then wash well with cool water and drain thoroughly.
While the peas cook, clean and dice the green onions into small pieces. Clean the pepper and celery and cut both into a small dice. Add the vegetables to a mixing bowl. Add the drained peas to the bowl and gently mix to blend ingredients.
To prepare the dressing, combine all the ingredients except the zest and optional granish in a bowl and whisk until emulsified, or put ingredients into a glass jar and shake vigorously until emulsified. Stir in the zest until blended. Taste and adjust seasonings, then pour into the pea mixture. Mix gently, but well, to incorporate. At this point, the salad should be refrigerated for several hours or up to 3 days in advance to give the flavors a chance to meld.
Serve cold or at room temperature with the salad in a pretty bowl, perhaps with some standing leaves of endive, or mounded on a platter with a circle of spinach, chopped romaine or Boston lettuce. This salad also makes good “finger food” or an appetizer. Place about a teaspoon on slices of crostini or place a small amount on the pointed end of endive leaves that are then arranged on a platter. Garnish salad with pomegranate arils or chopped parsley before serving if desired.
Sea salt-speckled copper-colored homemade caramel is drizzled on a rich dark chocolate brownie. The rum gives the recipe the extra kick it needs for a batch of gooey, decadent, rum spiked brownies, perfect for dessert parties or a sneaky midnight snack.
