A deluxe Rosh Hashanah menu

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my readers a Happy New Year full of wonderful treats and flavors.

By PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN
A DELUXE ROSH HASHANAH MENU (photo credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN)
A DELUXE ROSH HASHANAH MENU
(photo credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN)
This year, in an effort to offer you the most magnificent menu for Rosh Hashanah meals, built from super-easy recipes, I made my way to Savyon to the home of chef Avner Laskin. Originally from Nahariya, Laskin studied in culinary school in France, where he mastered the baking of bread that is kneaded by hand, and later on in Italy, where he became a master pizza chef. Laskin has written a number of cookbooks and one of his favorite pastimes is baking in the taboon oven in his backyard, where he offers cooking workshops.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my readers a Happy New Year full of wonderful treats and flavors.
 
Sweet challah
Makes 2 medium challot.
270 g. cold water
1 tsp. dry yeast
500 g. flour, sifted
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
Egg wash:
1 egg, beaten   
Topping:
¼ cup sesame seeds
Add the water, yeast, flour, olive oil, honey and salt to the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low speed for 3 minutes. Then, increase the speed to medium and mix for another 6 minutes.
Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place bowl in the fridge overnight.
The next day, place the dough on a floured work surface and separate it into two sections. Roll each section into a long log, then twist up log into a snail shape. Place the snail-shaped dough on a pan covered with baking paper. Let the dough rise until it doubles in volume.
Brush with egg wash and let rise another 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 180° and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
Level: Medium
Time: (Prepare dough day before) 90 minutes
Type: Vegetarian / Pareve
Roasted eggplant spread
Makes 8-10 servings.
2 large eggplants
1 clove of garlic, grated
Juice from one lemon
2 Tbsp. raw tahini
1 Tbsp. chopped mint leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Roast the eggplants over an open flame on your stovetop until they’re completely black on the outside and soft on the inside. Alternatively, you can roast the eggplant in the oven at a high temperature.
Transfer the eggplant to a cutting board and cut down the center with a sharp knife. Scoop out the inside of the eggplant into a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and then taste and adjust seasoning.
Level: Easy
Time: 30-40 minutes
Type: Vegetarian / Pareve
Roasted tomato salsa
Makes 8-10 servings.
5 ripe tomatoes
1 clove of garlic, grated
3 Tbsp. olive oil
½-1 Tbsp. spicy green pepper, chopped
Roast the whole tomatoes over an open flame on your stovetop until they’re completely black on the outside. Alternatively, you can roast in the oven on high temperature.
Transfer tomatoes to a cutting board and cut them open with a sharp knife. Chop up the inside of the tomato, and then transfer to a bowl and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.
Level: Easy
Time: 30-40 minutes
Type: Vegetarian / Pareve
A DELUXE ROSH HASHANAH MENU (Credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN)
A DELUXE ROSH HASHANAH MENU (Credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN)
 
Green vegetable salad
with mint vinaigrette dressing
Makes 8-10 servings.
For the following, blanch in boiling water and immediately dunk in ice water:
1 package (250 g.) of broccoli florets
2 packages (200 g.) of mini broccoli
1 package (200 g.) snow peas
1 package green asparagus (500 g.)
Other:
1 package baby roquette leaves (200 g.), rinsed
Dressing:
2 limes, peeled and with all white pith removed
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ bunch of mint
Put all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Blend the dressing ingredients until smooth and then pour over salad. Mix well and transfer to serving bowl.
Level: Easy
Time: 30-40 minutes
Type: Vegetarian / Pareve
Orange fish
Makes 8-10 servings.
1 kg. pumpkin, cut into 3 cm. pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 cm. pieces
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 cm. pieces
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup olive oil
½ pilpelchuma, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 basket (500 g.) orange colored cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tbsp. harissa
1½ fish, whole or filet (sea bass or cod)
Juice from one lemon
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped coarsely
Place the vegetable cubes on a tray that’s covered with baking paper. Sprinkle with salt and olive oil and coat well. Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 240° for about 15 minutes until vegetables turn golden brown.
In a large pot, add olive oil and then sauté chili pepper and garlic. Next, add the cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Lower the flame to as low as possible and cook for 20 minutes.
Blend with an immersion blender or in a regular blender.
Add the harissa and mix well. Add the roasted vegetables and pour into a roasting pan. Add the fish on top and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 180° for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and pour the lemon juice on top of the fish. Sprinkle with cilantro pieces and serve.
Level: Medium
Time: 1 hour
Type: Vegetarian (fish)
SWEET CHALLAH (Credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN)
SWEET CHALLAH (Credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN)
 
Chicken, potatoes and thyme
(slow roast)
Makes 8-10 servings.
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. pickled lemons, chopped finely
4 cloves of garlic, crushed coarsely
2 Tbsp. honey
Juice from 4 limes
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. thyme, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Chicken:
1 whole chicken (1.5-1.7 kg.)
3 large onions, sliced to 2 cm.
10-14 small potatoes or 7-8 medium potatoes,
rinsed and quartered (with skin)
Prepare the sauce in a medium bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Use a pan with a cover that can comfortably contain the chicken and vegetables. Place the chicken in the middle and arrange the potatoes and onion slices all around.
Pour the sauce on top of the chicken and cover with lid. Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 160° for 3 hours.
Level: Easy
Time: 3.5 hours
Type: Meat   
Translated by Hannah Hochner.
Text and styling: Pascale Perez-Rubin


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