A Traditional Hannukah Dish...With a Twist

  

It's a great Hannukah tradition, the venerable centerpiece of the holiday meal, the brisket. And this year, it might be a great idea to change things up and enjoy a beautiful brisket on this Jewish holiday, with an Italian flavor profile. New York Times Food Columnist Melissa Clark stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a fantastic recipe for Brisket with Horseradish Gremolata. In this case, the horseradish stands in for garlic, and offers a real pop of flavor. One of the great things about brisket of course, as Melissa puts it, is that it "wants" to be made ahead. and Hannukah is 8 days long. Serve this with potato latkes, or maybe even mashed potatoes. You might find it's the gift that keep on giving...and since Hannukah is a long holiday, that's a good thing!

• 1(4- to 5-pound) brisket, preferably second cut
• 1tablespoon kosher salt
• 1½teaspoons black pepper
• 4garlic cloves, chopped
• 6sprigs fresh thyme
• 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2large onions, thinly sliced
• 2large carrots, sliced into thin rounds
• 2large celery stalks, diced
• 1½cups dry red wine
• 2whole bay leaves
• 1½cups parsley, coarsely chopped
• Grated zest of 1 small lemon
• 3tablespoons fresh, coarsely grated horseradish
• Flaky sea salt, for serving

1. Step 1

   Season brisket all over with salt and pepper. Place brisket in a large container and spread garlic and thyme sprigs all over top and bottom of meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours. Let meat stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Wipe off the garlic and thyme. Heat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Step 2

   Heat a very large Dutch oven over high heat. Add oil and let heat. Add brisket and sear, without moving, until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. (Cut meat into 2 chunks and sear in batches if it doesn’t fit in the pot in a single layer.) Transfer to a plate.

3. Step 3

   Add onions, carrots and celery to pot and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook vegetables, tossing occasionally, until onions are golden brown around the edges and very tender, about 15 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in bay leaves and bring liquid to a simmer; let simmer for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.

4. Step 4

   Place meat in pot, then cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook, turning every 30 minutes, until meat is completely fork tender, 3 to 4 hours. After 2½ hours, uncover pot so some of the liquid can evaporate and the sauce can thicken. If the brisket starts to get too brown and the sauce too reduced before the meat is tender, cover pot again.

5. Step 5

   Spoon fat from the top before serving. (If you have time, let brisket cool completely first, then refrigerate overnight in the pot; this makes it easier to remove the white fat from the top. Reheat the meat, covered, in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes.) If sauce seems thin, remove meat from pot and bring liquid to a simmer. Let cook until reduced to taste.

6. Step 6

   In a bowl, toss together parsley, lemon zest and horseradish to make gremolata. Slice meat against the grain and serve with the sauce, garnished with horseradish gremolata and sea salt.

Big Brisket

Which is appropriate for the name of our next cookbook, Big Moe's Big Book of BBQ. Chef Moe Cason joined Tonia's Kitchen to talk about some of the tricks of the trade to get the most out of your barbeque, and part of that is the amount of time it takes to properly season your protein. Some let the rub or seasoning sit on the meat overnight, and Moe told Tonia this is a mistake! Moe says let that rub sit on the meat for an hour and no more! The reason, says Moe, is that if you leave the seasoning on the meat for more than that, the salt will drive the moisture out, and thus you'll have a cut that's much less juicy. Chef Moe says have your pit ready to go to, and from there, it's just a matter of feel or temperature. 

Meet the Brunch King!

Yes, he is a king...when it comes to the art of brunch! Joey Maggiore, who wrote the soon-to-be released cookbook (aptly named) The Brunch King, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about the book, and why he wanted to do it. Chef Joey told Tonia that Brunch is a passion of his, and he's a chef not for the money, but for the love of food. Joey discussed a delicious recipe for Smoked Brisket and hash with cornbread and potatoes. It's among 70 brunch favorites of Maggiore's that are in the book. Which is scheduled to be released September 17th. They are taking pre-orders right now though. If you can't wait until then, connect with Chef Joey on Instagram!

Kosher-Southern Style

 

Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year. It begins sundown Friday. And this time around, we at Tonia's Kitchen decided to stray outside the normal holiday meal for something special. We came upon Chef Judi Leib who's making a Kosher-style ham hock, Hoppin-John style. This, of course, is sans the ham, but Judi told Tonia she's replacing the pork, with beef-brisket that's smoked. She also goes southern with her use of black-eyed peas, but in a vegetable broth. She serves over mustard greens, but you can use rice, or even quinoa! It's an interesting take on a main for the New Year, and Judi says might bring you prosperity. 

                                                                                     L'Shana Tova!

Hoppin John

 

Traditionally served on January 1st, for good luck and prosperity; it turns out there are Jewish roots too. Serve this at Rosh Hashanah for the same reasons.

 

1 Cup Dried Black Eyed Peas, soaked overnight

4 Cups Chicken Broth

1-1/2 Smoked Brisket, cut into medium chunks

1/2 Large onion, diced

1/2  Lg.Green Pepper or Red, diced

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 tsp.Old bay Seasoning or Cajun Blend

2 Tbs. Neutral Oil, like Canola

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

 2 Cups Rice, use a long grain rice, cooked

 

Soak black eyed peas in 2 cups chicken broth, overnight in refrigerator.

Let come back to room temperature when ready to cook.

While bringing peas back to room temperature; heat one tablespoon oil in a skillet and cook until just soft onion, bell pepper and garlic.

Add this to pot with peas, Stir in Old Bay seasoning.

Add brisket pieces and remaining liquid and bring to a boil.

Cook for 30-45 minutes. You want to make sure peas don't get mushy, they should be al dente.

Wash rice thoroughly. You want to release all the starches. Then cook rice until just tender.

Stir rice into peas and taste. Add salt and pepper, if needed.

Cover pot with a piece of aluminum foil and then lid.

Cook an additional 15 minutes. Test rice for doneness and remove from heat.

Allow to rest, covered for 10 minutes.

Fluff with a fork and serve alongside Challah and Greens. It is great with chicken too.

 

Graphic Courtesy: The Jewish Press of Pinellas County

Brisket Goes Better With Coke

  



Admittedly, a Coca-Cola might not be the first thing you think of when creating a sweet and sour sauce for your Passover brisket, but that's why Levana Kirschenbaum is here.  Levana, who wrote the cookbook, The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen told Tonia's Kitchen about her Sweet and Sour Brisket.  She told Tonia she uses Coca-Cola, plus red wine and onion, vinegar and brown sugar.  Blend it all in a food processor and pour over the brisket.  Then just cook it as you normally would.  Tonia asked Levana why Coke?  Levana said essentially, why not try it!  Good news, it worked!

Recipe-reposted from the New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 two-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 6 large cloves garlic
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 1 ½ cups Coca-Cola or ginger ale
• 1 cup ketchup
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper or to taste
• 1 six- to seven-pound first-cut brisket, rinsed and patted thoroughly dry

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place everything but the brisket into a food processor, and process with steel blade until smooth.
2. Place brisket, fat side up, into a heavy baking pan just large enough to hold it, and pour sauce over it. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours. Turn brisket over and bake uncovered for one more hour or until fork-tender. Cool, cover brisket and refrigerate overnight in cooking pan.
3. The next day, transfer brisket to a cutting board, cut off fat and cut with a sharp knife against grain, to desired thickness. Remove any congealed fat from sauce and bring to a boil on top of stove.
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Taste sauce to see if it needs reducing. If so, boil it down for a few minutes or as needed. Return meat to sauce and warm in oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

A Hannukah Tradition with a Twist

It's a great Hannukah tradition, the venerable centerpiece of the holiday meal, the brisket. And this year, it might be a great idea to change things up and enjoy a beautiful brisket on this Jewish holiday, with an Italian flavor profile. New York Times Food Columnist Melissa Clark stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a fantastic recipe for Brisket with Horseradish Gremolata. In this case, the horseradish stands in for garlic, and offers a real pop of flavor. One of the great things about brisket of course, as Melissa puts it, is that it "wants" to be made ahead. and Hannukah is 8 days long. Serve this with potato latkes, or maybe even mashed potatoes. You might find it's the gift that keep on giving...and since Hannukah is a long holiday, that's a good thing!

• 1(4- to 5-pound) brisket, preferably second cut
• 1tablespoon kosher salt
• 1½teaspoons black pepper
• 4garlic cloves, chopped
• 6sprigs fresh thyme
• 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2large onions, thinly sliced
• 2large carrots, sliced into thin rounds
• 2large celery stalks, diced
• 1½cups dry red wine
• 2whole bay leaves
• 1½cups parsley, coarsely chopped
• Grated zest of 1 small lemon
• 3tablespoons fresh, coarsely grated horseradish
• Flaky sea salt, for serving

1. Step 1

   Season brisket all over with salt and pepper. Place brisket in a large container and spread garlic and thyme sprigs all over top and bottom of meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours. Let meat stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Wipe off the garlic and thyme. Heat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Step 2

   Heat a very large Dutch oven over high heat. Add oil and let heat. Add brisket and sear, without moving, until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. (Cut meat into 2 chunks and sear in batches if it doesn’t fit in the pot in a single layer.) Transfer to a plate.

3. Step 3

   Add onions, carrots and celery to pot and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook vegetables, tossing occasionally, until onions are golden brown around the edges and very tender, about 15 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in bay leaves and bring liquid to a simmer; let simmer for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.

4. Step 4

   Place meat in pot, then cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook, turning every 30 minutes, until meat is completely fork tender, 3 to 4 hours. After 2½ hours, uncover pot so some of the liquid can evaporate and the sauce can thicken. If the brisket starts to get too brown and the sauce too reduced before the meat is tender, cover pot again.

5. Step 5

   Spoon fat from the top before serving. (If you have time, let brisket cool completely first, then refrigerate overnight in the pot; this makes it easier to remove the white fat from the top. Reheat the meat, covered, in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes.) If sauce seems thin, remove meat from pot and bring liquid to a simmer. Let cook until reduced to taste.

6. Step 6

   In a bowl, toss together parsley, lemon zest and horseradish to make gremolata. Slice meat against the grain and serve with the sauce, garnished with horseradish gremolata and sea salt.

Brisket Goes With Coke

 



Admittedly, a Coca-Cola might not be the first thing you think of when creating a sweet and sour sauce for your Passover brisket, but that's why Levana Kirschenbaum is here.  Levana, who wrote the cookbook, The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen told Tonia's Kitchen about her Sweet and Sour Brisket.  She told Tonia she uses Coca-Cola, plus red wine and onion, vinegar and brown sugar.  Blend it all in a food processor and pour over the brisket.  Then just cook it as you normally would.  Tonia asked Levana why Coke?  Levana said essentially, why not try it!  Good news, it worked!

Recipe-reposted from the New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 two-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 6 large cloves garlic
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 1 ½ cups Coca-Cola or ginger ale
• 1 cup ketchup
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper or to taste
• 1 six- to seven-pound first-cut brisket, rinsed and patted thoroughly dry

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place everything but the brisket into a food processor, and process with steel blade until smooth.
2. Place brisket, fat side up, into a heavy baking pan just large enough to hold it, and pour sauce over it. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours. Turn brisket over and bake uncovered for one more hour or until fork-tender. Cool, cover brisket and refrigerate overnight in cooking pan.
3. The next day, transfer brisket to a cutting board, cut off fat and cut with a sharp knife against grain, to desired thickness. Remove any congealed fat from sauce and bring to a boil on top of stove.
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Taste sauce to see if it needs reducing. If so, boil it down for a few minutes or as needed. Return meat to sauce and warm in oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Never Too Early To Start Thinking About Passover

And what a great Passover dish this will be! Faith Kramer, who wrote the new cookbook 52 Shabbats, dropped into Tonia's Kitchen with a great idea for a Passover Seder main. Most who celebrate this holiday know often times, the brisket is the centerpiece of a sumptuous Seder meal. This year, let's take the flavor to a new level, with Pomegranate! Faith told Tonia she used Pomegranate molasses for the flavor, and Pomegranate seeds for visual effect. Faith says the key to cooking a good brisket starts with the stovetop, and while you may be tempted to try and roast the beef in the over, slow cooking on top can often lead to an extra tender result. The best way to handle that is by ensuring a table fork can

glide right through the meat. Also it's an excellent idea to cut against the grain of the brisket when slicing, so that the most amount of gravy gets onto the serving dish. Lastly Faith says you don't necessarily have to follow time recommendations when cooking the brisket, otherwise, you just might be eating shoe leather...and who wants that?

• 1 4- to 5-pound beef brisket or boneless chuck roast
• ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
• ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 4 cups chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 cup (¼-inch slices) carrots
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, cilantro and/or mint, for garnish
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Trim the brisket of excess external fat, leaving a ¼-inch cap on top and place it on a plate. In a small bowl, mix together ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, paprika and cumin and rub the mixture on all sides of the brisket.
2. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Sear the brisket on all sides until well browned, 5-7 minutes a side. If the piece of brisket is too big for the pan, cut the meat in half and sear it in batches. Transfer the brisket to the plate and set aside.
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot. Add the onions and sauté, stirring up any browned bits from bottom of the pot, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until golden, 1-2 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, ½ cup pomegranate molasses, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, brown sugar and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir well, bring the mixture to a simmer and add the brisket, fat side up, along with any accumulated juices from the plate.
4. Cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil and lower the heat to medium-low to keep it at a simmer. Cook for 3-4 hours, basting with the liquid every 30 minutes and turning the meat in the liquid every 60 minutes. If the liquid begins to evaporate, add ½ cup water. Start testing for doneness at 3 hours. The brisket is ready when a dinner fork can slide through the meat without any resistance. Transfer the meat to a plate and let rest for at least 20 minutes before shredding or cutting it against the grain into ½-inch slices (at this point, I recommend chilling the uncut brisket and sauce separately overnight if you can, which will improve the flavor of the meat and make it easier to cut).
5. Once the brisket is removed, add the lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon tomato paste and remaining 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses to the pot and stir to combine. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by about half or until thick enough to use as a sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings by adding more salt, lemon juice and/or brown sugar, if desired. The sauce should be on the tangy side of sweet and sour. Keep the sauce warm to serve immediately with the brisket or chill it separately in an airtight container.
6. If serving immediately, arrange the brisket on a platter, spoon a few tablespoons of sauce over the top and garnish with parsley and pomegranate seeds (if using). Serve the remaining sauce on the side.
7. If reheating, skim the fat off the chilled sauce, if desired. Reheat the sauce in a large pot over medium heat. Once it’s simmering, add the chilled brisket and reheat, stirring gently. Serve as above.
8. Brisket can be made up to five days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. To freeze, shred or cut the cooled meat into thin slices against the grain and store in an airtight container with the sauce for up to three months.