Cooking for the High Holidays doesn’t have to mean trotting out the same old recipes. This menu by the Classic Catering People blends tradition with innovation. Your guests will have nothing but compliments for the chef.
Roasted Chicken and Ratatouille
Ingredients
- 2 skin-on boneless chicken breasts
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons cold butter
For the ratatouille:
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 1 cup diced yellow squash
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1 cup diced Japanese eggplant
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
Instructions
- Rub the chicken breasts on both sides with the salt, pepper and garlic and place in an oven safe cooking dish.
- Whisk together the rosemary, lemon, vinegar, wine, and olive oil.
- Roast the chicken breasts at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. At 12 minutes, begin basting the chicken with the rosemary/wine/olive oil mixture. Baste every 3 minutes until the skin is well browned and the basting liquid is evaporated (about 20 more minutes). Chicken should register an internal temp of 165 F. Let the chicken rest for 8 minutes before slicing.
- For the sauce, strain the remaining pan juices into a saucepan, bring back to a simmer and whisk in 2 tablespoons of cold butter. Adjust salt to taste.
For the ratatouille:
- In a large sauté pan or shallow pot, cook the onion until soft. Season with salt. Add the garlic, zucchini, squash, eggplant, and tomato successively. Season each vegetable as it is added to the pan and cook until soft. Add the wine, thyme and tomato paste. Cook and stir for 3 more minutes.
To serve:
- Arrange the ratatouille on the plate, slice and fan the chicken. Dress the chicken with the pan juice. Garnish with fresh basil or dill.
Inspired by his Israeli grandmother’s cooking, Chef Raz Shabtai of Miami's Mutra restaurant says the award was for “the entire Jewish community.”
These snowy almond cookies from Elite Jakob are gluten free, easy to make, and most importantly -- delicious.
Dara Bunjon talks with award-winning author Monica Saigal (Bhide) about her "Modern Spice" cookbook, "Papa's Butter Chicken" children's book, and more.
It doesn't get much easier than this cucumber and purple cabbage salad from Elite Jakob, perfect for a warm spring day.