Tzimmes is any kind of sweet stew. It usually is orange in color, and includes carrots, sweet potatoes and/or prunes. A wide variety of dishes fall under the heading "tzimmes." On Passover, I commonly make a tzimmes of carrots and pineapple chunks boiled in pineapple juice. On Thanksgiving, I serve a tzimmes of sweet potatoes, white potatoes, carrots, and stewing beef.
Tzimmes is commonly eaten on Rosh Hashanah, because it is sweet and symbolizes our hopes for a sweet new year.
The word "tzimmes" is often used in Yiddish to mean making a big fuss about something.
This is the tzimmes recipe I use for Passover:
• 1 can of pineapple tidbits in pineapple juice
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large slices
• Additional pineapple juice or water if needed
Put the carrot slices and the pineapple with its juice in a large saucepan and bring it to a very low simmer. Let it simmer for half an hour or longer, until the carrot slices have absorbed most of the pineapple juice and are soft. If the juice level gets too low before this is done, add a bit more pineapple juice or, if none is available, some water.
This is the tzimmes recipe I use for Thanksgiving:
• 1 lb. stewing beef, cut into small chunks
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 3 sweet potatoes
• 3 white potatoes
• 5 carrots
Brown the stewing beef lightly in a little oil in a 2 quart saucepan. Add the water and sugar and bring to a boil, then reduce to a very low simmer. Peel and dice the potatoes and carrots and add to the pot. Let it stew covered at very low heat for at least an hour, adding water periodically if necessary. There should be water, but it should not be soggy. Once the potatoes are soft, take the cover off and let most of the water boil off. Mash the whole mixture until the potato part is the consistency of mashed potatoes. Put the mash into a casserole dish and bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
If you don't like so much refined sugar in your diet, you can substitute about a cup of raisins or prunes for the sugar.
Written by: Judaism 101
Originally from: http://www.jewfaq.org/food.htm
Posted on ShalomAdventure.com by: Brenda Miller
Picture by: frank wouters antwerpen, belgium; http://ru.wikipedia.org
