I'm trying to get some new ideas at presenting traditional Rosh Hashanah items at the dinner table.
By MO SCHNEIDERI'm trying to get some new ideas at presenting traditional Rosh Hashanah items at the dinner table. I don't live in Israel but do read your column, whenever it appears, on the internet edition of The Jerusalem Post. What help can you give me?
Sarah Kaye
London, England
The first thought that comes to mind is to offer a honey cake recipe. Honey cake recipes abound in great numbers here in Israel. Every cook has their own treasured recipe. I will suggest a different twist for serving the apple and honey, a new fruit (which in Israel is usually pomegranate) and honey and nuts.
Oven-dried honey-coated apple rings
Ingredients per person
1 apple peeled and cored. You can get one of those coring tools which are like a tube with a handle that you push through the center of the apple to remove the core.
3/4 tablespoon honey
A sprinkling of ground cinnamon
Slice the apple thinly so that you make rings, and warm the honey. Heat the oven about 180C. Place the apple rings on a fine mesh (reshet in Hebrew) cake tray and place the mesh over a flat tray to catch the drips. Brush the apple rings with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes till the apple rings go golden. When ready, place the apples on a wooden skewer in a staggered fashion and serve one to each guest on a plate.
Next item is the pomegranate. For 4 people you'll need about 2 pomegranates.
1/3 cup sweet red wine (kiddush
wine)
1 rounded tablespoon date paste
Cut the pomegranate in half, then break it up into smaller pieces. Empty all the pips in a bowl removing the outer skin and the white interior skins. There are some greengrocers in Israel that sell pomegranate in a tray with the skins already removed. If you're lucky to find one who does that, then a lot of work is saved. I'm not sure if that convenience is available abroad.
In a separate bowl, mix the wine and date paste till the paste is dissolved. Add this to the pomegranate seeds and mix well. Season with a 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or ground ginger.
suemo@zahav.net.il