At Maot Chitim we’re sharing three wholesome, tasty, tried-and-true dishes that will look beautiful on your Sukkot table under the stars. 

The Jewish harvest festival is approaching! Sukkot, which translates as booths or huts, commemorates the years when the Israelites wandered the desert after fleeing Egypt under G-d’s protection. The solemn high holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are followed by the more light-hearted Sukkot which is marked by a week of joyous celebration and Simchat Torah, the last of the high holidays.

Between building a temporary outdoor structure known as a sukkah, choosing a lulav & etrog, and preparing meals for this seven-day holiday, Sukkot can be quite an ordeal. That’s why people often choose easy recipes that allow for quick meal prep. 

We chose these three dishes because of their connection to the seasonal holiday. Fall-friendly sweet potatoes complement the kale salad perfectly with its thick garlic-mayo dressing and crunchy topping. Lemon juice prominently features throughout as it is very reminiscent of the etrog or citron, one of the Four Species (lulav and etrog) that we use on Sukkot. Enjoy! 

Sweet Potato Kale Salad

This recipe is a little like Caesar salad but with kale instead of Romaine lettuce. The dressing tastes similar and the crunchy topping adds depth. There is no cheese so it works well for a traditional yom tov meal featuring meat or chicken. Definitely a crowd-pleaser. 

Ingredients:

• Bag of Kale
• Roasted sweet potatoes
• Mix-ins such as pomegranate seeds, sunflower seeds, and craisins
• Mini salad croutons 

Dressing: 

• 4-5 tablespoons mayonnaise 
• 2 teaspoons water 
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 
• Juice from half a lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper (or Trader Joe’s mushroom spice mix) 
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

Sweet Potatoes: 

Heat oven to 425. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into quarter- or half-inch pieces. Coat with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake until roasted, about 30-40 minutes. Remove, cool, and set aside. When ready to serve, mix kale with dressing and then add sweet potatoes. Top with croutons and other mix-ins. 

Tomato Wine Chicken

Chicken is such an easy protein to serve during the holidays and is synonymous with comfort food. This recipe can be made in advance as it freezes well. 

Ingredients:

• 4-5 potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 3 pounds bone chicken
• 2 large cans of diced tomatoes, or 4-5 fresh tomatoes
• 6-8 shallots or 1 large onion, thinly sliced 
• 5 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped 
• Juice from one lemon
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Peel and cut up potatoes for the bottom of the pan. Place chicken on top of the potatoes. In a separate bowl, mix the diced tomatoes, sliced shallots or onions, juice from one lemon, red wine, garlic, soy sauce, and olive oil. Then pour the mixture over chicken.

Bake covered for 45-60 minutes and uncover for 20-30, depending on preference.

Bubby’s Apple Kugel

This classic Jewish holiday dish is a great way to use up any leftover apples from Rosh Hashanah. Originally full of sugar, it easily adapts to more health conscious sweeteners and can even be gluten free! Try substituting half honey, half maple syrup for a rich fall flavor. Using a glass pan for this recipe really makes a difference, although it will still be delicious if you don’t have one.

Ingredients:

• 8 Granny Smith Apples
• 8 eggs
• 1 cup sugar or other sweetener
• Juice from one lemon (one-and-a-half lemons if you prefer it more tart)
• Dash of salt
• 1/3 cup matzah meal, almond flour, or potato starch (added later)
• Canola oil for baking
• Glass pan (preferably 10×15) 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and salt together in a large bowl. Peel and slice apples into thin quarter pieces, about 1 to 2 inches long. As you cut, add apples to the mixture to keep them from turning brown.

Pour oil into a glass pan until it covers the surface, using either a 9×13 or 10×15. (Note: kugel tastes better in a 10×15 pan because it comes out thinner). Alternatively, you can use three shallow 9-inch pans. Heat the pan for about 10 minutes. While it’s heating, add the matzah meal/almond flour/potato starch to the apple mixture, and stir to combine. Do this just before baking. When the oil is hot, carefully remove pan from the oven and pour it into the apple mixture. Gently mix and then spoon it all into the hot pan. 

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Click here for more information about Sukkot and how to prepare for it.

At Maot Chitim, we’re all about helping people improve their high holiday experiences, and that starts with food. Please drop a comment below or email us about how these recipes turned out.

We hope you’re all staying healthy during COVID-19.

Wishing you a good yom tov and chag sameach (happy holiday)!