In my younger days, I never stopped to ponder why we drink four glasses of red wine on Passover. I just did the drinking, joyfully. But this year, as I began to prepare myself for what will seem like constant consumption during our rapidly paced, child-friendly seder, I wondered.
So I looked it up.
Turns out there are many reasons we drink four cups of wine, all attributed to the sages and laid out in the Talmud.
The Torah uses four different Hebrew terms for redemption as it tells the story of journey from Egypt toward freedom — hence four glasses. The cup of Pharaoh is mentioned four times in Genesis 40. Four great empires “subjugated Israel” even after we were freed from Egypt, and each empire was forced to drink from “the cup of God’s fury.” That’s a veritable grand slam of “four” symbolism.
Before you pour your own four (or four-plus) cups at the seder table, honor the holiday by measuring four half-cups of wine symbolically at your stovetop. This Passover Coq Au Vin not only uses wine, but calls upon smoked paprika and adobo sauce for its smoky flavor.
Passover Coq Au Vin
Serves 6
2 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 12 thighs)
Plenty of kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup potato starch
6-8 Tbs. olive oil, divided
3 cups yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 Tbs. sauce from chipotles in adobo
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 Tbs. garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
2 cups red wine
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Rinse and dry chicken thighs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Dredge in potato starch to coat, shake off excess. Heat 1-2 Tbs. oil in a large skillet. Add chicken in a single layer in pan in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Cook 2-3 minutes per side, just until a light crust forms. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Heat a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan with tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add 2 Tbs. oil. Sauté chopped yellow onions 5 minutes until softened. Stir in paprika and adobo sauce. Cook 1 more minute. Transfer to a bowl, wipe out saucepan, and return pan to heat. Add 2 more Tbs. olive oil. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Sauté 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat. Return onions to pan and add chicken. Add wine and tomato paste. Bring to a light boil.
Partially cover pan with lid. Turn heat to medium-low and keep at a simmer for 20 minutes. Cover with lid for last 5 minutes. If making in advance, cool chicken down and refrigerate. When reheating, add up to 1/4 cup chicken stock to thin out sauce. Before serving, stir in parsley. Garnish with toasted pine nuts.
Lemon Roast Potatoes
Serves 6 to 8
2 1/2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes
4 large whole garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. Italian parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 Tbs. lemon juice
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes in quarters. Arrange potatoes and garlic in a 9-by-12-inch baking pan. Pour olive oil over potatoes and garlic, and stir to coat. Season with salt and black pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Pluck out the garlic and place on cutting board to cool. Return potatoes to oven for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, mince cooked garlic and transfer to small mixing bowl. Add parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. When potatoes are done cooking, transfer to serving bowl and toss with garlic-parsley mixture.
Josie A.G. Shapiro won the 2013 Man-O Manischewitz Cook-Off, is the co-author of “The Lazy Gourmet” and works at the JCC of San Francisco. Her columns alternate with those of Faith Kramer. Her website is www.thechickencontests.com.