Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
1,000 Jewish Recipes (78 page)
Like most Yemenites, my mother-in-law always has a jar of "coffee spice," a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom, for adding to dark Turkish coffee. These same spices also give an exotic taste to Yemenite haroset. Sweet and concentrated, it is made primarily of dates, other dried fruits, and nuts and does not contain apples or other fresh fruits. Some people add toasted sesame seeds.
1
â
2
cup almonds
1
â
3
cup walnuts
8 ounces pitted dates
1
â
2
cup raisins
1
1
â
2
teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
1
â
4
teaspoon ground ginger
1
â
4
teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons sweet red wine or water
Finely chop almonds and walnuts in a food processor almost to a powder. Remove nut powder from the processor, then finely chop dates and raisins. Combine chopped nuts with chopped fruit in a bowl. Stir in spices. Gradually stir in enough wine or water to make a thick spread. Serve at room temperature or cold, as a spread with matzos.
This is a chunky, sweet, fresh-tasting haroset, made of chopped apples and two kinds of nuts. To give it an Israeli accent, you can also add chopped dates, diced bananasâa secret of Israeli mothers to ensure that the haroset will appeal to the childrenâand a touch of cinnamon.
1
â
2
cup hazelnuts
1
â
2
cup walnuts or pecans
3 to 4 tablespoons sugar
2 large apples, peeled, halved, and cored
3 tablespoons sweet red wine
2 tablespoons orange juice
Grated rind of
1
â
2
orange
Grind hazelnuts and walnuts with sugar in a food processor until fairly fine, leaving a few small chunks. Transfer to a bowl. Chop apples in food processor or with a knife until fine. Add them to nut mixture. Stir in wine, orange juice, and grated rind. Serve at room temperature or cold, as a spread with matzos.
When I attended a Seder in Paris, where most of the guests were of Moroccan origin, the haroset was served in little balls, rather like chocolate truffles. These are good not only at the Seder but also as a tasty, natural treat with a rich, slightly spicy flavor.
8 ounces pitted dates
1
â
2
cup pecans
1
â
2
cup almonds
About 3 tablespoons sweet red wine
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1
â
2
teaspoon ground ginger
1 sweet apple such as Golden Delicious or Gala, peeled and cored
1.
Halve dates and remove any pits or pit fragments. Finely chop pecans and almonds in a food processor and remove to a bowl. Add dates, 3 tablespoons wine, and spices to processor and grind until fairly smooth. Mix with nuts. Grate apple on large holes of a grater. Stir into date mixture. If mixture is dry, add more wine by teaspoons.
2.
Roll haroset between your palms into small balls of about
3
â
4
or 1-inch diameter. Serve in foil or paper candy cups.
Like many Sephardic Jews, Iranian Jews like their haroset flavored with dates. Some add bananas and pears as well. Seasonings are exotic, and might include saffron or cardamom.
1
â
2
cup pecans
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1 apple, peeled, halved, and cored
2 to 3 tablespoons sweet red wine
3
â
4
teaspoon ground cinnamon
1
â
2
teaspoon ground ginger
1
â
4
teaspoon ground nutmeg
1
â
4
teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1
â
2
cup almonds, coarsely chopped
12 pitted dates, coarsely chopped
1 pear
1 banana
Pine nuts (for garnish)
1.
Grind pecans with 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until fine. Grate apple on large holes of a grater into a bowl and add 2 tablespoons wine. Stir in ground nuts, spices, almonds, and dates. Peel and finely dice pear and banana and add to bowl. Taste and add more sugar or wine, if desired.
2.
To serve, spread on a flat dish and decorate with pine nuts. Serve at room temperature or cold, as a spread with matzos.
These are pyramids of matzo and haroset. In the Seder, haroset serves as a reminder of the mortar that the slaves used to build the pyramids. In this recipe the haroset is the mortar that holds together the miniature matzo pyramids. Eating a sandwich of matzo and haroset is a custom of the Seder. This is a new and fun way to present these sandwiches. The haroset in this recipe is also delicious on its own.
12 ounces pitted dates
3
â
4
cup almonds
3
â
4
cup walnuts
About 6 tablespoons sweet red wine
1
1
â
2
teaspoons ground cinnamon
1
1
â
2
teaspoons ground ginger
Small pinch ground cloves
2 small sweet apples such as Golden Delicious or Gala, peeled, halved, and cored
12 square matzos
16 toasted almonds or walnuts (for garnish)
1.
Halve the dates and remove any pit fragments. Finely chop almonds and walnuts in food processor, then remove to a bowl. Add dates, 4 tablespoons wine, and spices to processor and grind until fairly smooth. Mix with nuts. Grate apples on large holes of a grater and stir into mixture. Gradually add wine by teaspoons, if necessary, to make a mixture that is spreadable but still thick.
2.
To make 16 pyramids, briefly dip 4 matzos one by one in a pan of cold water. With a sharp knife, cut these matzos in 3-inch squares. Put them on a plate. Dip 3 matzos in water and cut them in 2-inch squares. Then, dip 2 matzos in water and cut them in 1
1
â
2
-inch squares. Put them on a plate. Last, dip 2 more matzos in water and cut them in 1-inch squares. Put them on a plate. You will need 16 of each size of squares. Let squares stand for a few minutes to dry slightly so they become easier to handle.
3.
Spread squares gently with haroset. For each pyramid, use a 3-inch square as a base, top with a 2-inch square, then a 1
1
â
2
-inch, and finally a 1-inch square. Top each pyramid with a toasted almond or walnut.
SALADS AND SOUPS
Beets are a favorite on the Passover menu in many homes. We love serving them this way, in a salad with baby greens, and an added California touchâsweet crunchy jicama and a lime juice dressing.
2 large beets, rinsed
2 quarts mixed baby lettuces, washed and dried
3 cups peeled diced jicama
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 to 4 tablespoons walnut oil or vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1
â
3
cup toasted mixed nuts
1.
Put beets in a pan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat 40 to 50 minutes or until tender. Let cool. Run beets under cold water and slip off the skins. Cut beets into wedges.
2.
In a large bowl combine lettuces and jicama, and toss. In a small bowl, whisk lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper until blended. Pour over greens mixture and toss thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve greens topped with beets and sprinkled with nuts.