One Pot Wonders – Meals for Sukkot
Preparing meals and schlepping them to the sukkah three times a day can become cumbersome. One way of dealing with that is to eat One Pot Wonders. Meals that are made in a Dutch oven, crock pot or Instant Pot and can be served simply.
by Shoshana Isaacson
UNORTHOBOXED Magazine Food Editor
During the Holiday of Sukkot Jews around the world construct temporary structures called sukkot (huts) to remind them of the huts they lived in close to the fields during the harvest season and the clouds of glory that God wrapped our ancestors in as they walked the desert for forty years after the exodus from Egypt. The sukkah is a physical representation of our faith in God to provide us with shelter and shade.
During the holiday one of the mitzvot is to eat our meals in the sukkah. This is generally done with family and friends but even a snack eaten by oneself is usually eaten in a sukkah. There are some who have the custom to literally move into their sukkah for the duration of the holiday and sleep, as well as eat and relax, there.
Preparing meals and schlepping them to the sukkah three times a day can become cumbersome. One way of dealing with that is to eat One Pot Wonders. Meals that are made in a Dutch oven, crock pot or Instant Pot and can be served simply.
Regardless of where in the world we live, or our ancestors are from, there are some incredible one pot wonders to make serving your meals in the sukkah not only easy but delicious!
Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Apricots, Prunes and Preserved Lemons
(Multiple recipes follow to make this delectible dish)
A tagine is a ceramic pot with an inverted cone-shaped top used for creating many Moroccan dishes. If you don’t have one of these pots, no worries, as a heavy Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid will work just as well. The preserved lemons used in this dish are a quintessential Moroccan ingredient and are used with chicken, meat and fish recipes. Although preparing these (see note) takes a little forethought it is so worth the effort.
Ingredients
4 bone-in chicken leg quarters, separated at the joint.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, very finely diced
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon harissa store bought or homemade (recipe follows)
2 – 3 cups chicken stock
10 pitted dried apricots, cut in half
6 pitted prunes, cut in quarters
1/2 preserved lemon, chopped finely
1 teaspoon vegan butter / parve margarine
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Preserved Lemons
Ingredients
A dozen lemons, thoroughly washed and unblemished
Kosher salt (you will need a lot so make sure to have a large box or two)
A large glass wide mouth Mason jar that will hold all of the lemons
Olive oil, optional
Garlic cloves, optional
Harissa Paste
Ingredients
4 oz dried chilies – (an assortment mild, med, hot, smoked)
6-8 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons caraway seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or finely minced preserved lemon)
1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Cut stems off the chilies and shake out the seeds. Break apart if you like
Step 2
Toast the dried chillies in a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes so they release their flavorful oils.
Step 3
Place the chillies in a medium pot of boiling water, simmer for 15 minutes, turn heat off, cover, let sit for 30 minutes.
Step 4
Toast spices and grind them.
Step 5
Toast spices and grind them.
Step 6
Place all the ingredients in a food processor – chilies, spices, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and pulse until desired consistency.
Step 7
To store, place in a sealable jar and drizzle olive oil over top after each use, to preserve. It will last 1-2 months in the fridge. If it’s covered with a layer of oil, it should keep well.
