A southern meal for Sukkot

What I love about Sukkot is that it’s a holiday centred around the home and one that’s easy for entertaining (if you have a big enough sukkah). Using disposables is acceptable and the food and atmosphere are very casual. The air is crisp with a hint of fall. The sukkah is filled with family and friends and resonates with the sounds of singing and laughter.

When I lived in Atlanta, this was my traditional menu for the first day of Sukkot.

Several years after I made aliyah, an Atlanta friend visited Israel not too long before Sukkot. She told me that not only did she miss me, but her whole family missed my Sukkot menu so much they adapted it as their own.


Carolina coleslaw

o 1/2 cup white vinegar

o 6 tbsp. sugar

o 6 tbsp. vegetable oil

o 2-1/2 tsp. dry mustard

o 1 tsp. celery seeds

o 1 medium cabbage (about 1 1/4 lb.), thinly sliced

o 1 large onion, thinly sliced

o 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced

Combine vinegar, sugar, oil, mustard and celery seeds in non-aluminum medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and dressing comes to boil. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.

Combine cabbage, onion and green pepper in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Cover and  refrigerate until cold, tossing occasionally, at least 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.)

READ: ONE-DISH CASSEROLES EASY TO TAKE OUT TO THE SUKKAH


Kentucky Derby pie

o 9-in. unbaked pie shell

o 1/4 cup margarine or coconut oil

o 1 cup sugar

o 3 eggs, beaten

o 3/4 cup Karo syrup

o 1/4 tsp. salt

o 1 tsp. vanilla

o 1/2 cup chocolate chips

o 1/2 cup pecan pieces

o 2 tbsp. bourbon

Cream margarine or coconut oil; add sugar, eggs, syrup, salt and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and bourbon. Pour into pie shell and bake at 375 for 50 minutes.


Uncle John’s Brunswick stew

A very traditional southern recipe, it feeds an army and freezes beautifully. The list of ingredients is long, but it’s very easy to make. Serve with cole slaw and potato salad. Once you taste this, it will become a tradition in your home too.

o 2-1/2 lb. whole chicken

o 2-1/2 lb. veal or beef roast

o 2-1/2 lb. ground turkey

o 2-1/2 lb. ground beef

o 1 bay leaf

o 1/2 tsp. thyme

o 1/2 tsp. marjoram

o 1/2 tsp. basil

o 1/2 tsp. rosemary

o 2-1/2 tsp. chili powder

o 3 tbsp. vegetable oil

o 2-3 lb. onions, chopped

o 5 cloves garlic, chopped

o 3 stalks celery, diced

o 1-2 tbsp. Tabasco or hot sauce

o 2 cans corn

o 3 medium cans tomatoes

o 1 small bottle Worcestershire sauce

o 1 can lima beans

o 1 bottle chili sauce

o 5 tsp. sugar

o 2 cups sherry, optional

o 3-4 cups reserved meat stock

o salt and pepper to taste

In a very large covered pot on top of stove, simmer chicken and roast in water almost to cover. Add seasonings, 1 can tomatoes and 1 onion. Cover and cook until meats are very tender (about 2 hours). Remove meats from pot and cool. Set liquid aside and save. Discard skin and bones from chicken and shred both meat and chicken into small pieces by hand or with two forks.

In a large skillet, brown celery, garlic and remaining onions in oil from the large pot. Add ground meats and sauté until brown. Drain and add to large pot. Add remaining ingredients and 2 cups meat stock. Cook until tender and well seasoned. Add more stock if necessary for thick soupy consistency.