By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Rating
- 4(201)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This dish is inspired by several tsimmes recipes in Joan Nathan’s “Jewish Cooking in America.” Tsimmes, a Yiddish word that means “fuss,” doesn’t have to be fussy at all. Sometimes the dish contains meat (and is fussier than this one), but sometimes it’s just fruit and vegetables. Warning: You may find yourself eating this for breakfast.
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves eight
- 6medium carrots about 1½ pounds, peeled and cut in ¾-inch dice
- 3medium sweet potatoes about 2¼ pounds, peeled and cut in ¾-inch dice
- 2Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut in medium dice
- ¼pound pitted prunes, cut in half
- ¼pound pitted apricots, quartered
- 2tablespoons mild honey, like clover
- ½teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt to taste about ½ teaspoon
- 1cup fresh orange juice
- 1tablespoon unsalted butter
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
171 calories; 2 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 22 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 205 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Preparation
Step
1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter or oil a 3-quart baking dish.
Step
2
Place the carrots and sweet potatoes in a steamer set above 1 inch of boiling water, and steam for five to 10 minutes, until just tender. Drain and toss with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Combine well, and scrape into the prepared baking dish. Place in the oven, and bake 40 to 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes and carrots are thoroughly tender. Dot the top with butter, and bake another 10 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the heat, and serve hot or warm.
Tips
- Sweet potatoes may be labeled as yams. Look for dark orange flesh.
- Advance preparation: You can assemble this dish several hours before baking. You can bake it a day or two ahead of serving; reheat it in a medium oven.
Ratings
4
out of 5
201
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Cooking Notes
Tracey A.
I made this for a Thanksgiving potluck and it was hugely successful! Everyone loved it!
I made a few minor modifications:
1-1/4 lbs carrots, (Weighed on a kitchen scale)
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" dice
2 granny smith apples unpeeled, cored and cut into medium dice
I used dried fruit, weighed on my kitchen scale and didn't use the honey (I actually forgot it but think it was a good omission.)
I used salted butter because that's what I had.
Sara Coles
I had to quadruple the recipe, but when I took it to a Passover Seder for 35 guests, they all raved about it...I guess it's a keeper!
Sheila
I peeled 3 Granny Smith apples but could use any baking apple. The dried pitted apricots were expensive in time & $ but did not contribute to end product: find an alternative. Possibly dried cranberries, no cutting. 4 med size oranges made 1 cp of fresh orange juice. Followed recipe quantities, rounding up & produce 5 qts. when cooked it became 2.5 qts. of finished product. Used freshly grated nutmeg but need more spices. Useful for buffet. Can be made a day ahead & reheat.
Anat
Carrots take longer to cook. Place them alone in steamer for as long as it takes to tender. There was too much liquid and dish wasn't ready after 50 minutes...still plenty of liquid.
Where did I go wrong?
Jo Ann
I needed a vegetarian side dish to bring to a large gathering at a local synagogue, and this recipe caught my eye. So glad I made it! It was delicious and healthy, and would also make an excellent addition to Thanksgiving dinner. I did substitute dried cranberries, instead of the prunes, and although I used butter to grease the casserole dish, I elected not to dot any on the finished product. It didn't need it. I ate leftovers cold for lunch the next day--excellent!
Gretchen
This is so good! To answer a few other people's Qs: you use dried apricots, not fresh, and I think you probably leave the lid OFF. That's what I did, since one reviewer said the dish had too much excess liquid; with no lid, the juices evaporated just enough that the dish was moist but not runny.I used 1 tsp. of honey instead of 2 T., and it seemed just right. Next time will make it vegan by using agave and omitting the butter.
David C
This was a huge Thanksgiving day hit. Played with the proportions a bit (more dried fruit, including some diced dried mango, plus some other old gift basket fruit I had left over from the previous holiday season). The key was to prepare everything the night before, except the apples, and let it all macerate in the oj. The day of, I caramelized the apples in the butter & mixed it all together before baking. The maceration created a delicious sauce & the result was a smashing success.
Tolke
I steamed the vegetables in an instant pot and the sweet potato fell apart. Next time I will try pressure cooking for just a minute or two. But even when the sweet potato disintegrated, this dish was still delicious.
debbiesue52
Overall, a very successful recipe. I made it with purple sweet potatoes. The color was gorgeous. I steamed the diced carrots and sweet potatoes in my InstantPot for 4 minutes and followed the rest of the recipe as written. It was an enjoyable and colorful addition to our Thanksgiving dinner.
Jo Ann
I needed a vegetarian side dish to bring to a large gathering at a local synagogue, and this recipe caught my eye. So glad I made it! It was delicious and healthy, and would also make an excellent addition to Thanksgiving dinner. I did substitute dried cranberries, instead of the prunes, and although I used butter to grease the casserole dish, I elected not to dot any on the finished product. It didn't need it. I ate leftovers cold for lunch the next day--excellent!
Gretchen
This is so good! To answer a few other people's Qs: you use dried apricots, not fresh, and I think you probably leave the lid OFF. That's what I did, since one reviewer said the dish had too much excess liquid; with no lid, the juices evaporated just enough that the dish was moist but not runny.I used 1 tsp. of honey instead of 2 T., and it seemed just right. Next time will make it vegan by using agave and omitting the butter.
Erika
Perhaps a stupid question, but I’ll take my chances. Do you use dried apricots or fresh apricots? Thanks!
Trepidatious Cook
no such thing as a stupid question, recipes should be very precise so questions don't arise
Leslie Oster
Do you bake this covered or uncovered???
Gina Ruben
Did you try this and what did you do about the cover?
dk
This is a great recipe. Also very forgiving. I used more dried fruits (1/3 LB), cinnamon (2 tsp), and apples (3 medium), but less butter (3/4 tbsp?) and honey (1 tbsp). I made the dish a day before without the butter. It tasted great. I'd sprayed some coconut oil on the baking dish though. Next day before the Thanksgiving dinner, I reheated the dish with the butter on the top as the recipe required, but that did not add much to the flavor. I might just skip the butter next time.
Anat
Carrots take longer to cook. Place them alone in steamer for as long as it takes to tender. There was too much liquid and dish wasn't ready after 50 minutes...still plenty of liquid.
Where did I go wrong?
irene
substitute cranberries
increase recipe for 11 people.
Sheila
I peeled 3 Granny Smith apples but could use any baking apple. The dried pitted apricots were expensive in time & $ but did not contribute to end product: find an alternative. Possibly dried cranberries, no cutting. 4 med size oranges made 1 cp of fresh orange juice. Followed recipe quantities, rounding up & produce 5 qts. when cooked it became 2.5 qts. of finished product. Used freshly grated nutmeg but need more spices. Useful for buffet. Can be made a day ahead & reheat.
Tracey A.
I made this for a Thanksgiving potluck and it was hugely successful! Everyone loved it!
I made a few minor modifications:
1-1/4 lbs carrots, (Weighed on a kitchen scale)
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" dice
2 granny smith apples unpeeled, cored and cut into medium dice
I used dried fruit, weighed on my kitchen scale and didn't use the honey (I actually forgot it but think it was a good omission.)
I used salted butter because that's what I had.
Sara Coles
I had to quadruple the recipe, but when I took it to a Passover Seder for 35 guests, they all raved about it...I guess it's a keeper!
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