Passover : 44 Seders and Counting

In 1950, life was much simpler and my palate was less sophisticated. That was the year when, as a young bride of 20, I planned my first Passover Seder.

Actually there was little to plan; my husband conducted the Passover Seder and added his own comments and anecdotes. I used the recipes handed down for generations by my mother and mother-in-law.

The menu, like the 10 Commandments, was written in stone. First the preparation of the Seder plate, the ceremonial foods, including the cold, salted, hard-cooked egg soup. Then gefilte fish, chicken soup with matzo balls, roasted chicken with a vegetable stuffing (everyone’s favorite--still on my menu) and a variety of cakes, each made with 10 to 12 eggs and matzo cake meal. A super-sweet Concord grape wine was served throughout the Seder. There were usually 10 guests but, of course, no children or grandchildren yet.

Today we include our five children, their spouses, seven grandchildren plus friends and relatives, a total of three dozen. This makes it a must to serve the main course and desserts buffet-style.

As my food-oriented husband and I matured, we became braver and more creative. We didn’t renounce the traditional family food choices, we just improved on them. Soon we were serving ceremonial foods adopted from Jewish communities all over the world. On the Seder table we displayed our collection of antique Judaica objects, which included two ancient matzo cutters. We now serve a selection of wines from many countries, both red and white--from very dry to mildly sweet and yes, Concord grape wine too.

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Charoset evolved from a simple apple, walnut and wine mixture to a sampling from other cultures, all made from fresh and dried fruits and nuts. We now have our own California charoset, a combination of avocado, oranges, figs, raisins, wine and spices. Another favorite is a spicy Yemenite version seasoned with cayenne pepper.

One year, gefilte fish became a seafood terrine, with chunks of fresh salmon. Sometimes the familiar peppery fish balls are served with a horseradish mousse and julienne of jicama. We often poach fish roe, when we can find it, in the broth along with the fish balls.

The roasted chicken became turkey (my mother’s stuffing never changed) and the matzo balls grew lighter every year, while the chicken soup became tastier when I learned to add more chicken and vegetables. (That, by the way, is my secret for perfect chicken soup.)

Roasted lamb shanks became a tradition later, along with a variety of fresh vegetables--and always steamed fresh asparagus.

About 1965, I added a yearly treat-- schmura matzo (guarded matzo) hand-made in Israel from the first wheat of the season and baked in a round shape.

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It has also become a tradition to serve steamed red new potatoes dipped in salt as one of the Seder foods. For us, this symbolizes the arrival of spring.

The addition of chocolate-dipped fresh strawberries and farfel-nut chocolate clusters on the dessert table came in 1975. The old dry macaroons were replaced by delicate lacy nut farfel cookies and a variety of sponge cakes. This year I am including chef Bruce Marder’s flourless chocolate cake, perfect for Passover.

The current Passover menu and recipes chronicle our gradual change over the past 44 years, as our tastes and culinary skills improved.

“Expecting to Fly” Passover dinnerware from H. & L. Levin, L.A. Mart.

YEMENITE CHAROSET

1 cup pitted, chopped dates

1/2 cup chopped dried figs

1/3 cup sweet Passover wine

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Dash coriander

Dash cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons matzo meal

In large bowl, combine dates, figs and wine. Add sesame seeds, ginger, coriander, cayenne pepper and matzo meal. Blend thoroughly. Roll into 1-inch balls or serve in bowl.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups or 12 balls.

Each charoset ball contains about:

84 calories; 3 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.80 gram fiber.

GRANDMA GENE’S GEFILTE FISH

5 onions, thinly sliced, skins reserved

1 cup chopped celery tops

6 carrots, peeled and sliced thin

1 pound fish bones and skin

3 pounds carp fillets

2 pounds turbot fillets

1 pound ling cod or black cod fillets

1 pound sucker, rock cod or whitefish fillets

4 stalks celery, chopped

3 eggs

1/2 cup matzo meal

1 cup water

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

In large pot, place 3 onions, all reserved onion skins, celery tops, 2 carrots, fish bones and skin. Set aside.

In meat grinder or food processor, puree remaining 4 carrots, 2 onions, celery stalks and fish filets, in several batches if necessary. Place ground mixture in large mixing bowl. Blend with eggs and matzo meal. Transfer mixture to large wooden chopping bowl and chop fish mixture, adding water gradually with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 2 teaspoons pepper as you chop. Mixture should be soft and light to touch.

Wet hands with cold water and shape fish mixture into oval balls. At this point, long strips of fish skin can be wrapped around fish balls, if desired. Place fish balls on bed of vegetables in pot. Add warm water to cover completely. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boil, partially covered. Shake pot to distribute salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until done, about 1 hour.

Cool. Transfer to glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and foil. Refrigerate. Serve on lettuce leaves with jicama, cucumber, pickled beets and horseradish sauce.

Makes about 40 fish balls.

Each serving contains about: 111 calories; 83 mg sodium; 61 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 0.22 gram fiber.

LAMB SHANKS ROASTED IN RED WINE

1/4 cup oil

2 onions, sliced thin

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 carrots, sliced thin

2 celery stalks, sliced thin

1 bay leaf, crushed

3 sprigs fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon oregano

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 1/2 cups dry red wine

1 (10 1/2-ounce) can Passover tomato sauce with mushrooms

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

6 lamb shanks, trimmed of fat

8 mushrooms, sliced thin

Double the recipe and use leftover lamb shanks as base for a hearty lamb stew. Bone the shanks and combine the meat with steamed carrots, parsnips and potatoes.

Heat oil in large roasting pot and saute onions and garlic until tender. Add carrots, celery, bay leaf, oregano, rosemary, parsley, wine and tomato sauce. Simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add lamb shanks and baste with sauce.

Cover and cook in 375-degree oven 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting every 20 minutes. Uncover, add mushrooms and cook additional 30 minutes or until shanks are tender, turning shanks to keep moist. Arrange lamb shanks on large platter with vegetables and sauce.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about: 225 calories; 331 mg sodium; 28 mg cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 1.29 grams fiber.

BRUCE MARDER’S FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE CAKE

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or margarine

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds

5 ounces melted semisweet chocolate, cooled

5 eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar

Generously brush 9-inch round cake pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Line bottom with round of parchment or wax paper. Brush with remaining melted butter. Sprinkle generously with sugar.

In food processor fitted with knife blade, cream butter. Add almonds and beat until mixture comes together. Add melted, cooled chocolate and blend well. Add egg yolks, 1 at time, and continue blending until smooth and fluffy.

In large bowl of electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Add sugar and beat until smooth and firm. Fold in 1/3 of egg white mixture to lighten and fold in remaining egg whites gently but thoroughly.

Spoon batter into prepared cake pan. Bake at 400 degrees 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees and bake 1 hour and 30 minutes, until cake is crusty on top and wood pick inserted in center comes out dry. Cool on rack. Invert onto large plate, peel off parchment paper and invert onto cake plate. Pour Chocolate Glaze over cake and spread or tilt cake until completely covered.

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CHOCOLATE GLAZE

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup water or coffee

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

In heavy saucepan, combine butter, honey and water. Bring to boil, remove from heat and add chocolate. Beat until stiff enough to spread or drizzle over cake. If glaze is not thick enough, return to heat and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, mixing constantly.

Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about: 567 calories; 48 mg sodium; 187 mg cholesterol; 43 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 1.28 grams fiber.

FARFEL-NUT THINS

1 cup matzo farfel

1 tablespoon matzo cake meal

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup melted unsalted margarine

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 tablespoon orange juice

1/2 cup ground almonds

One really nice thing about this recipe is that you can mix up the batter and keep it in a covered bowl in the refrigerator throughout Passover. Whenever you want some cookies, just spoon the batter onto a foil-lined baking sheet and bake. Matzo farfel is like a small, chopped-up matzo. It can be found in most Jewish delis.

In large mixing bowl, combine matzo farfel, matzo cake meal, sugar and salt. Mix well. Pour margarine over farfel mixture and blend until sugar dissolves. Add egg and vanilla and blend. Mix in almonds.

Line baking sheet with foil and drop farfel mixture by teaspoons onto foil, about 2 inches apart. Bake at 325 degrees 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before lifting from foil.

Makes about 8 dozen.

Each serving contains about: 22 calories; 7 mg sodium; 2 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.02 grams fiber.