Joyce Goldstein is known in the Bay Area for her early work as a chef at Chez Panisse Café and for her own Mediterranean restaurant in San Francisco, Square One. She also has written numerous cookbooks — the latest is “The New Mediterranean Jewish Table: Old World Recipes for the Modern Home.”

Here are Passover lamb and sponge cake recipes adapted from her new collection.

 

 

Turkish Lamb with Green Garlic

Serves 6 to 8

From “The New Mediterranean Jewish Table”

Spring is when green garlic appears at the market. These fragrant green shoots with tiny young bulbs resemble large green onions or baby leeks and, combined with green onions, they make for a delicate and aromatic stew. If you cannot find green garlic, use garlic cloves. With the slow cooking, the cloves will become mild and creamy. I recommend braising this dish in the oven for even cooking and to eliminate worries about scorching, but if oven space is tight, the stove top will do. This stew was a great favorite at Passover at my restaurant, Square One, and it is usually the centerpiece of my family seder. Serve with rice (if you follow Sephardic custom); or roast potatoes.

Olive oil for browning and sautéing

3 to 4 lbs. boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup meat broth or water, or as needed

1/4 cup tomato paste

3 Tbs. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. Maras or Aleppo pepper flakes, or more to taste

1 lb. green garlic stalks, or 2 small heads garlic

2 lbs. green onions (about 6 large bunches)

2 lbs. fresh fava beans, shelled, blanched and peeled (optional; follows Sephardic custom)

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)

Chopped fresh mint or flat-leaf parsley for garnish

If oven braising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Fill a large, heavy sauté pan with oil and warm over high heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. In batches, add the lamb to the pan and brown well on all sides. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a stew pot.

Pour off the excess fat from the sauté pan, add a little of the broth and deglaze the pan over high heat, stirring to dislodge any brown bits from the pan bottom. Add the pan juices to the stew pot. Combine the tomato paste and vinegar with the remaining broth, stir well and add to the lamb. The liquid should just cover the lamb; add more if needed. Add the Maras pepper and a sprinkle of salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to low, cover and simmer on the stove top until the lamb is almost tender, about 1 hour. Alternatively, bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the green garlic (or garlic) and the green onions. Cut off the root end of the green garlic stalks and slice the stalks into 2-inch lengths, using all of the green. (Or, separate the cloves of the garlic heads and peel the cloves.) Cut off the roots of the green onions, then cut the green onions, including the green tops, into 2-inch lengths. Bring a saucepan filled with salted water to a boil, add the green garlic (or garlic cloves) and green onions, blanch for 2 minutes, drain well and pat dry.

Warm a few tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the green garlic and green onions and sauté them in batches until they take on a bit of color, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.

After the lamb has been cooking for 1 hour, add the green garlic (or blanched garlic cloves) and green onions, re-cover and continue to simmer until the lamb is tender, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Add the favas during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the lemon juice to brighten the flavors, then spoon into a deep platter, garnish with mint and serve.

 

Passover Hazelnut Sponge Cake

Serves 10 to 12

From “The New Mediterranean Jewish Table”

A family favorite, this light, flourless Italian Passover cake is fragrant with sweet toasted hazelnuts — a specialty of the Piedmont region — and with subtle hints of citrus.

10 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange (3 to 4 tablespoons juice)

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (2 to 3 tablespoons juice)

1 1/2 cups finely ground toasted and peeled hazelnuts

6 tablespoons Passover cake meal, sifted

2 tablespoons potato starch

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have ready an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.

In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, 1/2 cup of the sugar and the citrus zests and juices. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until the mixture is thick and pale and holds a 3-second slowly dissolving ribbon when the beaters are lifted.

In a second bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. On medium-high speed, gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the egg mixture just until combined, then fold in the hazelnuts, the Passover cake meal, potato starch, salt and vanilla.

Pour the batter into the tube pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Invert the cake still in the pan onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Lift off the pan and transfer the cake to a serving plate. Cut into slices and serve.