Tradition with a twist was the theme for my Hanukkah menu. I knew it wouldn’t be traditional without Matzo Ball Soup and Latkes so, true to my character, I had to add some variation to my standard recipes. That meant that instead of plain matzo balls, I made them with ginger, fresh grated nutmeg and parsley. Additionally, over the last few years I have been trying out new latke varieties and I continued that trend this year with Butternut Squash & Sage Latkes.
To round out the dinner, I used my abundance of Satsuma Tangerines from Talley Farms to make Pan Roasted Chicken with a Tangerine Brandy Sauce. It began with a brine for the chicken and an amazing sauce to finish it off.
We finished the meal with an Apple Cake topped with Dulce de Leche Sauce & Whipped Cream!
I was thankful for my fully stocked assortment of kitchen appliances, making all of the preparation so much easier. Each recipe had tedious tasks that were made simple with my gadgets! The tangerine brine and sauce for the chicken was aided by my automatic juicer. Shredding the butternut squash was a cinch with the shredding disc on my food processor. And my apple-peeler-corer made prepping the apples a breeze! Just like a carpenter, the right tools really make the job that much easier. (Easily purchase these and other great items on your holiday wish list at the Amazon aStore on my home page!)
The Matzo Ball Soup is a time consuming process, but painless if you stage it out during the preparation for the rest of your menu. I made the stock a day ahead so that I could easily skim the fat (schmaltz) off the top for use in my matzo balls. While it was simmering, I did the “mise en place” for the rest of my menu. ( mise en place refers to organizing and arranging your ingredients)
(click here) for Matzo Ball Soup recipe
Late in the morning on the day of the event, I brined the chicken and was able to cook it ahead so that all I had to do was reheat it at serving time. I saved adding the last bit of butter in the sauce along with the tangerine segments so they wouldn’t break down too much. A little sprinkle of parsley put the finishing touch.
(click here) for Pan Roasted Chicken with a Tangerine Brandy Sauce recipe
I also fried the latkes ahead and set them on a rack over a baking pan covered lightly in foil. They were quickly warmed up in the oven with the chicken before serving. I even fried the sage leaves ahead as well. Barely any last minute prep while my guests were here. (Tip: Latkes are best served fresh without being refrigerated. If that is not possible, they are better frozen in a single layer on baking sheets and then transferred to a freezer zip top bag. They do not need to be defrosted before reheating)
(click here) for Butternut Squash & Sage Latkes recipe
The Apple Cake was made in the morning and kept at room temperature. My last minute prep was in whipping some cream (done in a flash in my Magic Bullet blender!) and warming the dulce de leche sauce. An addition of a little cream helps get the caramel to the right consistency for an easy drizzle.
(click here) for Apple Cake recipe
It was a great way to celebrate the holiday; with good friends, great food and wonderful wine!
Best wishes to you all for a safe, healthy & happy holiday season.