Make Ahead
Rosh Hashanah Seder, Omens or Salad
- Prep time 30 minutes
- Cook time 5 hours
- Serves 8
Author Notes
A group of blessings for the coming year said over foods with puns in their names, this Rosh Hashanah Seder is a nice Sephardic custom to add to your meal, right after the apples dipped in honey. Details can be found online (chabad.org or myjewishlearning.com) or in prayer books. Serve bite-size portions of each food, as there is lots here, and a full meal to follow. You can take advantage of all the preparation and serve some as part of this dinner (e.g., assemble the vegetables into a Cole Slaw) or later in the week. Only the beef needs the five hour cooking time. Most of the foods need minimal prep, and little or no cooking. Last, there are many choices of food for each blessing, so you can customize your choice according to diet (for example, vegan) or taste preferences. —Nancy
Ingredients
-
8 pieces
Beets
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8 pieces
Cabbage, leek, scallion or chives.
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8 pieces
Dates, good quality
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2 cups
Hilbeh Dip (fenugreek) or servings of the fresh leafy herb, black-eyed peas, string beans or carrots.
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8 pieces
Fish, your choice
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4 pounds
Beef tongue (average size roast, or smaller if you want and can find it))
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2 cups
Pomegranate seeds (arils), fresh
-
8 pieces
Pumpkin wedge or carrot cut in coins
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1 cup
Sesame seeds, mixed lightly with sugar
Directions
- For the beets, poach, pickle or fry beet slices. Or cut raw beets. Or serve beet chips from bags of commercial root vegetable chips.
- Cabbage group & easier preparations. Cut raw cabbage, leek, scallion or chives into edible pieces. Serve dates as is. Pomegranate - remove all white webbing (like citrus pith) and serve seeds in a bowl. Mix raw or roasted sesame seeds with a little sugar and serve in a bowl (similar to Indian after-dinner snack).
- Fenugreek group. From seeds, make Hilbeh, a Middle Eastern dip or sauce. Here's one of many online recipes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSqpNM3WsRE Or use fenugreek fresh leafy herb, washed and trimmed. Or cook and serve one of the black-eyed peas, string beans or carrots.
- Fish group. Bake or fry fresh fillet (your choice or family favorite), serve thin slices of smoked fish, or chopped fish salad (about 1/4 cup per person).
- The beef tongue idea is probably the most palatable of the group (otherwise fish, lamb or sheep's head). Average size will give you leftovers for another dinner or sandwiches. Cook, cool and slice. Serve cold or reheat to serve hot. Here's one of many online recipes to use. https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/beef-tongue-recipe/
- Pumpkin wedges or carrots cut in coins. Trim, lightly oil, roast until tender. Serve hot, cold or room temperature.
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