Our Hanukkah Favorites

We really enjoy putting together these favorites any time of year. Two Sweet and Sour Brisket recipes, one is more traditional, recipe is here. For the other just Read More. The Latke recipe is amazingly simple and the recipe follows along too with the Donuts. Just a heads up about the donuts … These delicious nuggets are best fresh … certainly prepare the day of but if possible just before serving.  As for the Challah, Will makes it the best and here is the recipe.

Recipes

Sweet & Sour Brisket Recipe 2

Serves 4-5

4 Pounds brisket trimmed of excess fat
2 Tablespoons cooking oil
1 Large onion-sliced or chopped
6 Medium carrots-peeled and chopped
4 Large ribs celery-chopped
15 Ounces crushed tomatoes-preferably Romas
1/2 Cup vinegar
1/2 Cup water
1/2-2/3 Cup packed dark brown sugar
Salt and pepper

Remove brisket from refrigerator before preparing vegetables.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or suitable roasting pan fitted with a lid. The dutch oven or pan should only be big enough to hold all ingredients to produce the moistest results. Add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté until slightly browned. Remove.

Add the additional oil and turn heat to medium/high. Add the brisket and brown all sides. Then turn heat to medium.

Salt and pepper the brisket to taste. I’m a bit heavy handed here.

Layer the sautéed vegetables over the top of the meat.

Mix together the crushed tomatoes, vinegar, water and brown sugar.

Pour liquid around the brisket.

Cover the dutch oven and turn the heat down to create low simmer.

Cook the brisket until fork tender. This takes about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. All the vegetables will cook down into an amazing sauce.

When done remove and let meat rest 10 minutes. Thinly slice across the grain. Cover and surround the brisket with the sauce.

It’s fabulous in flavor.

Latke

Serves 4

2 Large Russet potatoes
1 Medium yellow onion
2 Tablespoons of flour or fine bread crumbs
1 Egg
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying
Serve with sour cream

Grate peeled potatoes and place into a fine mesh sieve. Press to facilitate draining excess fluid. Allow to drain for 15 minutes. You may wish to use cheesecloth to provide better drainage. Place grated potato into the cheesecloth and twist to drain. Again, allow 15 minutes for better results.

Grate the onion.

Mix together the potato, onion, crumbs, egg, salt and pepper.

Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat. Use the amount of oil (a layer) you need to avoid sticking of ingredients. This is not a deep fry, however.

With a serving spoon place mixed ingredients into hot oil in small heaps. Flatten ingredients slightly with back of spoon to thin like a pancake. Remember this is raw potato and needs some time to cook … several minutes to both sides until slightly browned. Remove to paper towels to drain off excess oil. Have oven preheated to 200 degree F. Place cooked latkes into the oven to keep warm until served.

Jelly Donuts (Sufganiyot)

Makes a dozen

1 2/3 Cup all purpose flour (more for rolling out dough)
1/2 Teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Packet rapid yeast (instant yeast)
2 Tablespoons cold butter
1 Egg-room temperature (slightly beaten)
Scant 2/3 cup milk-lukewarm
Seedless raspberry or strawberry jelly (I’m pretty generous here. One tablespoon per donut. About 3/4 cup.)
Cooking oil-canola
Powered sugar for sprinkling

Whisk together the flour, salt and sugar. Whisk in the yeast.

Cut the butter into small chunks and sprinkle over flour mixture. Add the egg and gradually the milk while mixing with a hand held bread hook. This small batch will mix up quickly. Whip around the dough with your hook until smooth. Continue for 5 minutes or so. Or remove to a floured surface and knead for a five minutes. Form a ball.

Butter lightly a bowl large enough for double the dough. Place the dough into the bowl and flip once to coat the surface with butter.

Cover with tea towels and let rise in a warm place in your kitchen for two hours or until doubled in size.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to not quite 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured circular cookie cutter.

Place cutouts on parchment covered cookie sheet and cover sheet with tea towels for about 30 minutes.

Heat oil (about 2 inches deep) over medium/high heat until 350 degrees F. If no thermometer (I recommend one.) the oil will begin to look wavy (rippled) when it reaches this temperature. It however, should not be popping. You can test with a pinch of dough. These donuts will cook rapidly … less than a minute per side is my experience. Manage the heat. These should not overly brown or cook so fast the inside is not cooked through.

Remove to paper towels to drain.

Fill each donut with jelly. (Use a pastry bag. Or, add jelly to a small plastic bag, cut tip (not too big) of corner. Use the point of a sharp knife to polk a small hole into the top of the donut. Squeeze about a tablespoon into the donut or until you see the jelly begin to ooze out from the hole (maybe less).

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.