Moroccan-style brisket with dried fruit and capers

For years I made Nach Waxman’s “most-Googled brisket recipe” for every Jewish holiday. My family loved it, but eventually we got tired of the same ol’, same ol’.

One year I decided to mix things up a bit and give the recipe a Moroccan twist: Middle Eastern spices, dried fruit and capers. Everyone thought it was wonderful.

The ingredient list looks long, but don’t let that scare you; it’s just a lot of spices. Plus, you can make it days ahead of time — in fact, you should, because the flavor improves the longer it sits. This dish is so abundant and impressive looking, you can keep the sides simple: Some couscous and a green vegetable and your holiday dinner is done.

Butchers typically sell two types of brisket: flat cut and point cut. These two pieces together make up a full brisket, a large slab of muscle from the steer’s chest. The point cut has more marbling, while the flat cut (also called “first cut” or “center cut”) is lean but topped with a thick fat cap. This recipe calls for a flat-cut brisket.

Don’t let your butcher trim off all the fat! A small fat cap bastes the meat, adding flavor and keeping it from getting dry and tough. You can trim any excess fat and skim the fat off the gravy once it’s cooked.

If the sauce seems greasy, transfer the meat and vegetables to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour the sauce into a bowl and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Using a small ladle, spoon out the fat. Pour the skimmed gravy back over the meat.

Note: This recipe can be made up to three days ahead of time and refrigerated. Reheat the brisket in a 300 F. oven until hot, about 45 minutes. It also freezes well for up to two months; just be sure to defrost in the refrigerator two days ahead of time.

Ingredients:

4 to 6-pound flat-cut brisket

1 heaping Tbsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1-1/2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

5 medium yellow onions, cut into slices 1/2 inch thick

2 tsp. packed light brown sugar

2 tsp. paprika

1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1-1/4 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 tsp. ground coriander

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

6 carrots, peeled and quartered on the diagonal

14 dried apricots

12 pitted prunes

2 Tbsp. capers, drained

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. and set an oven rack in the middle position.

2. Season the brisket on both sides with the salt and pepper. Lightly dust with the flour, turning to coat both sides evenly.

3. In a heavy flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot just large enough to hold the brisket, carrots and dried fruits snugly, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the brisket to the pan, fatty side down, and sear until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a pair of tongs and a large fork, flip the brisket over and sear the other side in the same manner.

4. Transfer the brisket to a platter, then add the onions to the pan. (If the pan seems dry, add a few Tbsp. of water.) Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the onions are softened and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Add the brown sugar, paprika, cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon and cayenne to the onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Add 1 cup water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

6. Remove from the heat and place the brisket, fatty side up, and any accumulated juices from the platter on top of the onions. Spread the tomato paste evenly over the brisket, then scatter the garlic around it. Cover the pan very tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 1-1/2 hours.

7. Carefully transfer the brisket to a cutting board (leave on the oven). Using an electric or very sharp knife, cut the meat across the grain on a diagonal into thin slices (aim for 1⁄8 to 1/4 inch thick). Return the slices to the pot, overlapping them at an angle so that you can see a bit of the top edge of each slice. The end result should resemble the original unsliced brisket leaning slightly backward. Scatter the carrots, apricots, prunes and capers around the edges of the pot and baste with the sauce; cover tightly with the foil or lid and return to the oven.

8. Lower the heat to 325 F. and cook the brisket until it is fork-tender, 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 hours. Transfer the brisket to a serving platter, then sprinkle with parsley. If you’re not planning to serve the brisket right away, let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8.

This recipe is reprinted from “Once Upon a Chef” by Jennifer Segal, with permission from Chronicle Books.