Roasted Tzimmes with Hot Honey & Citrus Glaze
Tzimmes is essentially a stewed vegetable and fruit casserole that originated in Eastern Europe hundreds of years ago. The dish is traditionally served during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which this year begins at sundown on September 22.
Tzimmes is a classic dish, albeit with dozens of variations based on place of origin, with most families having their own beloved version. A wonderful balance of savory and sweet, tzimmes is the perfect dish to usher in a new year full of hope for the future. It is a time of renewal and introspection, and it’s wonderful to share with family and friends to welcome in the Fall season.
Translated into Yiddish, the word tzimmes means “to make a big fuss,” but you’ll find the recipe to be pretty simple and straightforward. Usually baked in a Dutch oven, my version reflects my philosophy that, unless eaten fresh, all vegetables and fruits taste best when roasted. And while tzimmes is usually served as a side dish, here at PB411, we’re reimagining the Rosh Hashanah menu where tzimmes, featuring roasted and glazed root vegetables, dried fruit, and organic pressed tofu, is now the main dish.
Purple-fleshed Okinawa sweet potatoes, rainbow baby carrots, parsnips, Italian prune plums, and cubes of organic pressed tofu are drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper and fresh thyme, and then roasted in the oven until caramelized and tender. Meanwhile, on the stovetop, fresh-squeezed orange and lemon juices and hot (jalapeno) honey are flavored with ground cinnamon, paprika and a pinch of salt to create a rehydration liquid for dried apricots and dates, morphing into a glaze for the roasted vegetables and plums.
Roasted tzimmes with Hot Honey & Citrus Glaze will bring warmth and comfort to your holiday table. The New Year is a celebration of the creation of the world and a time to reevaluate priorities and consider making a fresh, new start. What a perfect time to include more plant-based foods into your life. Shana Tovah!
Roasted Tzimmes with Hot Honey & Citrus Glaze
Ingredients
3 Okinawa sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 package baby rainbow carrots, trimmed & quartered
4 parsnips, peeled & sliced
4 Italian prune plums, pitted & quartered
1 package organic pressed tofu, cubed
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper for sprinkling
Fresh thyme leaves for sprinkling
Glaza
1 ½ cups fresh-squeezed orange juice
½ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 cup hot honey (jalapeno)
1 ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 package dried apricots, halved
10 organic medjool dates, halved
Fresh thyme for garnish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350º. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Spread with sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, plums, and tofu on the parchment paper. Drizzle everything with the oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. Place the baking sheets in the oven initially for 15 minutes.
On the stove top, add the orange and lemon juices, hot honey, cinnamon, paprika, and salt into a saucepan and bring the mixture to a slow boil. Add in the dried apricots and dates and continue cooking for 10 minutes and then turn off the heat.
Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Carefully stir to turn over everything and spoon some of the glazing liquid over all the veggies and plums. Return the baking sheets to the oven for another 15 minutes or so until everything is caramelized. Remove from the oven.
Transfer the veggies, plums and tofu to a serving dish. Pour over the remaining glaze, including the apricots and dates, and stir to combine. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.
