Jewish Tzimmes with Dumpling
Recipe Ingredients
Brisket
- 2 pounds brisket
- 3 pounds carrots
- 4 slightly rounded tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes
Dumpling
- 3 ounces margarine
- 6 ounces self-rising flour or 6 ounces all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 - 4 tablespoons water to mix
Method
- Trim excess fat off the meat, leaving a thin edging, then cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks.
- Peel the carrots and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Put the carrots and meat into a pan, barely cover with hot water, add 2 tablespoons of the syrup, the pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, bring to the boil, and simmer for 2 hours either on top of the stove or in a slow oven.
- Skim, or if possible, chill overnight, so that most of the fat can be removed.
- Four (4) hours before you want to serve the tzimmes, make the dumpling by rubbing the margarine into the flour and salt. Mix to a soft dough with the water.
- Put the dumpling in the middle of a large oval earthenware, enamel or enameled-iron casserole.
- Lift the meat and carrots from their cooking liquid with a perforated spoon and arrange round it. (Without a dumpling, simply put the carrots and potatoes into the casserole.)
- Mix the cornstarch with enough water to make a smooth cream, then stir into the stock from the carrots and meat. Bring to the boil and pour over the carrots and meat.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into large cubes and arrange on top, adding extra boiling water if necessary so that they are just submerged.
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of syrup.
- Cover and bring to the boil on top of the stove, then transfer to a slow oven, 300 degrees F for 3 1/2 hours.
- Uncover and taste, adding a little more syrup if necessary.
- Allow to brown for a further half an hour, then serve.
- The potatoes and the dumpling should be slightly brown and sauce slightly thickened.
Variation: Add 8 ounces pitted prunes and/or 8 ounces dried apricots when the dish is cooked for the second time. You can also include 2 large sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cubed, as well as ordinary ones.
Source: Contributed by Lior to the recipegoldmine.com newsletter 4-22-02.