Some things never change. I remember my grandmothers spending hours in their kitchens making holiday food– everything from scratch of course, including the gefilte fish. I also remember my mother doing the same thing but not quite so intensely. Now, even though my husband and I share household tasks, I find myself doing the same thing. But I look for shortcuts, and I also look to modernize the menu while still keeping the food holiday-appropriate.

Any of these recipes is appropriate for any holiday through Sukkot and even on to Thanksgiving in November. Give them a try and contact me if you have any questions, at  aidonna@aol.com.

Rosh Hashanah has come and gone, but Tori Avey’s pomegranate-glazed salmon will stay on my menu. Pomegranate has a unique taste, both sweet and tart, and a gorgeous color. It is perfect for glazing both chicken and fish. I have streamlined this recipe a little. Find the original at https://toriavey.com/pomegranate-glazed-salmon/.

Pomegranate Glazed Salmon  (serves 4)

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless salmon fillets, skin on – about 6 ounces each or one large center cut piece
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch (for Passover use potato starch) Cornstarch helps the glaze stick to the fish.
Black pepper
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses, at room temperature
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Fresh pomegranate seeds and mint for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
2. Rinse the fish fillets in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, salt, and corn or potato starch. Rub the flesh side of the fillets evenly with the brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle the fillets lightly with black pepper
4. Place fish on a lightly greased baking sheet. (You can line it with foil for an easy clean-up). Brush each fillet with 1 tbsp of pomegranate molasses – 1 tbsp per fillet, 4 tbsp total.
5. Put the salmon in the preheated oven and let it cook for about 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches desired doneness. Thicker fillets may take longer to cook through. 145 degrees F is considered a food-safe internal temperature for fish, but salmon tends to dry out at higher temperatures.
6. Drizzle left over glaze over salmon, if desired.
7. Serve garnished with pomegranate seeds and fresh mint, if desired.

NOTE:  I used Faroe Island Salmon rather than the Atlantic salmon that I usually buy. It’s little richer than Atlantic salmon and has a more luxurious texture.

If you prefer chicken or even duck, the following  has a similar taste profile the the almond dish.You could also make this in a crockpot and open up oven space.

Pomegranate Chicken (serves 4-6)

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup pomegranate molasses (approx) or make your own
1/4 cup brown sugar or honey
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger or ginger paste
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1 lime
4 pound chicken either whole, cut up or spatchcocked
1/2 small onion
1 bay leaf
1 & 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. MIx pomegranate molasses, brown sugar, ginger, lime juice, Check for taste. It should taste both sweet and tart with neither overpowering the other. Adjust to your taste. Set aside 6 tablespoons of glaze.
3. Poke several holes in lime with a fork and insert in the chicken cavity or under the chicken along with the onion, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the bay leaf, pepper and rosemary.
4. Sprinkle skin with remaining salt. Put chicken breast side up tin roasting pan.
5. Roast, basting with syrup every 20 minutes or so until a thermometer reads 165 degrees about an hour.
6. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve drizzled with reserved syrup.

NOTE: If spatchcocking the chicken, use same oven setting as above ( It’s really easy and the chicken cooks beautifully) Pour about 3 Tablespoons vegan butter over chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put onion and fresh rosemary sprigs on sheet pan. Place chicken on top and cook for about 25 minutes.  Take the pan out of the oven and brush the glaze all over the chicken. Cook for another 45 minutes, basting every 20 minutes. When the chicken registers 165 degrees at the thickest part of the breast, remove from pan to cutting board. Carve and serve with the sauce.

Every meal needs a salad but it doesn’t have to be green. This salad from Yotam Ottolenghi fits right in to a holiday menu. By the way he will be doing a program sponsored by Watchung Booksellers on Tuesday, October 6, https://www.watchungbooksellers.com/events/4974820261006

Tomato and Pomegranate Salad (serves 6}

INGREDIENTS
2 pints mixed small or cherry tomatoes of different colors
2 teaspoons za’atar
3 1/2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
seeds from one pomegranate
1/2 yellow bell pepper, very thinly sliced
1/2 a small red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
⅓ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, torn into pieces
1 ½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Flaky sea salt
3 ½ ounces feta cheese, broken into small chunks

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Halve or quarter the tomatoes so that they are all roughly the same size, and place them in a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix the za’atar with 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil, and set aside.
3. To the bowl with tomatoes, add the pomegranate seeds, sliced pepper and onion, the herbs, lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 teaspoon of salt.
4. Gently mix the salad, then transfer it to a large shallow bowl or serving platter.
5. Dot with the feta cheese.
6. Drizzle the za’atar mixture over the salad and serve.

NOTE: Trader Joe’s makes a decent vegan feta if you are serving this with chicken.

Tori Avey also has a lovely pickled salad (https://toriavey.com/crunchy-pickled-salad/)  but it’s a little fussy to make. Try this one, served at Shomrei’s Yom Kippur break fast, instead.

Cucumber, Apple Salad (serves 6-8)

INGREDIENTS

For the Dressing:
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar at room temperature
¼ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ cup olive oil

For the Salad:
1 ½ pounds Persian cucumbers (approx. 12) or 2 small English cucumbers, thinly sliced on the bias
1 medium crispy, tart red apple (such as Pink Lady), thinly sliced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup finely chopped fresh dill

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat the apple cider vinegar on high for 30 seconds.
2. Transfer it to a large salad bowl, add the sugar and kosher salt, and whisk until fully dissolved.
3. ]Let it cool down to room temperature for about 10 minutes.
4. Whisk the olive oil into the cooled vinegar mixture.
5. Toss the sliced cucumbers, apple, red onion, and chopped dill directly into the bowl with the dressing until everything is well coated.
6. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to let the sweet and tangy flavors meld.

NOTES: Using a mandolin makes the slicing go fast.

Heating the vinegar helps dissolve the sugar more quickly. If you prefer not to heat the vinegar, make sure it is at room temperature and stir well to dissolve the sugar.

The salad ingredients can be made ahead and mixed just before eating. It keeps well, sealed airtight.

Lastly is a dish perfect for the harvest holiday of Sukkot. It is very flexible and can be served as an entree over pasta, rice or couscous or as a side dish.

Eggplant Stew (serves 4)

INGREDIENTS
1 medium eggplant diced into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce, reduced salt preferable
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus extra
3/4 cup cold water or vegetable broth
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
4 medium potatoes, diced, peeling optional
1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provencal or Italian seasoning or your favorite dried herbs
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons cilantro or parsley for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place eggplant in large bowl; sprinkle with salt. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes. This will get rid of bitterness. Don’t rinse.
2. Mix Tamari and ginger.
3. In small bowl, mix ginger powder in Tamari or soy sauce.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the carrot and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, if using.
5. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.
6. Stir in the eggplant, cold water, tamari mixture, herbes de Provence, and pepper.
7. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
8. Stir in chick lead , if using. Heat until warm.
9. Check seasoning.
10. Serve immediately with sprinkle of parsley or cilantro

NOTE: If desired, add beef, chicken sausage, celery, mushrooms , tomatoes, chick peas.

Slow-Cooker. You can make this vegetable stew in a crockpot; just make sure not to skip sautéing the onion and carrots on the stovetop, as this brings so much flavor. Otherwise, you can add everything to the crockpot and cook for 4-6 hours on low, making sure you don’t overcook it so the eggplant doesn’t get soggy.

Storage. The cooked vegetable stew should be stored in an airtight container, and it will keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a microwave for 30 to 40 seconds or until warm.

Freezing. Distribute the stew among the freezer-friendly zipper bags leaving ¼- to ½-inch of space to allow for expansion in the freezer. Lay the bags flat in the freezer, where they’ll keep for 3 months.

And to go along with the delicious food, here is a brief selection of Sukkot books from the many on the library’s shelves. Perfect to read in your sukkah or in a comfy chair. J  indicates juvenile titles.

J Adler, David. The House on the roof. A good example of problem solving.

Goodman, Philip. The Sukkot and Simhat Torah anthology. Readings from many genres and time periods.

J Kohuth, Jane. Who’s got the etrog? A simple picture book mystery perfect for young children.

J Nambi, Shoshana. The very best sukkah: a story from Uganda. How Sukkot is celebrated in Uganda.

J Olitzky, Kerry. An etrog from across the sea. Historical fiction set during  American colonial times. Will the etrog arrive in time for Sukkot?

J Packer, Rachel. Sky-high sukkah. When you can’t build low, you go high.

J Polacco, Patricia. Tikvah means hope. Polacco’s signature style enhances this story set during a California wild fire.

Steinberg, Paul. Celebrating the Jewish year: the fall holidays. Digestible information on the holidays.

J Youdovin, Why does it always rain on Sukkot? A classic pourquoi-or why- story. Ask the angels for the answer.