(The Nosher via JTA) – For years I made Nach Waxman’s “most-Googled brisket recipe” for every Jewish holiday. My family loved it, but eventually we all got tired of the same ol’ same ol’.
One year I decided to mix things up a bit and give the recipe a Moroccan twist: I added Middle Eastern spices, dried fruit and capers. Everyone thought it was a wonderful twist on the original.
The ingredient list looks long, but don’t let that scare you off; it’s really just a lot of spices. Plus, you can make it days ahead of time — in fact, you should, because the flavor improves the longer it sits. This dish is so abundant and impressive looking, you can keep the sides simple: Some couscous and a green vegetable and your holiday dinner is done.
Moroccan-Style Brisket with Dried Fruit and Capers
Ingredients
- 4-6 lb. flat-cut brisket
- 1 tbs. kosher salt heaping
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp. all-purpose flour
- 3 tbs. vegetable oil
- 5 medium yellow onions cut into slices 1/2 inch thick
- 2 tsp. packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp. ground coriander
- 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 tbs. tomato paste
- 5 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 6 carrots peeled and quartered on the diagonal
- 14 dried apricots
- 12 pitted prunes
- 2 tbs. capers drained
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Season the brisket on both sides with the salt and pepper. Lightly dust with the flour, turning to coat both sides evenly.
- In a heavy flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot just large enough to hold the brisket, carrots and dried fruits snugly, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the brisket to the pan, fatty-side down, and sear until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a pair of tongs and a large fork, flip the brisket over and sear the other side in the same manner.
- Transfer the brisket to a platter, then add the onions to the pan. (If the pan seems dry, add a few tablespoons of water.) Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the onions are softened and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the brown sugar, paprika, cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon and cayenne to the onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Add 1 cup water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Remove from the heat and place the brisket, fatty-side up, and any accumulated juices from the platter on top of the onions. Spread the tomato paste evenly over the brisket, then scatter the garlic around it. Cover the pan very tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
- Carefully transfer the brisket to a cutting board (leave on the oven).Using an electric or very sharp knife, cut the meat across the grain on a diagonal into thin slices (aim for 1⁄8 to 1/4 inch thick). Return the slices to the pot, overlapping them at an angle so that you can see a bit of the top edge of each slice. The end result should resemble the original unsliced brisket leaning slightly backward. Scatter the carrots, apricots, prunes and capers around the edges of the pot and baste with the sauce; cover tightly with the foil or lid and return to the oven.
- Lower the heat to 325 F. and cook the brisket until it is fork-tender, 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 hours. Transfer the brisket to a serving platter, then sprinkle with parsley. If you’re not planning to serve the brisket right away, let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8.
Notes
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