As I contemplate Rosh HashanaH 5787, my heart and mind are a little torn because our youngest daughter Shevy won’t be at the table. Baruch Hashem, she will be celebrating the holidays with her friends, teachers and rabbis at Midreshet Moriah, a seminary in Jerusalem. I am so happy for her to have this incredible opportunity — learning Torah in the holy city.
Even though we will miss Shevy’s presence at our table, the show must go on. I will prepare all the Simanim that are described in the Babylonian Talmud to comprise the Rosh Hashanah Seder and we will say the Yehi Ratzon prayers.
We will eat dates for an end to animosity and for sweetness. Leeks, asking G-d to cut off our enemies and those who wish us harm. Spinach, asking that adversaries and negative decrees depart from us.
Squash, asking G-d to tear any evil decrees and to proclaim our good merits. Extra long string beans, expressing the wish that our merits, good deeds and blessings will multiply.
Pomegranate, a prayer that our good deeds and mitzvot are as numerous and full as the seeds of the pomegranate.
A fish head, a blessing asking to be “the head and not the tail,“ symbolizing leadership, progress and initiative for the coming year.
Apple jam, a prayer to renew for us a good and sweet year.
I will make the delicious roast beef recipe that we share here with you. And we will rejoice in the many blessings that Hashem has given us.
L’Shana Tova U’Metuka!
To a happy sweet new year.
—Sharon
One of my favorite things to cook for the Jewish holidays is a beautiful French roast. It’s so very festive and is perfect to feed a hungry crowd.
I usually choose a second-cut French roast, a cut with a little more fat left on it. That extra fat keeps the meat moist, tender and flavorful during a long, slow cook.
At the beginning of my cooking career, I had my share of roasts that came out hard, dry and disappointing. But through trial and error, I learned a few tricks that made all the difference.
First, I pat the roast with a dry rub of salt and pepper and granulated garlic powder. Then comes the most important step which is to sear the meat. This creates a beautiful crust and lends a deep, rich flavor to the finished roast.
I warm a heavy bottomed pan over very high heat, I add extra virgin olive oil and brown the roast on all sides. Then I add the classic elements of a French roast — a good Dijon mustard and a dry red wine.
Depending on the occasion, the season, or my mood, I add more seasonings. Sometimes I will add herbs, like thyme and spices, like sweet paprika. Other times, I’ll add a little honey, date syrup or pomegranate syrup for sweetness and depth.
For Rosh Hashanah, I especially love throwing a handful of prunes into the pot because they add a subtle sweetness and a slightly tangy, caramel-like flavor to the roast and its juices.
Once the meat is beautifully seared, I add my marinade and seasonings, cover the pot tightly, and cook in a slow oven for two to three hours, depending on the size of the roast. Low and slow is definitely the way to go.
Once the roast is fork tender, I remove it from the oven and let it rest for a good 20 to 30 minutes. Then I carefully remove the roast from the pot and slice it. Finally, I return the sliced roast to the pot, allowing every slice to soak up all those delicious juices.
One of my favorite tricks, especially when I’m cooking for a holiday, is to make the roast ahead of time and freeze it.
I learned from my mother to let the sliced roast cool, then freeze it in an airtight container. A day before the meal, I allow it to defrost slowly in the refrigerator.
My mother always believed that freezing the roast in its juices somehow made it even more tender, and after doing it myself over the years, I have to agree. I don’t know the science behind it, but I know that it works. The meat becomes incredibly tender and flavorful, having had even more time to absorb all those wonderful juices.
It’s wonderful to have your roast prepared ahead of time when there’s so much to do right before the holiday. It’s just one less thing to worry about.
Some of the best things I’ve learned in the kitchen have come through trial and error. But the really special ones are the things passed down from our mothers—the little tricks and bits of wisdom that may never be written in a recipe, but somehow always make their way into our cooking.
—Rachel
French Roast Recipe
4-5 lb French roast
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, for searing
2 large onions, sliced
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 wedges
For the marinade:
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups red wine
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp silan, date syrup
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Season the French roast generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Warm a large Dutch oven or roasting pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and warm over medium high heat, place the roast in the pot and sear until both sides of the meat have a nice brown crust. Remove pot from heat and place the potatoes, onions and garlic around the meat.
In a bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, red wine, Dijon mustard, silan, olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the roast and let it settle into the potatoes, onions and garlic.
Cover the pan tightly with a lid or a layer of wet, scrunched parchment and heavy duty aluminum foil.
Roast for 2 1/2 hours.
Raise the oven temperature to 350°F. Remove the cover from the meat and continue for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are golden.
Remove the roast from the pot, leaving the potatoes, onions, garlic and juices in the pan. Allow the roast to rest for 20 minutes, then slice thinly and return to the pan and baste with the beautiful red wine juices.
Spoon the onions, garlic and sauce over the meat and serve alongside the golden potatoes.
Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff have been friends since high school. Their cooking and storytelling project has grown into a devoted following on Instagram @sephardicspicegirls and on Facebook at Sephardic Spice SEC Food. Website sephardicspicegirls.com/full-recipes.
