The Rosh Hashanah When Anna Gershenson Became the Family Matriarch

Photos by Penny De Los Santos, Food Styling by Judy Haubert, and Prop Styling by Vanessa Vazquez

Shared by Anna Gershenson
Recipe Roots: Riga, Latvia > Worcester, Massachusetts

The first Rosh Hashanah dinner Anna Gershenson hosted came on the heels of the saddest moment of her life. Her mother Rhoda, who Anna remembers as “the heart and soul of our family,” passed away just before the holiday. “I was crying incessantly for weeks. I couldn’t imagine living without my mom, but I had to. I was now the oldest woman in my family…. I had to become the matriarch,” she says. Through the haze of grief, she stepped into the role, making her mother’s kreplach, or chicken-filled dumplings in a clear broth, and teiglach, a sweet pastry boiled in honey.

Rhoda had “this kind of magnetism and life force,” Anna adds. She also had a resourcefulness that saw her through two wars. Born in Riga, Latvia in 1926, Rhoda attended the Hebrew gymnasium there until Germany invaded the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941. She used to tell Anna about the summer day when everyone around her started to scream “run to the train station.” Along with her mother Hanna and uncle, she grabbed what she could and caught a packed train headed deep into Russia. 

Of the three, only Rhoda would survive the journey. She spent the long years of the war living close to Siberia with relatives who also fled Latvia. They became her adopted parents and after the war, Rhoda gifted them the apartment she and her mother had left behind in Riga. In June of 1945, Rhoda met Pinkhus and by December they were married and had Anna in 1947.  

Being Jewish in 1950s Latvia was different from other Soviet republics, she says; her family didn’t feel pressure to keep their Jewish identity secret. For holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Anna would help her mother make dishes like gefilte fish from freshwater fish, chopped veal liver, braised tongue with raisins, and tzimmes. Before Passover, they would bring flour to their local synagogue where matzo was baked fresh each year. Her family also went to services there, “Even though we knew there were KGB agents,” Anna explains. There were still risks, but there was no question that her parents would keep the traditions alive.

In 1975, Anna and her family were able to leave the Soviet Union, while Rhoda was a refusenik, unable to leave the USSR. “Mom said she will fly on her wings to us,” Anna recalls and a year later, she and Pinkhus did.

When Rhoda passed away from cancer, she left behind a notebook with her recipes. As a professional cook and recipe writer, Anna has lent her own touch to the menu for holiday gatherings over the years, adding dishes like a bright arugula and fennel salad inspired by her life here. But her mother’s spirit and both of her parents’ love of Jewish life is still with her always, particularly at moments of Jewish celebration. 

“How wonderful it was that our family gave us this gift of what it meant to be Jewish, not just through anti-semitism, but through these beautiful traditions that came to us through generations,” Anna says. “My parents gave us that gift and we are continuing it.” 
Hear a recording of Anna sharing her family story at a live Schmaltzy event here.

Kreplach (Chicken-Filled Dumplings in Broth)

When Anna Gershenson’s mother Rhoda passed away just before Rosh Hashanah, the responsibility of hosting the family’s holiday dinner fell to Anna. It was the saddest moment of her life but through the haze of grief, she cooked her mother’s kreplach and teiglach.

Makes: 10-12 servings
Total Time: 1 hour, plus 3 hours 15 minutes inactive

Ingredients
For the dough:
1 ¾ cups flour
2 eggs
1 ½ tablespoons grapeseed or avocado oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon water or more, if needed to have a dough that is not dry, but moist and supple

For the broth:
1 whole chicken
2 large onions unpeeled, quartered
4 large carrots, cut into chunks
3 celery stalks, cut into pieces
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise 
1 bunch parsley 
1 bunch dill
1 sweet potato, cut in half
2 Bay leaves
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns 
4 ½ teaspoons salt 

For the filling:
Cooked chicken (from the broth base)
1 onion, medium chopped and sautéed lightly
½ egg, lightly beaten
⅛ cup chopped parsley
¾ teaspoon salt 
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ tablespoon olive oil 
Chicken broth to moisten the filling (from broth ingredients) 

Preparation

1. Make the broth: Place the chicken into a large stock pot, pour enough cold water to cover it and bring to a very low boil over medium-high heat. Skim the foam and never allow the water to be rapidly boiling to ensure a clear broth. Add the vegetables, black peppercorns, bay leaves and salt. Reduce to a very low heat and partially cover the pot, cook for about 45 minutes. Pull out the chicken and place into a bowl to cool for a few minutes. Separate the meat from the bones and return the bones to the pot. Keep cooking the broth partially covered over low heat for 2 more hours. Once it is done cooking, strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve, cool and refrigerate. 

2. Make the dough: In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs with oil, water and salt until well blended. Add the sifted flour in small quantities, mixing it thoroughly until a stiff dough is formed. Cover a clean surface with a heavy dusting of flour and place the dough ball onto it. Knead the dough until it is soft, supple and no longer sticky, about 5-7 minutes. Place the dough into a bowl, cover and let it rest for about 30 minutes. 

3. Make the filling: Take 1 cup of dark meat and ¼ cup of skin and place it into a food processor. Pulse a few times to start chopping. Add the sautéed onions, beaten egg, chopped parsley, salt, pepper and a couple tablespoons of chicken stock and pulse a few more times until the mixture is combined but not mushy. Set aside. 

4. Shape the dumplings: Divide the dough into thirds, working with a piece at a time and keeping the remaining pieces covered. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle. Keep switching the sides and rolling until it is so thin that you can practically see through it. Using a ruler and a pizza dough cutter, cut into 2.5x2.5-inch squares. Place a slightly heaping teaspoon of filling onto each square. Dip your finger into a cup of water, moisten two sides of the square and pull one corner to meet the opposite one. Pinch the dough tightly and make sure there is no air space left. The dumpling should be in the shape of a triangle. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Place the dumplings onto a prepared baking sheet sprinkled with flour. If you are not going to cook them right away, freeze them on the cookie sheet and then transfer into a plastic freezer bag for storage. 

5. Reheat the broth in a large pot and set aside.

6. Cook the kreplach: In a pot, bring water to a boil and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Drop the kreplach into the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes until the dough is no longer raw. It should be al dente, but cooked through. Take them out with a strainer, place into the bowls and pour hot broth over them. 

7. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Braised Chicken With Onions, Olives, and Prunes

When Anna Gershenson was little, her mother Rhoda made a simple chicken with onions, letting the bird cook in its own juices. As a professional cook and culinary educator, Anna has added olives, prunes, and lemon for a dish that’s special enough for Rosh Hashanah, but simple enough to make during the week.

Makes: 8-10 servings
Total Time: 15 minutes active, 1 hour inactive 

Ingredients
4 pounds chicken leg quarters, drumsticks and thighs separated
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt 
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large onions, peeled, cut in half and sliced thinly
2 bay leaves
peel of a lemon removed with a vegetable peeler
Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup pitted olives, green or kalamata
10-12 prunes 
Parsley for garnish

Preparation

1. Season the chicken with ¾ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper. If desired, you can separate chicken drumsticks from thighs.

2. In a large roasting pot or dutch oven, add the oil then cover the bottom with half of the sliced onions and season them lightly with ½ teaspoon salt. Place all the chicken pieces on top of the onions, then cover them with the remaining onion slices and sprinkle again lightly with ¾ teaspoons salt.

3. Tuck the lemon peel, bay leaves and olives between the chicken pieces.

4. Cover the pot and place it over medium-high heat. After about 10 minutes, reduce the heat to medium to medium-low to make sure it is cooking slowly. Braise the chicken for 30 minutes, then flip the pieces upside down and tuck in the prunes, distributing them evenly throughout. 

5. Continue braising for about 20 more minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.

6. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Sweet-and-Sour Beef Tongue With Onions and Raisins

When made well, beef tongue is rich, deeply flavorful, and well worth the effort. Like brisket, tongue is a tough cut which needs to be cooked for a long time to become tender, so don’t rush the cooking time. This recipe from Anna Gershenson, which gets its sweetness from raisins and tang from fresh lemon, and can be made a day in advance, stored in the refrigerator, and reheated before serving.

Makes: 6-8 servings
Total Time: 30 minutes active + 4 hours inactive

Ingredients
1 whole beef tongue (about 3 lbs)
2 whole onions, cut in half and peeled
2 carrots, cut into large chunks
1 stick celery (with leaves), roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
½ cup raisins
⅓ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
⅓ cup finely chopped almonds
1 ½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

1. Prepare the tongue: Place the tongue into a large pot and completely cover it with water. Bring the water to a boil, skimming the impurities after they come to the surface until the liquid is clear. Add the vegetables and ½ teaspoon of salt, bring back to boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook the tongue slowly with a partially covered lid until it can be easily pierced with a fork, about 2 hours. Remove the tongue from the pot and place on a plate to cool until you can handle it. Reserve the liquid one the side and allow it to cool. Using a knife, make an incision down the center of the tongue and start pulling the skin away to remove it completely. If it is stuck at certain parts, carefully slice it off with a paring knife. Discard the skin. Slice the tongue into ¼ inch slices on a bias. 

2. Make the sauce: In a large deep pan, saute the chopped onion in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until soft but not brown, about 10-12 minutes. Add the flour and mix it in with onions, cook for 4 minutes. Slowly add 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid, mixing as you are pouring it to prevent lumps from forming. Add the sugar, lemon juice and raisins, season with 1 teaspoon salt. Place the sliced tongue into the sauce and stir to cover the meat with sauce. Braise the tongue over fairly low heat, partially covered, so it is simmering slowly. Allow the tongue to cook for about 1 hour 45 minutes to make sure the tongue is very tender and has absorbed the flavors of the sauce. 

3. Add the chopped almonds and continue cooking uncovered for 10 minutes. Taste the sauce as you cook and balance the flavors by adding more salt, lemon juice or sugar to achieve sweet-and-sour flavor.

Arugula Salad With Fennel

This bright and zingy arugula salad from Anna Gershenson offers a fresh note to a menu of Rosh Hashanah recipes like braised tongue with raisins, chicken with prunes and olives, and teiglach for dessert. For a vegetarian menu, follow Anna’s lead and add ½ cup of crumbled feta on top.

Makes: 4-6 servings
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
For the dressing:
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted in a skillet over medium heat, cooled and ground
1 medium garlic clove, grated
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil

For the salad:
1 small fennel head, cut in half and thinly sliced (chopped fronds saved for garnish)
2 cups arugula
½  large Granny Smith apple, cored and julienned
½ cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
2-3 teaspoons capers
zest of a small lemon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Make the dressing: Combine the first 5 ingredients and let sit for about 10 minutes. Gradually whisk in olive oil and then set aside.

2. Make the salad: In a large bowl, toss together all of the ingredients until well combined. 

3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss together. Arrange the salad on a serving platter.

4. Sprinkle feta and chopped fennel fronds on top or gently mix them in.

5. Serve immediately.

Jam Crumble Bars

Anna Gershenson’s mother Rhoda used to make these jam bars often in their home in Riga, Latvia. Called fledl in the family, they can be made with any seedless fruit jam and are particularly good when served with tea.

Makes: about 18 crumb bars
Total Time: 15 minutes active + 1 hour 30 minutes inactive

Ingredients
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
A pinch of salt
7 ounces non-dairy butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounce jar seedless fruit jam of your choice
Confectioner’s sugar for sprinkling on top

Preparation

1. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with non-dairy butter.

2. For the dough, process together the flour, sugar, and salt preferably in the food processor.

3. Add the non-dairy butter and process again to break it into very small pieces. Add the eggs and vanilla and process until it forms a soft dough. Divide the dough into two parts: two thirds and one third. Put the smaller portion in the freezer and the larger portion in the refrigerator for about an hour. 

4. Press the remaining dough in the base of the prepared pan, so it is evenly distributed. 

5. Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.

6. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Using the coarse side of a grater, grate the remaining dough over the filling. 

7. Bake for about 35 minutes, just until the crumble becomes golden. Allow to cool and then cut into diamond shapes. Sprinkle the confectioner’s sugar over the top before serving. This recipe keeps well in an airtight container.

Teiglach

A dessert made of small knots of dough boiled in honey, teiglach is often served on Rosh Hashanah as a nod to a sweet new year. In Latvia, Anna Gershenson’s mother Rhoda always purchased teiglach for the holiday from a woman who sold them from her home kitchen. Before leaving the Soviet Union for the United States in 1976, Rhoda asked her to share the technique. In Massachusetts, they became one of her signature recipes.

Makes: 20-30 cookies
Total Time: 20 minutes active plus 1 hour inactive 

Ingredients
For the dough:
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or other neutral oil - canola, grapeseed, safflower)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt 
2 ½ cups, plus additional all purpose flour  

For the syrup:
2 cups sugar
2 ½ cups water 
2 cups honey
½ teaspoon ground ginger

For garnish:
Coconut flakes

 Preparation

1. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the sunflower oil, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift in 2 cups of flour. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. 

2. Turn dough onto a heavily floured surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. If the dough feels too sticky, keep adding small amounts of flour until it is workable. The dough is ready when it is pliable and smooth, the dough bounces back when you press on it with a finger. 

3. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

4. Place the sugar, water, honey, and ground ginger into a 10 quart pot with a lid (transparent if possible) over medium-high heat. As it begins to boil and foam, skim the foam off the top.

5. While the syrup continues to heat, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cut off a golf ball-sized piece of dough and roll it into a ½ inch thick by 6-8 inch long piece. Knot the piece of dough and set it aside. Repeat until you have used all of the dough. 

6. One at a time, carefully add the teiglach to the simmering syrup. Make sure to brush off any excess flour. The teiglach should not be too crowded in the pot. If they are, remove some pieces of dough. Cover the pot and bring the heat to low, the syrup should be bubbling and completely cover the cookies. Cook the teiglach for 20 minutes, being sure not to open the lid too often or move the pot.

7. While the Teiglach cook, prepare baking sheets by brushing with a light coating of oil.

8. After 20 minutes, remove the lid and check the teiglach. Turn them with a fork to make sure they are coated evenly in syrup.

9. Turn up the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 more minutes, turning occasionally. The teiglach and syrup will start to darken. 

10. Before removing each teiglach from the syrup, give them one last spin to coat evenly with syrup. Lay the cookies out onto the oiled sheet and sprinkle the coconut flakes generously over them. Set aside to harden and full cool for about 15-20 minutes before serving.