Let’s make the High Holies special...

Most of us will have a very different catering and dining experience for Rosh haShana...we’re certainly not catering for dozens of extra mouths this season!

My sister’s in tight lockdown - her hubby’s having surgery this week so she’s on her own, her daughter’s family can’t join her and her son’s family is interstate. My brother’s family want to do their own thing this year; my D and I are semi-isolating so it’s just us... And no-one is really in the mood for fancy cooking or heaps of washing up. 

I found this lovely honey cake recipe using only 3 ingredients. Yes, 3! One is flaked almonds from which you grind your own meal as well as saving some for decoration. You can bake the batter as muffins, or small cakes, or the one full-sized cake with 8-10 serves.

https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/three-ingredient-honey-cake

If you want a bit of table theatre, and have the time for it (you need about 30mins prep time, then baking time, and some cooling time) then this honey custard cake is for you! Again, minimal ingredients for maximum effect.

https://ladyandpups.com/2014/04/11/the-imploding-honey-custard-cake-eng/ 

Oh, this is yummy! Honestly, I don’t think that I’ve thought of it before: carrot-ginger soup instead of borscht or chicken veg soup for Rosh haShana or breaking the Fast. 
This version is vegan and very easy:

https://www.chabad.org/recipes/recipe_cdo/aid/2316519/jewish/Ginger-Infused-Roasted-Carrot-Soup.htm

I’ve had toasted pine nuts and roasted cashews (not together) instead of the croutons

That is a fascinating imploding honey cake... but I'm pretty sure if I tried making it, it would come out as a honey-sweetened baked scrambled egg. (Seems like there's not much flour in it).

I think that lava-cake effect is more soufflé/ firm-custard texture, but she does stress that you have to get the whisking right. Maybe practice beforehand?? (Hee hee)

I thought, in terms of entrees, these two vegan egg salad recipes seem nice. Just decide if you want to use tofu, or cauliflower. There’s also a potato version, but I figure we’re eating enough potatoes...
https://www.capwn.org/assets/vegan-cauliflower.pdf Cauliflower 

http://www.veggieful.com.au/2014/08/vegan-curried-eggless-tofu-sandwiches.html (There are heaps of tofu based recipes that don’t cook the firm tofu; this seems easier especially for cleanup)

Most recipes this year have added dill and pickle juice, I guess for ‘heimische’ deli taste.  Don’t forget the sliced tomato salad or the olives on the side! 

And... pumpkin hummus!

http://www.veggieful.com.au/2012/09/spicy-pumpkin-hummus-recipe.html 

We’ll treat it as garlic optional, and maybe try a version without chickpeas (she suggests a potato substitute for legume-free), fiddling around with proportions.

Woohoo! I’ve found a couple of gluten-free kreplach recipes! Both are vegetarian, the first is vegan:

 http://veganstart.com/kreplach/ fill with mushroom mix; the egg substitute is cornstarch and water

http://herbsandherbivores.blogspot.com/2011/09/kreplach-dumplings-gf-super-easy-non-gf.html Smoother pastry; fill with a mashed potato/onion or sweet potato filling, or eggplant filling, or other suggestions

I’m feeling happier now.

joanne says: "I’m feeling happier now."

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