In the kitchen with Henny: Sweetness in every course

SEPTEMBER 5, 2026 12:20Rosh Hashanah marks a new beginning for all of us, but for me, it also marks the start of my career as a kitchen coach.Back in 2020, after months of quarantine, my daughter finally started first grade. That first day she went back to school, I sat down at my computer to plan our Rosh Hashanah menus and thought, maybe I can share these ideas and recipes with others.The name “In the Kitchen with Henny” popped into my head; I put together a simple PDF for friends and family, and a new chapter began.Ever since then, Rosh Hashanah has felt even more special to me. It reminds me how something small can turn into something you never expected, which somehow feels very fitting for the start of a new year.I love that we can incorporate the simanim into the meal itself, using these traditional symbolic foods throughout. So I worked them into simple, festive dishes, using honey, silan, pomegranate, apples, and other familiar Rosh Hashanah flavors. Nothing complicated, just food that feels special and lets you enjoy the sweetness of the simanim from the first bite to the last spoonful.Honey-orange salmon bitesBy the time we fill our plates with sweet challah, apples, and honey, dates, pomegranate, and all the other simanim, there is already a lot going on. I love the idea of adding fish in a way that doesn’t turn it into a whole extra course.These bite-sized salmon pieces make it easy for everyone to have a taste, while the honey-orange glaze keeps them festive and right at home on the Rosh Hashanah table. Yields 6-8 servings, as a starter or siman600 gr. skinless salmon fillet, cut into 5-6 cm. cubes2 Tbsp. honey3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice1 Tbsp. grated orange zest2 Tbsp. olive oil2 garlic cloves, crushed½ tsp. salt¼ tsp. black pepperPomegranate seeds, fresh parsley, and orange slices for garnish In a bowl, whisk together the honey, orange juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and orange zest. Add the salmon cubes and gently toss until well coated. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.Arrange the salmon in a single layer on a baking-paper-lined pan and pour any remaining marinade over the top. Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 10-12 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked through and lightly glazed. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with pomegranate seeds, chopped parsley, and a few orange slices. Chill until serving.Silan-roasted carrots & squash By now, you’ve probably noticed how much I love cooking with – and eating – zucchini. So when I came across a version of this dish made with just carrots and butternut squash, which honestly is delicious enough on its own, I had to try adding zucchini. I love the extra flavor, and especially the pop of green it brings to the platter. Best of all, the oven and silan do all the work, caramelizing the vegetables beautifully without you having to stand over a pan to sauté them. Serve them as is, or spoon them over warm brown rice for a more substantial side.Yields 6 servings4 large carrots, peeled and cut into thick diagonal slices1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3-4 cm. cubes2 medium zucchini, cut into thick half-moons8-10 garlic cloves, peeled3 Tbsp. olive oil2 Tbsp. silan1 Tbsp. lemon juice½ tsp. salt¼ tsp. black pepper2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, for garnish6 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped, for garnish Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, silan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Place the carrots, butternut squash, and garlic in a large baking pan. Pour about two-thirds of the marinade over the vegetables and toss well to coat. Roast for 25 minutes.Meanwhile, toss the zucchini with the remaining marinade. Add the zucchini to the pan and gently mix with the other vegetables. Return to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and caramelized. Transfer to a serving platter and scatter the chopped dates and parsley over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.Sweet & shallot chickenI like to have two different mains available when we’re hosting a large crowd, which is usually the case for the first night of Rosh Hashanah. So I was on the lookout for a chicken dish that looked and tasted a little different.I love the idea of roasting lots of whole shallots alongside the chicken. They become soft and caramelized, and add a rich flavor that balances the sweet and tart glaze.Although this recipe is written for chicken, the marinade would also work beautifully with brisket or short ribs, just allowing for a longer, slower cooking time.Yields 6-8 servings8-10 bone-in chicken thighs or a mix of thighs and drumsticks10-12 small shallots, peeled and left whole3 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses2 Tbsp. honey3 Tbsp. olive oil3 garlic cloves, crushed1 tsp. salt½ tsp. black pepper½ tsp. paprikaPomegranate seeds and chopped parsley, for garnish Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F. Line a baking pan with baking paper. Arrange the chicken in the pan, pour the marinade over the top, and tuck the whole shallots around the chicken. Place a sheet of wet baking paper directly over the chicken, then cover the pan tightly with foil to seal. Bake for 1½ hours.Raise the oven to 175°C / 350°F, remove the foil and baking paper, and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes, until the chicken is browned and the sauce is glossy and caramelized. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with pomegranate seeds and parsley.Apple-honey upside-down layer cake A few years back, I shared my Bubby’s delicious honey cake recipe. It’s a no-fail, perfectly delicious honey cake, and one I come back to every year.When I saw the idea of an upside-down apple-honey cake, I knew her recipe would be perfect for it. Since the apples add more volume to the pan than usual, I scaled the recipe down to about two-thirds so it bakes nicely in a 9-inch round springform pan.And while Rosh Hashanah is not usually the holiday when we like to turn things upside down, maybe there is something fitting about it as we start a new year. We all have things in our lives we would love to see turn around for the better, and there is something especially sweet about watching that apple-honey layer on the bottom become the beautiful top of the cake.Yields 1 - 9” round springform pan3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced3 Tbsp. honey2 Tbsp. brown sugar½ tsp. cinnamonCake batter:3 eggs½ cup sugar²⁄³ cup oil1 cup honey2 cups flour2 tsp. baking powder½ tsp. baking soda²⁄³ cup cold strong coffee½ tsp. cinnamon¼ tsp. nutmegPreheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Line the bottom of a deep 9-inch round springform pan with baking paper, then grease the baking paper and the sides of the pan well. Drizzle the honey over the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Arrange the apple slices on top in a circular pattern, slightly overlapping. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the apples begin to soften and caramelize.In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until combined. Add the remaining ingredients, alternating between the dry and wet ingredients, and mix until smooth. Gently pour the batter over the apples.While the apples are baking, prepare the cake batter. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until combined. Add the remaining ingredients, alternating between the dry and wet ingredients, and mix until smooth.Remove the caramelized apple layer from the oven and carefully pour the cake batter over the apples. Return the pan to the oven and bake at 190°C / 375°F for 35–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Let the cake cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes. Run a knife around the sides, release the springform, then carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the baking paper.Enjoying simanim throughout the mealFROM THE first bite to the last spoonful, these recipes let us enjoy the simanim throughout the meal, not just at the beginning. And maybe that is something we can carry beyond the table, too.As we begin a new year, may all the sweetness we eat inspire us to bring a little more sweetness into our homes, our families, and our communities. May we be kinder to one another, more united, and more aware of how much we need each other.And especially here in Israel, may this be a year of peace, healing, and good news, with our soldiers safely home with their families, and a year in which we have so much more to celebrate together.Shana tova u’metuka! ■The writer is a kitchen coach who teaches women how to meal plan and cook, so they get dinner on the table and prepare for Shabbat and chag on time. Learn more about one-on-one coaching and food workshops: www.inthekitchenwithhenny.comFollow us on Google