Roasted Brisket and Noodle Kugel
My mother grew up just down the street from a large Jewish family in Kansas City, Missouri. In the mostly Catholic neighborhood, her friends were always the minority. My mother loved being a rebel and befriending people who were different became close friends with them. As a result, I grew up with my mothers’ stories about Seder meals and her love of what she calls Jewish penicillin: matzo ball soup. Thankfully, in San Jose, we also had a local Jewish / German deli Gunther’s which made incredible stuffed cabbage and potato pancakes. But, I admit even with those influences, I didn’t truly understand Jewish food until I went to New York and lived there for six years, discovering a true love of Jewish food. In fact, when it was announced that Carnegie Deli was going to close, I made sure on my last trip to eat there because it being closed will forever leave an empty spot in my heart. There is a heartiness and a love that goes into Jewish cuisine, as well as a lot of time. As one of my Jewish friends says, “we cook it and then cook it again!”
Below are a couple of dishes made for a friend whose mother has since passed away. These are based on her recipes so you may see some things in them I don’t often use like “Korr’s French Onion Soup Mix”, but man, are they tasty. I admit, I altered them slightly.
Also, my friend and his mother were not Kosher and so she would serve Noodle Kugel, which has dairy, with her brisket. I love the combination of the sweet and savory so I do it the same way.
Enjoy!
Roasted Brisket
1 4-5 lb Brisket (this makes a lot!)
1 onion
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
1 cup red wine (here’s one of the changes I made because I just can’t do manischewitz wine)
4 cups low sodium beef broth
1 package Korr’s French Onion Soup
1 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley (again, not something I use)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
4 bay leaves
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
2 tablespoons of sherry or water
Vegetable or Peanut Oil (it’s important to use a flavorless oil with a high smoke point. I prefer peanut, but his mother preferred vegetable)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil till near smoking. Take the brisket and brown it in the pan. The searing should take between 5-8 minutes. You want to make sure it is really caramelized. Then flip and repeat.
When done, take it out of the skillet and place it in a roasting dish. Take the hot skillet off the heat and deglaze with the red wine. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet into the red wine with a wooden spoon and then pour the red wine over the brisket.
Then cut the onion in half, the carrots and celery into pieces and toss into the roasting pan. Next, in a measuring cup, mix half the beef broth (boxed is fine) with the contents of the french onion soup mixture and whisk together. Then add the tomato sauce to the measuring cup and continue whisking. Pour over the brisket and then pour the remaining 2 cups of broth in as well. The liquid level should come ¼ to ½ way up the brisket.
In a small bowl, mix together salt, white pepper, garlic and onion powder, oregano, thyme, and parsley. Then with a heavy hand sprinkle over the top of the brisket so it is covered. Some getting into the liquid is fine. Add the bay leaves to the broth.
Cover with foil and place in the oven for 3-3 ½ hours. Then take the foil off for the another ½ hour. After four hours of roasting remove from the oven. Take the brisket and allow it to sit in the broth for at least 20 minutes. Then move it to a cutting board and cover to cool for another ten minutes.
Place the roasting pan onto the stove, turn the heat on high. While the liquid in the pan is coming to a boil, in a small bowl mix cornstarch with either sherry or water. The original recipe calls for water, but I like the slightly sweet taste of sherry to finish off the gravy. Slowly drizzle the slurry of cornstarch and sherry into the pan while whisking. Whisk constantly until it comes to a boil. It is thickened. Now, his mother removes the bay leaves and tosses the entire contents in the blender and blends the vegetables into the gravy. You can easily do that, or simply take the vegetables and bay leaves out with a slotted spoon.
Slice the roast brisket and serve with the gravy.
Noodle Kugel
Ingredients:
1 lb wide egg noodles
4 eggs
1 16 ounce container of cottage cheese
1 8 ounce container of sour cream
1 8 ounce package of room temperature cream cheese
1 cup of raisins
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bring a large pot filled ¾ with water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt. Then add the egg noodles and cook for only 6-7 minutes; do not listen to the package and cook them for 10 minutes. Pour the water and noodles into a colander and reserve.
In a large bowl mix together the room temperature cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, crack the 4 eggs and then with a whisk mix until they are a homogeneous mixture. Pour the eggs into the bowl with the cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream mixture. Stir until incorporated. Add in raisins, cinnamon, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir together.
Slowly add the egg noodles folding them in with a spatula. Then pour the entire contents into a buttered baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 20 mins.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 30 mins so it sets. Then you can slice it into pieces and serve.
