Tag: Jewish

Risk It For The Brisket

Brisket, historically a cheap cut of tough, barely edible meat, has come to be revered by aficionados across the globe. Some call it the “holy grail” of Jewish food, especially when the holiday season rolls around, and even more so when you factor in the difficulty of veganizing such a time-honored culinary tradition. Given the scrutiny placed on such an important centerpiece, it’s one I’ve never even felt capable of attempting.

Until now.

Brisket: A Celebratory Centerpiece

Growing up, Hanukkah dinner meant extra-crispy latkes, two or three types of homemade applesauce, and a heaping serving of brisket, cut into slick slabs that fell apart on the plate, dripping with juice. It was a point of honor when my Nana, the matriarch of meat, passed the torch to my own mother by sharing her secret recipe. The secret being powdered onion soup mix and lots of time. Three hours in the oven, an overnight rest, and then however long it takes to slowly, gently reheat the roast for the festive meal. There’s just not much to it besides meat and onions; every ingredient counts.

On that note at least, the same can be said for my plant-based rendition, a distinct departure from the beef-soaked ghost of holidays past. Where most vegan brisket recipes fail is by using just a big hunk of seitan, meaty but monotonous, without the distinct shredded texture of dissolved sinew cut against the grain, cooked into velvety submission. After the great success of my drumsticks, I knew I had the answer: finely shredded Sugimoto shiitake caps, blending into a matrix of seitan and meaty seasonings, the way to go.

Tasteful Textures

Moreover, this grand roast employs jackfruit and fresh enoki mushrooms to enhance that illusion, adding ample umami and a satisfying bite all the while. It’s a production compared to your average meatloaf, but it still takes less time than the original article. Since there’s no pesky cartilage to break down, you can slash the cooking time in half. Of course, there’s the added benefit of having no pesky cartilage in the first place.

Souped Up Supper

Onion soup mix is still an essential ingredient, but not in the same way as before. Skip the packaged blends with loads of fillers and milk solids; Sugimoto shiitake powder creates an incredibly rich, rounded depth of flavor alongside dried onion flakes, which you can buy ready-made or dehydrate yourself. This could be a stand-alone pantry staple for making instant chip dips, rice pilaf, more flavorful burgers, elevated vegetables, and, to state the obvious, soup.

A Brief Brisket Primer

Brisket means many things to many people, but at its core, simply refers to a prime cut of beef. Jewish brisket is made of the same stuff as Texan brisket; the difference is in the cooking. Texan brisket is the crowning achievement of any pit master, the litmus test determining their ability. Deeply smoked from a low and slow process that can take anywhere from 18 to 24 hours, each bite is intense and heady. Sometimes it comes crusted in a highly spiced rub, or slathered in BBQ sauce, lacquered with that sweet, tangy, spicy finish. Jewish brisket, on the other hand, sometimes called pot roast (especially if made in a slow cooker) is baked, braised, stewed, or slow-cooked for 3 to 6 hours in a flavorful liquid with plenty of onions. Always, always, lot of onions.

If you wanted to take this Jewish-style brisket and make into a barbecue feast, simply increase the liquid smoke to 2 teaspoons and brush it liberally with your favorite BBQ sauce 15 minutes before it’s done baking, and then once more right out of the oven. Or, if you happen to have an actual smoker, do your magic with the roast as is.

Brisket Tips and Tricks

This is not a quick-fix meal; never has been, never will be. Part of what makes it so special is how much time and care it takes to come to fruition. The most important piece of advice I can give you for making a meatless brisket is to have patience, plan ahead, and relish the leftovers. Prep and bake the brisket the day before, so all you need to do is reheat it for the big event. It only gets better as it sits, becoming more tender and intensely flavorful. Leftovers keep beautifully in the fridge for at least a week, and can be frozen for around 6 months. That is, if you’re lucky enough to save a few pieces. It may look like a beast of a roast, but trust me, it disappears fast.

Brisket isn’t just for Hanukkah. It’s a prime guest of honor at any important gathering, from Passover to Thanksgiving, birthdays to summer barbecues. Finally, with a genuinely meatless option that might even make my great-grandparents proud, there’s even more to celebrate.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)14 Comments

Canoodle With A Kugel

Kugel, a staple of classic Jewish cuisine, is frequently weighed down in a stodgy pudding of pasta, cream cheese, raisins, and apples. This sweet intrusion on the dinner table never appealed to me as a kid, which is why I always stuck to the savory side of the street when composing my own casseroles. Further improve upon the concept by swapping out those starchy noodles with wide ribbons of spiralized zucchini, instantly transforming the outdated side dish into a truly worthy dinner guest.

By replacing the typical egg noodles with tender, springy ribbons of spiralized zucchini, we not only lighten the dish but also elevate the flavor. Zucchini adds a subtle sweetness and almost silky texture when baked, creating a kugel unlike any other. As an added bonus, that makes it naturally gluten-free (and of course still kosher, as always), so everyone can freely partake. Would it be equally apt to call it a zucchini hotdish? Sure, but isn’t a conventional noodle kugel just a pasta hotdish, too?

The beauty of the zoodle kugel lies in its ease and versatility. Using a spiralizer, it comes together in a snap while dirtying minimal additional dishes, and you can just as quickly customize it with your favorite savory additions. Think: caramelized onions and garlicky mushrooms, thinly shaved fennel and fresh dill, or roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. The possibilities are endless, making this kugel a keeper all year round, adaptable for any occasion.

Next time you’re craving comfort food with a twist, consider the humble zoodle kugel. It bridges the gap between tradition and innovation, offering a taste of nostalgia alongside a fresh, seasonal flavor. It’s a kugel that’s worthy of a place at any dinner table, settling the debate between sweet or savory… At least for one course.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

10 Best Vegan Passover Recipes

For plant-based eaters, Passover can be one tough nut to crack. Fortunately, nuts are pesadik, so we’ve already got a running start at crafting a complete and kosher menu. What makes menu planning so difficult isn’t the lack of flour and leaveners most commonly associated with the holiday, but the avoidance of kitniyot. Conservative Ashkenazi Jews renounce beans, rice, corn, and peas for all seven days, but most would simply remove them from the Seder table. In any event, that’s the bulk of vegan protein sources right there, including tofu, tempeh, and most alternative meats.

Why Not Kitniyot?

The concern with these ingredients is not the foods themselves, but the fact that they look similar to and may possibly have the forbidden chametz grains accidentally mixed in. The especially strict would even forbid sugar snap peas, mustard, and poppy seeds, among many other curious and oddly specific selections. Many would also consider any derivatives of these ingredients verboten, such as aquafaba (brine from chickpeas), so those delicate meringue kisses are still off the table. Luckily, modern rabbis have ruled that quinoa gets the green light, so it’s wise to stock up and embrace the pseudo-cereal.

Best Bets For A Vegan Passover

Pay homage to the past without becoming a prisoner to tradition. From the festival meal to the less fanciful fare to follow, these recipes won’t let you down.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

Pesach Parfait

Passover is one of the most joyous occasions on the Jewish calendar, commemorating and celebrating the perilous escape from slavery in Egypt, so why are the desserts so morose? Bearing some of the most strict dietary constraints, particularly for observant Ashkenazi Jews, it’s more like a modern take on that same subjugation. Flour, leaveners (baking soda, baking powder, yeast), and kitniyot (beans, rice, corn, peas) are all off the table for a full week. Regular plant-based meals are tough enough under these conditions, but try baking a cake without any of the above, while side-stepping the traditionally egg-laden alternatives, and you’ll quickly see where most pesadik sweets go awry.

Seder Satisfaction

Though I can’t claim to be so stringent in my own home, I do try to play along for at least the Seder. Having a good few years of experience under my belt now, it’s not so challenging to come up with something satisfying to close out the festive meal. It just takes a change in perspective, to stop thinking about what you can’t have, and to focus on what you can. It’s the same sort of challenge for anyone new to veganism, I’d imagine. Consider the following:

Naturally Vegan Desserts For Passover

Without any sort of modifications, you can easily whip up any of these treats to enjoy throughout the week of Passover. There are hundreds of thousands more when you start to consider easy swaps to make cobblers with almond meal toppings, pies with raw nut-and-date crusts, and beyond.

Mousse Without Compromise

Introducing these stunning parfaits as a Passover desserts does them a disservice, based on the baggage such a label would come with. Rather, the layers of rich dark chocolate, giving way to a lighter, fluffier raspberry cream, then finished with light yet decadent coconut whipped cream, belong in their own category of indulgence. Beautiful and delicious enough to serve all year round, with or without dietary restrictions, they’re crafted without compromise, as a good recipe should be.

Making A Perfect Parfait

Whereas most vegan mousses would start by using a base of tofu, this approach taps the fatty goodness of avocado to accentuate the buttery notes of bitter dark chocolate. On top, fresh berries contribute a jammy, tart, and tangy flavor, balancing out the sweetness with elegance. The whipped cream seals the deal, completing the strata with a cloud of velvety coconut foam.

Don’t Pass Over This Recipe

While the Passover Seder is a retelling of the story, full of sacrifice and strife, you’re not supposed to suffer through the meal. Finally, here’s a dessert that you’d actually want to eat, even after the plagues have passed by.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)8 Comments

A Finger On The Pulse Of Purim

Foods of vengeance know no bounds. It’s a well-known fact that we’ll eat Haman’s hat in the form of hamantaschen, but that’s just the start. In Sephardic culture, it’s equally acceptable, if not more celebrated, to eat Haman’s eyes (Moroccan Ojos de Haman), ears (an alternate interpretation for the traditional triangular hamantash), and fingers, too. Cannibalism not withstanding, these bodily baked goods deserve the spotlight just as much in your next mishloach manot.

This time around, I’d like to give the finger to each and every one of you, in the sweetest way possible.

Can’t Lay A Finger On This History

Hailing from Greece and Turkey, Haman’s Fingers are simple yet lavish pastries, reminiscent of single serving baklava. Rolled like cigars, phyllo pastry encases a filling of lightly sweetened chopped nuts, sometimes enriched with dried fruits, and flavored with a delicate hint of citrus, rosewater, and spices. Like the beloved hamantash, however, anything goes when we’re talking about modern interpretations. Coconut, seeds, chocolate, sprinkles; it’s all fair game. Who’s to say what the wicked Haman was really made of, anyway?

Swaps and Substitutions

Everyone should be able to get even with their oppressors and devour their digits. As such, this recipe is fully adaptable to accommodate all diets. Here’s how to make it…

  • Sugar-free: Substitute date sugar for the coconut sugar, or if you want a completely unrefined sweetener, try whole, pitted dates. Simply pulse them in at the same time as the nuts. Omit the optional confectioner’s sugar on top.
  • Nut-free: Seeds are your best friends! Pepitas and sunflower seeds especially make excellent fodder for the filling. Alternately, opt for shredded, unsweetened coconut, crunchy chickpea snacks, crispy rice cereal, or your favorite granola.
  • Gluten-free: Phyllo dough is tough to find without wheat, but even harder to make from scratch. If you’re willing to sacrifice some of that light, flaky texture, gluten-free wonton wrappers are fine substitutions in a pinch.

Chag Purim Sameach!

Make some noise, dress like a demon, and eat your enemies. No one will judge you for such transgressions on purim, especially when the results are so delicious.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

Tzimmes, Rooted In Tradition

If not for its proximity to Christmas, Hanukkah would be largely overlooked as a minor holiday, more akin to the significance of Labor Day in the US, rather than a blockbuster event. Adapted and transformed to align with Christian celebrations, it’s no less significant when it comes to family traditions. Any day is only as important as you believe it to be; Hanukkah, remembered for the miracle of survival, of light in the face of darkness, is every bit as relevant, inspiring, and comforting in the face of modern strife.

Is Hanukkah Really That Important?

That’s why, as a person that considers themselves more culturally Jewish than religious, I do love the rituals; lighting the menorah every night; the smell of frying onions and potatoes wafting through the kitchen; the exchanging of novelty socks. My associations with Hanukkah would no doubt confound my ancestors. Still, I’d like to think it might still resonate. At the heart of it all is the enduring story of hope and resilience, woven into the fabric of the culture, no matter what that might look like.

This year, since the Festival of Lights arrives well ahead of Christmas Day, it’s the perfect time to delve into the heart and soul of Hanukkah cuisine, recognizing our roots beyond latkes. Tzimmes, a humble yet richly symbolic dish embodies the essence of the holiday, encapsulating centuries of tradition and the enduring spirit of the Jewish people.

What Are Tzimmes?

Tzimmes, derived from the Yiddish word ‘tsimlen,’ meaning ‘to make a fuss,’ is more than just a culinary creation; it’s a piece of history on a plate. This sweet, slow-cooked medley of root vegetables, dried fruits, and honey, often accentuated with warm spices, serves as a reminder of the Jewish diaspora’s resilience and adaptability. Its origins date back to Eastern Europe, where Jewish communities sought ways to celebrate Hanukkah using the limited ingredients available to them.

Typically, carrots are an essential factor, sliced into tender rounds like golden coins, to represent a sweet and prosperous future, particularly relevant when observing Rosh Hashanah. In fact, carrots are one of the most commonly used foods in Eastern European meals, both for their symbolism and affordability. The Yiddish word for carrot means to increase or multiply, perhaps like rabbits, though that connection is purely accidental.

A Twist on Tradition

Each ingredient tells a story, though I’d like to write my own narrative. My tzimmes won’t look like your bubbie’s, nor will it look like hers before that. Changing and morphing with our circumstances is part of our collective history. This time, I’m using rainbow carrots for diversity and unity, purple sweet potatoes for their striking hue and abundance, and the figs instead of prunes for added texture and depth. As we gather around the table to savor this modern twist on Tzimmes, we honor our ancestors’ resourcefulness and unwavering determination while embracing the adaptability and creativity of our present.

Join me in celebrating the spirit of the season, creating another set of delicious memories, traditional, unconventional, and everything in between.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)8 Comments