Name: Braised Brisket with Thirty-Six Cloves of Garlic
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients: About 36 fat unpeeled garlic cloves (1 2/3 to 2 cups) or an equivalent amount of smaller cloves, plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 3 tablespoons olive oil; A first-or second-cut beef brisket (about 5 pounds), trimmed of excess fat, wiped with a damp paper towel, and patted dry; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 3 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade or good-quality low-sodium purchased; 3 or 4 fresh thyme sprigs, or 2 teaspoons dried leaves; 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, plus 1 teaspoon chopped leaves; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Braised Brisket with Thirty-Six Cloves of GarlicLara Ferroni

In my take on the French classic, chicken with forty cloves of garlic becomes brisket with thirty-six cloves. All that feisty garlic turns sweet and mellow with gentle braising; when pureed, it forms a seductive gravy, which is finished with a zing of chopped raw garlic and lemon zest.

Why thirty-six cloves? Beginning with aleph, which equals one, each letter of the Hebrew alphabet stands for a number, and so every word has a numerical value. All multiples of eighteen, the numerical value of the Hebrew word chai, life, are considered especially auspicious, which is why donations to charity and wedding and bar mitzvah gifts are often given in multiples of eighteen.

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

The Best Kosher Wines
Celebrate Passover with six delicious reds and whites

Classic French Bouillabaisse With Rouille

This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.

Salmon With Sizzled Nut Salsa

A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

One-Pot Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Rice and Beans

This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.

Recipe notes

The Best Kosher Wines