Joan Nathans Favorite Brisket Food

JOAN NATHAN'S PICKLED TONGUE OR BRISKET

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Wash and remove most of the fat from the tongue or brisket.
• In a bowl, mix together the salt, spices, brown sugar, and garlic. Rub the mixture all over the meat. Place the meat in a large, nonmetal container that will fit in your refrigerator or a plastic zip-top bag.
• Dissolve the saltpeter in the warm water and pour over the meat. Weigh the meat down with a plate and something heavy on top, like a clean stone or brick, and cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 10 to 14 days, turning the meat every 2 to 3 days.
• Remove the meat from the pickling solution and place it in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, remove the meat, and discard the water. Repeat this process 3 more times.
• Place the meat in the pot and cover with cold water again; bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer , covered, for about 2 hours or until tender.
• If cooking tongue, peel the skin off while it is still warm. Cool the meat and slice thinly.
• Serve on a platter with mustard or horseradish or as a sandwich.
• Enjoy.

JOAN NATHAN'S FAVORITE BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325. Place onions and garlic in a 5-6 quart casserole. Season brisket with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat and sear brisket until browned, 3-4 minutes on each side. Place fat-side-up on top of onions. Add tomatoes and their juice, breaking them up with a fork. Add wine, celery, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary. Cover casserole and bake for 3 hours, basting with pan juices every 1/2 hour.

JOAN NATHAN'S SEVEN FRUIT HAROSET

Steps:

• Combine coconut, walnuts, raisins, apples, prunes, pears, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan.
• Add water to cover, about 6 cups.
• Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat until thick, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Add small amounts of water as necessary to prevent sticking.
• Add jam, remove from heat, and add wine.
• Stir to combine.
• May be made ahead of time.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

MY FAVORITE BRISKET (NOT TOO GEDEMPTE FLEYSCH)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Sprinkle the salt and pepper to taste over the brisket and rub with the garlic. Sear the brisket in the oil and then place, fat side up, on top of the onions in a large casserole. Cover with the tomatoes, red wine, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary.
• Cover and bake in the oven for about 3 hours, basting often with the pan juices.
• Add the parsley and carrots and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes more, or until the carrots are cooked. To test for doneness, stick a fork in the brisket. When there is a light pull on the fork as it is removed from the meat, it is "fork-tender."
• This dish is best prepared in advance and refrigerated so that the fat can be easily skimmed from the surface of the gravy. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F. Reheat the gravy in a pan on the stove. Some people like to strain the gravy, but Joan prefers to keep the onions because they are so delicious.
• Trim off all the visible fat from the cold brisket. Then place the brisket, on what was the fat side down, on a cutting board. Look for the grain-that is, the muscle lines of the brisket-and with a sharp knife, cut across the grain.
• Put the sliced brisket in a roasting pan. Pour the hot gravy on the meat, cover, and reheat in the oven for about 30 minutes.

JOAN NATHAN'S CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300. Grease the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Melt the butter and combine with the graham cracker crumbs. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Save some crumbs.
• Combine the egg yolks, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and flour. Beat very well until light and fluffy.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle with the remaining graham cracker crumbs.
• Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave cake in the oven 1 additional hour. Then leave the oven door ajar 30 minutes more. (This prevents cracking).

JOAN NATHAN'S RUGELACH (CINNAMON, CHOCOLATE, OR APRICOT)

Steps:

• To make the dough, place the cream cheese and the butter in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Cream at a low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and salt and mix until a very soft dough is formed, about 2 more minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with baking parchment (or a Silpat baking mat).
• Mix the ingredients for the apricot or chocolate filling and divide the dough into 4 balls. On a lightly floured surface roll the balls out into 4 circles about 1/8-inch thick and 9 inches in diameter. Spread the apricot or chocolate filling over the dough. If using the cinnamon-sugar filling, brush the melted butter on first, then sprinkle the combined cinnamon and sugar.
• Using a dull knife, cut each circle into 16 pie-shaped pieces about 2 inches wide at the circumference. Roll up from the wide side to the center. Place the rugelach on the lined cookie sheets. Bake in the oven on the middle and lower racks, switching after 12 minutes, also switching back to front. Continue baking about 13 more minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the rugelach to racks to cool.
• Sprinkle the apricot and chocolate rugelach with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

JOAN NATHAN'S FAVORITE FALAFEL

Steps:

• Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain.
• Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
• Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
• Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.
• Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, and garnishes and sauces of your choice.