The Yiddish word tzimmis has come to mean ΓÇ£fuss,ΓÇ¥ as in ΓÇ£DonΓÇÖt make such a tzimmis.ΓÇ¥ Tzimmis is basically any form of meat, potato, and vegetable casserole, sometimes including fruit. A really excellent, old-fashioned tzimmis requires patience, as it has to be cooked very slowly for a long time, basting from time to time so that all the flavors meld together. This recipe is for tzimmis with potato knaidle, potato pancakes in the form of a dumpling.
Heat in a large Dutch oven over medium heat:
2 tablespoons chicken fat or canola oil
Brown both sides, about 5 minutes each side, of:
1 2- to 3-pound brisket
Add:
2 onions, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Cook until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Deglaze pan with enough water to cover the meat. Add:
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meat is tender. At this point, the meat can be sliced and returned to the pot or left whole.
Preheat the oven to 350┬░F.
Add to the pot:
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds or julienned
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/3 cup brown sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Cover and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting from time to time, until the vegetables are tender. Taste for seasoning. If the liquid in the pot is very watery, or there is a lot of it, you can thicken the liquid. Heat in an ungreased skillet until lightly browned and nutty-smelling, being very careful not to burn, 3 to 5 minutes:
2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Add 1 cup of the cooking liquid, mix until smooth, and return the mixture to the pot.
For the potato knaidle, combine:
3 large potatoes, grated, liquid squeezed out
1 small onion, grated
1 tablespoon matzo meal or flour
1 tablespoon chicken fat or oil
Mix well. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the knaidle on the vegetables and in the pockets of stew (not covering the stew). Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 60 minutes until the knaidle are cooked through. Serve immediately.
