Rosh Hashana 2016 Recipes: How To Make Brisket, Honey Cake And Other Jewish New Year Treats

One of the many ways Jews come together to celebrate Rosh Hashanah is by eating together. On the two-day holiday observing the creation of Adam and Eve, Jews will often use food as a way to wish one another a sweet new year.

This year, the Jewish New Year falls on Saturday. Check out a few traditional and unique dishes to serve at Rosh Hashanah.

Pomegranate Salad: It’s customary to eat pomegranate during Rosh Hashanah, and this salad is just one of the many ways to dress up new fruit, as it’s referred to on the holiday, and include a few other nutritious and delicious items in a quick and easy way. In a large bowl, whisk 3 tablespoons of vinegar, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, 1 tablespoons of honey and a dash of salt and pepper to make the dressing. Add in 3 handfuls of baby spinach, 1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds and about 30 almonds, pecans or walnuts (or all three). Fold over the ingredients in the bowl repeatedly to make sure all the green goodness gets a good coating of dressing.

Matzo Ball Soup: This quick recipe calls for matzo ball mix that can be mixed with 4 beaten eggs and a 1/2 of oil and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Bring a large pot of salt water to a boil and then gently form the matzo mixture into 1-inch balls, slowly drop them into the water and let cook while covered for 30 minutes. In a second pot, bring 64 ounces of reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth to a boil. Add in 3 large sliced carrots and 3 sliced celery stalks and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Once the matzo balls are cooked, remove them from the salt water and add into the same pot as the vegetables.

Brisket: Set the oven at 375 degrees. Lightly dust a six-pound brisket with flour and sprinkle with a dash of pepper. Heat three tablespoons of corn oil in a large cast-iron pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add in the brisket and let brown on both sides for about five to seven minutes per side. Then place the brisket on a platter and let 8 peeled and thickly sliced medium onions to the pot and let cook for about 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and lay the brisket back into the pot on top of the onions. Spread three tablespoons tomato paste over the brisket, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and then add two to four pealed and quarter garlic cloves and one sliced carrot to the pot. Cover the pot and transfer to the over to cook the brisket for 1 1/2 hours.

Honey Cake: Set oven at 350 degrees. Oil the loaf pan and dust with flour. Whisk together 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, one teaspoon cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. In a separate bowl, whisk together one cup honey, 2/3 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 cup cooled freshly brewed strong coffee. In another bowl, beat two large eggs and 1/4 cup brown sugar with an electric mixer at high speed for three minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the honey mixture and two tablespoons of whiskey or bourbon for about a minute. Lastly, add flour mixture and mix until all is thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes.