Andrew Zimmern Always Serves These Non-Fried Foods During Hanukkah

While many fried foods like latkes are an integral part of Hanukkah traditions, Andrew Zimmern shared that some of his favorites don't involve huge amounts of hot oil. When he prepares for his winter celebrations, he always turns to a classic trio for appetizer, entree, and dessert: chopped chicken liver, slow-roasted brisket, and matzo toffee.

While you may not find chicken liver pâté in many restaurants anymore, it's a staple for many Hanukkah and other celebratory dinners, especially in Ashkenazi traditions. Creamy, rich, and packed with protein, it's an ideal topping to serve with crackers and a perfect party food. Zimmern's brisket would be excellent with either the flat or the tip, but he takes things a step further and prepares it with a whole-packet cut. The same things that make it the best cut for barbecue make it perfect for the oven, moistening it with abundant fat and collagen while still offering a meaty chew that works perfectly with the incredible tastes of vinegar, onion, fennel, and garlic.

Crunchy matzo toffee is a perfect dessert choice because you can break off as much as you want or even take some home since it stores so well. Matzo has a subtle but wheaty flavor profile that pairs excellently with high-quality chocolate, butter, nuts, and dark brown sugar, giving each piece a satisfying snap and beautiful flavor. But the real value of these recipes is in how hands-off they are, allowing Zimmern to enjoy his celebration without hunkering down in the kitchen the whole time.

While it's an honor to host any celebration, it can seriously dampen your own holiday when you spend the whole time working. Luckily, you can make chopped chicken liver and matzo toffee ahead of time, and your brisket should already have a few hours in the oven by the time guests arrive.

Most homemade pâtés last for three to five days when refrigerated, so feel free to make it a couple days in advance and let the flavors meld together. If you want to make your matzo toffee even further in advance, it can last up to two weeks if you refrigerate it. Be sure to put it in an airtight container and keep it away from sources of humidity or moisture to keep the matzo nice and crunchy.

While Andrew Zimmern's brisket recipe takes about six and a half hours, much of that is just time spent baking and resting. You may still want to check on it every hour or so, monitoring its temperature and possibly braising it with the liquid, but preparing it in the early afternoon is your best bet if you want to spend time with your guests. If it finishes early, let it rest while tented with foil to keep it warm. This has the added benefit of giving you time to transform the braising liquid into a gravy with a cornstarch slurry.