Two Soups, a Salad, and a Sweet Treat

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kitchen_at_shomrei

Passover and its culinary challenges are almost a memory although some of us may still be chasing illusive matzah crumbs and staring at that half finished box of matzah. However, it’s never too early to plan for next year or even adapt some recipes for year-round use.

The following recipes are good for Passover and all year with some minor changes. Despite what we find on the market’s shelves, Passover food is much the same as food at other times… with, of course, the elimination of leaven.

But when’s the last time YOU put yeast into an apple or carrot, chicken or fish?

And looking toward the next holiday is a recipe for a refreshing dairy soup perfect for Shavuot.

If you are looking for a favorite recipe that was served at kiddush or a Shomrei event, check kolemunah.net and the link to recipes on the right.

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recipszzucchini
Zucchini Watercress Soup

Sarita Eisenberg serves this simple, tasty, bursting with spring soup adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook.

Ingredients

4 tbsp butter, margarine, or vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion (2 medium)
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 pounds zucchini, coarsely chopped (4 medium)
1 bunch watercress (about 4 cups after you have removed the larger stems)
Salt & pepper to taste (don’t add salt if using canned stock or soup base)
Lemon juice to taste (about 1 tbsp)

Directions

  1. Melt the butter/margarine (or heat the oil). Add onions, cover and cook over low heat until onions are tender and lightly colored (20-25 minutes).
  2. Add stock and bring to boil. Add zucchini and bring soup back to a boil. Reduce heat and cooked, covered, until zucchini are very soft (20-30 minutes).
  3. Remove soup from heat. Add watercress, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
  4. Puree with an emersion blender. (Or you can strain out the vegetables, puree them in a food processor, and return them to the soup.)
  5. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Reheat over low heat.

 

 

recipesapplefennel

Apple Fennel Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette

I grew up eating salad. My mother never prepared a meal without a salad of some kind-usually iceberg lettuce with bottled dressing. But she knew the value of fresh veggies and roughage. So- while I rarely use iceberg except in sandwiches-a crisp salad always has a spot on my table. This salad-which received Kiddish kudos-is adaptable to many greens and uses a mandolin to make quick work of slicing the fennel and apples. Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For Salad

1 small fennel bulb, trimmed of its fronds
2 apples, halved and cored and slice 1/4 inch thick
4 oz greens of choice: arugula, baby spinach, frisbee, romaine

For dressing
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon sriracha or hot sauce (optional)

6-8 tablespoons olive oil

  1. Slice fennel bulb as thinly as possible,
  2. Toss in a large bowl or on a platter with apple slices and chopped lettuces.
  3. In a jar or cruet, shake together mustard, vinegar, honey and hot sauce until combined.
  4. Pour in olive oil and ask until emulsified.
  5. Season wth salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Drizzle dressing over salad.

NOTE: For a Passover dressing, try this substitute (from an internet website) for mustard. Mustard itself is kitniyos. Mix 4 parts grated fresh ginger root to 1 part grated fresh horseradish root (or use 5 to 1 if you want it less pungent). Add lemon juice or vinegar to make a thin paste. Tastes similar (not identical) to mustard.

Add chicken , fish, even cheese to salad for a complete meal.

 

recipesbrownies

Rocky Road Passover Brownies

Amazingly, they taste like the real, decadent thing. Substitute a scant cup of flour for the cake meal and these brownies should be good for year round. But if you have some cake meal lying around, go ahead and use it. No one will be the wiser as was shown at a Passover kiddush.

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup margarine or oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup matzah cake meal
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows

Topping

1 c. marshmallows
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans coarsely ground

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper or spray with baking oil spray.
  3. Melt 4 oz. chocolate and Stir well.
  4. Stir in sugar. Cool slightly
  5. Whisk in eggs one at a time
  6. Stir in cake meal (or flour) and salt.
  7. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips, marshmallows and walnuts.
  8. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake about 30 minutes until set.
  9. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with remaining marshmallows.
  10. Slide pan back into oven and bake 3-4 minutes more until the marshmallows are puffed.
  11. Remove pan from oven.
  12. Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips for topping and drizzle it over the brownies.
  13. Sprinkle with nuts while chocolate is still wet.

NOTE: Freezes well and can easily be doubled.

 

recipes cucumbersoup

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Tapenade

With Shavuot just a couple of weeks away, you may be looking for dairy dishes to keep with the tradition of serving dairy foods for the holiday. This soup takes just a few minutes to make with the help of a food processor or immersion blender. And, since it’s cold, this dish is perfect for a warm June day. The tapenade garnish gives some extra zip. Serves 4

Ingredients

4 Persian (small, thin) cucumbers or 1 long, hot house cucumber
2 green onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons mint
3 tablespoons basil
1-12 oz container non-dairy sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 c water
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil for drizzling

Tapenade

1/4 c Kalamata olives
1 Tablespoon capers
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

  1. Chop cucumbers coarsely.
  2. Put in blender or food processor with green onions, garlic, mint, and basil. Blend until finely pureed.
  3. Add sour cream or yogurt, water and lemon juice. Process again until well blended.
  4. Add salt to taste.
  5. Put soup in a container and chill for at least an hour.
  6. Prepare tapenade by pureeing olives, capers, garlic and olive oil (a mini blender is perfect for this).
  7. Serve chilled soup with a spoon of tapenade and drizzle of olive oil.

NOTE: Serve with a big Greek style salad for a cool, complete meal.

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