Hanukkah Menu 2021

 

In our house, we love Hanukkah. Any holiday that suggests you eat doughnuts, is a holiday we like :) For us Hanukkah is not a sit-around-the-table kinda holiday but more of a gather-around-the-frying-pan kinda occasion. An excuse to bring family and friends together while eating latkes, doughnuts and light the menorah. This year we are so happy to share our curated Hanukkah Menu with you--we can’t wait to see what you end up making. Chag Sameach!

 

—SAVORY FRIED THINGS—

 
 

Latkas, Latkes, potato pancake, Levivot (latkes in Hebrew), whatever you want to call them—these guys are the stars of Hanukkah. They only come around once a year, but boy do they make their mark. Making (what feels like) a million little latkes throughout the Hanukkah season can feel tedious, so we found a hack. This recipe for our Giant Jerusalem Artichoke Latke makes two twelve inch pancakes—enough to satisfy the whole family—and then some.

 

Photo by Brett & Chantell Quernemoen

 
 

Molly Yeh’s Onion Jam Sufganiyot with Za’atar, Sumac, and Yogurt Powder is the ultimate savory donut. Packed with flavor (Za’atar and Sumac, now that’s a flavor combo we can get on board with) this donut is for the salty-over-sweet people.

 

Andy Baraghani’s Za’atar Chicken Cutlets with Cabbage Side Salad is a great option during the week of Hanukkah on a night when you’re looking for a festive meal that will come together quickly.

Photo By Laura Murray

 

Popletas are a Harissa flavored “potato dumpling” filled with meat. If you want to make something a little different than your regular latkes this year—these little pouches of deliciousness are what you’re looking for. Perfect for a special occasion, your loved ones will be raving about these for a long time coming.

When Ron was growing up, his mother created these Chicken Levivot as a way to use leftover chicken. It’s become a staple at the Arazis’ Hanukkah table. The pungent harissa sauce that accompanies the patties makes the dish even more festive.

Photo by Levi Brown

 

If you need a break from potato foods after a few days, we suggest these Spicy Cauliflower Latkes with Za’atar Aioli. Who doesn’t love a cauli-take on a dish?

 

—A BREAK FROM FRIED THINGS—

 

Gravlax with Rosey Harissa are a perfect addition to any Hanukkah spread, the sweet and floral notes in the Rosey Harissa will pair so well with the savory flavors of the latkes on the table. (Let’s make lox on top of latkes a thing).

There’s something about the Orange, Olive, and Harissa Salad that feels so fitting for a special occasion. The marriage of such opposing flavors somehow works so well—it’s a “different” dish that will stand out on your holiday table.

A simple lettuce salad with Preserved Lemon Paste dressing is a Hanukkah necessity. The brightness from the dressing will provide as a tastebud lifeboat against all of the fried foods on the table.

 

—SWEET FRIED THINGS—

 

Sufganiyot. Arguably the best part of Hanukkah. These Strawberry-Sumac filled Donuts are hard to beat. The Sumac provides a tangy flavor alongside the sweetness of the jam that makes these sufganiyot addictive—remember, save some for the rest of your family.

Molly Yeh’s Hawaij Coffee Donuts are a little stroke of genius. Let us explain: you eat donuts with coffee, you drink coffee with (Kafe) Hawaij, so a donut flavored with coffee and hawaij is everything you need in one little bite. And look how pretty they are! These tick all of our boxes.

 

Hanukkah means that Ron doesn’t need to find an excuse to whip up a batch of Sfinj. These luscious doughnuts are crispy on the outside and very fluffy and airy on the inside. They’re usually served dipped in sugar or honey, but we love to serve them with a saffron and cardamom syrup or Ras el Hanout spiked syrup. In Morocco they are a street food eaten all year long, but in the Jewish communities it was mostly a dish served for Hanukkah.

Ekmek Kadayif (Cream-Filled Doughnuts with Pistachios). These Turkish doughnuts have become a staple on our Hanukkah table. The fried doughnuts, which are denser than traditional American doughnuts, are soaked in a sugar syrup for 6 hours, then sliced and filled with lightly sweetened whipped cream and sprinkled with pistachios.

 

—ONE LAST SWEET THING—

 

Hanukkah gelt. You love it because it’s nostalgic and it’s fun to unwrap the little golden aluminum foil—but let’s get real, the chocolate doesn’t taste very good. Kind of like a watered down taste thats vaguely reminiscent of chocolate? We suggest making your own Hanukkah gelt this year! Sounds tedious? We promise it’s not. This recipe for Chocolate ‘Salami’ is so easy you won’t believe it, and it’s packed with taste and texture (the Kafe Hawaij addition here gives it a deeper flavor).
Ps. If you’ll miss the experience of “unwrapping” the chocolate, here’s a link for golden foil to wrap your homemade gelt in! Making your own gelt can be a fun experience for the whole family.