Like all new year celebrations, the Jewish new year Rosh Hashana marks a time of beginning. During a recent visit to Israel, I discovered the foods we can assume were eaten during the early Rosh Hashana holidays celebrated in this ancient land.

When you visit the Dead Sea, you are reminded of the origins of the Jewish people. Though nothing seems to grow in this desolate location, people from all over the world come for the curative and cleansing properties the sea is said to offer.

By the shores of the sea is Qumran, site of the Essenes, an ancient community that existed during the time of Jesus. While there, I saw an excavation of a 2,000-year-old market. The pottery shards, when still whole pots, would have contained such things as a gruel of lentils and bulgur and soupy stews of chickpeas, lentils and cut up bits of meat, most likely goat or lamb. As we have learned from the Dead Sea Scrolls, we can assume that the animals were slaughtered when they were at least a year old.

Archaeologists have also found evidence of chickpeas ground with a mortar and pestle into a paste with sesame seeds and garlic, much like the falafel eaten in the Middle East today.

On site guides also point out petrified date and olive pits, as well as a press that was used to heat the dates and press them into a honey-like syrup. This is the Biblical honey of the land of milk (yogurt) and honey. For Rosh Hashana, the dates were eaten, unpressed, to signify a sweet new year.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the stark hills a few miles from Qumran. Farther on is Masada, the fortress town where the Jews made their last stand against the Romans in 130 B.C. Nearby, more than a millennium earlier the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah flourished.

Nearby on the shores of the Dead Sea at the seaside resort of Ein Bokek, I experienced a modern Tower of Babel at the Meridian Hotel. But rather than being surrounded by throngs of noisy tourists, I encountered groups of Indian Jews in Saris, Russian and Persian Jews, Orthodox Jews dressed in black and Arabs in traditional flowing robes. Some were there to take the sea mud cure; others were there to take in ancient history. Many were visiting for family reunions and to simply have a good time.

More than 1,500 Israeli Jews and Arabs congregate at the hotel during any weekend or holiday. To feed such a sizeable crowd, hotel chef Motti Azoulay marshals a kitchen staff that mirrors the diversity of the guests. Each day his staff arrives by bus from Arad and Dimona, towns in the middle of the Negev desert.Six hundred Bedouins, Arabs and Jews work together in this kitchen to produce the meals. And the menus reflect the microcosm of Israel today, including ingredients that are mentioned in the Bible, as well as ingredients of other cultures.

At Rosh Hashana, fresh dates are eaten from the date palms lining the shore. These symbolize hope for a sweet New Year. Because many of the chefs are of Moroccan background, they may add North African touches to the food. Soupy stews with chickpeas and meat are similar to the stews that the Essenes ate at Qumran.A typical North African fritter, probably one of the oldest desserts known to mankind, is also made by the Moroccans and the Tunisians. It is similar to the Italian zeppole that is sprinkled with sugar. This easily prepared dessert is shaped like a rose and then dipped in a honey and sugar syrup. As chef Azoulay said, "We are all here to have fun. Food is part of it."

Holiday Soup With Chickpeas

As soon as I return home from buying dried chickpeas, I soak them in cold water overnight. I then place them in little baggies in the freezer until I need them.

1 cup dried chickpeas

Water

3 to 4 beef soup bones

3 chicken thighs

4 chicken wings

2 cups chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1 cup chopped leeks (about 1 large)

1 cup chopped celery leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 pounds ground turkey

1 large onion, grated

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons matzo meal

Juice of 1 lemon

Cooked rice, optional

Soak chickpeas in water to cover for several hours or overnight. The next day, put soup bones and chicken thighs and wings in a large soup pot and add 10 cups water. Bring to a boil, skimming off foam that rises to the top.

Drain chickpeas and add to bones and chicken in pot. Simmer, covered, for about an hour. Add 1 cup cilantro, leek, celery leaves, salt and pepper to taste, and turmeric and bring back to a simmer.

To make meatballs, mix together ground turkey, onion, cinnamon, matzo meal and salt and pepper to taste. With wet hands, form balls the size of walnuts. Drop them into the soup and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add remaining cilantro to soup and simmer 10 minutes more. Before serving, remove soup bones and bone chicken and add chicken pieces back to soup. Adjust seasonings and serve in soup bowls with a squeeze of the lemon juice. It is traditional to serve this soup over rice. Serves 8 to 10.

Israeli Carrot Salad with Pomegranates

I have been making variations of this quintessentially Israeli salad for almost 30 years. Not only does it taste and look good, but it is so easy to prepare that I make it for last-minute dinner guests and they always rave about it.

2 cloves garlic

1/2 bunch stemmed parsley, divided

1 pound carrots, peeled

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons orange juice

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Several grindings of pepper

1/4 cup golden raisins

Seeds of 1 pomegranate

Place garlic and all parsley except 2 tablespoons in bowl of a food processor and chop. Add carrot, lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Pulse until carrots are chopped but not pureed. Place in serving dish. Scatter raisins and pomegranate seeds over and sprinkle with reserved parsley. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 6.

Rosh Hashana Honey Rosettes

2 cups sugar

Water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 heaping teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups unbleached flour

2 large eggs

Salt

Vegetable oil for deep frying

To make syrup, place sugar in a small heavy saucepan with 4 cups water (or to cover) and bring to a boil. Add lemon juice and cook for about 20 minutes, uncovered. Add honey and vanilla. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine flour, eggs and a pinch of salt and mix, kneading well with your hands. Divide dough in half and cover with a towel. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.

Roll out dough as thinly as possible (less than 1/8-inch thick). Using a sharp knife cut dough into long strips about 1 inch by 12 inches.

Pour about 4 inches oil into a heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees. Carefully and loosely wrap each strip of dough around 3 fingers until dough is used up. Then take 2 forks and insert them in the center of each dough circle. Keeping the rings very wide and loose, carefully dip dough into hot oil, turning carefully with the forks for a few minutes. Rosettes will puff up like a rose and then start to turn golden. Quickly remove from oil and drain. Spoon syrup over rosettes and serve. Makes about 10 rosettes.

 

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