Sukkos Recipes

Mushroom Barley Soup

This is a great starter for a Yom Tov night meal. I fondly remember having hot soup on a chilly night in the sukka. Made with all fresh ingredients and no soup mix. My secret to a creamy soup? It’s unsweetened soy milk. When serving with a fleishigs meal, check that the package is parve. I use the brand Nature’s Pantry. Make ahead and defrost when ready to use.

1 c. barley

1 package white button mushrooms or 8 large white mushrooms

1/4 c. white cooking wine

2 large yellow onions

2 large carrots

1 package of celery

5 cloves garlic, minced

6 to 8 c. water (depending on how thick you want the soup)

1 c. unsweetened soy milk

1/4 c. oil

salt and pepper to taste

Soak barley overnight and chop vegetables the night before. Prep the mushrooms and minced garlic only at the time of making the soup so nothing wilts. Barley absorbs a lot of water, so add enough to cover the top of the barley in a container and cover with foil. Set in the refrigerator. Chopped vegetables can be stored in gallon bags in the refrigerator. Rough chop or diced works well.

When ready to make the soup, wash and slice the mushrooms and mince the garlic. Pour the oil into a large stock pot and turn the heat to medium high. Add the chopped vegetables, mushrooms, and garlic. Stir well to coat in oil. Stir every 2 minutes for 10 minutes. Rinse the barley and add the water. Add cooking wine and soy milk. Stir to mix evenly. Bring soup to a boil and then set on low. Simmer with lid slightly lifted to allow the steam to escape. Check on soup in 35 minutes and stir, then cook another 10 minutes. Adjust amount of water as needed. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serves 8.

My Mother’s Breaded Tilapia

This is definitely a favorite of mine from growing up. The house smelled amazing, and it tasted great too. Not too fishy. Perfect served with lemon slices.

1 package frozen tilapia (10 fillets), I use the Da’agim brand

1 c. classic breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 tsp. garlic powder

4 T. oil for frying

Completely defrost the tilapia fillets. Use a large nonstick frying pan or flat-topped griddle. Add oil to the pan and heat on medium high. Whip the egg in a bowl and put the breadcrumbs and garlic powder in a separate bowl, preparing your assembly line for the fish. Prepare a plate lined with paper towels for the fish when it is done. Dip each fillet in the egg and then the breadcrumbs, coating evenly. Set in the pan and fry for 1 minute. Then flip the fillet over. Flip every minute for 5 to 6 minutes. (It cooks fast.) Transfer to plate. Serves 8.

Rustic Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes

This is a super as a challah topper or served with roast meat. It’s like a dip with the soft garlic.[ML1]  Adding fresh herbs like basil and thyme are optional, but they do add a nice flavor.

2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 heads of garlic, separated into cloves

4 tsp. balsamic vinegar

2 T. olive oil

Herbs, roughly chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 425°F. Leave the thin peel on the garlic cloves for roasting in high heat without drying out. Fill a small casserole dish (8”x8”) with the ingredients. Add the oil and balsamic vinegar. Cover lightly with foil and place on the top rack of oven. Bake for 10 minutes, adding an extra 2 minutes if needed. Garlic should be soft enough to spread. Serves 6.

Bulgur Wheat Pilaf

In this recipe, I use the same principles as a rice pilaf, but I used bulgur wheat instead, and it worked! It should be noted, however, that after toasting the orzo, you add the water and bring to a boil before adding the bulgur. It cooks like pasta and is done in 10 to 12 minutes.  I learned how to make rice pilaf from the blog “Easy Peazy Mealz.” True to its name, the recipe is very easy. Perfect as a hearty side dish.

1 16-oz. package bulgur wheat

1/2 c. orzo

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 T. oil for toasting the orzo

In a medium stock pot pour in the oil and heat to medium high. Add the orzo and toast until lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Add water in ratio to the amount of bulgur (twice as much water as bulgur). The water will be absorbed. Add the bulgur when it reaches a boil and cook with the lid off a little to let out steam. Cooks in 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serves 8.

Shalosh Seudos Pasta

The funny thing about this pasta is that my intention when I made it was as an erev Shabbos lunch. I brought the rest with me to my mother-in-law’s house for shalosh seudos to help out. I am pleased to say that it went over well, and three requests are in for it to be printed. Warning, it’s a little addictive, and you may end up having more than one serving. No worries – it’s full of vegetables.

1 box rotini pasta

2 bell peppers, cut in long strips

1 large sweet onion, sliced

1/2 fresh lime, juiced

2 T. Trader Joe’s citrus-garlic spice

1 small can pizza sauce or marinara sauce of your choice

3 T. canola oil

Cook pasta according to directions in a large stock pot. Combine vegetables with spices, oil, and lime juice in a medium non-stick frying pan. Cook vegetables on medium-high for 10 minutes, stirring every other minute, then turn the flame to low for an additional 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the pasta and add the vegetables. Add sauce and stir evenly to coat. Serves 10.

Spinach with Tomatoes and Onions

This recipe calls for fresh spinach leaves. I have not made it with frozen spinach. I made this recipe in a way that the spinach is the star of the dish. Its so delicious that my kids will eat it and ask for more! It has a special depth of umami flavor with the addition of soy sauce. Perfect as a side and adds beautiful color to the plate.

1 large bunch of spinach (get more than you think you need; it cooks down fast)

4 plum tomatoes, sliced

2 yellow onions, diced

1 tsp. garlic powder

4 T. soy sauce

3 T. oil

In a medium stock pot, add the tomatoes and onions with the oil, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Sauté at medium-high for 5 minutes. Then, simmer on low for an additional 12 minutes. Wash and check spinach well and pat dry with paper towel. Chop the spinach into smaller pieces. You can keep the stems. Add the spinach to the cooking onions and tomatoes. Stir it in to mix evenly. It cooks almost instantly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serves 6.

Maple Pears

This dessert plays on the flavors of an old favorite of mine. At my dad’s 50^th birthday party, we had a brunch buffet at the restaurant Max and David’s in Elkins Park (a Philadelphia neighborhood to where I grew up). I will never forget the fabulous sliced pear topping of their french toast. It has perfect cozy autumn notes and is great paired with parve ice cream and a nice cup of tea.

6 ripe bosc pears (the brown ones)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 c. pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)

3 T. oil for frying

Peeling the pears is optional. Cut around the core and slice each section into quarter-inch slices. Mix the pears with vanilla, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a bowl to evenly coat each piece. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil on medium-high and add the pears. Stir well and cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Serves 6.

Bubby’s Apple Pie

This recipe is contributed by my mother-in-law, Mrs. Esther Lejtman. It has been served traditionally on the first night of Sukkos by her mother, and she serves it as well, continuing the family tradition.

Crust

1/2 c. Crisco (or 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons margarine)

2 T. sugar

1 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3 to 4 T. ginger ale or seltzer

Filling

6 to 8 apples (MacIntosh or Cortland work best), peeled and sliced

1 c. sugar (or less)

1 T. lemon juice

2 T. flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon or nutmeg

1 T. margarine to dot on the top crust

Combine crust ingredients. Mix well with a fork until it forms a ball of dough. Divide in half. Use one half for the bottom crust. Roll out with a rolling pin to fit the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.

Combine apple mixture and pour into the crust. Roll the second half of the dough to fit over the filling. Seal the edges. Make several slits on top with a knife so steam can escape. Dot top crust with margarine. Press strips of foil around the pie dish edges to prevent burning. Bake in preheated oven at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is brown. Reduce oven to 350° and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Serves around 10.

(Note: In my experience, you may want to make one-and-a-half times the crust recipe to be able to easily cover the pie dish.)