Avoid spicy foods at pre-fast dinners

While preparing for Yom Kippur, many people focus on buying break-the-fast foods, not realizing that partaking in the meal preceding the holiday is a mitzvah.

Yet anyone who has hosted this occasion, squeezed between workday and holiday, knows it is fraught with logistical problems.

Known as the seudah mafseket, or closing meal, this dinner by daylight must be concluded in time for people to arrive at their synagogue for the Kol Nidre service, which begins this year at sundown Sunday, Sept. 19.

While seeking a menu more exalted than everyday fare, hosts must steer clear of rich foods, which undermine the solemnity of the holiday and can cause indigestion.

For health reasons, the menu should be plentiful and sustaining. According to the sages, just as Jews must fast on Yom Kippur, they also should eat heartily before sunset in order to participate fully the next day.

Because quenching thirst is forbidden while fasting, bland foods are recommended to prevent undue discomfort during prayers.

Unaware of the consequences, a Manhattanite once served "The Silver Palate Cookbook's" famed Chicken Marbella before the holiday. Although it's the book's most popular recipe, the chicken is marinated in garlic, oregano, olives and capers.

"Such a spicy, salty dish created a nightmarish fast for my guests," she said, still feeling guilty for what she served.

Respecting the holiday's significance and its special needs, the balanced, refined main course below combines holiday traditions with today's food trends. Easily assembled during crunch time, it is as dignified as the occasion.