All recipes from Joni Schockett at Jewish Family and Life

Rosh Hashanah is a time for leisurely visits. A lovely walk after synagogue and a relaxed lunch can be a wonderful way to renew friendships and catch up on the news of the summer. Your meals can be abundant and yet still be relatively easy to prepare and serve, allowing you time to visit. Why not have a delightful luncheon after synagogue and have your guests provide the dessert. All these recipes can be prepared in advance and served cold.

Garden Tomato Caviar with Bruschetta Toast (Pareve)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients 3 tbsp. olive oil
1-1/2 cup diced onion, red or yellow
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh basil, minced
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 tbsp. fresh oregano, minced
3-4 pounds fresh-from-the garden tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
2 tbsp. garlic wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
OPTIONAL: 2 tbsp. capers, drained and rinsed
Toasted French bread slices, rubbed with garlic and olive oil.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir well. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes or so, until the most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the herbs (and capers, if desired) and cook for another minute. Add the some or all of the vinegar, stir and season with salt and pepper. Pour into a pretty bowl, chill overnight and serve with Bruschetta Toast.

To make toast, cut a French baguette in slices about 1/2 inch thick. Rub each side with a cut garlic clove and drizzle or spray a tiny bit of olive oil on each side. Toast in your toaster oven or on a tray in the oven at 400 degrees, turning once. WATCH CAREFULL; they cook quite quickly and burn easily.

Eggplant Caviar With Bruschetta Toast (Pareve)
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Chilling Time: Overnight

You must barbecue the eggplant for this recipe to achieve its delicious smoky flavor. This can also be served with the French Baguette Brushcetta. The recipe can easily be doubled and can be made two days in advance.

Ingredients
1 large eggplant
5 large cloves roasted garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. chopped scallions
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
OPTIONAL:
2 tbsp. pitted green olives, chopped
2 tbsp. oil-packed sundried tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained

To roast the garlic, cut the tips off a garlic bulb and place it, flat end down, in a baking dish, on a piece of foil. Drizzle generously with olive or vegetable oil and cover lightly with foil.

Bake at 350 until the garlic is fragrant and golden brown. Do not let it burn.

Wash the eggplant and dry it. Place it over a medium hot fire and, turning frequently, grill it until the skin is darkened and the eggplant has deflated and is soft but not mushy. Let it cool and then peel it, discarding the skin. Place the eggplant and garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse to mix well. Add the lemon juice, scallions, and olive oil and process until smooth. Add the optional ingredients and pulse a few times. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Pineapple and Chicken Salad (Meat)
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Chilling Time: Overnight

This recipe is beautiful to serve and tastes delicious. Make it the day before and chill. This can be easily doubled or tripled.

Ingredients
2 (6-ounce) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 whole pineapple
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup tablespoon chopped scallions
1/2 cup minced celery
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) chopped roasted walnuts
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

Preheat the grill to medium -high heat. . Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Using a sharp knife, split the pineapple in half. Using a paring knife, cut around the sides of the pineapple, leaving about 1/4-inch trim and remove the fruit. Reserve the pineapple boat. Remove the core from the fruit of the pineapple and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Place the pineapple slices on the grill and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, just until grill marks show. Remove from the grill and cool. Reserve 2 slices of the pineapples and dice the rest of the fruit. Dice the cooled chicken and place in a bowl with the pineapple and walnuts. Place the two remaining slices of fruit in the food processor and pulse to chop the fruit finely. Add the walnut oil and pulse once or twice. Pour into a small bowl. Stir in the scallions. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Toss the diced chicken, pineapple, red onions, celery, and walnuts with the dressing. Cover the salad and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. To keep the pineapple boats fresh, drizzle some fresh lemon juice in them, place them in plastic bags and refrigerate.

Remove both the pineapple boat and salad from the refrigerator. Spoon the salad into both pineapple boats. Garnish with chopped parsley. Place on a large platter with serving spoons.

Salade Nicoise (Pareve)
Preparation Time:
Chilling Time: Overnight

Salade Nicoise was very popular several years ago. It is, essentially a salad bar on a platter and often includes string beans, potato salad and flakes of tuna fish. I still like to serve it for a buffet luncheon, but with some updates. I serve the potato salad separately and offer more vegetables on the platter. For a spectacular treat, I grill blackened, spicy, tuna steaks and use chunks of them in this salad. I also serve different dressings on the side, so people can choose their own.

Ingredients
1/2 pound string beans
1/2 pound tiny baby carrots
1/2 pound Chinese peapods
1/2 pound grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 pound broccoli (tops only)
1/2 pound cauliflower, cut into pieces
1-1/2 pounds tuna steak, grilled and chilled
Red or green lettuce leaves for garnish
Olives and capers for garnish
Vinaigrette Dressing

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt. Blanch each vegetable separately by placing it in the boiling water for about 20-30 seconds, or until it turns bright in color. The broccoli will take longer than the pea pods. Drain each one and pour cold water over it to stop the cooking process. Place each kind of veggie in a plastic zipper-type bag and refrigerate.

Heat the barbecue to medium. Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil or melted butter and sprinkle with your favorite blackening seasoning. Grill until the tuna is cooked through, perhaps a little longer than you would cook them if you were eating them hot. Cut into strips or chunks and refrigerate on a plate covered with aluminum or plastic wrap.

ASSEMBLY: Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter. Place a cup of lettuce leaves in the center and mound the tuna pieces in that. Place the various vegetables around the tuna, mounding them up towards the center. Drizzle with the salad dressing or let everyone take their own. Garnish with olives and capers.

VARIATION: Toss each vegetable with some salad dressing before placing on the platter. You can use grilled or blanched salmon instead of tuna

Classic Vinaigrette Dressing (Pareve)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
1/4 cup garlic wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
3/4 cup light olive oil
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a closed container. Shake well.

Easy Potato Salad With Garlic Mayonnaise and Chives (Pareve)
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Chilling Time: Overnight

Ingredients
3 pounds waxy potatoes like Red Bliss, Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn
1 cup chopped chives
1 cup regular, no-fat or low-fat mayonnaise
4 large cloves garlic
pinch Kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Scrub the potatoes clean and add them to the water. Cook until fork tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Place in a large bowl. When cool, cut into quarters. Add the chives and toss.

Mash the garlic and salt in a cup using a small fork or pestle. Mash until the garlic forms a paste. Mix into one cup of any mayonnaise you like. Add the lemon juice and mix until smooth.

Pour over the potatoes and toss to coat evenly. Chill for several hours or overnight. Sprinkle with more chives for garnish.