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Tzimmes

Tzimmes (pronounced ‘tsi-mas) is a traditional dish often served for Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), as a reminder for a sweet year, and for Passover. But this is a nutritious and colorful vegetable dish that can be served at any time of year and for any occasion. It goes easily with an Easter feast or a Ramadan meal.
The word Tzimmes is a Yiddish word which probably has its origin in German, first known use about 1892. The colloquial use of the word is “making a fuss,” probably this relates to preparation of the vegetables prior to cooking; all that peeling and chopping!
Each cook has his or her own recipe, just like many other traditional sorts of foods. So, you can find many recipes for this dish, all being somewhat different. I have had the best results cooking this on top of the stove, but many recipes recommend baking.
My family does not like overly sweet foods very much, including desserts! As a result, I have not put any additional sweetener into it, nor have I used any oil. My version of this dish is a combination of carrots and sweet potatoes, along with chopped prunes, sliced apricots, and some onion. This is one of those dishes that each cook has his or her own favorite way of making, so feel free to modify it according to your tastes and cooking style.
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Ingredients
  

  • Equal amounts of chopped sweet potato and carrot rounds (I used 2 1/2 cups of each)
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 6 dried apricots sliced in strips - 4 to 5 per apricot
  • 6 dried prunes quartered
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup white wine *
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger. I keep mine in the freezer so I always have some available. I wash it well and confess that I do not peel it.
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Sprinkle of nutmeg
  • * My trick is to freeze left-over wine, if there is just a small amount, instead of discarding it. I freeze in small containers the size of ice cubes. Then I have wine ready when only a small amount is needed for cooking.

Instructions
 

  • In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven with a lid, sauté the onions in 2-3 teaspoons of broth until they are translucent. Add more broth, if necessary, to keep them from sticking.
  • Add the carrots and 1/2 cup of broth and simmer for 10 minutes, covered.
  • Add the sweet potatoes, prunes, apricots and the other 1/2 cup of broth and the 1/2 cup of white wine. Cook covered until the vegetables are done. The carrots take longer to cook than the sweet potatoes and remain firmer even when cooked.
  • Add the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and mix well.
  • Remove the vegetables to a serving dish and boil down the pan juice until it is somewhat thickened, then pour it over the vegetables.
  • If you make this dish in advance of your meal, it can be reheated in a 350-degree oven for 1/2 hour, covered with foil for the first 15 minutes.
  • This can be served with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts on top.