The Passover Plan

I look forward to Passover each year with a mixture of pleasure and anxiety. Pleasure, because I know I will be with family and friends at the Seder table, reading the Passover Haggadah and enjoying a festive dinner. Anxiety, because of the many hours of strenuous and labor-intensive preparations required for cooking the two Seder dinners.

I’m not alone. Every year while I’m making several kinds of charoset, chopping gefilte fish, rolling matzo balls and baking cakes and cookies, the telephone rings and rings. The caller usually begins: “I know you’re busy, but can you please help me? It will only take a minute and I would be so grateful.”

Here are some of the typical questions that have been asked over the years:

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Q: Are there easier alternatives to old-fashioned gefilte fish? And can they really be as good as what my grandmother used to make?

A: I make a gefilte fish terrine with a combination of sole, ling cod and halibut fillets. Turbot, white fish and sea bass are also good choices for this terrine. Yes, it really is as good, much easier to slice and serve and it looks beautiful on the plate. I serve it with horseradish-tomato mayonnaise and sliced cucumber, beets or jicama.

Q: My local market ran out of matzo meal and I don’t have time to shop. Can I pulverize matzo in a food processor to use in the recipe for matzo balls?

A: Yes. Break up the matzo. Then, using the chopping blade, turn on the food processor and drop the matzo pieces through the feeder tube, processing until you get the desired consistency.

Q: Can I replace matzo cake meal for flour to make my favorite cake for Passover?

A: Don’t! There are so many wonderful Passover cake and cookie recipes. Save your favorite cake to enjoy the rest of the year.

Q: The charoset we usually serve is a mixture of apples, wine and nuts, but I am allergic to nuts. What do you suggest?

A: Charoset is prepared differently in Jewish communities all over the world depending on the availability of ingredients. We serve several kinds of charoset at our Seder. Yemenite charoset, one of our favorites, is made with dates, dried figs and wine and spiced with coriander and chile.

Q: Where can I find red wine vinegar for Passover to marinate a chicken?

A: If you can’t find red wine vinegar, use Passover apple cider vinegar, which is easier to find. You’ll get a similar result.

Q: I want to stuff and roast a turkey for my Seder dinner. Do you have a recipe for Passover stuffing?

A: Yes. It’s a colorful mixture of 8 vegetables that are sauteed and combined with raisins, wine, matzo meal, matzo cake meal and potato starch.

Q: How can I make a Passover kugel without using noodles?

A: Replace the noodles with matzo farfel, which resembles corn flakes and is available at most markets.

Q: Help. I can’t get my Passover meringue cookies off the baking sheet.

A: Bake them on a well-oiled, foil-lined baking sheet and while warm use a metal spatula to lift them off. Cool on a wire rack.

Q: Why did my Passover farfel cookie recipe fall flat?

A: Maybe you’re assuming the cookies should resemble macaroons. In fact, they’re supposed to be thin and crisp. Your cookies didn’t fall after all.

Q: I once had a Passover cake iced with coffee frosting. What kind of coffee--coffee crystals, brewed coffee or espresso coffee powder--do I use?

A: I use 2 tablespoons strong, brewed coffee (regular or decaffeinated) in my pareve coffee frosting recipe, which is a perfect topping for your Passover cake.

Q: Why did my Passover sponge cake fall out of the pan and collapse when inverted?

A: There are four important rules to remember when baking a sponge cake:

1. Always beat the egg whites until firm peaks form and egg whites don’t slide when the bowl is tilted.

2. Never grease a tube pan before spooning in the batter.

3. Always preheat the oven to the correct temperature before baking.

4. Never underbake a sponge cake. The cake is done when it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.

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Passover cooking presents a real challenge. But it’s fun to use your imagination and ingenuity to find new ways to use traditional Passover ingredients, so don’t hesitate to create new dishes for the holiday.

GEFILTE FISH TERRINE WITH HORSERADISH TOMATO MAYONNAISE

TERRINE

4 sole fillets, skinned and halved

Oil

2 onions, cut into eighths

4 small carrots, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 pound ling cod or other white-flesh fish fillets, cut in 1-inch cubes

1 pound halibut or white-flesh fish fillets, cut in 1-inch cubes

3 eggs

1/2 cup cold water

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound salmon fillets, cut in 1/2-inch chunks

Lettuce leaves

HORSERADISH TOMATO MAYONNAISE

4 egg yolks

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup oil

1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons grated horseradish

TERRINE

Soak sole fillets in cold water 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Place between sheets of wax paper and flatten lightly with mallet or side of knife. With sharp knife, make several slashes on skin side of each fillet.

Lightly oil 9x5-inch glass loaf dish and line with wax paper. Oil paper. Line baking dish with sole fillets, placing skin side down, overlapping slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Finely mince onions, carrots and celery in food processor. Add cod and halibut and process until well-blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, alternating with water. Blend well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to large bowl. Gently fold in salmon chunks. Spoon fish mixture into baking dish with sole. Cover with oiled wax paper and double layer of foil.

Place baking dish in large baking pan and pour hot water halfway up sides of baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until knife inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.

Cool on rack 10 minutes. Loosen foil and pour out excess liquid. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

To serve, invert terrine on platter and slice. Serve on lettuce leaves on individual serving plates with Horseradish Tomato Mayonnaise.

HORSERADISH TOMATO MAYONNAISE

Put egg yolks, lemon juice and salt in food processor or blender and process until well-blended. Add oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing until mixture thickens.

Transfer to large bowl and fold in tomato and horseradish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator. Makes about 1 cup mayonnaise.

Note: Although many recipes call for uncooked eggs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found them to be a potential carrier of food-borne illness and recommends that diners avoid eating raw eggs.

12 servings. Each serving with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise:

338 calories; 277 mg sodium; 173 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 27 grams protein; 0.35 gram fiber.

PASSOVER VEGETABLE STUFFING

Plumped raisins in wine will keep covered in refrigerator for several weeks. Squeeze before adding to recipe. Any stuffing left over after stuffing chicken can be baked at 350 degrees in greased baking dish for 30 minutes.

Passover Concord grape wine or apple juice

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup safflower, vegetable or peanut oil

3 onions, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 bunch carrots, grated

1 parsnip, grated

2 large zucchini, grated

1/2 cup minced parsley

8 to 10 mushrooms, chopped

2 tablespoons matzo meal

2 tablespoons matzo cereal or matzo cake meal

2 tablespoons Passover potato starch

1/4 cup red wine

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 chicken, turkey or veal breast

Add Passover Concord grape wine to raisins to cover and set aside to plump.

Heat oil in large heavy skillet and saute onions and garlic until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add celery, carrots, parsnip and zucchini and toss. Saute until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add parsley, drained raisins and mushrooms and mix thoroughly. Simmer 5 minutes.

Blend in matzo meal, cereal and potato starch. Add red wine and mix well. If stuffing is runny, add additional dry ingredients, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stuffing is moist and soft, but not dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff chickens, turkey or veal breast.

12 servings. Each 1/2-cup serving, without meat:

32 calories; 14 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; .5 gram protein; 0.27 gram fiber.

FARFEL-NUT THINS (30 MINUTES OR LESS)

1 cup matzo farfel

1/4 cup sliced almonds

3 tablespoons matzo cake meal

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted margarine, melted

1 egg

1 tablespoon orange juice or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup ground almonds

Combine matzo farfel, sliced almonds, matzo cake meal, sugar and salt in large mixing bowl. Pour margarine over farfel mixture and blend until sugar dissolves. Add egg and orange juice and blend. Mix in ground almonds.

Line baking sheet with foil and drop farfel mixture by the teaspoon onto foil, about 2 inches apart. Bake at 325 degrees until golden brown, 10 to 13 minutes. Cool completely before lifting from foil.

4 dozen cookies. Each cookie:

49 calories; 14 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.07 gram fiber.

YEMENITE CHAROSET (30 MINUTES OR LESS; VEGETARIAN)

1 cup chopped pitted dates

1/2 chopped dried figs

1/3 cup Passover Concord grape wine

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon ginger

Pinch coriander

1 small red chile, seeded and minced or pinch cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons matzo meal

Combine dates, figs and wine in large bowl. Add sesame seeds, ginger, coriander, chile and matzo meal and blend thoroughly. Roll into 1-inch balls or serve in bowl.

12 balls. Each ball:

75 calories; 2 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.62 gram fiber.

MATZO FARFEL KUGEL (VEGETARIAN)

1 tablespoon oil

1/4 cup ground nuts or matzo meal

4 cups matzo farfel

Boiling water

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted margarine, cut in pieces

4 eggs, separated

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup diced apples

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons sugar

Brush 8-inch-square baking dish with oil and sprinkle with nuts. Set aside.

Place farfel in colander and pour boiling water over to soften farfel. Transfer farfel to large bowl and add margarine, egg yolks, raisins and apples. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix well.

Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into farfel mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into prepared baking dish. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 45 minutes.

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings:

212 calories; 70 mg sodium; 107 mg cholesterol; 47 grams fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.29 gram fiber.

COFFEE CHOCOLATE FROSTING (IT’S A SNAP)

2 tablespoons unsalted margarine or oil

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup strong brewed coffee

6 ounces semisweet Passover chocolate

In small saucepan, combine margarine, honey and coffee. Bring to boil, remove from heat and add chocolate. Beat until stiff enough to spread or drizzle over cake.

1 cup frosting. All of frosting:

1,122 calories; 8 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 68 grams fat; 149 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 1.68 grams fiber.