Introducing: The Shabbat Dinner Chronicles

Lately, my DMs have been flooded with requests for my Shabbat menus and recipes. So I’ve decided to start sharing them here, every Monday, to give you plenty of time to shop and prep for the week’s upcoming Shabbat dinner.

For me, Shabbat isn’t just a tradition. It’s a necessity. A reminder that "labor is a craft, but perfect rest is an art." (Abraham Joshua Heschel).

In a world that never stops demanding more- more productivity, more noise, more hustle- Shabbat stands in quiet defiance. It reminds us that the present is enough.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote:

Shabbat shifts the focus back to time itself- not to having, but to being. Not to owning, but to giving. Not to controlling, but to living in accord. It’s a pocket of the week where the usual metrics, like what you did, what you bought, what you watched or read, how busy you were, stop mattering. All that’s left is the moment you’re in, the people around you, and the food on the table.

It’s one of the few rituals that reliably brings me back to myself, before Monday comes rushing in.

Each Monday, I’ll send you:

• A full Shabbat menu

• Recipes

• Shopping list
  

Can’t wait to see what you cook up. If you make something from the archives, tag me @atarabernstein on Instagram or TikTok — I’d love to see it.

And if you’re enjoying the content — and know someone who might, too — I’d be so grateful if you passed it along. Word of mouth is how this little project will grow, and I’d love to keep building it, one Shabbat table at a time.

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Menu 1: Baked Chicken, Asparagus, Schug

Tomatoey Baked Chicken and Rice with Olives and Lemon

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds)

• Salt and black pepper

• 1 tsp of fennel seeds

• 1 tbs tomato paste

• 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 lemons, sliced

• 10 cherry tomatoes

• 1 cup pitted olives

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1 medium shallot or ½ medium onion, minced

• 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed

• 4 cups of chicken stock

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.

2. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until deeply golden, about 5–7 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate (it’ll finish cooking later).

4. Lower the heat slightly. Add the minced shallot (or onion) to the pan and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 2–3 minutes. Add the lemons, olives, cherry tomatoes, and garlic and cook for another 2 mins.

5. Stir in the tomato paste and fennel seeds, and cook for 1–2 minutes, letting the tomato paste darken slightly and coat everything.

6. Add the rice, stirring to coat it in the tomatoey, fennel-scented oil. Let the rice toast for 1–2 minutes — it’ll smell a little nutty.

7. Pour in 4 cups of chicken stock and a big pinch of salt. Give everything a gentle stir to evenly distribute.

8. Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan, skin-side up.

9. Cover the pan tightly with a lid or foil, and bake for 25 minutes.

10. Remove the lid and bake uncovered for another 10–15 minutes, until the rice is tender, most of the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken skin is crisp.

11. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.

Schug

Ingredients:

• 3 serrano chiles, stems removed

• 1 cup parsley leaves

• 1 cup cilantro leaves

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• ½ cup olive oil
  

Instructions:
In a food processor, combine the chiles, parsley, cilantro, garlic, salt, cardamom, coriander, and lemon juice. Pulse until a coarse, vibrant paste forms — you want some texture, not a smooth purée. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the oil by hand. The sauce will look a little loose and broken — that’s what you want.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. (It only gets better as it sits.)

Sautéed Asparagus with Chili Shallots and Herby Crunchy Almonds

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

• 2 teaspoons chili flakes (adjust to taste)

• ¼ cup olive oil, divided

• ⅓ cup sliced almonds

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2–3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (optional but highly recommended)

• A handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped

• A handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Salt and black pepper, to taste
  

Instructions:

1. Make the herby crunchy almonds:
   In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until they’re golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic and anchovies and cook for another 30 seconds (careful, garlic burns fast!). Remove from heat, then toss in the chopped basil, mint, and lemon zest. Season with a pinch of salt. Set aside.

2. Sauté the asparagus:
   In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shallot and cook until softened and just starting to color, about 2 minutes. Add the chili flakes and asparagus. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the asparagus is bright green and tender-crisp, about 4–5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Assemble:
   Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter and spoon the herby almond mixture generously over the top. Serve immediately, with extra lemon wedges on the side if you like a little more brightness.
   
   

Menu 1 Shopping List

Produce

• 4 garlic cloves (chicken + herb sauce + almonds)

• 1 medium shallot or ½ medium onion (chicken)

• 1 shallot (asparagus)

• 3 serrano chiles (herb sauce)

• 1 bunch asparagus

• 1 cup parsley leaves (herb sauce)

• 1 cup cilantro leaves (herb sauce)

• 1 handful fresh basil leaves (almonds)

• 1 handful fresh mint leaves (almonds)

• 3 lemons (chicken + herb sauce + garnish)
  

Pantry

• Long-grain white rice (2 cups)

• Tomato paste (1 tablespoon)

• Pitted olives (1 cup — any kind you like)

• Sliced almonds (about ⅓ cup)

• Olive oil

• Anchovy fillets (2–3, optional but recommended)

• Sea salt

• Black pepper

• Chili flakes (2 teaspoons)
  

Spices

• Fennel seeds (1 teaspoon)

• Ground cardamom (1 teaspoon)

• Ground coriander (1 teaspoon)
  
  

That’s it — everything you need for a full Shabbat table. See you in the kitchen. Shabbat Shalom and happy cooking,
- Atara

P.S. Forward this to a friend who’s always wondering what to cook for Shabbat.

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