easy!) recipe.
1 (51/2- to 6-pound) brisket, trimmed
with a thin layer of fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 /4 cup Wondra flour
1 pound yellow onions, halved and
sliced % inch thick
1 pound red onions, halved and sliced Y3
inch thick
3 large leeks, white and light green parts
only, halved and sliced
6 large garlic cloves, sliced
% cup dry red wine
Y2 cup canned beef stock, such as
College Inn
6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen
string
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Tsimmes
it and Jeffrey encouraged her to transi-
tion her pastime into a profession, learn-
ing on the job that customers wanted
simple, tasty food. Many of those simple
recipes, like Tuscan Roasted Potatoes,
Sauteed Shredded Brussels Sprouts,
Roasted Chicken with Radishes and
Roasted Salmon Tacos are included in
this cookbook.
Cooking for Jeffrey contains some
wonderful Jewish holiday recipes. Yes,
they are the traditional offerings — but
in her hands, there is a hint of surprise.
The honey cake, for example, has one-
fourth cup of bourbon, while the challah
includes saffron. (Her homemade challah
is a staple at her own Friday night din-
ners.) Garten's Perfect Potato Pancakes
(see recipe, right) is not your bubbie's
recipe; she suggests substituting panko
crumbs for matzo meal. Her Brisket with
Onions & Leeks is legendary, and the
book explains that it's "based on the most
Googled brisket recipe ever."
Garten describes the Tsimmes as a tra-
ditional vegetable stew served on Jewish
holidays, but that one does not need a
holiday to serve it. The book concludes
with some helpful resources like food
stocked in her pantry, a starter utensil kit
and suggestions for cookware.
The book cover is a sweet photo of
Garten and Jeffrey with one of his favor-
ite desserts. The Devil's Food Cake with
Coffee Meringue Buttercream is a "show-
stopper; according to Garten, who loves
the combination of moist chocolate cake
and the light buttercream frosting —
although we think the Pecan Rum Raisin
Ice Cream and the Chocolate Creme
Brulee look equally scrumptious.
The book's dedication sums up the
premise: "For Jeffrey, who makes every-
thing possible:' *
Carla Schwartz is the former editor of Style
magazine, a former JN columnist, a blogger and
community-relations consultant. Visit her blog at
motownsavvy.com
Brisket with Onions & Leeks
Below are two recipes perfect for your
Chanukah gatherings.
Both recipes reprinted from Cooking for
Jeffrey. Copyright © 2016 by Ina Garten.
Photographs by Quentin Bacon. Published
by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of
Penguin Random House, LLC.
PERFECT POTATO PANCAKES
Makes 24 to 30 pancakes
I have always made potato pancakes with
grated potatoes for crisp pancakes, but I've
also thought about making them with mashed
potatoes for creamy ones. When I read that
Andrew Zimmern's grandmother made potato
pancakes with both of them together, I had an
aha! moment. Even better!
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
and 1-inch-diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper
2 pounds Idaho baking potatoes, peeled
1 large yellow onion
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
Y2 cup panko (Japanese bread flakes) or
matzo meal
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus
extra for serving
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil
Sour cream, for serving
Place the Yukon Gold potatoes in a large
pot of boiling salted water and simmer for 15
to 20 minutes, until very tender when tested
with a knife. Drain and pass through a ricer
or the coarsest blade of a food mill into a
large bowl and set aside.
Grate the Idaho potatoes lengthwise in
long shreds, either by hand or in a food
processor fitted with the coarsest grating
disk. Place the potatoes on a kitchen towel,
squeeze out most of the liquid, and transfer
to the bowl with the cooked potatoes. (Don't
worry — they'll turn pink.) Grate the onion
either by hand or in the food processor and
stir into the potatoes along with the eggs,
panko, chives, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 tea-
spoon pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 table-
spoon of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute
pan over medium-high heat, until sizzling.
Drop heaping tablespoons of the potato
mixture into the skillet (you want them to be
messy). Flatten the pancakes lightly with a
metal spatula and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on
each side, until browned. Continue adding
butter and oil, as needed, to fry the remain-
ing batter. Serve hot with sour cream and
chives.
Make ahead: Prepare the mixture and
refrigerate for several hours. Fry just before
serving or up to 30 minutes ahead. Place
on a sheet pan, and reheat at 400 degrees
for 5 to 10 minutes.
BRISKET WITH ONIONS & LEEKS
Serves 8
This amazing dish is based on the most
Googled brisket recipe ever! The original came
from Nach Waxman, who for many years
owned New York's Kitchen Arts & Letters, an
iconic store specializing in cookbooks. This
is my version of his spectacular (and really
Sprinkle the brisket with 2 teaspoons salt,
wrap it well, and refrigerate it overnight. This
is more important than you think!
The next day, preheat the oven to 350
degrees.
In a very large (13-inch) Dutch oven, such
as Le Creuset, heat the oil over medium-high
heat. The pot should be large enough for the
brisket to lie flat. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt
and 1 teaspoon pepper all over the brisket.
Sprinkle the Wondra flour all over and dust
off the excess. Brown the brisket in the oil
for 5 minutes on each side, adding more oil
if necessary. Transfer to a large (18 x 14 x
2-inch) roasting pan and set aside.
Put the yellow onions, red onions, and
leeks in the Dutch oven, adding a few table-
spoons of oil if the pot is dry, and saute over
medium to medium-high heat for 15 min-
utes, scraping up any brown bits, until the
onions are tender and begin to brown. Add
the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the
wine, beef stock, and thyme and cook for 3
minutes, scraping up any brown bits.
Spoon half the onion and leek mixture
under the brisket. Spread the tomato paste
evenly on top of the brisket. Spoon the rest
of the onions and leeks on top of the brisket,
covering the tomato paste. Wrap the roasting
pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Roast for about 31 /2 hours, until the meat is
extremely tender when tested with a meat
fork.
Discard the thyme bundle and allow the
meat to rest at room temperature for 15 min-
utes before slicing thickly across the grain.
Serve the meat with the warm onion mixture
spooned on top. Sprinkle with salt and serve
hot.
Make ahead: Refrigerate the cooked bris-
ket and vegetables for up to 2 days. Slice
the cold meat, put it back in the pan with
the vegetables, cover with aluminum foil,
and reheat in a 325-degree oven for 40 to
45 minutes.
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