BY Emma Driban, Editor
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November is a month steeped in tradition, and few traditions feel as central as the ones that gather us around the table. As the air turns crisp and the days grow shorter, we find ourselves reaching for recipes that are more than just instructions on a page, they are bridges connecting us to one another.
With the season shifting and holidays approaching, kitchens across the neighborhoods and congregations come alive—not just with the aroma of cinnamon or roasted vegetables, but with the hum of shared stories. Recipes, when passed around a community, become more than just directions for a dish. They transform into a kind of collective memory.
In November, food takes on a particular role in weaving communities closer. Potlucks, holiday drives, and seasonal gatherings showcase how recipes are exchanged, adapted, and celebrated. Each dish reflects not only an individual family’s tradition, but also the way traditions blend when shared—old recipes evolving with new ingredients, cultures meeting at the table, neighbors finding common ground in flavor. In this way, community recipes don’t just feed; they sustain bonds, offering comfort, belonging, and joy during a month centered on gratitude.
Enjoy these seasonal recipes, originally shared in The Delaware / Arad Partnership Cookbook: Recipes & Stories from Our Table to Yours, and, remember, whatever you bring to the table is more than just food.
Shlomo Surkis’ Carrot and Seed Salad
Ingredients:
- 4 carrots, coarsely grated
- ¾ cup sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts mixture
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
Directions:
- Coarsely grate the carrots and put in a bowl. Season with the salt and olive oil.
- Lightly toast the seed mixture in a dry pan until golden brown.
- Incorporate the seeds into the carrots and serve!
Lisa Dadone Weiner’s Artichoke Squares
Ingredients:
- 12 oz artichoke hearts, preferably marinated
- 1 onion, minced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 6 eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup dry bread crumbs
- ½ Tbsp za’atar
- ¼ lb. sharp cheese, grated
- ½ cup roasted peppers, chopped (Lisa has used spicy and sweet)
- ½ cup mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease a square casserole dish.
- Chop up artichokes.
- Sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft and fragrant. Add mushrooms and continue to sautee.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and za’atar.
- Stir in grated cheese, artichokes, peppers, and sauteed onions and mushrooms.
- Add the parsley and stir well.
- Pour into the casserole dish and sprinkle more za’atar on top.
- Bake until set.
- Let cool and then cut into squares.
Tzlil Cohen’s Tunisian Couscous
Ingredients:
COUSCOUS
- 2 lbs. semolina
- ¾ cup oil
- 3 cups water
- 1 ½ Tbsp salt
- Couscous pot or 2-tier steamer pot
- Sifter
SOUP
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tomato, crushed
- 3 zucchinis, sliced
- 3 carrots, cut into cubes
- 1 cabbage, cut into big pieces
- 1 cauliflower, separated into florets
- 3 potatoes, but into cubes
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 squash or small pumpkin, cut into cubes
- 1 stalk of celery, head and leaves
- ½ Tbsp turmeric
- ½ Tbsp sweet paprika
- 9 cups of chicken broth
- 1 lb. meat/chicken
- ½ Tbsp hot paprika (optional)
Directions:
COUSCOUS
- Fill the bottom part of the couscous or 2-tier pot with water, bring to a boil and lower the heat.
- In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the semolina and salt.
- Add the oil and rub the semolina together with your hands. Add 1 cup of water and rub together again.
- Put the semolina into the sifter and rub it out into a big bowl, until all the lumps become crumbs. Do this twice.
- Put the semolina in the upper couscous pot and cook for 45 minutes.
- Pour the semolina back into the bowl, add another cup of water, mix, and wait until it cools.
- After it cools, sift the couscous in the sifter twice. Return to the pot and let it cook over a low glam for another 45 minutes.
- Pour the semolina back into the bowl, add another cup of water, mix, and wait until it cools.
- After it cools, sift the couscous again and it’s ready to go!
SOUP
- In a large pot, brown an onion in oil. Add the meat/chicken and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the crushed tomato, mix well and cook for another 7 minutes.
- Add all of the other vegetables and stir for 3 minutes. Add water to cover the vegetables. Season with spices, mix and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add the tomato paste. Add in the broth If you prefer a thicker soup, add 2 tbsp of oats.
- When the vegetables are soft, the soup is ready.
- Pile couscous in a deep plate, place the vegetables on top, and top with the broth.
