A sweet and savory start to the new year
Rosh Hashanah recipe features honey-glazed Cornish game hens
Though the disco ball drops in January, the shofar blows in September, marking the beginning of the new year for Jewish communities across the globe. Observed as one of the holiest times of the year, Rosh Hashanah is a special two-day celebration of what’s to come.
Like the ceremonial blowing of the shofar (a ram’s horn), the holiday is marked by many traditions such as candle-lighting, special greetings and prayers, and foods and dishes that hold special meaning for the coming year.
And since we are the Culinary Institute of America — where food is life — we’re here with a new family-favorite recipe to ring in the new year, with some special ingredients that help set the tone for happy and healthy months ahead.
Honey-glazed Cornish game hens with sautéed cabbage and baked apples is a fresh take on foods commonly found on your Rosh Hashanah table. Honey
infuses sweetness into the new year and, paired with savory schmaltz, adds a sticky glaze atop the crisp poultry skin. Served alongside sweet, baked apples — another tradition — and cabbage, this meal is sure to start your family’s year off with lots of luck and a full belly.
Schmaltz, which is simply rendered chicken fat, is a common ingredient in traditional Jewish cooking as a substitute for dairy-filled butter.
Schmaltz can be purchased in some specialty markets, but it’s a cinch to prepare. One common way to “make” schmaltz is to slowly render chicken skin over low heat until it gives up its clear fat — the schmaltz. Another option is to skim the brightyellow fat from the top of homemade chicken stock — also schmaltz! When hot it is a liquid, but stored in the refrigerator, the fat will become solid and scoopable.
We’ve used Cornish game hens for this recipe because they are perfect for individual servings at a holiday dinner. But this glaze will work perfectly with whatever poultry you prefer — roasting chickens, turkey or even duck. Of course, the cooking times will vary, so just roast the meat as you would normally, adding the glaze for the last 5 or 10 minutes. You can drizzle some of the leftover glaze over a platter of sliced meat, if you like.
Roasted meats and baked apples make the perfect sweet-savory combo. You’ll want to choose apples that stand up well to baking: Cortland, Golden Delicious, Jonagold or Granny Smith. Granny Smith is a great choice for this recipe since it’s a little tart, which will help balance out the sweetness of the honey-glazed hens. Of course, you want your new year to be sweet, not sour, so choose wisely.