arts&life dining in A Sweet New Year A Annabel Cohen Food Columnist s always, Rosh Hashanah is all about “sweet.” More than any holiday, this is when we eat good food and drink sweet wine. We remember that holiday food not only celebrates the New Year, but is symbolic of our hopes for the coming year and is a wish to remove all destruc- tive behavior from our world. Whether the meaning is purely traditional or you are assigning your own signifi- cance to an original recipe, you are participating in a uniquely Jewish observance. For our peo- ple, what you eat is as much, or more, about nourishing the soul as it is the body. The following recipes all are a bit sweet — with natural sweetness and added sweetness from vegetables, fruits, syrups, honey and, yes, sugar. BROWN SUGAR AND HONEY- GARLIC ROAST CHICKEN BREASTS 8 boneless and skinless chick- en breasts (about 3 pounds) ¼ cup olive oil (extra-virgin is good, too) 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 Tbsp. minced garlic 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 46 August 30 • 2018 jn 1 Tbsp. paprika 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper ½ tsp. cayenne pepper 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary If the chicken breasts are small (about 4 ounces each), use as is (just trim any extra fat from the breasts). If the breasts are large, cut in half and place the breasts on a clean surface and “pound” (using a meat mal- let or rolling pin) the breasts to about ½-inch thick pieces. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredi- ents to the bowl and toss the chicken to completely coat. Allow to stand at room tem- perature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Arrange the chicken breasts on the baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving, with pan juices driz- zled over. Makes 8 servings. Note: May be made ahead and cooked for 10 minutes and reheated at 250°F for 30 min- utes (do not overcook). BRAISED BEEF BRISKET WITH CARROTS, PARSNIPS AND POTATOES 1 flat- or first-cut brisket (about 4-5 pounds) visible fat removed ¼ cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 5 cups finely chopped onions 1 cup finely chopped carrot 1 cup finely chopped celery 1 Tbsp. chopped garlic 3 cups red wine, any variety 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth 2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes 1 tsp. dried thyme 2 bay leaves 1 pound whole baby carrots or regular carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch chunks 1 pound peeled Idaho or russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 pound peeled parsnips, cut into 1-inch chunks Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown brisket, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to large roasting pan or disposable aluminum pan (you will need the space in the pan to cook the veg- etables later), and season with salt and pepper. (Don’t worry about amount of salt and pep- per — you can add more later, to taste). Add chopped onions, chopped carrots and celery to the pan, around the brisket. Add wine, broth, parsley, thyme and bay leaves to the pan. Add more broth to the pan to reach about a third of the way up the side of the brisket. Cover pan tightly with heavy-duty foil or a few layers of regular foil. Cook brisket for 3 ½ hours. Chill the brisket 4 or more hours, up to 24 hours. Thinly slice brisket across grain. Arrange slices back in the pan with sauce, overlapping slices slightly. Note: Brisket can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and chill until a few hours before serv- ing. Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat the brisket for 1½ hours or more. Arrange the carrots, potatoes and parsnips around the beef and cover again with foil cook for 1½ hours more, until the vegetables and beef are tender. Transfer sliced brisket and sauce to platter and serve with the vegetables around the meat or transferred to another serving bowl. Spoon some of the pan sauce over the brisket with additional sauce on the side. Makes 8 servings.