Hanukkah is the Jewish celebration based on the miracle of one day’s supply of oil burning for eight days in the menorah on the Temple’s rededicated altar, in Jerusalem in 165 B.C. Now, each year these eight days are a time for thanksgiving and candle-lighting in commemoration.
Sharing special foods is another custom of Hanukkah and chef Jeff Nathan suggests two recipes for this occasion. Nathan operates the New York cafe-restaurant Abigael’s at the Museum, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.
Braised short ribs with dried fruits and port wine sauce would make a festive centerpiece for a family feast. It’s a comfort-food kind of dish, cooked mostly in the oven, Nathan points out, and the dried fruit and wine give the dish a warm flavor for the wintry season.
The fruit element is carried over in the apple latkes, which are cooked in oil – a characteristic of many traditional Hanukkah dishes, recalling the miracle of the oil.
4pounds boneless short ribs or flanken, thickly sliced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil
4medium red onions, sliced into half moons
1medium white onion, sliced into half moons
1large leek, white part only, washed and sliced into half moons
3/4cup dried fruit (cherries, apricots, cranberries, in any combination, as desired)
2tablespoons light brown sugar
2cups red wine
1cup port wine, plus 1/4 cup port wine (reserve for sauce)
1cup beef broth
2bay leaves
1teaspoon dried thyme
12whole black peppercorns
1bunch parsley stems, leaves reserved and chopped
2tablespoons cornstarch
Season the meat with the salt and pepper. Heat oil as needed in a large ovenproof skillet. In batches, sear the meat on all sides. Do not overcrowd the pan. When all the meat has been seared, transfer it all back to the skillet.
While the meat is searing, in a small bowl combine the dried fruit with the brown sugar, red wine and 1 cup port wine. Set aside.
Cover the meat with the assorted onions. Pour in the dried fruit and wines and the beef broth. In an 8-inch-square, double layer of cheesecloth, tie up the bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and parsley stems. Submerge this sachet in the liquid of the skillet. Bring the liquid up to a simmer, then transfer skillet to a preheated 300 F oven. Cook until tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Remove the meat from the skillet and keep warm. Remove and discard the sachet. Place the skillet on the stovetop and bring the liquid to a simmer. In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup port wine. Whisk into the simmering liquid. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
Return the meat to the skillet with the sauce, and stir in the chopped parsley. Serve hot.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
(Pareve: Without meat or milk products) For three-apple salsa:
1Golden Delicious apple
1Granny Smith apple
1Fuji apple
3tablespoons lemon juice
2tablespoons honey
1/4teaspoon cinnamon
1/3cup dried cranberries and dried apricots (mixed, or as desired), roughly chopped, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained
1/4cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
For the latkes:
1 1/2cups all-purpose flour
1/2cup granulated sugar
3/4teaspoon baking powder
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4teaspoon ground allspice
3/4cup water
2firm apples, such as Golden Delicious, Fuji or Granny Smith, unpeeled
1/2cup canola or vegetable oil, as needed
Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling
Thoroughly wash, but do not peel the 3 apples for the salsa. Core the apples and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Immediately place in a medium-sized bowl and toss with the lemon juice, honey and cinnamon. Add the cranberries, apricots and mint. Stir to evenly combine. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and allspice in a medium bowl. Whisk in the water until barely smooth. Core the apples and cut into 1/4 -inch dice. Immediately fold the diced apples into the batter.
Line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels. In a large skillet, Heat the oil over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Reduce the heat to medium. Working in batches, using about 1/3 cup for each latke, pour the batter into the skillet. Cook until the underside is golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed so the latkes don’t burn. Turn and cook the other side. Transfer to the paper towels to drain briefly. It is best to serve each batch immediately after draining. If you wish, use two skillets to keep the latkes coming at a fast pace.
Sprinkle the latkes with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle with caramel sauce. Serve at once with the three-apple salsa passed on the side.
Makes 4 to 5 servings (3 latkes each).
(Dairy with pareve variation)
8ounces sugar
2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4cup water
1/2cup heavy cream or nondairy creamer
In a medium-size, heavy-bottomed saucepan combine the sugar, lemon juice and water. Stir until all sugar is moistened. Cook over a medium flame until sugar is melted and syrup just begins to turn light brown in color. Remove from heat and carefully pour in about half the heavy cream or nondairy creamer. The sauce will bubble furiously for a moment and then settle. Once the boiling has settled, add the remaining heavy cream or nondairy topping and stir. Allow to cool at room temperature in the saucepan. Transfer to a plastic container and keep refrigerated until needed. Warm the plastic container in hot water to re-liquefy the caramel sauce for serving. The sauce can be prepared up to 1 week ahead of time.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Recipes from Jeff Nathan of Abigael’s at the Museum
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