Projects: Kitchen Mission

A chef gives her bubbes’ recipes a whirl 

Some presents come with strings attached. Others come with unbreakable bonds. A few months ago, my mother made me a cookbook of my grandmothers’ most prized recipes. But this cookbook wasn’t just a cookbook. It was my culinary ancestry, a blueprint for our family traditions.

Some presents come with strings attached. Others come with unbreakable bonds. A few months ago, my mother made me a cookbook of my grandmothers’ most prized recipes. But this cookbook wasn’t just a cookbook. It was my culinary ancestry, a blueprint for our family traditions.

Now, I’m a chef by trade — with a degree from the California Culinary Academy and experience working with Four Seasons’ executive chef Martin Hamann, one of Philly’s best recipe improvisers. I’ve followed — and winged — thousands of recipes. It was only natural I would become the keeper of my family’s meals. Natural. But not easy.

As I flipped through the pages, I could smell the aromas of my grandmothers’ Long Island kitchens. Cinnamon- and clove-spiked stuffed cabbage, salty potato kugel, sweet hamantaschen. These dishes were unerringly hearty, savory and deeply delicious. Unfortunately, these tasty memories came with ridiculous instructions. Some recipes were laced with beyond-vague quantities: “Chop one or two onions” or “mix in a glass of sugar.” (A glass? How big was a glass in 1940?) Others lacked any measurements at all, just “add dill to soup.” I wanted to make the meals my grandmothers made. Could I get them right with these incomplete — albeit loving — guidelines?

I decided to start with brisket, a fixture on our high-holiday tables. Mom had amended the recipe herself by getting rid of kosher ingredients and lightening it up a bit, and I continued to do the same. I replaced all the sugar with jelly, used soy sauce for depth, and added fresh parsley. It’s pretty close to the original, but tailored for our century.

The test: dinner for four. Although my sweet grandmothers would have served the meat with, well, a side of meat, I substituted a simple pear and arugula salad. For dessert, I didn’t mess with Nana’s applesauce recipe (although I did decide on actual measurements). The combo of slowly cooked apples and plums is vitamin-packed, not too sweet and an ideal leftover treat. The result? Thumbs up from my friends around the table and, most importantly, from my husband, the newest member of my family.

Sweet and Sour Brisket

Serves 4

1 small (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tomato, diced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. mustard
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. jelly (grape or strawberry)
1 can beef broth
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. paprika
1 bay leaf
1 3 1/2 to 4lb. first-cut brisket, trimmed of most of fat
Salt
Pepper
½ bunch parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit. In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except brisket, salt, pepper and parsley. Generously season brisket with salt and pepper on both sides, and place in glass baking dish or disposable baking tray. Pour liquid mixture over brisket and turn to coat. Cover with foil and bake 3 hours. After baking, remove foil, flip meat and turn oven up to 375º Fahrenheit. Cook for another 20 minutes. Drain sauce from baking pan and transfer to pot, removing bay leaf. Reduce over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Meanwhile, let meat rest for 10 minutes under loosely tented foil. Slice brisket across the grain into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. Add parsley to sauce and pour over brisket slices to serve.

Pear and Arugula Salad

Serves 4

1 box, or about 5 oz., baby arugula
2 Bosc pears, thinly sliced
Dash salt
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. parmigiano-reggiano, shaved

Toss arugula, pears and salt together in large salad bowl. Add lemon juice and olive oil, and toss until coated. Add cheese shavings and toss again 2 or 3 times so shavings are incorporated but still intact. Serve immediately.

Applesauce

Serves 4

3 apples, peeled*, cored and quartered (tart variety, like Granny Smith)
2 apples, peeled*, cored and
quartered (sweet variety, like Pink Lady)
2 plums, pitted and quartered
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Zest from 1 lemon

*Leave skin on fruit for a chunkier and more nutritious product.

Combine all ingredients in heavy bottomed pot. Add enough water to reach about 1/4 of apple mixture. Cook over medium-low heat (barely simmering) for about an hour, stirring often to break down fruit. Remove plum skin. Puree if you prefer a smoother product. Cool completely before serving.