A SECULAR PASSOVER MEAL

First, I am not a Jew or theologian, but I do love food and the traditions of different cultural and social groups as they pertain to diet.   The Kosher laws are especially fascinating and are framed not only in religious context but also in healthy eating habits.   The idea of eschewing certain food stuffs as a continuing pact with God is a short lesson in self-control in as much as a child learns to distinguish right and wrong, or good and evil.   Separating meat and dairy meals has a modern context in Macrobiotics as an aid in promoting healthy digestion and increased energy levels.

The Seder, or Passover meal, is not merely a celebratory meal as is Easter Dinner or Thanksgiving, but is a religious ceremony in itself.   Passover celebrates the flight of the Jews from slavery in Egypt over 3000 years ago.   Each food symbolizes a segment of the heroic epic from the unleavened bread (Matzoh) to the bitterness of horseradish and the saltiness of tears.

Rather than focusing on the religious aspects of the meal, I am choosing to look at the menu and its ingredients from the aspect of Jewish communities the world over.   Thus, my reader will see the influence of Eastern European, Mediterranean, and Latin American ingredients in the recipes that follow, each honoring the ritual of the meal.  

MENU

Yemenese Haroseth


Kesser Seven Seventy Semi-Sweet Concord Wine, New York, NV
Traditionally served at Chabad organizations around the country, this tastes
a tad less-sweet to me than other Concord grape wines, used to
'make kiddish', or sipped after saying the prayer for wine.

or

Baron Herzog Chenin Blanc, California 2005
Delightfully fruity, fresh and tart, with an off-dry finish. This works well with the cinnamon spice
and dried fruit in the Haroseth, which you will scoop up with your piece of matzoh.

New Wave Gefilte Fish
Endive-Jicama Salad


Yarden Sauvignon Blanc, Galillee, Israel, 2005
Citrus and fragrant aromatics, this wine is made in a classic Bordeaux style. A touch of semillon
softens the more assertive flavors of the sauvignon, and a short time in barrel completes
this excellent wine. Perfect with this 21st Century Gefilte fish .

or

Dalton Canaan White, Galillee Israel 2006
This blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and riesling brings so many flavors to the table,
which pair beautifully with gefilte. The appley-pear character of the chardonnay,
good acidity and crispness of the sauvignon, combined with riesling's minerals and
lemon-lime zeal will be a marriage made in heaven with Gefilte.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Horseradish and Parsley
Farfel Kugel


Teal Lake Shiraz, South Eastern Australia, 2004
What a delicious companion to the braised lamb! Gorgeous deep purple in color with a spicy
kirsch, black cherry aroma kissed with anise.   Vibrant, elegant and intense.  
Plays with the earthy romance of horseradish beautifully.

or

Noah Cabernet-Merlot Judean Hills, Israel 2002
Elegant, round and mellow with 12 months in barrel, Noah is 60% cab and 40% merlot,
grown in a Mediterranean coastal climate.   Black cherries in the nose, with plums
and figs, a hint of smoke, a medium body and lingering finish.

Tishpishti with Orange Blossom Syrup


Bartenura Moscato, Italy, 2004
Flowers and fragrance with the first whiff, then just the slightest spritz in the mouth,
this youthful moscato is light-as-a-feather.   It's a gorgeous match with the orange,
almonds and spice; plus, it's only 5.5% alcohol.

RECIPES

Yemenese Haroseth
What's not to love with a tasty Haroseth?   Though apples are traditionally used in European and North American blends, different cultures use different fruits such as coconut, orange, mango, and dates.   Haroseth represents the mortar used by slaves in Egypt.  

Ingredients:
1 heaping teaspoon cumin seeds
1 small (one inch) cinnamon stick
1 heaping teaspoon cardamom seeds
½ pound dates, pitted
¼ pound raisins
¼ pound dried figs
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 ½ cup sweet red wine
¼ pound walnuts, toasted
¼ pound almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1. Over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, and cardamom seeds until the spices release their aromas.   Let cool slightly, and then grind in a spice grinder.   (Alternatively, blend together ½ teaspoon each ground cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom.)   Set aside.
2. In a food processor, finely chop the dried fruits and ginger.   Add half of the wine and pulse to blend.   Add the walnuts, almonds, and sesame seeds and the remainder of the wine.   Pulse to finely chop.
3. Add 1-½ teaspoons of the spice blend.   Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more spice if needed.

New Wave Gefilte Fish With An Endive-Jicama Salad
Yield: about 24 quenelles or 12 portions

Ingredients:
2 pounds salmon fillet, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 cup onion, finely minced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and white membrane removed, finely minced
4 tablespoons cilantro, tender stems and leaves, minced
3 eggs, lightly beaten
juice of 1 lime, about 1 tablespoon
½ cup dry white wine or water
¼ cup matzoh meal
1 tablespoon sugar
1-3 teaspoons ancho chile powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 quart fish stock (recipe follows)

1. In separate batches, lightly grind the fish in a food processor, about 24 pulses each.  
2. In a bowl, mix together the fish, onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, eggs, wine, matzoh meal and sugar.   Season with half of the ancho chile powder, salt, and pepper.  
3. Heat the stock to a slow simmer.   Test a quenelle, and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more of the chile powder, salt, or pepper, as needed.
4. Form quenelles, either using the spoon method or shape into oval balls with your hands (keep them wet with cold water!).   Slip as many quenelles as will fit comfortably into the pan and poach for 30 minutes.   Remove with a slotted spoon, drain, and continue poaching the rest.
5. After poaching the quenelles, reduce the stock to about 3 cups.   Spoon some over the gefilte quenelles.   Strain the remainder and store refrigerated.   Can be frozen up to 3 months.

FISH STOCK
Please use bones from white-fleshed fish for a stock!   Bones from fattier fish such as salmon and tuna are strongly fishy to the point of being inedible!

Yield:   about 10 cups

Ingredients:
2 pounds fish bones from white fish such as sole, flounder, and whiting, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs
4-6 peppercorns
2 tablespoons sugar
water

1. In a large stock pot, place all ingredients, covering with water.   Bring to a boil, skimming froth, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
2. Pour stock through a sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids.   If using immediately, skim and discard any fat from the surface of the stock.   Otherwise, cool completely in an ice bath, cover, and keep refrigerated.

ENDIVE-JICAMA SALAD
Adapted from Epicurious.com

Ingredients:
3 ruby red grapefruit, sectioned
3 tablespoons reserved grapefruit juice (from the above sections)
1 ½ tablespoons grapefruit zest (from the above oranges)
8 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
9 ounces (4 large heads) Belgian endive, each cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
4 fresh Anaheim Chiles, seeded and sliced thinly
2 ½ cups jicama, cut into matchstick strips
¼ cup cilantro, minced

1. Blend 5 tablespoons pine nuts, oil, lemon juice, grapefruit peel, and the reserved grapefruit juice in a blender until smooth.   Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Toss together the grapefruit segments, chiles, jicama, remaining pinenuts, and cilantro.   Add dressing just before serving.
3. To serve:   on each plate, mound some of the salad and top with 2 gefilte quenelles.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Horseradish and Parsley
I have adapted this recipe from many braising techniques for lamb and veal, but I have especially borrowed from Mark Bittman and Epicurious.com and his beautiful recipe for Passover lamb.   Slow cooking the fresh horseradish takes away the bite, but leaves the flavor.   The parsley sparks and brightens the dish and is a delicious foil against the earthy flavors of the lamb and horseradish.

Serves 6.

Ingredients for Lamb:
6 lamb shanks, ¾ to 1 pound each, trimmed of excess fat and any fell.   Tied with cotton twine to secure meat in place.
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 carrots, peeled, and cut into 2 inch pieces
2 onions, quartered
3 ribs celery, peeled, and cut into 2 inch pieces
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large horseradish root (3/4 pound), peeled and cut into ¼ inch thick slices
2 cups white wine
3 cups lamb or chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients for Parsley Puree:
2 packed cups parsley leaves, thick stems discarded, washed, spun dry, and roughly chopped
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
Kosher salt, to taste

•  Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

•  Season lamb shanks with Kosher salt and pepper.   In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil.   When hot but not smoking, brown the shanks on all sides (about 5-7 minutes). Sauté in batches to prevent over-crowding.   When browned, transfer to a plate.

•  Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan.   Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and tomato paste.   Sauté until slightly softened, about 3-4 minutes.   Add wine, and then the stock, scraping the fond (browned bits) from the bottom of the pan.

•  Add the sliced horseradish root to the pan. Heat to a good simmer, then transfer stock and vegetables to a Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid.   Place lamb shanks in a single layer in the Dutch oven, making sure that the broth comes about two-thirds up the height of the meat.  

•  Cover pot with lid (or foil) and place on the lower rack of the preheated oven.   Braise shanks for 1 ½ hours.   Remove lid and continue cooking for 30 minutes or until the tops of the shanks are browned.   Turn and continue cooking until that side has browned and meat is falling off bone.

•  Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes.  

•  Meanwhile, prepare the parsley puree :   In a blender, combine the parsley with half the olive oil and the garlic cloves.   Purée to a rough paste, then pour in the remaining oil while the blender is running and process to a smooth paste.   Mix in the lemon juice and salt.   Taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary.

•  Transfer shanks to 6 large plates and spoon a portion of vegetables around shank.   Skim fat from braising liquid and pour a small portion of it onto each shank.   Pass the parsley purée on the side.


Farfel Kugel
Yum for Farfel!!   Find a box in the Kosher section of your local supermarket.   Made from Matzoh, it's a great substitute for noodles, rice, or other starches during the Passover Season.  

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons chicken fat (schmaltz) or olive oil
2 bell peppers, medium dice
1 onion, medium dice
4 celery ribs, peeled and diced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup parsley, minced
1 box farfel (16 ounces)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 ¾ cups chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large skillet add chicken fat and sauté the bell peppers, onion, celery, mushrooms, and garlic until limp and translucent, about 6 minutes.  
3. Add farfel and parsley to the vegetables, toss to coat, and sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes.   Remove from heat
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs and chicken broth, Kosher salt, and pepper.
5. Oil a 3 quart casserole, and add farfel mixture.   Pour egg/broth mixture over and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Tishpishti with Orange Blossom Syrup
A yummy flourless torte from A Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden .   I made this often at New World Home Cooking in Woodstock, New York, where it was well received.   Plus, it's super easy to prepare.   I usually sectioned some oranges to dress up the plate.   When roses are in season, organic rose petals scattered on the plate present an elegant and delicious garnish.

Yield: 8-10 servings

SYRUP
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon rose water

CAKE
Ingredients:
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup ground almonds
1 cup sugar
juice and grated zest of one orange
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
walnut oil or almond oil for pan

1. To make the syrup, boil the sugar and the water with the lemon juice for 15 minutes. Stir in the rose water. Cool and refrigerate.

2. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 º F. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Line the bottom of a cake pan with foil or greaseproof paper. Brush the foil with oil or melted butter, pour in the cake mixture and bake for 1 hour, until browned.

3. Immediately turn the cake out into a deep dish. Peel off the foil or paper, cut the cake into serving pieces and put them on plates. Drizzle syrup over each piece, allowing them to absorb the syrup for 15 minutes, and serve.