It’s here. The week before Pesach. Time for the annual Passover Recipe Roundup
THE FORWARD published a mash up of Pesach with edible cannabis, with POTzi BREI, Matzo Brei with Pot. In Wake And Bake With Potzo Brei This Passover by Jeff the 420 Baker. It uses milk, matzot, onions, cheese, and 1 tablespoon of “canna-butter.”
THE WASHINGTON POST called on Kara Elder to “Refresh Passover menus with bold takes on classic dishes.” Her recipes are for “Passover Halibut Plaki,” whick are fillets of mild fish cooked with diced carrot, bell pepper, grape tomatoes and green grapes; “Modern Stuffed ‘Derma’ With Matzoh Meal, Spices and Onions,” a meatless take on a traditional delicacy, and “Tilapia and Red Grapefruit Ceviche” which adds arak, the anise-flavored liqueur.
The WaPo adds a video with Joan Nathan making the vagetarian kishka/derma HERE Other recipes for 2017 are for Halek (Persian Haroset) and Fresh Basil Pesto on matzoh.
Additionally, The Washington Post shares recipes for “Sumptuous Duck Cholent (with BEANS),” “Chicken and Artichoke Matzoh Pie With Eggs and Gremolata” which is a savory kugel packed with flavor, and “Sweet Dairy Brunch Kugel” which is made of matzoh. It also reviewed five KoP wine HERE.
But what I liked best was the sharing of two of the best recipes from Nathan’s eleventh cookbook, which was published this week, King Solomon’s Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking From Around the World,” (Alfred A. Knopf, 2017), namely Slow-Cooked Brisket With Red Wine, Vinegar and Mustard, which is a low-and-slow technique refined by San Francisco chef Adam Sobel; and Bene Israel Fish Curry With Fresh Ginger, Tamarind and Cilantro, a Sabbath and Pesach specialty from a member of the Bene Israel community in Mumbai.
Paula Shoyer shares her Passover Blueberry Pie and Linzer Torte recipes in The Washington Post. (EVERYDAY IS GOOD FOR PIE… even during Pesach) Shoyer is the author of The New Passover Menu Pesach cookbook
Easily it can be said that for 2017, The Washington Post had the most and most unique recipe roundup. Thank you Jeff Bezos.
The PBS NEWSHOUR also picks up a Joan Nathan recipe for its Passover story HERE It is Injy Farat-Lew’s Flourless Chocolate Cake by way of Cairo, Egypt and Paris, France. Watch the video with Joan Nathan and Judy Woodruff HERE
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reported this week on the new Matzo Pizza Kit from Manischewitz. CEO David Sugarman says matzo pizza is a Passover staple for Jewish families. They made a special die to make the new shape from the traditional rectangle. Because matzo breaks so easily (but never along those perforations), employees now grab the matzo by hand and place it into cartons to cool, making 6,000 triangular pizza an hour.
Jeffrey Yoskowitz writes in THE NEW YORK TIMES that maybe you should skip the pizza and not make Passover so easy. And Joanne Kaufman writes about the Passover BRA?? HERE.
THE NEW YORK TIMES also highlighted Joan Nathan and her book here. Thankfully it is much less intrusive than the Washington Post profile, and shares Passover recipes for Chicken With Eggplant and Swiss Chard; Haroseth With Chestnuts, Pine Nuts, Pears and Dried Fruits; Orange-Almond Mandelbrot; and more. The Haroset is Ferrara Italy style and contains no spices, relying instead on a vibrant mix of fresh and dried fruit for flavor — so use the ripest and sweetest you can find.
Joseph Berger writes in The New York Times The Grape Juice Wars of Passover, about Welch’s moving in on the turf of Kedemby partnering it with Maischewitz. Welch’s has flooded the Orthodox Jewish market and received a hecksher from a panel of exacting rabbis from the rigorous Hasidic and ultra-Orthodox communities. Let the price war benefit lovers of grapes.
Florence Fabricant reviews several kosher Rosés wines for Passover HERE. Among her recommendations are Capçanes Peraj Petita Rosat 2015 (Spain, $17.71), deep pink, soft and balanced; and Psagot Jerusalem Rosé 2016 (Israel, $17.99), floral with crisp acidity.
For me, the most controversial essay in The Times was by London’s Yotam Ottolenghi. Growing up in Israel, he knew nada about Easter, or Easter egg hunts. But with a child and partner, who are Easter celebrants, he has realized that his joy of searching for the seder afikomen is akin to the search for chocolate during Easter. In his Essay: Inviting the Easter Bunny to the Seder” he explains how he decided to mix holiday imagery. I would recommend he just keep them separate, but, hey, its his life and celebration. He writes that his recipes may give “rise” to new traditions. Yes, but giving RISE during Passover sort of nullifies the holiday’s spirit and meaning.
Yotam still is in vogue. I have three of his cookbooks. And speaking of VOGUE: In Kosher for Passover: New Rules and New Recipes, Karen Burshtein writes that since Conservative Masorti movement Jews can now eat rice during Pesach, you should consider the recipe for Crunchy Saffron Rice; Rottem Leiberson’s Gondi (Persian Chicken & Chickpea Dumplings) and Chicken Soup; and Paula Shoyer’s Peruvian Roasted Chicken with Salsa Verde.
Susan Selasky, writing for THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, shares recipes for Asparagus, Leek and Zucchini Kugel by Paula Shoyer; Matzo-Almond Croccante; and Spicy Potato Stacks by Susie Fishbein (Passover Made Simple). And Rachel Nania, a skilled health and foods educator, for Hubbard’s WTOP of Washington, DC, shares over a dozen recipes for Passover including fluffy matzo meal pancakes.
PARADE MAGAZINE, that Sunday magazine insert in many newspapers, shares a recipe for Pesto Caprese Matzo Pizza from Michele STREIT Heilbrun. Please use her family’s STREIT’S MATZOS (now 101 years old). The recipe is from her 2017 cookbook, titled “Matzo: 35 Recipes for Passover and All Year Long.”
London’s METRO shares several recipes for a seder lamb stew, quinoa, kugel, matzo ball soup, passover smores, brisket, and more.
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES makes mention of Joan Nathan’s new cookbook and also discusses a Passover dessert here HERE Faye and Yakir Levy discuss profiteroles. Noelle Carter lists over three dozen Passover recipes HERE.
Liz Balmaseda for THE PALM BEACH POST in Florida has a recipe for FOUR STAR Matzo Ball Soup Why four stars? It uses schmaltz and is from “The Book of Schmaltz” (Little Brown) by Michael Ruhlman.
Speaking of SCHMALTZ, Judy SCHMAL of THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE writes that Houston Chef Seth Siegel-Gardner has a winning Passover recipe for Matzo Lamb Schnitzel with Horseradish, Apple and Parsley Slaw and Beet Béarnaise. It is NOT Kosher for Passover. It is NOT even Kosher… But you can get inspired, nevertheless.
Stephen Fries in THE NEW HAVEN REGISTER shares two passover recipes from “MATZO: 35 Recipes for Passover and All Year Long.” One is for LEO MATZO BREI.
What is L.E.O.?
Lox Eggs and Onions.
Rachel Forrest for Seacoastonline in Portsmouth, NH shares two recipes. One for Matzo Crunch and one for Matzo Ball Soup. She studied Religion at Rutgers University decades ago where she learned the power of food in ritual. THE KANSAS CITY STAR shares Matzo recipes, too It is Sheryl Kaplan’s Chocolate Toffee Matzo. Sheryl will host 25 at her seder in Kansas… or is that Missouri? Just kidding.
The WINE SPECTATOR shares recipes for Passover from Miami-based chef Michelle Bernstein, whose father brought Russian-Jewish influences to the kitchen when she was growing up. Bernstein, who worked at Le Bernardin in New York and Azul at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami. They are Grilled Asparagus with Salsa Romesco and Cauliflower Steaks with Garlic Aioli. Both are vegetarian. Also there are ten wine recommendations, including Barkan Chardonnay Judean Hills Special Reserve 2012 Score: 91 | $25 (good til 2019); Galil Mountain Yiron Galilee 2012 Score: 91 | $28 (good til 2020); Golan Heights Winery Chardonnay Galilee Yarden Katzrin 2014 Score: 91 | $29; Recanati Special Reserve Galilee 2013 Score: 90 | $60 (good to 2019); and Carmel Cabernet Sauvignon Galilee Appellation 2014 Score: 88 | $20
At Lancaster (PA) Online, the recipe is for chocolate matzo brittle which the author learned from a grandmother of her son’s friend on the sidelines of a lacrosse game. (you thought I would say a barn raising). Ann ran the recipe by her friend Patti, who is a local tax attorney and cookbook author who became Orthodox 20 years ago. She approved it. Her hecksher is good enough for me.
The INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES shares 20 recipes including Zoodles and zucchini ravioli stuffed with cabbage and pastrami.
When I met author Joan Nathan in Manhattan this week, I asked her which recipe I should highlight on Jewlicious. She responded with this spinach recipe that is published in a new issue of The JEWISH JOURNAL OF LOS ANGELES It is for HUEVOS HAMINADOS CON SPINACI or Long-Cooked Hard-Boiled Eggs with Spinach. Megan Wolf of the JTA had her recipe roundup published in several Jewish publications, including the CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS. Here they highlight her Coconut Carrot Soup Belinda Ossip of ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES highlights a recipe Orange and Ginger Roast Chicken. It is a Paula Shoyer recipe.
Linda Morel for THE JEWISH EXPONENT in Philadelphia writes on Precious Passover Recipes from Trieste, Italy. Recipes are shared for Italian Haroset, the Morpurgo family’s Poached Carp in Jellied Broth, Roasted Red Snapper, and Aunt Dora’s Spinach Torte with Passover Confectioner’s Sugar.
THE SAINT LOUIS POST-DISPATCH published a Basic Macaroon Recipe. It used just one large egg white and two cups dried, sweetened, flaked coconut.
THE BOSTON GLOBE shares Gabriella Gershenson’s “A grandmother’s favorite Passover sponge cake” Gabriella writes more about dishes HERE Sheryl Julian for THE BOSTON GLOBE shares a recipe for Passover Almond Cake.
The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS focused on gefilte fish. Fresh Salmon Gefilte Fish with Arugula, Avocado and Mango Slaw is reprinted from Paula Shoyer’s Passover cookbook. There is also a recipe for Sephardic style poached fish in Pepper Sauce It is also from Paula Shoyer’s New Passover Menu.
BON APPETIT magazine shares a recipe for chciago macaroon cake. Senior food editor Claire Saffitz tested a lot of different versions of this cake to get it just right. Gail Simmons for The NBC TODAY SHOW writes about Horseradish Brisket which is inspired by her mother’s holiday dish. Renee, her mother, is a food columnist in Toronto for the GLOBE AND MAIL. Gail is a judge for TOP CHEF.
Lucy Waverman at THE GLOBE AND MAIL makes a healthy brisket with dates; as well as mashed roots; and a rhubarb almond crisp
Claire Perez of the SUN-SENTINEL talks Carol Tunkel’s award winning Brisket in Florida Vered Guttman at HAARETZ shares a recipe for Meringue Chocolate-almond Cake for Passover which was inspired by Prantl Bakery in Pittsburgh. Ronit Vered for HAARETZ shares a Passover menu that is inspired by Tel Aviv’s iconic Levinsky Market as well as a brisket recipe from Bon Apetit’s editor HERE
