Jim Cohens Sephardic Brisket Recipes

JIM COHEN'S SEPHARDIC BRISKET

Steps:

• Soak the dried peppers in lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Seed, remove the stems and chop into tiny pieces.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Season the brisket with the salt and pepper and dredge with flour. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy roasting pan and brown the brisket on all sides. Remove from the pan.
• In the same pan, over medium heat, sauté the onions and ginger until the onions are transparent.
• Add the pepper and deglaze with the orange juice. Reduce for a few minutes.
• Add the brisket and enough stock or water to cover. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and peppercorns.
• Cook in the 400-degree oven, uncovered, until the brisket is tender, about 3 hours, turning at half hour intervals.
• Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
• Purée the sauce in a food processor or blender.
• Cool and refrigerate a few hours or overnight. Remove the congealed fat that float on the top of the liquid.
• A half hour before serving, bring about 4 cups water to a boil. Steep the tea bags in the water to make a strong tea. Discard the tea bags.
• Put the prunes and apricots in the tea to plump for about half an hour. Then drain them.
• Reheat the brisket, the sauce, and the plumped fruit.

SEPHARDIC ROAST CHICKEN WITH ORANGE, LEMON, AND GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
• Grate zest from 1 orange and from only 1 of the lemons and reserve it.
• Cut the zested lemon into quarters and rub the outside of the chicken with the lemon quarters and discard them.
• Cut the zested orange into quarters and also cut the other lemon into quarters and reserve them.
• In a small bowl, stir together lemon and orange zests and 1 tablespoons of the grated ginger and rub this mixture evenly inside cavity of the chicken.
• Put the orange and remaining lemon quarters inside body and neck of the chicken and season chicken all over with salt and pepper.
• Place the chicken on a rack set in a shallow roasting pan.
• In a small bowl stir together margarine or oil, citrus juices, honey, and remaining 2 tablespoons of grated ginger.
• Place chicken on the middle rack of the oven and roast for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the fleshy part of thigh registers 170 degrees F. and juices run clear.
• Baste with the citrus juice mixture at least 4 times during roasting.
• *If chicken is browning too quickly, tent with foil.
• Transfer to a platter and let rest for 10-15 minutes before carving chicken.
• Garnish with orange sections.

SEPHARDIC BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Soak the chiles in lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Seed them, remove the stems, chop the flesh into tiny pieces, and set aside.
• Season the brisket with salt and pepper to taste and dredge with flour. Heat the oil in a heavy roasting pan just large enough to hold the brisket snugly and brown the brisket on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Remove from the pan.
• In the same pan, over medium heat, add the onions and ginger and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are transparent. Add the reserved chiles and deglaze with the orange juice. Reduce the liquid by half. Add the brisket and enough stock or water to cover the meat. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Place in the oven and cook, uncovered, until the brisket is tender, about 3 hours, turning at 30-minute intervals.
• Transfer the brisket to a platter. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf from the liquid and pour it into a food processor or blender. Purée until smooth. If the sauce is too thin or not flavorful enough, reduce in a pan over medium heat. Cool the meat and the sauce separately, then cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
• When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. In a large bowl, steep the tea bags in the water to make a strong tea. Discard the bags. Put the prunes and apricots in the tea to plump for about 30 minutes, then drain them. Meanwhile, slice the brisket against the grain and place the slices in a pan. Remove the congealed fat and pour the sauce over the brisket. Add the fruit to the sauce, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and heat the brisket in the oven until hot, about 45 minutes. Check the seasonings before serving.

POLISH APPLE & CARROT TZIMMES (PASSOVER)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 2 1/2 quart casserole.
• Place the carrots in a saucepan, add about 1/2 cup water and cook, about 5 to 8 minutes, until tender. Add apples for last 5 minutes of cooking time. Drain and turn the carrots, apples and onions into the casserole. Add the raisins, sugar or honey, salt and pepper.
• Mix the orange juice and potato starch in a small bowl until smooth. Pour over the carrot-apple mixture. Sprinkle with the oil and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.