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Even if you're just cooking for your immediate family, making a successful holiday dinner can be an overwhelming, frantic experience. But with some planning, it doesn’t have to be! Here are nine iconicRosh HaShanahdishes with tipsfor stress-free preparation.
1.Brisket
You probably know that brisket tastes best if you cook it the day before – but did you know that it can still taste great if it's prepared weeks in advance? Just make sure that once you’ve prepared the brisket, you separate the meat from the gravy. Leave the meat whole and place it in a freezer bag or plastic wrap.
Tina’s Tidbit: When using a freezer bag, place a straw in a partially closed bag and suck out all the air until you see the bag collapse around its contents. While still sucking, pull the straw out and completely seal the bag. This will help protect the flavor and consistency of all your frozen foods.
When it’s almost time to eat, defrost, slice, and combine your brisket with the gravy before reheating in a microwave. Whatever you do, don’t reheat your brisket in the oven! The oven will make it dry and overcooked.
2.Chicken Soup
Strained of all meat and vegetables, chicken soup can be refrigerated for up to one week.
Tina’s Tidbit: Freeze the meat without skin and bone, and use it to make the best, most flavorful chicken salad you’ve ever had.
3.Gefilte Fish
Whether you make it as a loaf or rolled into balls, gefilte fish freezes beautifully. Freeze the loaf right in the pan. Freeze shaped balls on a cookie sheet. Once they're frozen, place them in a freezer bag, then return to freezer. Shortly before you’re ready to eat, defrost it in the refrigerator.
4.Teiglach
Teiglach is that beautiful tower of crisp dough balls cooked in honeyed syrup that can be tough to get just right. For many of us, our attempts to make this dish end in undercooked dough or overcooked, hard syrup. Here’s a foolproof solution: bake the teiglach balls in advance and freeze them. When you’re ready to assemble, which can be two to three days before you’re ready to eat, defrost the balls, make the syrup, and assemble.
5.Kreplach
Kreplach is more than just a Jewish dumpling. It’s a traditional Rosh HaShanah food because it’s sealed, signifying our hopes for being sealed in the Book of Life. Once you’ve prepared your kreplach, freeze it on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, then remove the frozen kreplach and place in a freezer bag. No need to defrost: simply place the kreplach directly into your soup and heat until the soup is hot and the kreplach are warm.
6.Asparagus
Asparagus season is almost over, so Rosh HaShanah is a great opportunity to get your fix in until next summer. Blanche your asparagus in boiling salted water for two to three minutes until bright green, then remove the asparagus and place it in a bowl of ice water to set the color. Once finished, drain and wrap it in paper towel. Refrigerate for up to five days. To eat, either serve cold or reheat in the microwave.
7. Vegetables
Planning on grilling or oven roasting additional vegetables for your Rosh HaShanah dinner? Make them three to four days in advance and refrigerate them. Serve at room temperature or heat them up in the microwave before serving.
8.PotatoKugel
If your kugel has enough eggs to bind the ingredients, you can freeze your completely cooked kugel in an airtight container. Defrost it slowly in the refrigerator and reheat in a 325F oven. If you like your kugels edible, be sure not to reheat it in a microwave!
9.Swiss Chard, Potato and Cheese Gratin
Sephardic Jews traditionally serve this delicious gratin (quajado di pasi kon patata i keso) on Rosh HaShanah. Served piping hot, itmakes a wholesome light meal.
- Rosh HaShanah
Tina Wasserman
Tina Wasserman (she/her) is the author of Entrée to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora and Entrée to Judaism for Families and is a visiting lecturer and scholar-in-residence throughout the country. She serves on the boards of ARZA and URJ Camp Newman, and is a member of Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, TX. Her recipes can be found at Cooking and More and throughout ReformJudaism.org, where she serves as food editor. Tina can be reached for congregational and organizational events through her website.
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