Chef George Duran shares easy Hanukkah recipes

Are you still planning your Hanukkah dinner menu? With the Festival of Lights celebrated for eight nights, there’s a lot of cooking to do! Celebrity Chef George Duran has shared three easy, delicious Hanukkah recipes that will help you prepare an amazing Hanukkah spread!

You may have seen Chef George Duran most recently as the host of TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off. A veteran of the culinary world, he’s also been on Food Network’s Ham on the Street and has authored the cookbook Take This Dish and Twist it.

Chef Duran has taken traditional recipes for Matzo Ball Soup and Latkes and elevated them with the addition of Dorot Gardens herbs. The addition of these herbs is a unique take on traditional recipes and gives these dishes a modern spin.

Matzo Ball Soup is traditionally eaten at Passover. However, it can be eaten all year long and is a great starter to your Hanukkah meal. It’s also a perfect soup for the cold weather and when you’re feeling under the weather.

Herbed Matzo Ball Soup

Ingredients:

For Matzo Balls:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup onion, finely chopped
3 frozen cubes Dorot Gardens Parsley
3 frozen cubes Dorot Gardens Basil
1 tsp kosher salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup Manischewitz matzo meal

For Soup:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups total finely chopped onions, celery, carrot, and parsnips
8 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Sauté onions in vegetable oil on medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
Turn off heat and add all Dorot Gardens herbs. Allow to thaw and mix with onions. Once onions have cooled, add to a medium bowl.

Mix in eggs and salt and fold in the matzo meal. Cover and refrigerate as soup is prepared.
In a large saucepan, cook vegetables with vegetable oil until softened. Add chicken broth and as it comes to simmer, prepare the matzo balls.

To prepare matzo balls, divide herbed matzo into 12 equal parts and shape into balls with wet hands. Gently add to simmering broth. Cover saucepan and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
Taste broth and season with salt and pepper before serving.

These easy Hanukkah recipes from Chef George Duran will make a delicious addition to your holiday meal!

No Hanukkah dinner is complete without latkes! They are delicious by themselves, topped with applesauce or sour cream.

Herbed Latkes
(serves 4-6)

Ingredients:
2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled
1/2 onion
6 cubes Dorot Gardens Parsley
1/2 tsp olive oil
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
Apple sauce and sour cream, for serving

Directions:
Place 2 to 3 large layers of paper towels on a cutting board and begin grating potatoes and onion on top. Pick up the grated potatoes and onion and with the paper towel into a large ball and gently squeeze out liquid, trying not to rip through the paper towel. Place the grated potatoes and onion in a large bowl. Repeat as needed until all the potatoes and onions are grated and squeezed.
In a small bowl microwave Dorot Gardens Parsley cubes and olive oil for 1 minute. Once cooled, add eggs and beat.

Pour eggs into grated potatoes and use a fork to combine. Season with 1 tsp salt.
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet, about ¼ inch deep. Once the oil begins to shimmer (about 325°F-350°F), take a small handful of the potato mixture and flatten it out on the palm of your hand, making sure the pieces are binding.

Place these carefully in the hot oil and fry on each side until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Keep an eye on the oil temperature and adjust heat as needed to prevent latkes from burning or under-cooking.

Season with more salt and pepper as needed and serve with apple sauce and sour cream.

Although I’ve enjoyed rugelach, I’ve never tried making these tasty treats myself. This shortcut recipe using pie crust looks super easy!

Easy Chocolate Tahini Rugelach
(Makes 16 Rugelach Cookies)

Ingredients:
1 roll refrigerated pie crust (like Pillsbury Pie Crusts)
1/2 cup Mighty Sesame Organic Tahini
4 oz. finely chopped milk chocolate, or dark chocolate if you prefer less sweetness
Toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Unroll pie crust on a cutting board and squeeze about 1/2 cup of Mighty Sesame tahini throughout. Sprinkle evenly with chopped chocolate. Cut into 16 even ‘slices’ with a large chef knife.

Roll up each triangle tightly starting at the outer edge toward the center point and sprinkle each with sesame seeds.

Place Rugelach on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until just starting to brown. Note that some chocolate may leak out – this is completely normal.

Allow to cool on a cookie rack and serve.

These recipes are so easy to make and can be enjoyed not only during Hanukkah, but all year long! Which of these Hanukkah recipes do you want to try making?