Elul
When God Knocks: Open the Door or Run?
6 min read
8 min read
Roasted pomegranate and sage chicken and other perfect dishes for a sweet new year.
Serves 4 – 6
Can be doubled
Melt the margarine in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, fennel, parsnip, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the pear juice, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to a syrup, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower, pear, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Turn the heat down to medium low, partially cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft, about 40 minutes. Stir in the tarragon.
With an immersion blender purée the soup. Stir in the soymilk, and reheat. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve topped with a thin swirl of non-dairy cream and a sprinkle of tarragon.
Serves 4, can be doubled
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix olive oil with garlic, sage and salt.
Rub mixture evenly, all over chicken, making sure to get most of it under the skin.
Place chicken in a small roasting pan or baking dish. Add broth and 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice into the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting chicken with the juices from the bottom of the pan every 30 minutes.
While chicken is roasting, pour remaining pomegranate juice in a small saucepan. Stir in pepper, balsamic vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until juice is reduced to a syrup, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove chicken from oven and pour ¾ of the glaze over the chicken. If the glaze has hardened, heat it over low heat until fluid. Pour remaining glaze over chicken, just before serving, and garnish with pomegranate seeds.
Serves 4, can be doubled
Grill and Baked Versions below
For Oven Baked: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover ribs and marinade. Bake for 1 ½ hours covered. Serve with sauce.
Can be frozen
Serves 4, can be doubled
Heat oven to 425°F. Toss the parsnips and apples with the oil, paprika, and 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
Roast the vegetables in the oven until tender and browned, about 25 minutes.
Toss with the vinegar and dill.
Can be made a day ahead of time and reheated before serving.
Serves 4, can be doubled
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. With heavy-duty aluminum foil, completely wrap beets, rosemary, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in an aluminum package. Seal with another piece of foil to prevent dripping in the oven. Place on a small roasting pan and bake in oven for about 55 minutes, or until beets are tender. Carefully open package to release steam, and cool completely. With a paper towel, remove beet skin and then cut into wedges. Discard rosemary.
Pour balsamic vinegar into small saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until vinegar is reduced to about ¼ cup. It will thicken as it cools. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper.
Place kale on a large serving platter. Scatter beets, raisins, tomatoes, and nuts on top of kale. Drizzle salad with dressing. Toss and serve.
Serves 10
Cake
Caramel sauce
Combine sugar, cream of tartar, and ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook, without stirring and occasionally swirling pan for even cooking, until mixture turns a dark amber color. Remove from heat; slowly add apple cider, pareve cream, vinegar, vanilla, and salt (mixture will bubble vigorously), whisking to combine. Return pan to medium heat and bring to a vigorous boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring to dissolve any caramel bits, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool. Set aside. Caramel sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm slightly before using.
Cake
Arrange a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Generously coat Bundt pan with nonstick spray. Place margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Cook, stirring often, until butter foams, then browns (do not burn), about 5 minutes. Carefully remove vanilla bean; pour brown butter into a medium bowl and chill until slightly firm, about 45 minutes.
Pulse flour and almonds in a food processor until almonds are finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in baking powder and next 7 ingredients; set aside.
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat brown butter, brown sugar, sugar, and ¾ cup powdered sugar in a large bowl, frequently scraping down sides and bottom of bowl and beaters, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in lemon zest. Add eggs and yolks one at a time, beating to blend between additions; beat mixture until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Reduce speed to low. Add half of dry ingredients; mix until almost blended. Add soymilk and mix until almost blended. Add remaining dry ingredients; mix until batter is blended and smooth. Scrape into prepared pan. Tap pan gently on counter to even out.
Bake until a tester inserted near the center of cake comes out clean and cake is dark golden brown and has begun pulling from sides of pan, 65–70 minutes.
Transfer pan to a wire rack. Let cake cool in pan for 25 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
Dust cake lightly with powdered sugar. Drizzle caramel sauce over cake, allowing it to drip down sides and into grooves and crevices. Serve remaining sauce alongside.