Tzimmes Time

When I was growing up, shorter days and chilly nights meant it was time for tzimmes.

The casserole of sweet vegetables, a specialty of Eastern European Jewish cooking, is a Friday night favorite in many homes throughout the year and for just about every holiday. On our family’s table, the hearty, warming dish, with its autumn colors, appeared when the weather turned cool.

Tzimmes is, in fact, an entire category of dishes that range from simple glazed carrots to elaborate stews of beef, vegetables and fruit. It is these more complex renditions that undoubtedly gave rise to the Yiddish expression “to make a tzimmes” out of a situation, meaning to make a fuss or a big deal.

For quick cooking, I often make vegetarian tzimmes, which are a breeze to prepare.

What’s unusual about tzimmes is that the vegetables are generally cooked with fruit, usually dried fruit. The most traditional combination is carrots or sweet potatoes stewed with prunes and honey. Dried apricots, pears, raisins or mixed dried fruits are sometimes substituted for the prunes, or fresh apples might be used instead. White potatoes or winter squash might be mixed with the other vegetables. There are even recipes for tzimmes made of rutabagas and dried lima beans.

Tzimmes are sweet. In addition to the fruit, the casseroles are flavored with sugar, honey or both. As the casserole simmers on the stove or bakes in the oven, the sugar and cooking liquid--which can be water or fruit juice--become a sweet sauce for the vegetables and fruit.

How sweet to make tzimmes is a matter of taste. Old recipes often call for large amounts of sugar. I prefer a light touch. Lemon juice, grated lemon zest or cinnamon are added by some cooks. I find these flavorings provide a good foil for the sweetness of the dish. For the same purpose, I also love fresh ginger. Some people thicken the sauce with potato starch, cornstarch or flour or they add a small amount of pearl barley, rice or egg barley, which has a similar thickening effect and makes the tzimmes more substantial.

Tzimmes could be described as glazed vegetables taken to new heights. They make lovely side dishes for festive fall and winter dinners or for holiday celebrations. And tzimmes have another advantage: Because the sweet taste appeals to nearly everyone, they help encourage children, as well as adults, to eat their vegetables.

Levy’s latest books are “The Low-Fat Jewish Cookbook” (Potter) and “The New Casserole” (Macmillan).

CARROT AND PINEAPPLE TZIMMES WITH GINGER

Low-fat cooking

1 (12-ounce) package fresh pineapple chunks, with juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 cup water

Dash salt

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon minced ginger root

1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

I like to pair carrots with fresh pineapple instead of the usual prunes and to accent the dish with ginger root and water chestnuts. If you have dried cranberries on hand, stir in 1/4 cup at the last moment for a colorful, tasty addition. Tzimmes often has oil or margarine, but I prefer to leave it fat-free. The savory-sweet stove-top casserole makes a marvelous companion for roast turkey or chicken.

Mix 2 tablespoons juice from pineapple chunks with cornstarch in cup.

Combine carrots with water and salt in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover and cook over low heat until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove carrots with slotted spoon and set aside.

Add honey and ginger to carrot cooking liquid and bring to simmer, stirring. Mix cornstarch solution to blend and stir into simmering liquid. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until sauce comes to simmer and thickens. Gently stir in reserved carrots, water chestnuts and pineapple chunks and heat until bubbling. Serve hot.

4 servings. Each serving:

184 calories; 105 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1.90 grams fiber.