As the holiday season starts, many people are starting to plan the meals they will be serving at each celebration. Prime Fresh Handling has seen first-hand which foods are in demand during which seasons. Having kosher options and recipes is extremely important to much of the Jewish community.
There are some rules a meal must follow to be considered kosher:
- Land animals must have cloven hooves and must chew cud (meaning they eat grass.)
- Seafood must have fins and scales. No shellfish is allowed.
- Birds cannot be birds of prey. They must be clean birds, meaning they don’t eat other animals. Poultry is allowed, including chickens, Cornish hens, geese, turkeys, and ducks.
- Meat and dairy cannot be eaten together. (Ex. No cheeseburgers.
If the dishes are prepared within these rules, they can generally be enjoyed at family gatherings, holidays, and celebrations. If there is still some confusion, our experts have put together a list of Jewish holiday recipe ideas and what ingredients are in them:
- Matzo Ball Soup
- Kugel
- Challah
- Stuffed Cabbage
- Jewish Brisket
What’s in Matzo Ball Soup?
This is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish that is often served during Passover. It is a chicken soup made with delicious dumplings called matzo balls. These dumplings are made out of matzo meal (crushed unleavened bread), eggs, chicken fat (or another fat or oil,) and broth.
The matzo balls should be cooked in the broth in order to soak up all the flavor.
What Is Kugel?
This Jewish holiday recipe, also called luchen kugel, is a sweet egg noodle casserole. The noodles are first boiled and then baked with sugar, eggs, sour cream, and cottage cheese. There are different variations of this dish and different components that can be added, such as raisins or fruit preserves. It is important to make sure that the egg noodles are kosher or gluten-free if you would like the dish to be kosher.
What Is a Challah?
The word challah is Hebrew and means “loaf of bread.” Braided challah is made with eggs and is a staple Jewish Sabbath and holiday bread. It can be made in various sizes and shapes, which all have meaning. Braided bread with six strands is the most common and symbolizes the six days of the week, not including Shabbat. Three braids symbolize truth, peace, and justice.
What Is in Stuffed Cabbage?
This is looked at as an old-school dish, and it can take some time to prepare and cook it properly. Stuffed cabbage has a sweet-and-sour flavor that makes it a great Jewish holiday recipe, or it’s perfect for enjoying on a cold day. It is made with vegetables, meat, and rice. These stuffed delicacies can also be paired with challah. The cabbage leaves are boiled until they are pliable, then the rice and meatballs are wrapped inside and then boiled again before being served.
How to Make Jewish Brisket
Though brisket can be prepared in many ways, a Jewish-styled braised brisket is a tender dish served in a thick sauce with onions and carrots. This dish is another holiday staple, especially as the weather cools down. The cooking process starts by browning the brisket to build some of its flavors. Next, the aromatics are browned, including the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, all in the same pan. From here, more additional ingredients, like ketchup, tomato paste, or coffee grinds, can be added in. Once everything is combined, and the brisket is shredded and mixed in with the veggies, you will be left with a delicious and warm meal for the holidays.
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