PASSOVER RECIPES: TAKING YOU FROM THE ORDINARY TO THE EXTRAORDINARY
By Eileen Goltz
Eileen Goltz, the author of the cookbook Perfectly Pareve, is a freelance kosher food writer who was born and raised in the Chicago area. She graduated from Indiana University and the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris. She writes for many newspapers sand websites and will shortly finish two new cookbooks. She can be reached at eztlog@gmail.com or 260-602-5544.
With all the matzah and eggs we consume during the week of Passover, it’s always nice to have recipes that take you out of the ordinary into the extraordinary. The following recipes run the gamut from sweet to savory and everything in between.
CARAMEL TOPPED PEARS (DAIRY OR PAREVE)
Perfect for dessert or breakfast
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
2 firm ripe pears, peeled and cored and cut in half lengthwise
vanilla yogurt (for breakfast) or pareve whipped topping, whipped cream or ice cream
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
Chocolate sauce (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan.
2. In a sauce pan combine the brown sugar, water, and butter or margarine. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove the mixture from heat immediately and set it aside.
3. Arrange pear halves, cut sides up, in the prepared pan and drizzle the caramel mixture over the top of the pears.
4. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until the pears are tender.
5. To serve, place a pear half on a plate and spoon some of the caramel mixture evenly over pears. Top each pear half with yogurt, whipped cream or ice cream, chocolate sauce and almonds.
Serves 2 to 4.
ONION AND CRANBERRY CHEESE BITES (DAIRY)
A really nice snack spread
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed), coarsely chopped or dried cranberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
cream cheese (you can use fat free)
parsley leaves
TamTams
1. Melt butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium heat; add onions, and sauté 15 to 18 minutes or until golden and tender.
2. Stir in the vinegar, cranberries, sugar, salt, and orange zest; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
3. Spread the Tam Tams with about 1 teaspoon cream cheese; and then top each with about 1 tablespoon of the cranberry mixture. Garnish with parsley.
Makes 16
BAKED POTATOES WITH DICED PEPPERS AND MUSHROOM MARINARA SAUCE (PAREVE)
A quick lunch or dinner for Chol Hamoed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh basil; chopped, or 1 1/2 teaspoons Dried basil
2 sliced and diced red or green peppers
1/4 to 1/2 cup dry white wine
4 baked potatoes
sugar, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the garlic and mushrooms and saute for a minute or two.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes and basil. Stir while the mixture comes to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. Add sliced and diced pepper pieces into the sauce and simmer until the peppers are tender but not too soft, about 7 or 8 minutes;
4. Stir in the white wine. Taste the sauce and add a touch of sugar (if desired), salt and freshly ground pepper.
5. Serve over a baked potato.
Serves 4. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.
MUFFIN TIN WHITE FISH CAKES (FISH/PAREVE)
You can make these up to 2 days before you need them. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate them, don’t freeze them. Good hot or cold.
1 pound smoked white fish, deboned and flaked
2 cups matzo meal
1/2 red bell pepper, minced
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 large eggs
1 to 2 teaspoons ground white horseradish
1 stalk celery, diced fine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
lemon wedges, for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Generously coat a 12-cup nonstick muffin pan with oil.
2. In a bowl combine the white fish, matzo meal, bell pepper, green onions, mayonnaise, eggs, horseradish, salt and pepper and mix until combined.
3. Divide the mixture evenly among muffin cups.
4. Bake until crispy and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 12
AVACADO ONION AND HEARTS OF PALM SALAD (PAREVE)
An amazing salad that you can top with chicken or fish or cheese or all by itself!
1 (14-ounce) can hearts of palm, drained, sliced into rounds
4 ripe avocadoes, diced
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1/2 to 1 cup pine nuts, toasted
bib or red leaf lettuce leaves, shredded
Dressing
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons dried dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1. Place all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together (you can also put the ingredients in a container with a tight lid and shake it to combine). Set the dressing aside.
2. In a large salad bowl combine the hearts of palm, avocado, and red onions. Add the dressing and toss to coat.
3. Divide the lettuce between 8 plates and mound the hearts of palm mixture on top. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top and serve
PINEAPPLE AND TURKEY MEATBALLS (MEAT)
A simple recipe that you can make up ahead of time and reheated whenever you need it during the week!
16 oz of pineapple chunks in juice, drained, save the juice
1/2 to 2/3 cup of red or green bell pepper, chopped fine.
1 teaspoon fresh ginger chopped or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup of green onion slices.
1/2 cup of matzo meal
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup readymade kosher for Pesach bbq sauce
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the pineapple juice, chopped bell pepper, ginger, ground turkey, sliced green onion, breadcrumbs and salt and mix to combine.
3. Shape the mixture into balls and place them in a 9X13 baking dish.
4. Pour the teriyaki sauce over meatballs; mix lightly to coat the meatballs.
5. Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes.
6. Place 1 piece of pineapple on a large toothpick and spear a meatball.
7. Serve on a platter with the sauce pored over.
Serves 6 to 8
HAZELNUT CHICKEN WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE (MEAT)
3/4 cup fresh raspberries (about 3 1/2 ounces)
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 to 6 teaspoons water (optional)
Chicken:
1 cup chopped hazelnuts (about 4 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup matzo meal
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
3 teaspoons pepper, divided
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
4 tablespoons margarine
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
Raspberry Sauce:
1. In a food processor or blender combine the 3/4 cup raspberries, vinegar, and sugar and process until smooth.
2. With blender running, gradually add the oil.
3. Add water by teaspoonfuls as needed to thin to desired consistency.
4. Season raspberry sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
For chicken:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a bowl combine the hazelnuts, matzo meal, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper.
3. In another bowl combine the honey, mayonnaise, remaining 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl.
4. Add the chicken to the mayonnaise mixture and turn to coat. Then dip the chicken pieces, 1 at a time, into matzo and nut mixture, coating both sides. Transfer the chicken pieces to baking sheet.
5. Divide equal amounts of margarine and oil between 2 skillets.
6. Add the chicken pieces to the skillets cook until chicken is light brown, about 4 minutes per side but don’t cook it all the way through.
7. Place the semi cooked chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and place it in the oven.
8. Bake until cooked throughout, about 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Serve immediately with fresh raspberries and raspberry sauce.
Modified from epicurious.com
GARLIC CINNAMON CHICKEN (MEAT)
3 to 4 lbs cut up chicken (thighs and breasts work best)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 to 3 onions cut into quarters
8 to10 garlic cloves cut in half
5 to 6 potatoes cut into quarters
2 to 3 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/8’s
5 to 6 carrots cut into 1 inch chunks
2 parsnips cut into pieces
4 to 5 stalks celery cut into chunks
1 to 2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup white wine
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a bowl combine the cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and salt.
3. Season the chicken pieces with the mixture on all sides and under the skin.
4. Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. Place the garlic, potatoes, parsnips, carrots and celery in the bottom of a roasting pan or Dutch oven and toss the remaining seasoning with the vegetables and oil. The vegetables should cover the bottom of the pan and fill up about at least 1/3 to 1/2 of the pan.
6. Arrange the chicken on top of vegetables, pour the wine over the top of the chicken, cover and cook 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
7. Reduce the temperature to 325 and roast for an additional 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the lid for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8
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