Cauliflower rice, ready to serve. (photo from cookingclassy.com)
With Passover approaching, the meal planning has begun. Looking into my Passover folder for something new to share, I found a few side dishes – and many desserts. I hope you are able to try some of them out, and that you enjoy the ones you do. Chag Pesach sameach!
CAULIFLOWER RICE
(From foodnetwork.com. Makes 4 servings.)
1 large cauliflower separated into 1-inch florets
3 tbsp olive oil
1 finely diced medium onion
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
juice of half a lemon
- Trim cauliflower florets, cutting away as much stem as possible. In three batches, break up florets into a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles couscous.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and stir to coat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown at the edges and have softened, about eight minutes.
- Add cauliflower and stir. Add salt and continue to cook and stir three to five minutes, until cauliflower has softened. Spoon into a large serving bowl. Garnish with parsley, sprinkle with lemon juice, salt to taste. Serve warm.
LEEK PATTIES
(From the Jerusalem Post, April 2015. Makes 12 servings.)
2.2 pounds leeks
1 large, peeled boiling potato
3 large beaten eggs
3 tbsp matzah meal
salt and pepper to taste
oil
- Wash leeks carefully, slicing then vertically to remove all the grit. Dice the white base and the palest green part of the leaves.
- Place water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add leeks and cook for five minutes then drain.
- Place water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add potato and cook until it is soft. Drain.
- Place potato and leeks in a processor and blend. Add eggs, matzah meal, salt and pepper. Remove to a bowl and form into patties.
- Pour oil into a frying pan and heat. Spoon patties into the oil and fry until golden brown on each side. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
PASSOVER SQUASH PUDDING
(From Annice Grinberg. Makes 6 servings.)
2 pounds peeled summer squash
2 peeled carrots
1 1/2 cups matzah farfel or broken matzot
1/4 cup oil
3 eggs, separated
salt to taste
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a casserole or baking dish.
- Heat oil in a frying pan. Add farfel or broken matzot and brown.
- Place squash and carrots in a saucepan with water, cook until soft. Drain and mash. Add farfel or browned matzot, salt and egg yolks.
- Beat whites in a bowl until stiff. Fold into vegetable mixture.
- Spoon into a greased casserole or baking dish and bake for one hour, until golden.
MOM’S CREAM PUFF BUNS
(Makes 9-12 servings.)
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
3 eggs
1 cup matzah meal
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a cookie sheet with Passover vegetable spray.
- Place water, oil, salt and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Add matzah meal and one egg at a time. Blend well.
- Spoon dough in pieces on a cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
- When cool, cut a little off top of each. Fill with a favourite custard.
ALMOND CAKE WITH CITRUS SYRUP
(From Chef Peter Hoffman, in Food & Wine. Makes 6 servings.)
citrus syrup:
2 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
finely grated zest of half a large lemon
cake:
1 1/2 tsp oil
1 tbsp matzah meal
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
finely grated zest of half a large lemon
4 eggs, separated
confectioners sugar (optional)
- Combine sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest with 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer over moderately low heat for two minutes. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Oil a springform pan bottom and sides, and line bottom with parchment paper. Oil the paper. Evenly coat bottom and sides with matzah meal. Refrigerate the pan.
- With a wooden spoon in a large bowl, mix sugar, almonds, lemon zest and egg yolks.
- In another bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir one-quarter into almond mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg whites in three additions.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake on lowest shelf of oven for one hour or until cake tester inserted into the centre comes out dry. Cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake, remove pan sides and invert cake onto wire rack. Peel off parchment and let cake cool.
- Reheat and strain syrup. Transfer cake to a plate and prick all over with a fork. Pour syrup over cake and let sit at room temperature for at least three hours or overnight. Sift confectioners sugar over cake (optional).
MIRIAM’S PAREVE ICE CREAM
2 10-ounce packages frozen fruit, slightly thawed (strawberries work very well)
4 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1 cup sugar (if using frozen fruit with added sugar, decrease this amount)
- In a bowl, beat egg yolks. Add fruit.
- In a second bowl, beat egg whites until peaks are formed, gradually adding sugar.
- Gently add fruit and yolks to whites. Place in a container and freeze. Stir once or twice to keep fruit from settling to the bottom.
PASSOVER SORBET
4 cups strawberries or other fruit
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 egg white
- Place strawberries or fruit, sugar and lemon juice in a food processor and process until mixed. Place in a container.
- Whip egg white in a bowl. Add to fruit. Spoon into a container and freeze.
Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, author, editor/compiler of 10 kosher cookbooks and a food writer living in Jerusalem. She leads English-language Shuk Walks in Machane Yehuda and writes restaurant features for janglo.net.
