17 Kosher Wines and New Recipes for the High Holidays (2024)

The high holidays are just around the corner—Rosh Hashana starts at sundown Sept. 8, and Yom Kippur begins at sundown Sept. 17—and it's time now to stock up on great kosher wine and start planning your holiday meals. WineSpectator.com had a chance to speak with author Joan Nathan, whose titles include Jewish Cooking in America, Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook, and The Foods of Israel Today. Her latest book, Quiches, Kugels and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France, will be available in late October, and Nathan has kindly shared two recipes from the book, which also includes a fascinating section on the history of kosher wine in France, and how it's made today.

"France, in a way, is like the U.S.," said Nathan. "France was historically the promised land, and a cross-cultural land. People think of 'the French' as living in France, but there have been all kinds of people living in France for thousands of years." The recipes in her new book reflect this reality, with influences from Alsace, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Spain, Portugal and Eastern Europe.

For inspiration in planning your own holiday entertaining, see the recipes below, and the list of kosher wines, recently rated by the editors of Wine Spectator.

Moroccan Chicken with Olives and Preserved Lemons

Recipes from Quiches, Kugels and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France by Joan Nathan, to be published Oct. 26 by Alfred A. Knopf

• 4 large cloves garlic, mashed
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 to 2 tablespoons ras al-hanout (a Moroccan spice blend that includes cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, cloves, and paprika. Available in Middle Eastern stores, or you may substitute equal parts of the spices listed)
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• One 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 cup black Moroccan dry-cured olives, pitted
• Diced rind of 2 preserved lemons

1. Mix the mashed garlic with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, the turmeric, the ras al-hanout, half the cilantro, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Rub the surface of the chicken pieces with this spice mixture, put them in a dish, and marinate in the refrigerator, covered, overnight.

2. The next day, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. Sauté the spice-rubbed chicken until golden brown oneach side.

3. Stir the cornstarch into 1 cup water, and pour over the chicken. Bring to a boil, and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. Addthe olives, and continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Sprinkle on the preserved lemon, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Garnish with the remaining cilantro. Serve with rice or couscous. Serves 4 to 6.

Beef Cheek Stew with Cilantro and Cumin, Algerian Style

Nathan notes in her book that this dish, in which one may subtitute veal shanks, stew meat or flanken for the cheeks, tastes even better the day after it's made. Reheat just before serving.

• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 pounds beef cheeks, beef or veal shanks, stew meat, or flanken, cut into 2 pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 cups chicken broth

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy pan, add the onions and garlic, and cook until the onions are golden, adding more oil if needed. Remove from the pan, and set aside.

2. Add the remaining oil, and brown the meat on all sides. Return the onions and garlic to the pan, stir in the bay leaves, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, the cumin, and all but 2 tablespoons of the cilantro. Pour the chicken broth over the meat. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer very slowly for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.

3. Take the pan off the heat, let cool, then remove the meat with a slotted spoon and cut into 1-inch cubes. Return the meat to the pan, and refrigerate overnight.

4. The next day, remove any fat that has accumulated, reheat the stew over low heat, adjust seasonings, and sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons of reserved fresh cilantro leaves before serving. Serves 8 to 10.

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Note: The following list is a selection of wines from recently rated releases.

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