KosherEye.com
By Chef Laura Frankel
These are not your mother's meatballs! Skip the cloying, overly sweet sauce and use subtle and stylish Date-Honey.
Date-honey adds a sophisticated sweetness that is rich and earthy. This recipe is modern with no added sugar and you can easily substitute turkey for ground chuck.
*Chef's tip- I use a panade in my ground meat dishes. A panade is a starch and liquid mixture that adds moisture to meatballs, meatloaf and other dishes. It is not a way to "stretching" the meat. It is there because meat shrinks as it cooks, and ground meat, more so, and squeezes out moisture in the process. The panade is a moist "place holder" and keeps the meat from contracting so much as to be dry and flavorless. A panade can be made with soft bread crumbs, oats, cooked rice, barley or other cooked grains. The liquid can be wine, stock, beer, water or any flavorful liquid.
Ingredients
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, grated on a box grater
2 garlic cloves, grated on a box grater
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce or 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup Silan (date-honey)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For The Meatballs
1 cup soft bread crumbs (leftover challah works well for this)
½ cup chicken stock, white wine or water
2 pounds ground beef chuck
2 eggs
1 small onion, grated on a box grater
2 garlic cloves, grated
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Directions
Heat a medium sauce pan, with the olive oil, over medium heat. Add the grated onion and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is very fragrant and beginning to caramelize. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Decrease the heat to low and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes.
Place the bread crumbs in a small bowl and add the stock or other liquid. Stir to combine.
Squeeze excess liquid out of the bread crumbs. Transfer the breadcrumbs to another bowl and discard the liquid.
Add the remaining ingredients for the meatballs and gently mix together. With light and slightly wet hands form the meatballs. You can also use an ice cream scoop for this and then all the meatballs will be the same size.
Heat a sauté pan, lightly coated with olive oil, over medium heat. Brown the meatballs in batches until caramelized.
Transfer the meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking in the sauce. Serve the meatballs with rice, potatoes or favorite vegetable. Garnish with chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds.
Notes
Recipe: Kosher, meat, Rosh Hashanah
Laura Frankel is the Executive Chef at Wolfgang Puck Kosher Catering at the Spertus Institute for Jewish studies in Chicago. She is the author of Jewish Cooking for All Seasons (Wiley) and Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes (Wiley), and the former chef and founder of Shallots restaurant. Chef Laura writes for The Jerusalem Post and Bitayavon and Joy of Kosher magazines and is an avid blogger and a passionate farmer's market supporter, giving demos and teaching classes all over the country featuring market produce.
Visit her website: www.ChefLauraskosher.com. Follow her on Twitter: cheflaura1, and check out her Facebook page cheflauraskosher.
Chef Laura's books can be found on Amazon.com: Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes
and Jewish Cooking for All Seasons: Fresh, Flavorful Kosher Recipes for Holidays and Every Day
Don’t get stuck in a sticky situation.
Get those sweet gifts for Rosh Hashana today!
Compiled by: Yaakov Galen, Editor-in-chief
Receiving a thoughtful gift can make all the difference, especially during auspicious times like Rosh Hashanah. Giving gifts can also feel wholesome and empowering knowing that the recipient of your gift deeply appreciates it.
I compiled this list of gifts that I loved. Although I won't be ordering all of them, I will mention the ones I plan to choose. You can order them straight from Amazon and take care of your Rosh Hashana gifts today.
Honey Gifts
I think it's "dip the apple in the honey" or something like that. Correct me if I'm wrong.
1. Honeycomb ($20 Range)
Honey in its natural form, right out of the beehive! Oh and it is certified Kosher! (Certified Kosher by EarthKosher based in Colorado and on the CRC kosher list.)
Click here to purchase: Honeycomb
2. A Delectable Honey Selection ($20 Range)
I used to think honey was just the generic tasting honey we tend to find in the bear containers. As I learned more about honey, I discovered an entire honey world of flavors, textures, and colors. In summary, bees make honey with the pollen they collect in nearby areas. When raw (not infused) honey has a specific flavor it is because the bees collected pollen from areas with pollen that embodies that flavor. Ex. Orange-tasting honey is most likely sourced from the pollen of orange blossoms.
This selection comes with four kinds of honey and is certified OU-P. Berry, Orange Blossoms, Wildflower, and Clover.
Click here to purchase: Bee Harmony Mini Honey Gift Set
3. A Gorgeous Honey Gift ($50 Range)
This company has been featured on Kosherye before and we love them. They have a wonderful selection of delicious honey and their bottling is perfect for gifts. Oh, and they are KSA Kosher, also recommended by the CRC.
"Coming straight from the Altamaha and Apalachicola River Basins of Georgia and Florida, Savannah Bee Tupelo Honey preserves the authenticity of its roots. It has a buttery texture while being sweetly reminiscent of nature's taste enhancers from these areas." -Savannah Bee
Click here to purchase: Tupelo Honey by Savannah Bee
Swag for the kids
Although they may appreciate slathering honey all over their Rosh Hashanah dinner, swag for the kids is always a winner.
4. Hakol Dvash (everything is honey) T-shirt ($20 Range)
Click here to purchase: Hakol Dvash T-shirt
5. Shofar So Good T-shirt ($20 Range)
Click here to purchase: Shofar so good T-shirt
6. Apple. Honey. Dip. Repeat. T-shirt ($20 Range)
Click here to purchase: Apple. Honey. Dip. Repeat. T-shirt
Oh my goodness, yes, swag for the baby.
This one is not for the baby obviously, it's for everyone else. Dress the baby up in cute Rosh Hashanah attire to keep everyone entertained.
7. My First Rosh Hashana Bib ($15 Range)
Click here to purchase: My First Rosh Hashana Bib
8. Shofar So Good Funny Baby Onesie ($15 Range)
Click here to purchase: Shofar So Good Funny Baby Onesie
Honey Dishes
This dish concept is a staple in many Jewish homes on Rosh Hashanah. These small practical honey dishes are a great way to show importance to the significance of the honey at our table. This selection of honey dishes is a few of my favorites that I was able to find online.
9. Stainless Steel and Glass Honey Dish ($20 Range)
By Art Judaica, With the Words A Good and Sweet Year in Hebrew
Click here to purchase: Stainless Steel and Glass Honey Dish
10. Glass Apple and Honey Dish ($50 Range)
Pomegranate Shape with Stones
Click here to purchase: Glass Apple and Honey Dish
11. Aluminum Pomegranate Honey Dish ($20 Range)
A Rosh Hashanah Plate By Yair Emanuel
Click here to purchase: Aluminum Pomegranate Honey Dish
12. Aluminum Apple Shaped Honey Dish ($50 Range)
Gold Honeycomb Design. Comes with a spoon.
Click here to purchase: Aluminum Apple Shaped Honey Dish
13. Nickel-Plated Pomegranate Honey Dish ($40 Range)
Click here to purchase: Nickel-Plated Pomegranate Honey Dish
14. Sterling Silver Apple Honey Dish ($800 Range)
Made of 925 Sterling silver with bee by Nadav Art ($800 Range)
Click here to purchase: Sterling Silver Apple Honey Dish
Tableware Gifts
These kinds of gifts are often cherished and become staple pieces on your family and friend's tables. Be sure that the design would fit the ambiance of your recipient's home. These are 2 favorites I was able to find online.
15. Rosh Hashanah Table Runner ($80 Range)
This runner is embroidered with various, Simanim, Brachos, and phrases we experience on the night of Rosh Hashana. It is a linen-cotton blend and is machine washable. This runner is made here in the USA. Size: 16 x 122” ( 40 x 310cm )
Click here to purchase: Rosh Hashanah Table Runner
16. Challah Cover with Pomegranates Embroidery ($20 Range)
Challah bread cover with pomegranates design and Hebrew Brachos embroidery. Dimensions: 21 inch x 17 inch / 55 cm x 45
- Click here to purchase: Challah Cover with Pomegranates Embroidery
Fruit and Candy Gift Baskets
Gift baskets are a classy way to tell someone you appreciate or even love them. The Oh Nuts brand has been a favorite of mine for a while, they are reasonably priced, and they are on Amazon! These are my two favorites.
17. Oh! Nuts® Dried Fruit Gift Basket ($30 Range)
- From the vendor:
- Vegan, all-natural, and no sugar added: Our nutritious dried fruit is packed with healthy vitamins, minerals, and fiber for the ultimate diet-friendly indulgence. No additives, naturally sweet, zero sugar added, dairy-free, and vegan safe. Comes in an apple-shaped basket. OK Parave
Click here to purchase: Dried Fruit Gift Basket
18. Oh! Nuts® Chocolate Covered Cookie Gift Basket ($30 Range)
From the vendor:
This beautiful Oh! Nuts tray contains an assortment of 20 decorated sandwich cookies. The gift box is neatly divided into 20 compartments to highlight the beauty of each individual piece. Replace the traditional candy and chocolates with trendier baked goods and dessert treats. OK Parave
Click here to purchase: Oh! Nuts® Chocolate Covered Cookie Gift Basket
*This is not a sponsored post. All recommended products are Koshereye tested. We hope to only provide you with amazing Kosher products and recipes. Koshereye may make a small commission if you purchase a product through our Amazon links.