Shank Bone Filled With Dried Fruit And Rice
(Serves 5)
Ingredients:
Lamb shoulder (ask the butcher to remove the bones and create a pocket for filling)
1 tbsp. olive oil
5 tbsp. heated honey
6 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
8 garlic cloves, sliced
Filling:
2 cups round rice, cooked
1 cup pitted dates, cubed
1 dried apricot, cubed
1 cup Granny Smith apples, cubed
1 cup shelled almonds (blanched)
1 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium ginger root, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
A bed of root vegetables:
3 parsley roots, coarsely chopped
3 celery roots, coarsely chopped
8 medium artichokes, coarsely chopped
6 carrots, sliced
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
1 head of garlic, halved
1½ cups red wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Mix all the filling ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.
Stuff the pocket of the lamb shoulder with the filling.
Sauté all of the root vegetables in a frying pan until golden.
Pour the vegetables into a baking dish.
Place the meat on top of the vegetables.
Mix the honey, thyme, olive oil and garlic together and pour it over the meat. Pour the wine over the vegetables.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 90 minutes.
Uncover and bake again at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for an additional 90 minutes.
To serve: Slice the meat, place on a serving plate and add a spoon of vegetables.
Rosh Hashanah Honey Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup corn oil
1 cup water
4 medium eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. instant coffee powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves
¼ cup sliced almonds
½ cup honey
¾ cup sugar
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed
Preparation:
In a standard mixer, mix all the ingredients (except apples) for about 4 minutes, until fluffy.
Divide into 2 long loaf pans (about ¾ of the way full) and sprinkle with apples and almonds.
Bake on 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35 minutes.
Cool and serve.
Can be kept in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.
Moti Buchbut is executive chef at Inbal Jerusalem Hotel.