Delicious Twists on Rosh Hashanah Dishes

Tradition Comes First

The foods of this holiday are not only delicious; they also have a symbolic meaning. For example, "Rosh Hashanah" means "head of year." A traditional treat of the holiday meal is the head of a fish, which also represents fertility.

Honey's popularity traces back to the Bible, in which Israel is described as the land of milk and honey. The Rosh Hashanah meal often begins with challah dipped in honey.

To add a twist on honey, Nathan is making rosemary honey from fresh sprigs of rosemary and honey. He slowly cooks the concoction for fifteen minutes, lets it steep for two hours and then removes the sprigs. "You don't need these fancy sauces. Sometimes something very simple accentuates the food that you're cooking," he explains.

He is also doing a variation of tzimees. The New Year's dish traditionally is cooked until almost a puree, ending up with the consistency of mashed potato. In Nathan's version, he coats carrots, parsnips, sweet potato and turnips with a little extra virgin olive oil, some salt and pepper, and nutmeg. He then roasts them in the oven until they turn a light brown, which means the natural sugars are coming out, and finishes it with a bit of rosemary honey. "Sometimes people add orange juice but I don't do that because I want the natural flavor of the vegetables to come through," he says.

Nathan likes to mix savory and sweet. "That adds the punch, like sweet and sour in Chinese restaurants," he says.

So what is Nathan cooking for his 26 family members? His menu includes brisket with molasses and apple cider, served with root vegetables with a rosemary honey glaze. The potato latke is served plain. "We don't need anymore sugar on the plate; we don't want anyone to go into a diabetic coma," says Nathan.

For dessert, he is serving fresh berries with honey ginger zabaglione; he'll use a torch to caramelize the top to a golden brown.

Now, don't get discouraged. Even an unexperienced cook can make some of these mouth watering recipes.

Several Web sites offer ideas, including Epicurious.

So get out there and prepare some of these traditional meals with a twist. But most importantly, make sure you spend the holiday with your family -- that's what it's all about.

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