So Rosh Hashanah is tomorrow and I have been debating on what to make…stick to the classics?!? or try something new and fun?!?…what do you think I am going to do??
I am obviously going to serve the honey, apples and challah (to celebrate a sweet new year). But I feel like Jewish food, as good as it is, can be a little old school and since you are bringing together family and friends, why not try out a new recipe and bring something fun and fresh to the table?!?
I love this recipe..it is bold, EASY TO MAKE, colorful and full of flavor. Also, it has an exotic feel without having to use ingredients that you cant find at your local supermarket. This is my version of Siniya, a Palestinian dish of ground lamb baked in tahini sauce. I actually had it for the first time just a couple of weeks ago at a restaurant in Jaffa… I LOVED it and was obviously inspired. It may seem a little complicated, but to be honest…it is just a combination of easy recipes that you bring into one.
Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 whole head of cauliflower, stems and leaves kept on
- extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
Directions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 420 d F
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil, than place the cauliflower in the boiling water. Cover and let boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the water and let steam dry. When the cauliflower is almost dry, cut into even sized pieces and drizzle with a nice amount of olive oil, season well with the salt. Place in the hot oven for 20-30 minutes, until golden all over. Remove and place on the side.
Ground lamb and beef patties- NOTE – If you can not find all these spices, than just use the ones you have on hand…the lamb is so flavorful, you can make this dish even without the spices.
- 1/2 pound ground lamb
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely grated
- Kosher Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp all spice
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tbls finely chopped parsley and cilantro- plus extra for garnish
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts- for garnish
Directions
1. In a bowl combine the ground lamb, beef, onion, garlic, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, all spice, cloves, cumin. cardamom, nutmeg, cilantro and parsley. Mix well and form into 2-inch patties. Let sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. Remove from the fridge and get a grill pan or a frying pan very hot. Season the patties with salt and sear them on both sides, just to get some color. Remove and place in a baking dish. Make the tahini.
Tahini sauce
- 1 cup of tahini
- 1/2 lemon squeezed
- salt
- 1 garlic - grated
- water
Directions
1. In a bowl combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and water…add water until the tahini is a liquid state…like 1/2 cup. Season with salt and assemble the dish.
Assembling and finishing the recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees f. Place the cauliflower into the baking dish, around the lamb and beef patties, drizzle the tahini all over. Place into the pre-heated oven for about 10-15 minutes, then remove. Place the tomato salad all along the top with the toasted pine nuts and the freshly chopped parsley and cilantro. Serve hot.
Tomato And Preserved Lemon Salad
- 2 cups of cherry tomatoes sliced
- 1 preserved lemon, washed and finely chopped
- salt to taste
- 1 drizzle of olive oil
Directions
1. In a bowl place the tomatoes with the preserved lemon, olive oil and salt, toss and check for seasoning.