Cooking for the New Year

Chernowitz Challah

After the meal - Honey Cake

Before the meal

 
Something wonderful happens when family sits together at a dressed up table for a holiday meal. It could be the anticipation from the night before - the smells of cooking pot roast, the cake, decorated and displayed, but off limits to itchy fingers, the late night preparations. It could be the recipe searches weeks before the holiday, preparations, shopping for seasonal ingredients. But what I have learned in the past few years of family life is that the energy and time that I devote to ensuring everything comes together shines brightly on the faces of those who sit with us during the festive meal. As any mom knows, there is nothing better than that.

This year, I tried a few new ideas. First, we had gone apple picking the previous weekend. The County Line Orchard had a pretty fantastic selection of juicy, ripe, crunchy apples of all colors and sizes. You pick one off the tree and the juices start running down the stem. Honey seems unnecessary, but for a sweat New Year, we dipped a few slices.

Second - the bread. I had tried baking challah the previous year. Though it wasn't entirely a failure, it did not resemble the tasty, flaky, moist bread I remember from the small bakery my mother used to go to when I lived at home. I spent some time learning about the bread and how different people had achieved the desired consistency. The recipe I used came from Epicurious - Chernowitz Challah. It did not disappoint. Unfortunately for me, my yeast had been sitting in the pantry for some time and the bread needed a bit of cajoling to behave properly, but behave it did.

Thirds - dessert. Honey cake topped with a chocolate sauce... I might skip the chocolate next time around. Simple, quick, moist and tender - the cake was a surprise for me. It would probably make a great breakfast loaf as well  - toasted with some butter.....

Here's the full menu:

- Apples and honey
- Chernowitz Challah
- Miniature leek and chive matzo balls
- Salad
- Pot roast with potatoes
- Honey cake

Pot Roast Recipe:

- 1 3lb Boston or Chuck Roast
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2/3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 onion, sliced
- 5/6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1 cup prunes
- 1 1/2 cup dry red wine
- oregano, basil, red pepper, whole cumin
- salt & pepper
- olive oil

• Preheat oven to 275.
• Heat skillet to med-high. Rub the meat with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Brown on both sides. Remove from pan and place in baking dish.
• Add wine and spices to the skillet, simmer, scraping up the brown bits. Once wine thickens and is reduced by about half, pour over meat.
• Add onions to the skillet and sautee on med-low until tender, add garlic. And cook for a few more minutes. Spread onions evenly over and around the meat.
• Brown the vegetables and spread them around the meat along with the prunes. Cover everything with parsley. Cook for 3-31/2 hours. 
• Once the meat and sauce are cool enough to handle, discard the parsley and remove the meat. Slice the roast into 3/4 inch pieces. Blend the vegetables into a thick sauce. Return the meat to the sauce. 
• 30 minutes before dinner, return the meat to the oven and reheat.