Recipes for Shabbat - Eggs

Recipes for Shabbat

Eggs

It is with equal parts delight and dread that I anticipate Pesach. The delight to be with family and friends for Seders where my child will read the 4 questions at the speed of light and I'll get to spend 20 minutes negotiating for an afikomen that looks like it was hidden in the laundry chute. Dread because I've got to clean my house from top to bottom and then schlep all the Pesach dishes down from the attic while trying to keep the kids out of the cabinets I've already closed up as well as peel at least 20 dozen eggs no matter how many people are actually coming for Seder. For some reason, I always seem to worry there won't be enough eggs.

Eggs are the one thing besides matzo that we tend to go overboard on during Pesach. There are conflicting reports from a multitude of agencies as to exactly how much or how many eggs a day or week are good for you but take my word for it, on Passover we all tend to consume way too many. Because of their leavening ability we tend to throw them in everything from breakfast to dessert. I say stop the egg-stavagance.

The following Pesach recipes don't contain any eggs. You heard me. No eggs. Calories, yes, eggs absolutely not. You can use these recipes during the week or side dishes and desserts for the Seder. The brisket recipe can work for the Seder or Shabbat. Either way they'll be egg-actly what you need.

PROVENCAL POTATOES WITH TOMATOES

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoons tomato paste

2 large potatoes; scrubbed and cut into slices 1/16-in thick

2 plum tomato cut into thin slices

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon Chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 400. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and tomato paste. Add the potato slices, tossing to cover evenly. In an 8-inch ovenproof skillet, layer the potatoes around the outside and in the center. Slide the tomato slices evenly between the sliced potatoes. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and heat the pan on top of the stove at medium-high heat until crackling noises are heard, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven to bake until the slices are slightly crisp and the potato is tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes. Remove, sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese and run the dish under the broiler just until the cheese is lightly colored, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, watching carefully. Remove and sprinkle on the parsley, and serve. Serves 2. This can be doubled or tripled.

AVOCADO AND GRAPEFRUIT SALAD WITH HONEY DRESSING

4 large grapefruit, peeled and segmented

4 large avocados, peeled and sliced

1 small red onion, sliced thin

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

1/2 head red leaf lettuce, shredded

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

dressing:

1 cup vinegar

1/2 cup red wine (great if you have left over from the seder)

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons honey

Place all the dressing ingredients in a food processor or jar. Blend well and set aside. For the salad: combine the lettuces in a large salad bowl. Add the grapefruit, avocado, and onion. Toss gently. Pour the desired amount of dressing on top of the salad and toss. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the top of the salad and serve. Serves 10 to 12.

LYONNAISE HOT POTATO SALAD

3 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons chicken broth

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

black pepper

potatoes, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons green onions chopped

1 tablespoon parsley, fresh, chopped

Just cover the potatoes with water and cook them in a large sauce pan until they are tender (15 to 20 minutes) drain them. Place them in a large bowl While the potatoes are cooking combine the green onions and parsley and set them aside. Place the remaining ingredients in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Remove the dressing from the heat and pour it over the potatoes. Toss gently. Sprinkle the green onions and parsley on top and serve. Serves 8 to 10.

LACE COOKIES

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons potato starch

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup finely chopped almonds

1 stick unsalted butter

matzo cake flour

butter

Combine the sugar and potato starch in a sauce pan. Stir in the milk. Add the almonds, butter and matzo cake flour, mix well and bring it to a boil over a medium heat. Stir constantly. Cook for approx. 1 minute at a boil and then remove from heat. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350. Cover 2 cookie sheets with foil. Grease and "matzo flour" the 2 foil wrapped cookie sheets. Drop the dough by teaspoon full onto the cookie sheets but make sure that the cookies are at least 3 inches apart as they will spread... Bake 6 to 7 minutes. Let cool and then remove the foil from he cookie sheet and gently remove the cookies. Makes 15 to 18 cookies.

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW SURPRISE

1/4 cup butter

3 1/2 cups Passover marshmallows

1 cup chopped nuts

5 cups matzo farfel

1 cup raisins

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6 ounces semi sweet chocolate

Grease a 9X13 pan and set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter over a low heat. Stir in the marshmallows and stir until just melted. Remove from heat. Add half the chopped nuts to the melted marshmallows. Stir. Add the farfel, raisins and cinnamon to the marshmallow nut mixture. When everything is combined spread the mixture evenly into the greased pan. Wet your hands to pat it down to help spread it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top. Press them into the mixture to set them. Refrigerate for 15 or 20 minutes until the chocolate has set and cut into squares.

CREAM OF CANTALOUPE SOUP

2 cups cantaloupe, cut into small pieces

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons honey

16 ounces lemon, peach, or vanilla yogurt

Fresh sliced strawberries

In a food processor or blender blend the cantaloupe for 10 to 15 seconds. Add the orange juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Process for an additional 10 seconds. Ad the cream and honey. Scrape down the sides and process an additional 10 seconds. Pour the cantaloupe mixture into a bowl and fold in the yogurt. Refrigerate for several hours. To serve place in a bowl and garnish with fresh strawberries. Serves 6 to 8.

Eileen Goltz, a professional chef and caterer, is the author of the new cookbook, Perfectly Pareve.

Shabbat Shalom

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