First Night of Rosh Hashanah 5779 Menu Retrospective and Zucchini Leek Soup Recipe

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year was last week.  The the first night I usually go all out and make a huge meal and invite a ton of guests.  There are many traditional food that are often eaten at this meal, each with a symbolic meaning to ensure a good new year.  Often these foods are eaten on their own but I prefer to incorporate them into composed dishes. Some of these foods include:

  • Apples dipped in honey for a sweet year
  • Pomegranates so our merits increase, as the seeds of the pomegranate
  • Carrots, beans, or fenugreek so that we should increase our merits
  • Beets that our adversaries should be removed
  • Fish that we should be fruitful and multiply
  • Fish or Lamb Head so we should get ahead in life (or literally that we should be as a head and not a tail)
  • Dates that our enemies be consumed
  • Leeks or cabbage that our enemies be decimated
  • Gourds so that our merits be proclaimed to G-d

Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah Zucchini SoupMenu

Usually on Rosh Hashanah I make a centerpiece dish like beef short rib or rack of lamb, but I went little easy on myself this year as I have been so busy this summer and just went with a french roast.  Below is my menu, with a few less dishes than usual:

Fish Course: Pomegranate Glazed Salmon with Roasted Beet Slaw (and Fish Head)

Soup Course: Zucchini Leek Soup (Recipe Below)

Meat: Sous Vide and Smoked French Roast With Apple and Fig BBQ Sauce

Chicken: Apple Wood Smoked Chicken

Sides: Roasted Butternut Squash, Date Salad with Honey Lime Dressing, (brought by Rachel)

Beef Bacon Wrapped Dates

Apple and Date Challah Dressing (Or is it stuffing or kugel, IDK)

Honey Roasted Carrots and Sweet Potatoes (AKA Tzimmes)

Sticky Green Beans

Dessert:  Caramel Apple Bundt Cake (made by my wife using a recipe from the cookbook Something Sweet by very talented  Miriam Pascal of the blog Overtime Cook).

To be honest with you, no one touched the chicken and the dates were a bit of a hard sell. People seemed to like the salmon and the roast.  The soup and green beans were also a hit.  The salad, carrots and sweet potatoes, and dressing (stuffing/kugel) seem to have a fairly standard response.  And everyone always likes dessert.

What are some of your favorite Rosh Hashanah dishes? Is there a dish that you make every year or a special recipe that has been passed down for generation in your family? Let us know in the comments below.

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Rosh Hashanah Zucchini Soup
Zucchini Leek Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

A hearty soup that couldn't be easier.  Can be made with chicken stock, or vegetable broth if you want to keep it vegan.

Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: Kosher
Keyword: Soup
Servings: 10
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 8 Large Zucchinis
  • 64 oz Chicken Stock or Vegetable Broth Homemade would be ideal but 2 cartons of stock or broth will work
  • 3 Large Leeks Tough green parts removed, white and light green parts sliced and cleaned
  • 4 Medium Potatoes Peeled and chopped
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • 1/4 lb Thinly Sliced Beef Fry or Bacon Optional
Special Equipment
  • Immersion (AKA Stick) Blender
Instructions
  1. Peel and slice 6 of the zucchini and all 4 of the potatoes. Slice the the peeled zucchinis, potatoes and 2 of the leeks in to 1/4" rounds. Reserve the other zucchinis and leek for later.  Make sure to clean the leeks thoroughly as they can be sandy. 

  2. Pour the chicken stock or vegetable broth in a large stock pot and add the sliced 4 potatoes, 6 zucchinis and 2 leeks.  Put over high heat and cook until the potatoes starting to break apart.

  3. Using the immersion blender, process until smooth.

  4. Slice the additional 2 zucchinis and the leeks in to 1/4" rounds and add to the soup.  Cook until the zucchini just start to soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  5. (Optional) Fry the beef fry or bacon in a pan or the oven until crispy.  Chop into small pieces and use to garnish the soup