The Festival of Lights: Hanukkah Supper Menu

Hanukkah

While Hanukkah only lasts 8 days and nights, I think that the festival of lights really starts around Thanksgiving and lasts until New Years, or even longer. While I grew up with a menorah, I always appreciated the twinkling lights of Christmas trees and the homes lit up with colored lights and decorations. Then there is the romantic light of the fireplace on a snowy winter’s night, crackling and warming the chill from ones hands and feet, a truly warm and wonderful light indeed!
But no light shines greater than the light of a child. And that is really what the holidays are all about, regardless of the religion in which we believe. Sharing, loving, laughing and appreciating the children around us as well as the child in each and every one of us is truly a reason to celebrate. Here is a Hanukkah supper that will shine the light on any table.
Click here to read all you've ever wanted to know about Hanukkah.


Sesame Cucumber Salad
2 English Cucumbers
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 bunches scallions, trimmed and chopped
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1-tablespoon sesame oil
1-tablespoon soy sauce
Peel the cucumbers and split them in half lengthwise. Using a sharp spoon, remove the seeds from the cucumber. Slice the cucumbers into crescent shapes and place them in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving. Serve over baby greens, if desired. Serves 6 to 8.


Champagne Dill Poached Salmon
A 2 to 3 pound salmon side fillet
2 cups champagne
Several rings of purple onion
4 slices fresh lemon
Several sprigs of fresh dill
1 teaspoon freshly cracker pepper
Place the salmon, skin side down in a large skillet with a lid. Pour the champagne over the salmon and arrange the purple onion rings, lemon slices and dill over the top of the salmon. Sprinkle the pepper over the top. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to just maintain a simmer until the salmon is cooked, about 10 to 12 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon. Serves 6 to 8.

Latkes
4 shredded potatoes
1 chopped onion
1-tablespoon flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
Combine potatoes, onion and flour. Blend in the eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat a generous amount of oil in a heavy nonstick skillet and drop 1/2 cupfuls of the potato mixture in the hot oil and flatten into pancakes. Reduce heat to medium and fry, turning once until both sides are brown and very crispy on the edges. Drain on paper towel and quickly serve with toppings of choice. Serves 6 to 8 Happy Hanukah!

Magners Apples with Cinnamon
3 or 4 Pink Lady apples, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped onion
3 cups chopped red cabbage
1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar
1/2-teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Magners Sparkling hard apple cider
Heat the oil until hot in a large heavy sauté pan over medium high heat and sauté the apples for 30 seconds. Add other ingredients and allow to simmer until apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

Toasted Scallion Sour Cream Latke Topper
2 bunches scallions, trimmed and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground pepper
16 ounces sour cream
1-teaspoon sweet paprika
Toast the scallions in the olive oil in a skillet over a medium high heat. Remove from heat and scrape the scallions into a mixing bowl to cool. Stir in the remaining ingredients until blended. Makes about 2 cups serving 6 to 8.

Apricot Blue Cheese Latke Topper
12 ounces whipped cream cheese
1 small purple onion, minced
1/2 cup apricot all fruit
1-teaspoon sweet paprika
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Blend ingredients together and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 48 hours before serving. Stir before serving. Makes about 2 cups serving 6 to 8.

Roasted Garlic and Eggplant Latke Topper
1 medium eggplant
1-teaspoon salt
8 cloves of garlic
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and quartered
2 onions, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend
2 sprigs of rosemary, stems removed
1/2-cup olive oil
Cut the eggplant into chunks and place in a glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Toss the eggplant with the salt. Set aside for 30 minutes and drain off any excess liquid. Place the remaining ingredients in the bowl and toss well to coat. Arrange the ingredients in a single on a roasting sheet and place in a pre heated 325-degree oven. Roast until the eggplant is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cool for 20 minutes. Place the ingredients, without any liquid left in the pan, into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse briefly just to chop the contents coarsely. Serve warm or room temperature. Makes about 4 cups serving 8.

Lemon Cake with Strawberry Sauce
For cake:
1 yellow cake mix plus necessary ingredients to complete mix
2 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1/3-cup fresh lemon juice

For drizzle:
1/3-cup fresh lemon juice
1/2-cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups powdered sugar

For sauce:
4 cups hulled strawberries, cut in half
1-cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1-teaspoon ground cinnamon

Prepare the cake in a 9 x 12 baking pan according to directions but replacing 1/3 cup of the water with 1/3 cup lemon juice and adding the lemon zest. Meanwhile, make the drizzle by stirring together the 1/3-cup lemon juice, 1/2-cup water and1 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves, and remove from heat to cool until cake is done. When cake comes out of the oven, allow to stand 15 minutes and pierce with a toothpick or skewer in a square grid design with 1-inch spaces. Slowly pour the warm drizzle over the cake in a stream following the grid design. Over the next two hours, while cake is cooling, periodically sift powdered sugar over the top of the cake until the sugar stays powdered and does not turn to liquid. Cut the cake into square serving pieces.
To make the strawberry sauce, toss the berries, sugar, orange juice and cinnamon together in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool until just warm. Place serving a cake on dessert plates and pour sauce over cake. Serves 12 to 16.