For some of us, a certain measure of austerity is associated with Passover, which begins at sundown on April 3. Just as our people were forced to eat unleavened bread after escaping from slavery in Egypt, we forgo bread and other leavened products in favor of matzah for a week.
At the same time, restaurant chefs, cookbook authors and home cooks alike have been embracing the idea that cooking on Passover does not need to be inherently bland — and can even be upscale.
“The purpose of Passover is to celebrate our freedom from slavery in Egypt. Eating unleavened bread [matzah] is due to the haste in which we left. But by no means is the purpose of Passover to remember the lack of normal food,” says “Joy of Kosher” cookbook author Jaime Geller.
“As with all celebrations,” she says, “we mark this momentous, life-altering, sea-splitting event in our history with food, family and prayer.”
The following recipes provided by Geller can make for an elegant and delicious kosher-for-Passover dinner.
Salmon Cakes with Tropical Fruit Salsa
Makes 10 cakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Croquettes for your starter course are wonderfully light and refreshing, with the tropical salsa the perfect complement to the richness of the salmon — a balance of sweet and savory flavors.
For the cakes:
2-lb. side of salmon, skin on
1/2 cup red onion, diced
2 Tbs. matzah meal
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 Tbs. olive oil
For the salsa:
1 cup diced pineapple
1/2 cup diced mango
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a large baking sheet. Bake salmon skin side down for 25-30 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Let cool completely.
Once salmon is cooled, gently flake away from the skin and break into large chunks. Place in a large bowl and combine with eggs, red onion, matzah meal, salt and pepper. Stir to mix well. Scoop about 1/3 cup at a time into your hands and form into a round patty about 1/4-inch thick. Place on a sheet pan and repeat with remaining mixture until you have formed 10 cakes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine pineapple, mango, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and salt. Mix well and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry 5 cakes at a time for about 5 to 8 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate while frying remaining cakes. To serve, top each cake with a few tablespoons of salsa.
Eggplant Tomato Stacks
Serves 6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
These individual eggplant stacks are as beautiful as they are versatile — add ground beef to make them heartier.
For the stacks:
1 large, long eggplant, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup fine matzah meal or potato starch seasoned with dried parsley, salt and pepper
vegetable, walnut or hazelnut oil for frying
3 cups marinara sauce
fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dip eggplant slices in egg and then in the seasoned matzah meal. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant in batches until golden on both sides; remove and drain on paper towels.
Lightly grease the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Cover the bottom with a thin layer of sauce. Place one layer of eggplant, top with sauce, top with eggplant, and top with sauce again. Bake covered for 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
For a quick and elegant time-saver, warm sauce and pre-plate individual stacks. Alternate 2 or 3 layers of eggplant and sauce and garnish with fresh herbs.
Homemade Marinara Sauce to go with stacks:
Makes 3 cups
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 bay leaves
kosher salt
fresh cracked black pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 cups water
Heat the olive oil on a medium-high flame in a medium stockpot and then add the oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Give a few good stirs to release the flavors of the spices.
Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook down for another 5 minutes or until they start to fall apart. Add the tomato paste and the water, and cook over a medium flame for 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Grilled Ribeye with Crispy Parsnips
Serves 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ribeye is more marbled than other cute, which makes the steak especially tender and flavorful. Crispy parsnips are the perfect, slightly sweet alternative to french fries.
8 medium parsnips, peeled
4 cups olive oil
6 rib-eye steaks, 1-inch thick, room temperature (6-8 oz. each)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Using a peeler, peel parsnips into thin strips until you cannot peel any more of the parsnip. Heat oil over medium high heat. Fry parsnips in batches for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Repeat until all parsnips are fried.
Heat grill pan over high heat. Season steaks liberally with salt and pepper and grill for 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare doneness. Let rest 5 minutes before serving or slicing.
Chocolate-Mango Ganache Truffles
Makes 36
A classic ganache has cream and butter in it, but this ganache is parve and works well for cake fillings, frosting and truffles.
14 oz. bittersweet chocolate (at least 70 percent cacao)
1 cup mango puree (I prefer Ceres brand)
2 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean, scraped
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate with the mango puree, being careful not to burn the chocolate. Cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks and vanilla bean on high speed to a ribbon stage. (When the whisk is lifted, the mixture falls back into the bowl, forming a ribbon-like pattern on the surface). Turn the mixer speed down and pour the chocolate mixture into the eggs. Scrape down the bowl and return the mixer to high speed. Whip the chocolate ganache until it has completely cooled and is fluffy (about 5 minutes). The ganache can be stored, covered with parchment or plastic on the surface, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.
To roll the ganache into truffles, chill overnight. Scoop a small amount of ganache with an ice cream scooper and gently roll between your hands. Roll the truffle into cocoa powder or chopped nuts, or dip it into melted chocolate. Store the truffles in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.