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At the beginning of the Jewish New Year, which starts on Sept. 12, a traditional meal that has some sweetness in it is usually served. The food represents hope for a sweet New Year.

Honey is the sweetener of choice and it is incorporated into main courses, desserts, even vegetable dishes.

Here is a Rosh Hashanah dinner, which is Sephardic in origin as opposed to Ashkenazi Ashenkenzy. Driven out of Spain and Portugal by the Inquisition in the 15th century, the Sephardic Jews scattered all over the Mediterranean. Their food is influenced by the cooking traditions of Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Algeria and Greece as well as Israel. It is based on vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices and has a warm, earthy element to it.

A traditional dessert would be a phyllo dough and nut confection like baklava and a fresh fruit salad flavoured with rosewater.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN SOUP

A Mediterranean version of chicken soup that uses Israeli couscous instead of the more traditional rice. Israeli couscous is a tiny round pasta that looks like pearl barley but tastes like pasta. It is the perfect soup for Rosh Hashanah.

What you need

6 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup Israeli couscous

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Salt and freshly ground pepper

What do you

Bring broth to boil in large pot, slowly stir in couscous. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until couscous is softened.

Beat together eggs, lemon juice and dill in a bowl. Slowly stir in several ladlefuls of soup. Add warm egg-lemon mixture back into soup and cook together for 2 or 3 minutes. Do not boil because the soup will curdle. Season well with salt and pepper. Serves 6.

CHICKEN TAGINE WITH CARMELIZED ONIONS AND PRUNES

I like to use chicken thighs with the bone in for maximum flavour. However, I do remove the skin to make sure that the spices are infused in the chicken meat. You can use boneless thighs as well, but cook 10 minutes less time. For people who prefer breast meat, cut each breast into 4 pieces and again cook 10 minutes less time.

What you need

Spice Mixture:

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon saffron, crushed (optional)1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Chicken:

12 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), skin removed

Salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups sliced onions

1 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

1 cup chicken stock or water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

18 pitted prunes

What you do

Combine garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, cumin, paprika, saffron and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of mixture over chicken thighs and leave to marinate for 30 minutes, reserving other half of mixture.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt to taste, add to skillet and sauté for 3 minutes per side or until golden. Remove from pan and reserve.

Add onions to pan reduce heat to medium, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until onions are golden and very soft. Add remaining spice mixture and sauté for 2 minutes or until spices are fragrant.

Add honey, parsley and coriander and stir together. Add stock and lemon juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and return chicken bone-side up to pan. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Turn chicken over, add prunes and cook for 5 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through. Serves 6.

RADISH AND ORANGE SALAD

You can add chopped red onions to this salad.

What you need

2 oranges

2 1/2 cups sliced radishes

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped mint

Salt to taste

What you do

Remove peel and white pith from oranges and thinly slice into rounds. Cut in half.

Mix together oranges and radishes and toss with lemon juice and olive oil. Add mint and season with salt. Serves 6.

COUSCOUS WITH SEVEN VEGETABLES

It is good luck to have seven vegetables in any Moroccan dish.

What you need

3 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup carrots, diced

1/2 cup white turnip diced

1/2 cup diced red pepper

1/2 cup diced zucchini

2 cups coucous

1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

What you do

Heat chicken stock in a pot over medium heat. Add cumin, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon and turmeric and simmer together for 10 minutes.

Add onions, carrots, turnips, red pepper and zucchini and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Turn heat to high and bring to boil. Stir in couscous and peas. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, season with salt and sprinkle with coriander. Serves 6.

lwaverman@globeandmail.com