Challah
Who doesn't love challah? A critical staple on any Shabbat table, this bread is beloved by almost everyone, Jewish or otherwise. Three braids, six braids, or Shlissel-ed, challah has a way of making everyone eating it feel comforted. It feels and tastes like home. Like sitting around a table on Friday night with the soft glow of shabbos candles being the only light in the room and enjoying the indescribable peace of the weekly holiday.
If you've never tried making challah, don't be intimated. Like any bread, it may take a time or two to get it right, but you'll get the hang of it before you know it. Making your own challah for Shabbat will change your life. Here's a great recipe: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/challah.html
Bagels
Bagels are weekday morning, Sunday morning...well there's really no wrong time to have a bagel with cream cheese, lox, chives...however you'd like it. Everything bagels, sesame bagels, onion bagels, poppyseed bagels, even chocolate chip bags, there are so many flavors to love and even more toppings. Have you ever made pizza bagels? Kids love them.
Making bagels at home is a fun adventure that involves making the dough, and then boiling it before baking. But if you live anywhere near a bakery or deli that makes their bagels in-house, save yourself the trouble and pick up a dozen in a paper bag while they're hot.
There's a lot of debate between New York and Montreal bagels. New York bagels are softer, more pillowy, with a slightly chew outside. Montreal-style bagels are denser and a little smaller. Whichever one you have, just make sure they're fresh.
Matzah Ball Soup
Most holidays and many-a-shabbat will include a soup and if you're lucky, it'll be matzah ball. It's especially prevalent during Passover unless your observance level prohibits soaked matzah. This Eastern European dish, like all comfort foods, is simple but made special by taking extra care making homemade chicken broth and light matzah balls (unless you like them thick and heavy- to each their own).
Matzah ball soup is called Jewish penicillin for a reason: it can cure most ailments from chicken pox to the flu. It's like a grandmother's hug in a bowl. If someone makes you matzah ball soup, they truly do love you.
It can take some time getting your matzah balls just right. Lots of recipes have good tips such as cooking them separately from the broth, letting the matzah mixture sit for a good while, and forming them gently with wet hands.
Brisket
Brisket is the #1 holiday meat, well maybe #2 after roast chicken Often served for Hannukah or Passover, this popular slow-cooked beef dish is a yom tov classic. Most recipes feature a sauce that is tangy and customized to the family's liking. There are some recipes with Coca Cola in them but most feature spices and a secret sauce. The most important element to making brisket is time. It takes hours and hours in the oven and can't be rushed. These days some people make it in the slow cooker, but the jury is out on whether it tastes the same.
What you'll end up with either way are tender cuts of a beef that is less expensive prime cuts but is made special because it's long cooked and covered in spices, vegetables, and herbs.
There are many recipes online but the photo above comes from Bon Appetit magazine and can be found here: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/red-wine-braised-brisket
Shakshuka
This North African Sephardic dish is extremely popular and for good reason. Tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices come together to make a savory stew and is topped with an over easy egg. Some eat shakshuka alone, others like it with challah, pita chips, or rice.
Shaksuka is surprisingly easy to make and you can customize the spices (paprika, cumin, caraway seeds and more) to your liking. In Jewish neighborhoods it might be he hottest brunch meal these days.
More info about Sephardic dishes: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/category/eat/jewish-recipes/sephardic-food/
Here's a straightforward and good looking Shakshuka recipe: https://downshiftology.com/recipes/shakshuka/
We could keep going, kugel, Moroccan rice, herring and more but you get the idea. Did we miss anything you like? Let us know in the comments!
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