Typically, before the family sits down on a Friday night for the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath, the head of the household recites a blessing and lights a couple of candles, with more blessings then recited over the first cup of wine. The family then sits down to eat a specially prepared meal, typically including challah, soup, a type of meat and a dessert.
As mentioned before, you’re probably more than aware of this ritual. In fact, the reason you’ve clicked on this article, perhaps, is because you are too aware. Perhaps the Shabbat has become a bit too traditional in your eyes, and you want something to spice up your Shabbat meals?
This often becomes the case for a number of Jewish households, especially for people who would like to be a bit more adventurous in their cooking. Luckily for you, there are a number of different recipes that stay true to the traditions of Shabbat while also adding something new to your tabletop. We should also mention that even if you’re not looking for a Shabbat meal in particular, these recipes are some of the best Jewish foods that will satisfy any foodie, no matter what the occasion is!
Moroccan Salmon
You want to spice things up? You can’t do much better than Moroccan salmon – which was one of the most popular Shabbat recipes of 2021. It’s pretty easy too. Among the ingredients are salmon fillets, honey, and spice mix, as well as some couscous and chicken stock. If done right, it could be your next favourite Shabbat meal.
Miami Ribs
Everyone loves ribs, and one of the simplest – and most delicious – to prepare is known as “Miami ribs”. All you need for this is some beef short ribs – sliced into thin strips by the butcher – and a sweet honey-soy sauce that is brushed along the top and allowed to soak in during the cooking process.
Glazed Corned Beef
But what if you want something a little more professional? Your dinner table is probably already looking the part, with a pretty table runner laid across the middle and sterling silver judaica candlesticks in the centre, waiting to be lit. So why not elevate that restaurant feeling with the food? Well, glazed corned beef can be a great way to do this. It’s all in the cooking, however. You need to have this in the oven for around seven hours before serving, so get it in early and wait for the sweet aroma to fill up your household, getting all the tongues wagging before serving time.
Vegetable Kishka
Something a bit more quirky to add to the dinner table is the vegetable kishka – a traditional Jewish Ashkenazi stuffing – that is made of matzo meal, schmaltz, spices and flour. It’s a simple dish – or an accompaniment to a dish – but it is undeniably delicious.
Kokosh Cake
Let’s finish up with the dessert! One of the most popular Shabbat desserts of the last few years is probably the kokosh cake, which is a traditional pastry for Hungarian Jews. It includes eight fillings, including walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, chocolate and more chocolate! Just be warned, when your family tastes this for the first time, they’ll want it for dessert every Friday. If you choose this one, be prepared to be doing a lot of baking in the future!