Jewish Fusion

This delicious brisket recipe works perfectly for Pesach (Passover), but could be a great main course or side dish any time of year.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup beef broth
  1 can cranberry sauce
  1 package of fresh cranberries
  1 jar of apricot jam or preserves
  2 onions, halved and sliced
  4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed of fat
  Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300º.
  In a roasting pan, whisk together the broth, cranberry sauce, and jam/preserves.
  Stir in the sliced onion. Season the brisket with salt and pepper.
  Place the meat in the pan, fat side up. Spoon some of the sauce over the top.
  Cover tightly and bake for 4 hours, basting every hour until tender when pierced with a fork.
  Remove from oven. Transfer brisket to a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
  Cool to room temperature, then wrap in foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
  Pour sauce into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
  About an hour before serving, preheat oven to 375º.
  Slice the cold brisket thinly and on the diagonal against the grain.
  Overlap slices in roasting pan.
  Remove any surface fat from the sauce, reheat the sauce, add the fresh cranberries and pour it over the meat.

Serves 6 to 8

Here is a delicious twist on traditional matzah brei (matzoh brei) and traditional Mexican chilaquiles. It may even be an improvement over corn tortillas.

Ingredients

• 5 matzahs
  1 cup vegetable oil
  3 cups tomato salsa (26 ounces)
  1 cup chopped cilantro, divided into 2 parts.
  3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  1/2 cup sour cream
  1/4 cup heavy cream
  1/2 cup coarsely chopped scallions
  1 cup crumbled queso fresco or ricotta salata (1/4 pound)

Directions:

• Break the matzahs into pieces, approximate 2 x 2 inches
  Put the matzah in a colander and briefly pour cold water over the matzah pieces, then allow the matzah to drain. The matzah pieces should be damp, but not soggy
  Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry the matzah until the start to brown and become crispy.
  Purée salsa with 1/2 cup cilantro in a blender.
  Pour off all but 2 Tablespoons oil from skillet, then cook garlic over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add salsa mixture and cook, stirring, until sauce comes to a simmer, about 2 minutes.
  Whisk together sour cream, heavy cream, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  Spread the matzah pieces on a platter, then spoon sauce over them.
  Drizzle with sour-cream mixture, then sprinkle with scallions, cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup cilantro.

Related Recipes: Matzah Brei with Jalapenos, Tunisian Passover Stew

This delicious recipe comes courtesy of Manischewitz and Jacques Pepin.

Tapenade

• 1 cup mix of pitted olives, black oil-cured olives, Kalamata olives, and green olives
  1 small garlic clove, peeled and sliced
  2 dried apricot halves, cut into small pieces
  1 ½ teaspoons drained capers
  2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
  3 tablespoons good olive oil
  ½ spoon salt, plus extra to taste
  ½ n freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to taste
  1 ½ cups baby Bella mushrooms, washed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  ½ cup chopped onion
  ½ cup Manischewitz Chicken Broth
  2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley

For the tapenade:

• Put all the tapenade ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to make a coarse puree. Cut a horizontal slit in each chicken breast to create a pocket, and stuff with the tapenade. Set aside until serving time.
• When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, and when hot, season the stuffed breasts with ½ spoon each salt and pepper, and arrange them side by side in the skillet.
• Cook over medium heat, covered, for about 3 minutes on each side, and then transfer to a platter, and keep warm in the 180-degree oven. Add the mushrooms and onion to the skillet, and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the Manischewitz Chicken Broth, and reduce the contents by boiling for 2 minutes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve a chicken breast on each of four hot plates, and add any juice that has accumulated around them on the platter to the mushroom sauce in the pan. Divide the mushrooms and sauce among the servings, spooning it over the chicken breasts, and sprinkle the parsley or chives on top. Serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Courtesy of Manischewitz and Jacques Pepin.

“This recipe, made with chicken thighs (instead of fish), kielbasa sausage, and potatoes, gets its inspiration from the original and contains all its classic seasonings, including saffron, made from the pistils of crocus flowers. This is an expensive spice, but essential to this dish, and the best saffron, in my opinion, comes from Spain . I’ve also added a little tarragon at the end; although not absolutely essential, tarragon has a slight “anise” taste that I like and grows plentifully in my garden. To reinforce this licorice flavor, I always add a splash of Pernod or Ricard at the last minute, although this ingredient is optional. I serve my chicken bouillabaisse with a traditional rouille, spooning it directly onto the plates of the guests. There are a lot of ingredients in this recipe, but it is a fast, easy dish to assemble, and it cooks in about 30 minutes. It is practically a meal in itself.”

- Chef Jacques Pépin

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs (about 1 3/4 pounds), with skin and fat removed
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
• ½ teaspoon saffron pistils
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
• ¼ teaspoon herbes de Provence
• ½ cup coarsely chopped onion
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped celery
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped carrot
• ½ can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomato (about 1 cup)
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup Manischewitz Chicken Broth
• 5 potatoes (about 3/4 pound), peeled and halved
• 1 piece kosher-type sausage (about 10 ounces), cut into 4 pieces
• 2 teaspoons Pernod or Ricard (optional)
• 3 teaspoons chopped tarragon, chives, or parsley

Ingredients for the Rouille:

• ½ of one of the cooked potatoes (see above)
• ¼ cup liquid and solids from the soup
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1 large egg yolk
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Dash of salt, if needed

Directions:

• 1. Mix the first 12 ingredients together in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to proceed. (Assembly can be done just prior to cooking or up to half a day ahead.)
• 2. At cooking time, transfer the contents of the bowl to a stainless steel pot, and add the tomatoes, wine, Manischewitz Chicken Broth, and potatoes.
• 3. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, and boil gently for 25 minutes. Add the sausage, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• 4. Serve the bouillabaisse in warm soup plates with a spoonful of the rouille drizzled on top.

Directions for the Rouille:

Put the cooked potato half, ¼ cup soup liquid and solids, garlic, cayenne, and paprika into the bowl of a food processor, and process for 10 seconds. Add the egg yolk. Then, with the processor running, pour in the oil, and process for a few seconds, or until incorporated. Taste for salt, and add, if needed.