As I was commuting to work this cold, wintry New York morning, I was reminded of a warm and yummy Shabbos dish that has been in my family for years. I am referring to fricassee. There are many variations of this dish, and I don’t even know where my grandmother got this particular recipe since it seems to be very unique compared to the ones I just found online. My mother and my aunt have both replicated and slightly altered the recipe and have thus continued the family tradition of making it as an appetizer for Friday night Shabbos dinner.

My mother’s recipe is a little different from the one her mother made. My mother sautés onions and chicken necks in a huge pot for a while, then adds a lot of brown rice (she recently made the switch from white rice) with water, lets that cook for a while on the stove, and then finally adds several small cans of tomato sauce. I am sure I am missing some elements of the recipe, but that is the gist of it. She will make a huge pot of fricassee that could last for a few Shabboses, depending on how many guests come each Shabbos. (I can guarantee you that the serving bowl gets licked clean!) When my mother makes a fresh pot, it’s generally made early Friday morning and will simmer on the stove throughout the day. The whole house fills with the amazing aroma of the mouth-watering family favorite. When that happens, I feel a great need to have one-two servings before Shabbos because it is simply delicious! My sister and I have had several friends visit our house for Shabbos and they too have grown to appreciate this yummy Halstuch family home dish.

I love this concept of having a family dish which has significant meaning to my family. On some level, I associate Shabbos in my parents’ house with fricassee since I grew up with it, and when it’s not served, then I feel like something is missing. Something so simple as food can be the glue to creating a family connection and cohesiveness. I look forward to maintaining this family tradition, in addition to creating new family favorites with my own family, God willing. The only challenge will be figuring out how to replicate my mother’s recipe since I feel like it’s a science that has to get mastered!