Brighten Spirits by Celebrating Succot With Light and Nutritious Menu : Lighthearted Holiday Is a Festive Time to Entertain Family, Friends

Succot is a lighthearted Jewish holiday, offering thanks for the past harvest and praying for a bountiful one to come. The traditional foods center around fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, inspiring us to plan a light and nutritious menu.

In ancient times, holiday meals were eaten in a succah --a small gazebo-like building with three sides, decorated with fruit, greenery and sheaves of grain. It symbolized the huts that workers used to live in during the harvest season, and this year I am decorating my Succot dinner table with a centerpiece of a miniature ceramic succah.

The holiday is a fine one for feasting and entertaining family and friends. Make some extra harvest rolls and Lemon-Chocolate Tarts for such happy occasions.

Fragrant With Herbs

Tradition calls for stuffed foods on this holiday, such as kreplach or blintzes. I have created a new recipe in this category, Mini-Cabbage Rolls. Small and fragrant with herbs, they are easy to make ahead and reheat in the soup--a rich vegetable broth--a few minutes before serving time.

For the fish course, inspired by the French, I have used locally available Pacific red snapper instead of the more expensive fillet of sole. The cooking method calls for a combination of broiling and baking instead of poaching, which preserves the flavor and texture of the fish. The grapes and a little white wine carry out the holiday harvest theme.

For dessert, we will enjoy Lemon-Chocolate Tarts--the chocolate makes a rich layer between the tangy lemon filling and the flaky pastry. The lemons have special meaning because they represent the ceremonial esrog , fruit of the citrus tree, which plays an important part in the Succot ritual.

This low-fat and low-calorie menu should help brighten holiday spirits and is easy to prepare, leaving plenty of time to celebrate.

SUCCOT MENU Fresh Vegetable Soup With Mini - Cabbage Rolls Pacific Red Snapper With Grapes in Wine Sauce Vegetable Pasta Yellow Cornmeal Harvest Rolls Lemon-Chocolate Tarts California White Wine FRESH VEGETABLE SOUP WITH MINI-CABBAGE ROLLS

1/4 cup olive oil

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, sliced

6 large parsnips, peeled and sliced

6 carrots, peeled and sliced

8 cups vegetable or pareve chicken stock, heated

Salt, pepper

Mini-Cabbage Rolls

Heat olive oil and saute onions and garlic until tender. Add celery, parsnips and carrots and saute until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add hot vegetable stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and simmer 45 minutes.

Place Mini-Cabbage Rolls into each soup dish and ladle hot soup over. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Mini-Cabbage Rolls

1/4 cup olive oil

1 onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup brown rice

2 cups water or stock

Salt, pepper

1 head cabbage, core removed

Heat oil in saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add rice and water and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boil, mix well. Cover and continue cooking on low heat until rice is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Steam cabbage until leaves are tender. Place cabbage leaves on work area. If leaves are too large, cut in halves. Using slotted spoon, spoon rice in center of each leaf, reserving broth. Roll leaves around to enclose rice, tucking in sides. Place cabbage rolls in baking dish. Spoon reserved broth over cabbage rolls to cover. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes, just to heat through.

PACIFIC RED SNAPPER WITH GRAPES IN WINE SAUCE

6 green onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup vegetable stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chopped parsley

3 pounds red snapper fillets, cut into 8 to 10 portions

1 cup seedless grapes

Vegetable Pasta

Saute green onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons melted butter until tender. Spoon onto foil-lined baking pan. Add stock, wine and parsley. Place red snapper fillets on top of onion mixture and top with pieces of remaining butter. Place under broiler and broil, basting occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Add grapes during last 5 minutes. Serve immediately with Vegetable Pasta. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Vegetable Pasta

1/4 cup butter or margarine

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup vegetable stock

6 to 8 basil leaves, chopped

Salt, pepper

6 large zucchini, unpeeled, cut julienne

8 large carrots, peeled, cut julienne

Boiling salted water

Heat butter in large skillet. Add garlic and saute until crisp. Add stock and basil leaves. Bring to boil and simmer until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add zucchini and carrots to boiling salted water. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Drain. Add to sauce in skillet and toss to coat.

YELLOW CORNMEAL HARVEST ROLLS

1 package dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

Dash sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 eggs

Cornmeal

1 tablespoon salt

4 to 5 cups flour, about

Sesame seeds

Combine yeast with 1/2 cup warm water and sugar in small bowl until foamy. Combine remaining 1 cup water, olive oil and 2 eggs in another bowl. Beat well. Blend in yeast mixture, 1 cup cornmeal, salt and flour, 1 cup at time, until mixture forms soft dough. Pour out onto floured board and knead, adding additional flour as needed, about 5 to 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.

Place dough in oiled bowl. Turn to coat top of dough, cover with towel and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. If dough is sticky, knead in additional flour. Pinch off pieces of dough and form into round or oval roll. Place on foil-lined and greased baking sheet that has been sprinkled with additional cornmeal. Cover and let rise in warm place 30 to 40 minutes or until doubled.

Brush with remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly brown and makes hollow sound when tapped with finger. Makes 16 to 18 rolls.

LEMON-CHOCOLATE TARTS

1 cup melted semisweet chocolate

6 (4-inch) baked tart shells

4 eggs, separated

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

Grated peel of 2 lemons

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Brush thin layer melted chocolate over cooled tart shells. Set aside.

Beat egg yolks in top of double boiler over simmering water. Add sugar in slow stream, beating until smooth and light in color. Slowly add lemon juice and peel, beating until mixture begins to thicken.

Add butter in pieces, beating after each addition to blend. (Mixture will thicken in about 5 to 10 minutes.) Pour into heat-proof bowl and cool. Pour into chocolate-lined tart shells, starting in center, allowing mixture to spread. Smooth with spatula. Refrigerate.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until stiff and glossy. Spoon into pastry bag with decorating tip and pipe onto lemon filling. Place under broiler and broil until golden brown. Cool. Makes 6 tarts.