Hanukkah commemorates miracles and victories over insurmountable odds. For this reason alone, the celebration deserves more than a lone stack of latkes and a jar of store-bought applesauce. As candles are lit for the eight nights of the Festival of Lights, celebrating a handful of Jewish rebels who ousted the Syrian Greek army from Israel and restored the Holy Temple, it’s only fitting to sit down to a proper feast. To bring a trendy twist to the meal, serve this rich, fruit-enhanced brisket over hot, fluffy couscous with some lightly sautéed, garlicky green beans on the side.
—By David Feder, a food writer in Buffalo Grove, Ill.