|
Recipes for Shabbat Seder By Eileen Goltz When I first got married my husband and I split our Sedarim between our parents. Footloose and child free it was easy to show up, consume way too much food and then bemoan the fact we were too old to get an afikomen prize. As children arrived we took over as Seder Central. We (as in me cooking and the rest of the family cleaning the house) thought nothing of throwing up three or four 8 foot tables, borrowing an extra dozen or so chairs and cooking for 30 or 35 family and friends two nights in a row. It was a three ring circus where memories like exploding grape juice bottles, children falling asleep under the table, forgetting to take the main course out of the freezer and dropping a bowl of two dozen raw eggs on the floor were made. It was so crowded some years we had to graph out where everyone is going to sit. We reveled in our exhaustion and had so much fun that we immediately starting planning for the next years Seder just as soon as we put away the dishes. This year, however, due to the fact that Seder is smack dab in the middle of the week there will be far fewer faces around our table. So, we're downsizing and our Sedarim will be smaller this year. This is actually a good thing. I'm enjoying the new challenge of creating a smaller and intimate meal that wasn't possible when I was serving 30. Certain specialties will always be made but the following recipes are ones that anyone who, like me, isn't serving more than 10 or 12 might enjoy trying. I've chosen to include several recipes that use slightly more expensive ingredients like duck or veal. Since you won't be serving 30 the extra expense will be minimal. These recipes are also simple enough that you can make them for Chol HaMoed and are nice enough for Shabbat. Important
Note: Make sure that every ingredient you use for these recipes,
and all through Passover, carries either an OUP or another reliable Kosher
for Passover certification.
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a large baking
sheet. In food processor bowl, combine pecan pieces, farfel, garlic
powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and parsley. Process for 1 minute to
combine the ingredients but don't make it into a powder. Pour this mixture
into a shallow dish. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and oil. Dip
the chicken strips into the egg mixture one at a time, then coat with
pecan mixture, shaking to remove any excess. Transfer to greased baking
sheet and bake, turning once, until chicken strips are cooked through and
golden brown -- 15 to 20 minutes. Divide chicken on serving plates.
Garnish with parsley and Honey Wine sauce. Serves 6 to 8. This recipe can
be doubled or tripled.
In a bowl combine all the ingredients and whisk
until combined. Cover and refrigerate until 1/2 hour before you're ready
to serve. Bring the sauce to room temperature and serve. This recipe can
be doubled or tripled.
With margarine at room temperature, whip in food
processor with cayenne pepper, garlic and parsley. Form into a log on foil
and freeze for 4 hours or more. In a skillet sauté the mushrooms and
onions in the tablespoon of oil. When the mixture is soft set it aside to
cool and then cover and refrigerate. Flatten chicken breasts, one at a
time, between layers of waxed paper or plastic wrap, using a meat mallet.
Place 1 tablespoon frozen margarine with seasonings 1/4 of the way down
the long side of a chicken breast. Place 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of the
mushroom mixture on top of the frozen margarine. Fold top portion of
chicken breast down and fold sides in first before you fold down rest of
chicken breast (like making a blintz). Dip chicken breast in matzo meal,
then into egg wash, then into matzo meal a second time for a thicker
coating. Place on baking sheet and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes to cool
chicken breast from handling. Heat oil in deep pan. Gently spoon-drop
chicken bundles into hot oil and cook just until lightly brown, about 4-6
minutes. Drain on brown paper bag. Place on parchment paper lined baking
sheet and bake in oven 25 minutes at 350. Serves: 12
Heat the oven to 425. In a roasting pan, combine the
apples, apricots, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, and butter. Spread the
mixture over the bottom of the pan. In a small bowl, combine the apple
juice, honey, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt to make a glaze.
Sprinkle the Cornish hens with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the
pepper and set them breast-side down on top of the fruit-and-nut mixture.
Brush the hens with some of the glaze and then cook for 10 minutes. Remove
the roasting pan from the oven. Stir the fruit-and-nut mixture and turn
the hens over. Brush them with more of the glaze, return the pan to the
oven, and cook until just done, about 15 minutes longer. Glaze the hens
one final time and serve them with the fruit-and-nut dressing. Makes 4
servings. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.
In a bowl combine the oregano, salt and pepper to
the matzo cake flour. Dredge the veal cutlets in the seasoned flour. Heat
the oil in a skillet and sear the veal cutlets in a skillet taking care to
just brown each side and not cook it throughout. Place browned veal
cutlets in a 9X13 casserole. Do not clean the pan you cooked the cutlets
in. Sauté the mushrooms, onions and garlic in the skillet for about 2 to 3
minutes and then pour the wine over the mushroom mixture and cook,
stirring for just about 30 seconds. Pour this mixture over the veal
cutlets and then cook in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Serves 8
to 10.
Optional garnishes: 1/3 cup red and yellow
bell pepper in small dice
Place peach and cantaloupe in a soup pot with apple
juice. Cook over medium heat, covered, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir in lemon juice;
pour into a bowl and cover. Chill thoroughly before serving, about 2
hours. Serve garnished with fresh blueberries and mint leaves. Makes 4
servings. This recipe can be doubled or tripled
Base: Crumble mandelbrot
finely (processor) and combine with melted margarine. Line bottom and
sides of 8 to 8-1/2 inch spring form pan and press down for a firm crust.
(You can also use a bigger (10") spring form pan but in that case, you
must double the filling recipe)
A little bit of work but SO worth the time and effort. This is a spectacular dessert that is a guaranteed hit whenever you serve it.
Position 1 rack in bottom third and 1 rack in top
third of oven and preheat to 250. Line 2 large baking sheets with
parchment paper. Using 3- 1/4 to 3- 3/8 inch round as guide, draw 6
circles on each paper. Eileen Goltz, a professional chef and caterer, is the author of the new cookbook, Perfectly Pareve. © Eileen Goltz 2003 |
