Passover Heirlooms and Inventions

My father put two freshly roasted ducks on the table and poured a soft red wine. My sister and I, twentysomethings at the time, had come home for Passover, but this was not our Seder.

It was a midnight “snack” to sustain us as we cooked late into the night. We were trying to create the taste of Passover without my grandmother, who had died that winter.

We were a family who cooked together, much as other families ski or perhaps play touch football. Even when we couldn’t agree on anything else, everyone--mother, father, sister, brother and I--performed in balletic synchronicity in the kitchen and later at the table.

But we prepared splendid Italian suppers and lavish seafood feasts, not the Ashkenazi kosher cooking of my grandmother. Except for my mother’s briskets and the occasional chicken soup she fussed over during “Late, Late Show” commercials while awaiting my father’s return from a gin game, we ate hard-core Jewish food only when my grandmother stayed at our house.

Her chopped liver, matzo balls and, especially, the chopped hard-boiled eggs she mixed with sauteed and raw onions (my family’s customary stand-in for the traditional hard-boiled eggs dipped in salt water that begin most Ashkenazi Seder meals) were inextricably linked to the timeless Passover ritual. We had never thought to copy her recipes. Doesn’t timeless mean forever?

That first Passover without my grandmother we shared a secret suspicion that allowing her foods to vanish from our table meant losing something much greater and more vital. And we could not bear another loss.

Of course, we could not imitate her cooking. In my family, we like to potchke with our recipes. We read cookbooks for inspiration, not instruction.

We decided to make foods familiar enough to taste like Passover yet fresh and inventive. Dishes were re-imagined so that they reflected our changing palates and insatiable culinary curiosity.

Just as my father brought to life the story of the Hebrews’ liberation from slavery and exodus from Egypt by weaving modern parallels of oppression into the ancient narrative, we updated and renewed the wonderful Passover foods so they remained vivid and meaningful, the ritual never stale.

That night, when we divided the foods to be cooked among us, I volunteered for the matzo balls. While TV grandmothers pop fresh chocolate-chip cookies into the oven, my little grandma had always whipped up an extra batch of fluffy matzo balls for me to nibble as I prepared the plate of special ceremonial foods used in telling the Passover story.

I read the recipe on the matzo meal box and experimented with a few variations, perfuming the dumplings with wild onions and sassy spring herbs. And kept on experimenting.

The next evening we began with my father’s chopped eggs and onions, glistening with green-gold extra-virgin olive oil instead of chicken fat, tingly from heaps of just-ground pepper. My grandmother used to make this homey treat from his childhood especially for him, her handsome son-in-law.

And we ended bittersweet, singing my grandmother’s favorite song, “Had Gadaya,” a beautiful Hebrew allegory in the “House That Jack Built” tradition.

“Why is this night different from all other nights?” the youngest child asks as part of the age-old Seder service. Every year we share a meal that we have not tasted before. My parents are gone now, and the special festival dishes are even more important to me. For food is a metaphor for all that is delicious in life, for everything that is cherished in the warm embrace of family.

Some of our changes are subtle: peppery arugula replaces horseradish, one of the bitter herbs Jews eat to remind them of the harshness of slavery (long before it graced our tony mesclun salads, arugula was gathered wild by the poor in ancient Israel). Or we might serve a traditional brisket but flavored this time with a studding of tart dried fruit and a Moroccan spice rub.

This year the holiday arrives deep in spring, at sundown on April 19, and I will emphasize the vibrant scents and rich bounty of the season at our table.

Taking my cue from Italian gnocchi, I might stir an aromatic vegetable puree, like roasted fennel or garlic, into the batter for richly flavored, satin-supple matzo balls. Adding sauteed artichokes or caramelized apples will infuse old favorites like buttery matzo brei with new life.

I will prepare the exquisite heirloom recipes I’ve collected from friends and in my travels, like a fudgy prewar Hungarian chocolate torte that substitutes ground nuts for flour and whipped egg whites for leavening.

I’ve even learned to devise several delectable versions of bright-tasting gefilte fish--something, I must confess, I never had at home.

And my daughter looks forward to savoring Passover foods the same way I always have, linking her with my grandmother and all our grandmothers before her.

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Cohen is author of the newly published cookbook “The Gefilte Variations: 200 Inspired Recreations of Classics From the Jewish Kitchen” (Scribner, $35).

Savory Artichoke Matzo Brei

Active Work Time: 25 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 35 minutes

Matzo brei, among the best soul-satisfying starchy foods, is a chef’s canvas, reflecting the image and nuances you choose: served like French toast, flavored with vanilla, cinnamon or almond extract and doused with maple syrup; or frittata-style, sauteed with onions, mushrooms and flavorful tender vegetables like artichokes or asparagus. I often add soaked and drained matzo to frittata recipes--it stretches the number of eggs used, reducing that insistent egginess that spells breakfast to so many of us. This well-seasoned matzo brei is delicious any time of the day. You can add fresh chopped mint to the dill or use all mint.

3/4 pound onions, very thinly sliced (3 cups)

5 tablespoons olive oil, or 4 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter

1 (8-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, patted dry between layers of paper towels, then sliced

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, optional

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

4 whole plain or egg matzos

5 eggs

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Plain yogurt, optional

Chopped green onions, optional

* Saute onions in 2 tablespoons oil in 10- to 12-inch heavy cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat, lifting and turning them occasionally, until soft and golden at edges, 10 to 15 minutes. Add artichokes and garlic, if using, and continue lifting and scraping 5 to 7 minutes, or until artichokes are cooked through and onions are dotted with dark gold. Generously season with salt and pepper and add vinegar. Cook a few minutes over high heat, stirring, until vinegar is completely evaporated and just a soft, acidic sparkle remains. Taste again for seasoning, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

* Break matzos into 2- or 3-inch pieces and place in bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat eggs in large bowl until light and foamy. Drain matzo in colander, pressing out water with your hands or back of a spoon, and add to eggs. Add dill and oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in artichokes and onions and combine thoroughly.

* Wipe out skillet thoroughly, and heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add matzo batter all at once, and cook either frittata-style (in 1 piece, waiting until whole is golden brown before turning, 4 to 5 minutes per side side, or break it into sections with the spatula in order to turn it) or scrambled egg-style (lifting and turning pieces as different egg-soaked matzos begin to set), 6 to 8 minutes total. Or drop it in by heaping tablespoonfuls, like pancakes, and fry over medium heat until golden brown on bottom, then turn and fry until done to taste on the other side, (either golden and fluffy or more well-done and crisp), about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

* Serve immediately with yogurt mixed with chopped onions and garnished with additional dill, if desired.

4 servings. Each serving: 396 calories; 358 mg sodium; 266 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams protein; 1 gram fiber.

Gefilte Fish Steamed Between Cabbage Leaves

Active Work Time: 1 hour * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours plus 1 hour 30 minutes chilling

Inspired by the Chinese method for preparing tender, soft dumplings, I cushion these wonderfully delicate fish balls between cabbage leaves for a gentle 20-minute steam bath. The wet vapor helps preserve all the subtle flavors of the fish while the nutty-sweet cabbage wrapper keeps it moist as it steams and later as it chills, without broth, in the refrigerator. I like a combination of salmon and red snapper or lemon or gray sole. I’ve also used half Chilean sea bass and half flounder. Be sure to use a combination of fat and lean fish.

FISH BALLS

Salt

Water

1/3 cup diced carrot

1/3 cup peeled and diced parsnip

3 tablespoons matzo meal

2 tablespoons mild olive or vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon chopped shallots

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

2 pounds fish filets, skin and bones removed, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons lemon juice

* Bring 1 cup lightly salted water to boil in small saucepan. Add carrot and parsnip, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking water, and transfer vegetables to food processor. Place matzo meal in small bowl and stir in 1/3 cup reserved cooking water. Let sit so matzo meal can soften as it soaks in liquid, 5 minutes.

* Heat oil in 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onions, sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper, and saute, stirring, until soft, shiny and just beginning to color palest gold, 8 to 9 minutes. Don’t let them brown. Transfer onions and any remaining oil to food processor. Add shallots and dill to food processor and puree until fairly smooth. Transfer mixture to large wooden chopping bowl or wooden chopping board. (Don’t wash out food processor if you are grinding your own fish.)

* If your fish is not ground, put it, about 2 teaspoons salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in bowl of food processor and pulse just until mixture is chopped fine, but not pasty. Add fish to wooden bowl or board. (If you are using pre-ground fish, add it now, seasoned with salt and pepper.) Add soaked and softened matzo meal mixture. Beat eggs and yolks in bowl until thick and lemon-colored. Using hand chopper or cleaver, work beaten eggs and lemon juice into fish mixture, a little at a time. (Hand-chopping at this point incorporates air into mixture, making it lighter and fluffier than pulsing in food processor.)

* Poach 1 teaspoon fish mixture in lightly salted boiling water for a few minutes. Taste and, if needed, add salt and pepper. Chill fish mixture, covered, 1 to 4 hours. It will be easier to mold and fish balls will cook fluffier.

DILL-HORSERADISH MAYONNAISE

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup finely minced dill

1/4 cup prepared white horseradish, drained, or to taste

* While fish is chilling, combine mayonnaise, dill and horseradish. Cover and refrigerate.

ASSEMBLY

About 12 large cabbage leaves

Dill sprigs

Soft lettuce leaves, endive or radicchio for lining plates

* Place steamer rack in Dutch oven containing 1 inch water. Line rack with layer of cabbage leaves.

* Wetting your hands with cold water if necessary, form fish mixture into about 20 ovals, using a scant 1/4 cup for each. (Depending on variety of fish used, mixture may be very soft, but it will firm up as it cooks and later, as it chills.) Bring water to boil. Gently put as many ovals on top of cabbage leaves as will fit comfortably in a single layer without touching. Place sprig of dill on each. Top fish with another layer of cabbage leaves and cover pot tightly. Reduce heat to medium and steam fish ovals until completely cooked through at center, 20 to 25 minutes. (When steamed in raw cabbage leaves, fish will probably take closer to 25 minutes; when steaming second batch in already-cooked cabbage leaves, it will probably take about 20 minutes.)

* Line platter with some of cooked cabbage leaves and carefully put cooked fish on top. Using any additional cabbage leaves as needed, cook remaining fish ovals in same way, transferring fish as it is done to cabbage-lined platter. Remove and discard dill sprigs, then cover fish with layer of cooked cabbage leaves to keep moist. Let cool to room temperature. Wrap platter with plastic wrap and chill fish until cold, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

* Serve fish chilled but not icy cold. Remove fish from cabbage leaves and arrange ovals on platters or individual plates lined with lettuce, endive or radicchio and accompany with Dill-Horseradish Mayonnaise.

8 servings. Each serving: 284 calories; 372 mg sodium; 159 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams protein; 0.54 gram fiber.

Chicken Soup With Asparagus and Shiitakes

Active Work Time: 35 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 45 minutes plus 2 hours chilling

You can cook the matzo balls up to two to three hours in advance. Drain them and cover with broth to keep them moist until you are ready to reheat them. Experiment making matzo balls with a puree of other vegetables, such as beets, carrots, leeks, mushrooms or shallots. Roasted vegetables absorb less moisture than boiled or steamed ones (and therefore require less matzo meal, making them lighter). They are also more flavorful.

MATZO BALLS

2 medium-small fennel bulbs (about 1 pound, weighed with 2 inches of top stalks)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground, optional

2 eggs

1 cup matzo meal

Water

* Cut off fennel stalks and reserve for another use (excellent for fish broths and stews). If there are some attractive feathery fronds, chop and set aside about 2 tablespoons to garnish soup. Quarter bulbs and trim away stems, bottom hard core and any tough parts. Toss 1 tablespoon oil and fennel until well-coated in shallow baking pan just large enough to fit fennel in 1 layer. Roast at 400 degrees until fennel is pale gold, about 20 minutes, then turn and roast 10 minutes longer. Stir in broth, garlic, salt and pepper to taste and 1/2 teaspoon thyme. Cover pan with foil and cook until fennel is very soft, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove foil, stir and roast a few more minutes so most of liquid evaporates.

* Transfer fennel and garlic to food processor and chop coarsely. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon thyme, salt (it will need about 1 teaspoon), pepper to taste and fennel seeds, if using. With machine on, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil through feed tube.

* Scrape mixture into large bowl. (You should have about 1 cup of puree, so nosh on any extra.) Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time. Add matzo meal and stir well. If you can form a lump into a very soft walnut-size ball (the batter will become firmer when you chill it), don’t add any more matzo meal. If necessary, add just enough matzo meal to enable you to do so. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours so matzo meal can drink in liquid and seasoning.

* Bring 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to rapid boil in large, wide pot. Dipping your hands into cold water if needed, roll batter into walnut-size balls. When all balls are rolled and water is boiling furiously, reduce heat to gentle boil. Carefully slide in balls 1 at a time and cover pot tightly.

* Simmer over low heat 30 minutes without removing cover. (They will cook by direct heat as well as by steam, which makes them puff and swell, and lifting lid will allow some of steam to escape.) Take out a dumpling and cut it in half. It should be light, fluffy and completely cooked through. If it isn’t, continue cooking a few more minutes. Remove balls gently with skimmer or large slotted spoon--they are too fragile to pour into colander.

ASSEMBLY

7 cups chicken broth

1/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps wiped clean with damp paper towel and thinly sliced

12 to 15 thin asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces.

* Bring broth to simmer in large pot. Add Matzo Balls, mushrooms and asparagus and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

* To serve, using slotted spoon, divide Matzo Balls among 8 warmed soup bowls and ladle hot soup and vegetables over them. Garnish with the reserved chopped fennel fronds.

8 servings. Each serving: 177 calories; 804 mg sodium; 54 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 0.56 gram fiber.

Hungarian Chocolate-Walnut Torte

Active Work Time: 25 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour plus 1 hour 30 minutes cooling

This is a taste of prewar Hungary, from the family repertoire of my dear friend Judy Abrams, gifted teacher and poet. Based on ground walnuts and leavened only with eggs, the light, fudge-luscious cake has not a jot of butter or flour, making it Passover-perfect for meat and dairy meals. To conclude a meat meal, serve it plain or dusted fancifully with powdered sugar or glazed with a simple chocolate icing. As a dairy dish, the torte is exquisite covered in swirls of lightly sweetened whipped cream or with scoops of vanilla ice cream on the side. When well wrapped (without icing), it keeps very well, tasting even better a day or two after it is made.

TORTE

3/4 cup sugar (if using half semisweet and half sweet chocolate) or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar (if using all semisweet chocolate)

1/2 cup water

6 ounces chocolate (preferably half dark sweet and half semisweet), cut into small pieces

6 eggs, separated

6 ounces shelled walnuts, about 1 3/4 to 2 cups

3 tablespoons matzo meal

Walnut halves, for garnish, optional

* Bring 1/2 cup sugar and water to boil in heavy-bottomed 2- or 3-quart saucepan, stirring constantly over medium heat. Continue boiling and stirring until all grains of sugar have completely dissolved and mixture forms a simple syrup. Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.

* Beat egg yolks in large bowl until light and fluffy. Grind walnuts with remaining sugar and matzo meal in food processor using pulse motion and stir into egg yolks. Add cooled chocolate mixture and combine thoroughly.

* Using clean beaters, beat egg whites in another bowl until they hold stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually fold whites into chocolate-walnut mixture, incorporating them gently but thoroughly so that no whites are visible. Pour batter into 8-inch square or 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake in lower third of oven at 350 degrees until puffed and almost set but still a little gooey in center, 35 to 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted 1 inch from edge should come out clean.

* Cool on rack 1 hour 30 minutes. When completely cool, run thin-bladed knife around edges of cake to release it from pan (or release the springform); invert onto a platter. Peel off parchment or wax paper.

CHOCOLATE ICING

6 tablespoons butter or margarine

6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons water

* Melt butter or margarine in heavy saucepan over very low heat. When half is melted, gradually whisk in chocolate, stirring well as it melts. After chocolate has been added, stir in water and beat well until glaze is completely smooth. Cool mixture 5 minutes to thicken slightly.

* Using a spatula, spread glaze over top and sides of cake. Garnish with few walnut halves attractively placed in center of cake. Refrigerate about 1 hour to set glaze, but bring cake to room temperature before serving.

10 servings. Each serving: 449 calories; 109 mg sodium; 146 mg cholesterol; 32 grams fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 1.44 grams fiber.

Variation: Instead of frosting cake, dust with this Passover Powdered Sugar. Combine about 1 cup granulated sugar in food processor or blender until powdery. Place in small bowl and stir in 1/2 teaspoon potato starch. Sift before using.

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On the cover: Bowl and napkin in chicken soup photo, plate and napkin in walnut torte photo from Windows, Pasadena.