Good Eating's Passover Recipes: Traditional and Unique Recipes for the Seder Meal and Holiday Week 9781572844490, 1572844493

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Copyright 2013 by the Chicago Tribune All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including copying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without express written permission from the publisher. Chicago Tribune Tony W. Hunter, Publisher Vince Casanova, President Gerould W. Kern, Editor R. Bruce Dold, Editorial Page Editor Bill Adee, Vice President/Digital Jane Hirt, Managing Editor Joycelyn Winnecke, Associate Editor Peter Kendall, Deputy Managing Editor Ebook edition 1.0 February 2013 ISBN-13 978-1-57284-449-0 Agate Digital is an imprint of Agate Publishing. Agate books are available in bulk at discount prices. For more information visit agatepublishing.com.

A NOTE TO THE READER This book was created using various content and recipes published by the Chicago Tribune over the past decades. The editors have carefully selected from the Tribune’s rich archive of material. Not all recipes are certified kosher. For kosher or kosher-for-Passover compliance, check the rules with your rabbi.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A NOTE TO THE READER SAUCE & STOCK BASIC FISH STOCK HORSERADISH SAUCE LEMON-HORSERADISH SAUCE PLUM SAUCE

SALADS CARROT & CILANTRO SALAD EGGPLANT & RED PEPPER SALAD PASSOVER SALAD WITH HORSERADISH DRESSING ROASTED BEET, RADICCIO, AND WALNUT SALAD

HAROSET CLASSIC HAROSET EGYPTIAN HAROSET SURINAME HAROSET YENEMITE CHAROSET

PANCAKES, MUFFINS, & ROLLS FRIED MATZO PANCAKES PASSOVER COTTAGE CHEESE PANCAKES PASSOVER ROLLS

GEFILTE & WHITEFISH 3-FISH GEFILTE FISH FANNY’S GEFILTE FISH FISH WITH LEMON SAUCE GEFILTE FISH NANCY ABRAMS’ WAY GEFILTE-STYLE STUFFED WHITEFISH LOEFF/FREEMAN GEFILTE FISH MATZO-CRUSTED PERCH

MATZO FRIED MATZO MATZO CREPES

SOUP MATZO BALL SOUP MATZO-WALNUT KNAIDLACH TAMAR BRONSTEIN’S CHICKEN SOUP TAMAR BRONSTEIN’S MATZO BALLS

BRISKET APPLE SPICED BRISKET BEEF BRISKET WITH CARROT AND SWEET POTATO TZIMMES BRISKET OF BEEF BRISKET WITH APRICOTS AND PRUNES MOROCCAN-AMERICAN BRISKET WITH VEGETABLES AND OLIVES PASSOVER BRISKET WITH FRUIT PEPPERED BRISKET WITH MELTED SWEET ONIONS AND PRUNES

TZIMMES CARROT TZIMMIS IDA SHILCRAT’S TZIMMES

MAIN DISHES CHICKEN SAUTÉ WITH ROASTED BELL PEPPERS AND POTATOES LIBYAN MEAT AND POTATO BAKE (MAFROOM) MAPLE-CHILI-GLAZED LAMB CHOPS MEAT AND LEEK PATTIES MOROCCAN MEATBALLS MOROCCAN-STYLE FISH PASSOVER SALMON CAKES WITH CUCUMBER-WASABI SAUCE ROAST LAMB WITH GARLIC, ONIONS AND POTATOES SALMON STEAKS WITH HERB SAUCE SAUTÉED LAMB CHOPS

SIDE DISHES ASPARAGUS WITH FRESH HERBS CAPONATA CARROTS WITH GARLIC AND CUMIN (CHEERSHE) IDA SHILCRAT’S CHOPPED LIVER CARROTS WITH GARLIC AND CUMIN (CHEERSHE) LEEK FRITTERS MATZO-FARFEL, RISOTTO-STYLE MOROCCAN-STYLE EGGPLANT PASSOVER “EGG ROLLS” SEPHARDIC-STYLE HARD-COOKED EGGS

SPICY HOT VEGETABLES (MASSIR) SYRIAN STUFFED PRUNES WENDY PASHMAN’S GRILLED VEGETABLES ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE WITH DILL

KUGEL ALSATIAN ALMOND RAISIN MATZO KUGEL JERUSALEM KUGEL PASSOVER CHEESE KUGEL SOPHIE BERGER’S VEGETABLE KUGEL

CAKES & TORTES BANANA SPONGE CAKE CITRUS DAIRY CHEESECAKE WITH LEMON CURD FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE PECAN TORTE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE MOIST ITALIAN CHOCOLATE TORTE NOTHING CAKE PASSOVER ORANGE SPONGECAKE SHOSHANA’S PASSOVER ROULADE UPDATED PASSOVER SPONGECAKE

FRUIT & COMPOTE COCONUT MACAROONS RASPBERRY JAM CAKE WITH WARM BERRY COMPOTE MERINGUE ROULADE WITH LEMON CURD AND RASPBERRY SAUCE POACHED CINNAMON PEACHES TROPICAL FRUIT CUP ETTI’S COMPOTE HONEY GLAZED FRUIT KEBABS PASSOVER LEMON BARS CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY DREAMS RAISIN SYRUP

SWEET TREATS ALMOND TART WITH SOFT ALMOND MERINGUE AND PINEAPPLE JAM CHOCOLATE-COVERED MATZO CARAMEL SQUARES FRENCH CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT GATEAU FROZEN MAPLE MOUSSE PAVLOVA WHITE CHOCOLATE-DIPPED MACAROONS

SOURCES PHOTO CREDITS

SAUCE & STOCK

BASIC FISH STOCK Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Yield: About 7 quarts About 5 pounds fish bones and heads, or more 2 large onions, about 6 ounce each, quartered, with skin on 3 carrots, peeled, sliced 3 ribs celery, sliced 2 teaspoons salt or to taste 2 bay leaves, optional 7 quarts water

1. Clean blood from fish bones; remove gills and brains. Your fishmonger will do this on request, but still check for blood and remove any. 2. Place all ingredients in large pot; simmer 30 minutes. Skim occasionally. Strain finished stock through fine mesh strainer. Refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up 8 months.

Horseradish

HORSERADISH SAUCE Yield: 1/2 cup 1/4 cup sour cream, crème fraîche or plain yogurt 2 tablespoons bottled horseradish, drained and squeezed dry 2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons German-style or Dijon-style mustard White pepper and salt

1. In a bowl, combine sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice and mustard. Stir until blended, then add pepper and salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

LEMON-HORSERADISH SAUCE Makes about 1 1/4 cups 1 cup commercial mayonnaise 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon chopped chives, optional

1. In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, horseradish, pepper, mustard and soy. Taste, adjust seasoning as desired, and stir in optional chives.

PLUM SAUCE Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cup This sauce can be made 5 days in advance and refrigerated. 1 can (16 ounces) red or purple plums 1/4 cup red currant jelly 3 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Drain plums and remove pits. Puree plums, jelly and lemon juice in a food processor or blender until smooth. 2. Heat to boil in a small pan, then simmer 2 minutes. Serve hot.

SALADS

CARROT & CILANTRO SALAD Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Yield: 6 servings Adapted from a recipe from Ayelet Danino. 8 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced 1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped Juice of 1 lemon 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon each: ground cumin, sweet paprika 1 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper

1. Cover carrots with water in a large saucepan. Heat to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to simmer. Cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; set aside. 2. Combine cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add carrots to mixture; toss to evenly coat carrots. Set aside at room temperature 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

EGGPLANT & RED PEPPER SALAD Preparation time: 20 minutes Standing time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Yield: 6 servings Adapted from a recipe from Ayelet Danino. 4 long, slender eggplants, unpeeled, cut into thick slices 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt 2 cloves garlic, minced Juice of 1 lemon 1/4 teaspoon each: paprika, cumin, freshly ground pepper 2 red bell peppers, seeded, finely chopped 6 dill pickles or 20 cornichon pickles, chopped 1 cup olive oil, about

1. Place eggplant on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the salt. Let stand 30 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, combine garlic, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of the salt, paprika, cumin and pepper in a large bowl; stir in bell peppers and pickles. Set aside. 3. Pat eggplants dry with paper towels; dice into 1/2-inch cubes. Heat about 1/2 cup of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat; cook eggplant, in batches, stirring often and adding more oil only if needed, until golden around the edges, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer cooked eggplant to a pan lined with paper towels; cool about 5 minutes. 4. Transfer eggplant to large bowl; stir in dressing to coat. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

PASSOVER SALAD WITH HORSERADISH DRESSING Preparation time: 30 minutes Chilling time: 1 hour Yield: 6 servings

Dressing: 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons each: red wine vinegar, prepared horseradish 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper

Salad: 1/2 cup each: finely diced red onion, celery, red pepper 1 can (16 ounces) julienned beets, well drained 1 box (10 ounces) frozen tiny green peas, thawed 1 head iceberg or leaf lettuce 1 hard cooked egg, thinly sliced

1. For dressing, combine ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well to combine. 2. For salad, toss together onions, celery, red pepper, beets and peas in a large bowl. Add dressing, cover and refrigerate 1 hour. 3. Line 6 salad plates with lettuce leaves and add salad. Garnish with sliced egg. Serve immediately.

ROASTED BEET, RADICCIO, AND WALNUT SALAD Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Yield: 8 servings Serve the beets atop a salad of bitter greens dressed with vinaigrette flavored with a little walnut oil. Roasted walnut oil is available at specialty food stores and by mail. Pistachio oil is also delicious here. Candied walnuts add a sweet touch everyone enjoys.

Roasted beets: 4 large beets, trimmed, quartered 3 large cloves garlic, halved 3 sprigs fresh sage 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt and Four Pepper Seasoning, see recipe below, or salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced, rinsed 1 tablespoon each: blackberry vinegar, roasted walnut oil

Salad: 3 tablespoons each: vegetable oil, roasted walnut oil 1/4 cup blackberry or raspberry vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper to taste 1 medium head curly endive, well rinsed, torn into pieces 1 small head radicchio, halved, thinly sliced Coarsely chopped candied or sugared walnuts for garnish, optional

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange beets on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil cut large enough to wrap the beets well. Sprinkle the garlic, sage, seasoning and oil over the beets. Wrap the beets tightly to enclose them. Place the packet on a baking sheet. Bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let cool. Peel the beets with a small knife and slice them thinly. Toss with the onion and 1 tablespoon each of vinegar and walnut oil. 2. For the salad, mix the oils, vinegar, salt and pepper in the bottom of a large bowl. Add endive and radicchio and toss well to coat. Divide among serving plates. Top each with some of the beet mixture. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.

HAROSET

CLASSIC HAROSET Eight servings Preparation time: 20 minutes 1/3 cup each: shelled walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts 2 or 3 tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup strained fresh orange juice 1 medium or large apple, peeled, halved and cored 3/4 cup dates, chopped 2 tablespoons sweet or dry red wine 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of black pepper, optional Matzos for serving

1. Grind walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts with 2 tablespoons sugar and the orange juice in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until fairly fine, leaving a few small chunks. Transfer to a bowl. 2. Coarsely grate apple. Add to nut mixture. Stir in dates, wine and cinnamon. Taste, and add pepper and more sugar if desired. Spoon into a serving bowl. Serve at room temperature or cold, accompanied by matzos.

EGYPTIAN HAROSET Preparation time: 10 minutes Standing time: 1 hour Cooking time: 20 minutes Yield: About 4 cups 1 pound dried raisins 8 ounces pitted dates 2 cups water 1/4 cup each: sugar, chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Place the raisins and dates in a bowl with enough water to cover. Let stand for 1 hour. 2. Stir in the sugar. Process mixture in a blender, a few spoonsful at a time, or a food processor until fruits are chopped. 3. Transfer the chopped fruits to a heavy saucepan. Simmer over low heat, stirring often, until fruits are soft and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and place in a jar. When cool, sprinkle with chopped nuts.

SURINAME HAROSET Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours Yield: About 5 cups 8 ounces unsweetened coconut, about 2 cups 8 ounces walnuts, chopped, or almonds, grated 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 8 ounces each: raisins, dried apples, dried prunes, dried apricots, dried pears 1/2 cup cherry jam Sweet red wine

1. Combine everything except the jam and wine in a large, heavy non-aluminum saucepan. Add water to cover. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick and cohesive, about 1 1/2 hours. Add small amounts of water periodically, so that the mixture does not stick to the pot. 2. Stir in the cherry jam. Let stand until cool. 3. Add enough sweet wine to be absorbed by the haroset mixture. Refrigerate.

YENEMITE CHAROSET Prep: 10 minutes Steep: 1 hour Cook: 5 minutes Makes: 12 servings Adapted from a recipe by Laura Frankel. 1 cup each: stemmed dried black figs, pitted dried dates, dried apricots 3 cups dry red wine or apple juice 1/2 cup toasted almonds 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root Ground almonds, optional

1. Place the dried fruit in a large bowl. Heat the wine or apple juice to a simmer. Pour over the fruit; steep 1 hour. 2. Squeeze all the liquid out of the fruit, reserving the liquid. Place the fruit in a food processor; pulse until the mixture is slightly chunky. You may need to add some of the reserved soaking liquid to help the fruit stick together. 3. Add the almonds, sugar, cinnamon and ginger; stir to combine. Roll the charoset into walnut-size balls; roll in ground almonds, if desired.

PANCAKES, MUFFINS, & ROLLS

FRIED MATZO PANCAKES Three to four servings Preparation time: 20 minutes Soaking time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes From the kitchen of Angele Schreim. 4 matzos 2 eggs Sugar to taste Oil for deep-frying Raisin syrup, see recipe

1. Soak matzos in warm water until very soft, at least 15 minutes. 2. By hand, squeeze out as much water as possible. Put matzos in bowl; add eggs and sugar; mix well. 3. Pour oil to a depth of 1-inch in a skillet. Heat oil until hot but not smoking. Drop matzo mixture with a tablespoon into the oil. Fry, turning, until brown on both sides. Drain on paper towel. Serve immediately with raisin syrup.

PASSOVER COTTAGE CHEESE PANCAKES Four to six servings Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes These “rolls” are made of a cream puff dough, with matzo meal used instead of flour. They can be split, filled and served as appetizer or dessert cream puffs. 1 cup (8 ounces) cottage cheese 4 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup matzo meal 2 tablespoons melted butter Pinch of salt Pinch of pepper (optional) 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying

1. Mix cottage cheese with the eggs, matzo meal, 2 tablespoons melted butter and salt and pepper to taste. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy frying pan. Add the batter to make pancakes, using about 1 tablespoon batter for each one. Fry over medium heat until lightly browned on each side, about 2 minutes a side. Use two slotted spatulas to turn them carefully. Remove with slotted spoon. Continue frying remaining batter, adding more butter and oil as pan becomes dry, and reducing heat if fat begins to brown. Serve hot.

PASSOVER ROLLS Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 50 minutes Yield: 12 rolls These rolls can be prepared up to 2 days in advance; store them in a tin and then reheat in a 350-degree oven until crisp. 2 cups water 1/2 cup oil 2 cups unsalted matzo meal 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 large eggs

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tins. Heat water and oil to boil in large saucepan. Stir in matzo meal, sugar and salt. Remove from heat. Stir until liquid is absorbed, cover and let cool. 2. Using an electric mixer, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until fluffy and well incorporated. Spoon into prepared muffin tins filling about 2/3 full. Bake until puffed and nicely browned, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

GEFILTE & WHITEFISH

3-FISH GEFILTE FISH Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours Yield: 12 servings The following recipe comes from Cynthia Berland. Here are some of Berland’s very own tips:

• Buy a 7- to 8-pound whole fish, which will give you about 3 to 4 pounds net weight, the smallest amount you can use. • Process lightly. Just on and off in the food processor. Overprocessing breaks down texture. • Continue to chop in a wooden bowl until it reaches a very fine texture. The longer you chop, the lighter the fish balls. • Always overseason the fish. Cold food absorbs seasonings, so anything served cold needs more. Keep tasting, then add more. • Tie up the heads and bones of the fish in cheesecloth and place it in the bottom of the pot. The cheesecloth will keep the heads and bones from getting into the fish balls. • Don’t crowd the pot with fish balls. Make sure the liquid is covering the fish and always keep it at a fast simmer. When adding balls to the pot, let the water return to a boil before putting in more balls. • Never, never freeze gefilte fish. The taste and texture break down in the freezer. • And remember, she says, the best way to get a Jewish recipe is to follow the cook around and each time she’s about to add an ingredient, stop her and measure. 3 1/2 pounds skinned fillets of whitefish, pike, trout Heads and bones of fish Handful kosher (coarse) salt 1/4 cup lemon juice 5 cups water 3 onions, sliced 2-3 large carrots 4 ribs celery, sliced Salt, sugar, pepper to taste

Fish balls: 2 large onions, coarsely chopped 2 carrots, coarsely chopped 2 ribs celery, sliced 1/4 cup matzo meal 4 eggs

2 tablespoons salt 2 teaspoons pepper 1/2 cup water Prepared horseradish, optional

1. Wash fish fillets and heads and bones in cold water mixed with salt and lemon juice in large bowl. Drain. Put aside fish for filling. Wrap fish head and bones in cheesecloth. 2. Put water, onions, carrots, celery and seasonings in large pot and heat to boil. Put cheesecloth containing heads and bones of fish into water. 3. For fish balls, cut fish fillets into small pieces and put in food processor. Process lightly until fish is finely chopped. Do not overprocess. Set fish aside. Add vegetables, matzo meal, eggs, salt and pepper to food processor container and process until finely chopped. Mix with fish. 4. Add some water to bind, about 1/2 cup. Form into 2-inch balls. 5. Put balls into boiling liquid. Put in one layer of balls, let water return to boil and then add another layer. 6. Cook fish 1 1/2 to 2 hours on low flame. Cool in pot. Strain liquid. Serve with horseradish.

FANNY’S GEFILTE FISH Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 50 minutes Yield: 30 patties Bea Kraus of Skokie shares her lategreat-grandmother Fanny Zummer’s gefilte fish recipe. She counts it among her most treasured recipes for the Passover table. 2 pounds ground, each: carp, whitefish, pike (bones and heads reserved), see note 4 large onions, 2 unpeeled and quartered, 2 grated 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons white pepper 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup water 3 eggs 1 pound carrots, sliced

1. Place fish bones and heads in large stockpot. Add quartered onions, 1 tablespoon of the pepper and 1 tablespoon of the salt; cover with water. Heat to boil; simmer 20 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, combine ground fish and grated onions in large bowl. Add water, eggs, one at a time, and remaining 2 teaspoons pepper and 1 teaspoon salt; mix thoroughly to combine. (If desired, cook a small piece in the microwave to check seasoning.) 3. Using wet hands, scoop up about 1/4 cup fish mixture and form into oval shape, about 3 inches long. Place fish on top of bones and heads. Add carrots and more water if needed to cover fish. Partially cover; simmer, until cooked, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove fish and carrots from liquid with slotted spoon. (If desired, strain remaining liquid and save for later use as fish stock.) Note: Ask your fishmonger to grind the fish and reserve the bones and heads.

FISH WITH LEMON SAUCE Four servings Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Recipe by Angele Schreim. 2 1/2 pounds white fish fillets, cut into 4 pieces Salt, pepper to taste

Sauce: 1 stalk celery, diced, or 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 clove garlic 2 teaspoons oil 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 3/4 cup water Paprika

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse fish; pat dry. Place in a buttered shallow baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 2. Mix all sauce ingredients, except paprika, in small saucepan; heat to boil. Simmer 5 minutes. 3. Remove and discard garlic from sauce. Pour sauce over fish. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake until fish almost flakes easily, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

GEFILTE FISH NANCY ABRAMS’ WAY Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Yield: 3 dozen pieces Armed only with a food processor and a shiny stainless steel stockpot, Abrams turns out a smashing 45-minute rendition of this delicacy using whitefish, trout and pike. “Since it’s a chopped-fish dish, it’s perfectly natural to prepare it with a food processor,” says Abrams, who explained that some fish are firmer than others, so processing times vary by a few seconds. “And you’re buying the bones with the fish, so you may as well use them to make stock. It doesn’t take very long to do this.” She gently poaches the beautifully shaped patties of fish (which she meticulously measures out with several sizes of measuring cups) rather than boiling them for hours on end. Abrams suggests saving the fish broth after cooking the gefilte fish. It can be strained and frozen for reuse during the autumn holidays. 7 quarts basic fish stock, recipe follows 3/4 cup dry vermouth 1 1/2 pounds each, boneless, skinless: whitefish fillets, lake trout fillets 1 pound boneless skinless pike fillets 1 large onion, about 6 ounces, finely minced 1 each, finely minced: large carrot, rib celery 3 extra-large eggs 2 tablespoons water 4 teaspoons salt Freshly ground pepper to taste Prepared horseradish, optional

1. Make basic fish stock. Heat fish stock and vermouth to a boil in a large pot; reduce heat to a gentle simmer. 2. Working with one type of fish at a time, cut the fillets into 1-inch pieces. Put into food processor fitted with metal blade. Process using the following timing: 4 to 6 seconds for whitefish; 6 to 8 seconds for lake trout and 8 to 10 seconds for pike. This fish should resemble coarse ground hamburger-not pureed. 3. Mix ground fish, onion, carrot, celery, eggs, water, salt and pepper in large bowl. Taste mixture; adjust seasoning. (See note.) 4. Using a wet 1/4-cup measure and wet hands, shape 1/4-cup portions of fish into ovals about 3 inches long, 2 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. Place on baking sheet lined with waxed paper. 5. When all patties are formed, lift with a metal spatula and drop them into simmering stock. Cover pot. Cook, maintaining a simmer, for 30 minutes. Remove cover, allow fish to cool to room temperature in stock. Refrigerate in stock for up to 1 week. 6. Serve garnished with carrot slices from the stock, if desired. Serve with horseradish. Test kitchen note: To adjust the seasonings in the raw fish mixture put 1 tablespoon of it into a glass dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until it just turns opaque; let cool. Taste it and then adjust the salt and pepper in the raw mixture accordingly.

GEFILTE-STYLE STUFFED WHITEFISH Prep: 35 minutes Cook: 30 minutes Makes: 12 servings

Gefilte-Style Stuffed Whitefish

Ask your fishmonger to bone the whitefish for this recipe from Ido Shapira. If you are cooking this a day ahead, simply refrigerate the fish in the cooking liquid, then transfer to a platter. The cooking liquid can be frozen for other uses such as fish soups or stews.

Stuffing: 1/3 cup matzo meal 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, coarsely chopped 1/2 pound whitefish fillet, cut into chunks 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon chopped chives 1 teaspoon light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper Fish: 1 whole whitefish, about 2 pounds, boned, head and tail on 3 quarts vegetable or chicken broth Lemon wedges

1. For the stuffing, soak matzo meal in the broth until liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet; add onion. Cook, stirring, until transparent, 3 minutes; cool. Place matzo meal, onion, fish chunks, egg yolk, chives, sugar, salt and pepper to taste in bowl of food processor. Pulse until mixture is smooth. 2. Stuff the whole fish with the mixture. Tie fish closed in several places with kitchen string. Place fish in the broth in a fish cooker or large deep roasting pan. Heat to a simmer over medium heat; reduce heat to low. Cook until fish almost flakes when tested with a fork, about 25 minutes. Place pan in ice bath to cool; serve fish at room temperature or chilled with lemon wedges.

LOEFF/FREEMAN GEFILTE FISH Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Yield: 4 dozen pieces Phyllis Loeff, of Highland Park, and Wendy Freeman, of Chicago, are a perfect example of a mother-daughter team who wouldn’t dream of conducting their seder without this mainstay at their meal. “It has definitely become easier to make with the food processor,” Freeman said, “but we never fail to make it at Passover because it’s something that everyone in the family can participate in.” Use any combination of the following fish, but use less of the pike, say Phyllis Loeff and Wendy Freeman, because it tends to be strong in flavor. If you purchase whole fish instead of fillets, you’ll need 9 pounds of whole fish. Have the fishmonger fillet the fish and give you the bones and heads for the fish stock. 7 quarts basic fish stock, see recipe 1 cup dry white wine 2 carrots, sliced, optional 2 tablespoons sugar Fish mixture: 3 medium onions, 4 or 5 ounces each, peeled, quartered 1 each, peeled: parsley root, parsnip 6 pounds freshwater fish fillets, such as a mix of trout, whitefish and pike 1-2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup water 5 large eggs 1 1/2 tablespoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Make basic fish stock. Heat fish stock, wine, carrots and 2 tablespoons sugar to a boil in a large pot; reduce heat to a gentle simmer. 2. For fish mixture, mince onions, parsley root and parsnip in food processor; combine in large bowl. Set aside. 3. Cut the fillets into 1-inch pieces. Process, in batches, in food processor until coarsely chopped. Add to vegetables. Add remaining ingredients. Taste mixture; adjust seasoning. (See note.) 4. Using wet hands shape mixture into oval balls about the size of a golf ball. Place on baking sheet lined with wax paper. 5. When all balls are formed, lift with a metal spatula and drop them into simmering stock. Cover pot. Cook, maintaining a simmer, for 1 hour. Let cool in stock with lid removed; refrigerate in stock up to 1 week. 6. Serve garnished with carrot slices from the stock, if desired. Test kitchen note: To adjust the seasonings in the raw fish mixture put 1 tablespoon of it into a glass dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until it just turns opaque; let cool. Taste it and then adjust the salt and pepper in the raw mixture accordingly.

MATZO-CRUSTED PERCH Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 4 minutes Yield: 4 servings

Matzo-Crusted Perch This recipe comes from Laura Frankel of Shallots Bistro in Skokie. 4 wild perch fillets, about 6 ounces each, or other white-fleshed fish 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper 2/ 3 cup crushed matzo 1/4 cup finely chopped each: flat-leaf parsley, chives 3 tablespoons finely ground almonds 2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme Grated zest of 1 lemon 2 eggs, beaten Olive oil

1. Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Place 1/ 3 cup of the matzo on a plate; set aside. Mix remaining 1/ 3 cup of the matzo, parsley, chives, almonds, thyme and lemon zest in a large bowl; whisk in eggs. 2. Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, coat the fish in the ground matzo. Dip fish into the egg mixture; coat again with matzo. Add to hot oil; cook, turning once, until the fish is medium brown and crispy, about 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

MATZO

FRIED MATZO Preparation time: 5 minutes Standing time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 3 to 5 minutes Yield: 4 servings These are good eaten with jelly, cinnamon, applesauce, sugar or onion. Boiling water 3 matzos, broken 2 whole eggs, well-beaten 1 teaspoon salt Pepper Fat or butter for frying

1. Pour boiling water over matzos just to cover. Let stand 15 minutes. Squeeze matzos dry. Put in medium bowl. 2. Add well-beaten eggs, salt and pepper and mix to batter consistency. 3. Heat fat in skillet. Drop batter by spoonfuls into small cakes or cook all at once and fry until well browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

MATZO CREPES Preparation time: 10 minutes Standing time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Yield: 12 crepes To speed up the making of crepes, cook in 2 skillets. 6 large eggs 3/4 cup matzo cake meal 1 cup water 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons each: melted margarine, minced green onion 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried leaf thyme Margarine for cooking

1. Put eggs in medium bowl and beat lightly. Add matzo, water and salt and mix well. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Stir in melted margarine, green onions and thyme. Consistency should be of whipping cream. Thin with water if necessary. 3. Melt 1/2 teaspoon margarine over medium-high heat in an 8-inch non-stick skillet. Add 1/4 cup crepe batter, quickly tilting pan to cover bottom with batter. Cook until lightly browned on bottom, about 1 minute. Turn with a small spatula and cook other side just enough to set batter, about 15 seconds. Transfer to a sheet of wax paper. Cook remaining crepes the same way, adding more margarine as necessary. Stack cooked crepes between sheets of wax paper. Note: Crepes can be made in advance, wrapped tightly and refrigerated for 2 days or frozen. To reheat, remove wax paper and wrap in aluminum foil. Heat in a 300 degree oven 8 to 10 minutes.

SOUP

MATZO BALL SOUP Prep: 30 minutes Chill: Overnight Cook: 2 hours Makes: 8 servings

Matzo Ball Soup The main ingredient in matzo balls is matzo meal, which is simply ground matzo bread, itself made from flour and water. Available in most supermarkets, matzo meal comes in fine to coarse grinds, not unlike bread crumbs. To make matzo balls, you also need fat. Rendered chicken fat, called schmaltz, is traditional, but you could substitute oil or butter (though butter conflicts with kosher dietary restrictions prohibiting combining meat with dairy). Fat gives matzo balls a smooth texture, a silky mouthfeel and also adds tenderness and flavor, especially schmaltz. There are a couple ways to get schmaltz: If you’re making your own chicken broth (which we heartily recommend), chill it after it’s done, and the fat will rise to the top and solidify. Scoop it off and melt it over low heat. Alternately, any time you work with chicken, trim away the extra fat before cooking and render it in a small skillet over low heat. Or, cut chicken skin into small pieces and render the fat. The browned bits, called “gribenes,” can be used to garnish other dishes or flavor the matzo balls.

Eggs bind everything together because of the albumen in the whites. Some floater fans whip the whites separately before folding them into the dough to make a lighter product. Liquid is also needed. This is most often water or chicken stock. For an airier product, substitute soda water or seltzer, and the gas bubbles will lighten the dough. Another way to get bubbles into the dough is with a chemical leavener, such as baking powder. Generally, you’ll need 3 to 4 eggs per cup of matzo meal, along with a 1 to 2 ounces of fat and, if needed, a couple ounces of liquid. One teaspoon of salt should be enough.

The steps you take: 1. If you’re using whole eggs, beat them in a metal bowl with liquid and melted fat. If you’re whipping whites separately, start with only the yolks, liquid and fat. 2. Gently fold in the dry ingredients. If you’ve whipped the whites to soft peaks, fold them in carefully to avoid losing air. 3. Rest dough in the refrigerator overnight to fully hydrate the matzo meal. 4. Wet your hands and roll pieces of dough into the desired size. 5. Simmer the balls in salted water or stock until cooked through, about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on their size. 6. Serve matzo balls in flavorful chicken stock, and freeze any leftovers in the stock. This soup is adapted from Jennifer Diamond’s recipe, which comes from her grandmother, Muriel Diamond. For best flavor and matzo ball texture, make this the day before serving. 3 pounds chicken thighs or 1 whole cut up chicken 1 tablespoon kosher salt 2 large sweet onions, cut into large dice 6 each, cut into bite sized pieces: carrots, celery ribs 3 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled, minced 2 bay leaves 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup matzo meal 2 tablespoons chicken fat skimmed from soup 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt Freshly ground pepper 1/3 pound thin egg noodles, cooked in water

1. Place chicken in a stock pot with salted water to cover. Heat to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until chicken is tender, 45-60 minutes. Remove chicken from stock; reserve. Add vegetables, bay leaves and parsley to stock; simmer until vegetables are almost soft, 30 minutes. Cool slightly. 2. Meanwhile, make matzo balls. Combine eggs, matzo meal, chicken fat and salt in a bowl. Work into a dough. Refrigerate dough and soup, covered, overnight. 3. Remove dough from refrigerator; roll into walnut-size balls. Heat soup to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Drop matzo balls into soup; simmer, covered, 30 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Season soup to taste. Place 1 or 2 matzo balls, some of the chicken, vegetables and cooked noodles in a bowl; ladle hot soup over.

MATZO-WALNUT KNAIDLACH Makes 20-24 knaidlach (matzo balls) Preparation time: 15 minutes Standing time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Recipe by Lynne Bright. 4 large eggs 1/2 cup finely ground walnuts 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup matzo meal 10 to 12 cups chicken soup (homemade or instant)

1. Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Fold in walnuts, parsley, salt and matzo meal. Let stand, covered, 30 minutes. 2. Heat chicken soup to boil. Wet hands. Form matzo mixture into small balls. Drop, one at a time, into boiling soup. 3. Cover, reduce heat. Cook 25 to 30 minutes, until matzo balls are tender.

TAMAR BRONSTEIN’S CHICKEN SOUP 10 servings Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours 1 stewing chicken, about 4 pounds, with gizzard and neck 1 turkey thigh (optional) 4 quarts water 4 carrots, peeled, cut in 2-inch chunks 2 stalks celery with leaves 1 large onion, halved 1 large parsnip, peeled, cut in 2-inch chunks 1 large turnip, peeled, cut into large chunks 1 leek, white part only, cut into 1-inch chunks Small handful fresh parsley 1 can (16 ounces) peeled tomatoes, with liquid 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 20 small matzo balls, recipe follows

1. Remove and discard chicken skin and fat. Place chicken in a large soup kettle along with gizzard, neck and turkey thigh. Add water. Heat water to boil, then lower heat so that liquid is simmering. As scum appears, use a slotted spoon to skim carefully. 2. Once scum is removed completely, add carrots, celery, onion, parsnip, turnip, leek, parsley, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Heat slowly to boil, turn heat down to simmer and simmer covered for about 2 hours. 3. Remove chicken and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate, reserving for other purposes. Transfer broth to large container and allow to cool until fat congeals. 4. At serving time, remove congealed fat from top of chicken broth before heating. Heat pot again to boil and taste for seasoning. 5. Arrange 2 room temperature matzo balls in bottom of each soup bowl. Ladle hot soup over to cover balls. Serve immediately.

TAMAR BRONSTEIN’S MATZO BALLS 10 servings Preparation time: 10 minutes Standing time: 1 hour Cooking time: 20 minutes Tamar Bronstein, of Northbrook, said that one of her favorite recipes is chicken soup with matzo balls. To reduce the amount of cholesterol in her matzo ball recipe she uses kosher margarine for the chicken fat. Don’t worry about heating the matzo balls before serving, she said. Ladling hot chicken soup over the matzo balls will sufficiently heat them. 6 eggs, beaten 1 cup chicken broth (or substitute water) 2/3 cup melted pareve kosher margarine or chicken fat 1 1/2 teaspoons salt Dash of pepper, optional 2 cups matzo meal 1 tablespoon salt

1. Mix eggs with water or broth, melted fat, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly, then stir in matzo meal. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. 2. Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon salt and heat to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Wet hands and form matzo mixture into walnut-sized balls. Gently lower balls into water with slotted spoon. 3. The balls will rise to the surface. Simmer them about 20 minutes or until done. (Test one by cutting in half to see if it is tender throughout). 4. Carefully remove balls from simmering water and arrange in a single layer on a platter. Allow to cool and cover with plastic wrap. Use immediately if possible. Otherwise, refrigerate. When ready to serve, bring matzo balls to room temperature. The heat of the boiling chicken soup will heat them up sufficiently to eat.

BRISKET Brisket, a large flap of meat, comes from a steer’s underside, just behind the front leg. It’s the same cut of meat that, bathed in a pickling solution, yields corned beef.

APPLE SPICED BRISKET Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 3 hours Yield: 12 servings This is from Rose Wasserman of Dix Hills, N.Y. “First-cut” brisket has had its “deckle,” or fatty covering, removed. 5-pound first-cut beef brisket 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups apple juice 1/3 cup honey 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 small apple, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped tablespoons raisins

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 2. Line 2-inch-deep roasting pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, leaving 11 /2-inch collar around edges. Prick brisket with fork on both sides and sprinkle with salt. Place in prepared pan and cook, uncovered, about 1 hour. Degrease pan. 3. Combine apple juice, honey, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and pour over roast. Cover pan and collar with foil, and fold edges to seal tightly. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Cook 11 /2 to 2 hours, or until tender. 4. Remove brisket to heated serving platter; keep warm in low oven. Pour meat juices into saucepan; add apple and raisins. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes, or until apple is tender. Slice brisket thinly against the grain, and spoon apple-raisin sauce over slices.

BEEF BRISKET WITH CARROT AND SWEET POTATO TZIMMES Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 3 hours Yield: 8 servings Adapted from the “Chicago Tribune Holiday Cookbook.” 1 beef brisket, about 3 1/2 pounds 2 pounds carrots, peeled, sliced 4 cups beef stock or broth 2 1/4 cups water 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 3 tablespoons potato starch 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, thickly sliced 1 box (12 ounces) pitted prunes 1/4 cup honey Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste Snipped fresh chives for garnish

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put brisket, carrots, stock or broth, 2 cups water, cracked pepper and thyme into a 6-quart Dutch oven. Bake, covered, 2 hours. 2. Mix remaining 1/4 cup water and potato starch until smooth. Add honey and stir into Dutch oven. Add sweet potatoes and prunes. Cover and continue baking until meat and vegetables are fork-tender, about 1 more hour. (Can be made the day before to this point, covered and refrigerated. Skim fat before reheating over low heat.) 3. To serve, transfer meat to cutting board. Cut into thin slices. Season vegetable mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish meat and vegetables with chives if desired.

BRISKET OF BEEF Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 3 1/2 hours Standing time: 12 hours or overnight Yield: 6 servings This recipe can be made a day or two in advance. Serve with PLUM SAUCE and MATZO CREPES.

Brisket: 4 pounds lean beef brisket, cut in 2-inch cubes 1/2 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 carrot, chopped 1 leek, slit, washed, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 cups dry red kosher wine 1 can (13 3/4 ounces) beef broth 1 cup catsup 1 bay leaf

1. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven. Brown meat in batches so pan isn’t crowded, adding more oil as needed. Set meat aside. 2. Add carrot, leek, onion and garlic to same pan. Cook over medium heat until limp, about 5 minutes. Return meat and add wine, beef broth, catsup and bay leaf. Heat to boil; cover and reduce to simmer. Cook gently until meat is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. 3. With a slotted spoon, remove meat from liquid. Return liquid to medium-high heat and cook until it is reduced to about 2 cups. Discard bay leaf. Shred meat with 2 forks. Return it to pan along with any accumulated juice. Mix thoroughly, breaking up any clumps of meat. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. 4. Skim solidified fat from top. Cook gently until hot.

BRISKET WITH APRICOTS AND PRUNES Preparation time: 40 minutes Cooking time: 3 hours, 30 minutes Chilling time: 4 hours Yield: 15 servings

Brisket with Apricots and Prunes The beauty of this dish is that it’s actually better the second day, when you’ve skimmed the hardened fat from the pot. But it’s delicious cooked and served in one day too. 2/3 cup quartered dried apricots, about 4 ounces 10 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon each: ground cinnamon, freshly ground pepper 1 beef brisket, 5 1/2-6 pounds 3 tablespoons oil 5 onions, chopped 2 carrots, coarsely chopped 1 piece (1-inch) fresh ginger root, grated

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 cup dry white wine 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) low-salt beef broth or 3 cups homemade beef stock 2/3 cup pitted prunes, quartered

1. Combine 1/3 cup of the apricots, 3 of the garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons of the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper in a food processor; pulse to a coarse puree. Cut 1/2-inch-deep slits all over the top of the brisket. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the apricot mixture; press remaining apricot mixture into slits. 2. Position rack in the bottom third of the oven; heat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil in a heavy, large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle brisket with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the remaining pepper. Add brisket to Dutch oven; cook, turning, until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer brisket to a plate, fat side up; spread with reserved apricot mixture. 3. Add onions to Dutch oven; cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, ginger, coriander, red pepper, remaining 7 cloves of the garlic and the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons of the cumin; cook 3 minutes. Add wine; heat to a boil. Cook, stirring up any browned bits, until reduced almost to a glaze, about 5 minutes. Return brisket to Dutch oven. Add broth; heat to a simmer. Spoon some of the vegetable mixture over brisket. 4. Cover Dutch oven; place in oven. Cook 2 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices. Add prunes and remaining 1/3 cup of the apricots. Cover; cook until brisket is tender, about 30 minutes. Cool brisket in uncovered Dutch oven 1 hour. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, about 4 hours. 5. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon any solid fat from meat and sauce; discard fat. Spoon any sauce on the brisket into the Dutch oven. Place brisket on work surface; slice thinly across the grain. Heat sauce to a boil over medium-high heat; cook to thicken slightly, if desired. Arrange sliced brisket on oven-safe platter; spoon sauce over. Cover with foil. Place brisket in oven; heat brisket until hot, about 30 minutes.

MOROCCAN-AMERICAN BRISKET WITH VEGETABLES AND OLIVES Preparation Time: 45 Minutes Cooking Time: 3 Hours Yield: 12 Servings 1 first cut brisket, about 6 pounds 1/2 cup onion soup mix, kosher for Passover 2 1/2 pounds green cooking olives, obtainable at Greek specialty stores 1 large Spanish onion, chopped 2 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced 4 tablespoons chopped celery heart with leaves 1/2 small carrot, peeled and sliced in paper thin rounds 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 teaspoon turmeric Fresh black pepper to taste 1/2 cup water Juice of 1 lemon

1. Smear the brisket with the onion soup mix. Place in a heavy roasting pan and bake, covered, in a 350-degree oven 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until a fork goes in and out easily. Let cool and slice. Set aside. 2. Meanwhile, pit the olives. Put them in a pot, cover with water and heat to boil. Drain and cover again with water. Drain again. This is done to remove some of the saltiness. 3. Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Add enough turmeric to make the oil yellow. Add onions, tomatoes, celery, carrots and black pepper to taste. Sauté until the onions become translucent. Stir in the olives. Add water and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over all. Cover again and continue to cook 30 minutes longer, adding more water if necessary. 4. Heat brisket again in the pot. Pour the olive mixture over all and serve.

PASSOVER BRISKET WITH FRUIT Six servings Preparation time: 16 minutes Cooking time: 3 hours There’s an old Passover snippet to the effect that if you’re offered kosher food for the occasion, “pass-it-over.” That snippet has a history of truth behind it, agrees Lynne Bright, who has come up with some inventive recipes to avoid Passover blahs. “Kosher food can be tasty as well as kosher,”says Bright, an amateur cook from Highland Park and an annual prize-winning baker from the Lake County Fair who has made collecting recipes a voluminous pursuit. “I have hundreds of cookbooks, and maybe 75 Jewish cookbooks,”she says. She picked up other kosher cooking tips during a year in Israel in 1983. Bright recently sent several Passover recipes to The Tribune for taste testing: “As far as I know, I invented them. I’ve never seen them in a cookbook.” We’re passing along this one with an observation that, if food like this is permitted for Passover, going hungry is inexcusable. The recipe is adaptable as kosher or nonkosher. As Bright observes, “No one wants to go to all that work and have her stuff ‘passed over.’” 2 onions, sliced 1 boneless beef brisket, 4 to 5 pounds 1 cup Passover wine (suggest Blackberry Royal) 1 cup dried apricots 1 Jaffa orange, scrubbed, sliced thin 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons grated rind from fresh lemon 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Brown brisket (add a little Passover oil if necessary) in large shallow roasting pan. Remove brisket. 2. Place half of sliced onions on bottom of pan. Top with brisket, fat side up. Add remaining onions. 3. Combine remaining ingredients and spoon over brisket. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 350 degrees 3 hours, or until meat is fork-tender. 4. Cool 30 minutes before carving. Slice against grain. Serve with fruit and pan juices.

PEPPERED BRISKET WITH MELTED SWEET ONIONS AND PRUNES Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 3 to 3 1/2 hours Yield: 12 servings

Peppered Brisket with Melted Sweet Onions and Prunes A commercial steak seasoning such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning makes a suitable substitute here for the homemade rub. 5 pounds beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat 1/4 cup sea salt and four pepper seasoning, see recipe below, or packaged steak seasoning 1/4 cup vegetable oil 4 large sweet onions, halved, thickly sliced 5 cloves garlic, chopped 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) beef broth 1 1/2 cups pitted prunes 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously rub brisket on both sides with the seasoning. Heat a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed roasting pan over medium heat. Add the oil; heat 30 seconds. Add the brisket; cook, without turning, until nicely browned, about 8 minutes. Turn; top with onions and garlic. Add broth; cover with foil and a lid. 2. Bake for 2 hours. Add prunes; cover. Bake until the brisket is tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Uncover; turn the brisket. Bake until brisket lightly browns, about 15 minutes. 3. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board; tent with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into thin slices. Serve with pan juices, onions and prunes. Garnish with parsley. Note: For the sea salt and four pepper seasoning, combine 3 tablespoons coarse sea salt with 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon each: freshly ground white pepper and sweet paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

TZIMMES

CARROT TZIMMIS Six servings Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes Recipe by Lynne Bright. 1 pound carrots 1/2 cup dried apricots 1/2 cup dried prunes 1 1/2 to 2 cups unsweetened apple juice 3 tablespoons honey 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Pecans, chopped, optional

1. Clean and scrape carrots. Slice carrots diagonally (about 4 cups). 2. Place carrots and dried fruit in saucepan with enough apple juice to cover. 3. Heat to a boil. Lower heat to simmer. Add honey and lemon juice. Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat until liquid is absorbed, and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally to glaze carrots and fruit.

IDA SHILCRAT’S TZIMMES Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 3 hours Yield: 8 to 10 servings Tzimmes usually is a side dish, but put a little extra meat in it and it’s an excellent stewlike main course. Put some apples, pears or pineapples in it and it can make a hearty dessert. This recipe doubles nicely. 2 pounds carrots, peeled, sliced 1/2 pound chuck roast, short rib, flank or brisket Water 1 pound pitted prunes 1/4 cup honey or kosher-for-Passover brown sugar 2 tablespoons potato starch 2 medium-size sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced, optional

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine carrots and in a casserole dish or Dutch oven. Add water just to cover. Bake, covered, for 2 hours. 2. Add prunes and honey or brown sugar. Mix potato starch with 1/4 cup of water as a thickener; add to carrot mixture. Add sweet potatoes, if using. Cook, covered, for 1 more hour. Test kitchen note: Add salt and pepper as desired.

MAIN DISHES

CHICKEN SAUTÉ WITH ROASTED BELL PEPPERS AND POTATOES Six servings Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 1 large red bell pepper 1 large yellow bell pepper Passover peanut oil 4 to 5 pounds broiler-fryer chicken pieces Lemon Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste 5 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes, and dried on paper towels 1/4 cup finely minced parsley 3/4 teaspoon dried chervil 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon Pinch dried thyme 3/4 cup dry white Kosher for Passover wine

1. For peppers, heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat the peppers with oil. Place them on a low-rimmed, foil-lined baking sheet or in a round foil pan. Roast peppers, turning once or twice with tongs, until the skins are blackened and blistery, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove skins, seeds and ribs. Cut peppers into thin, lengthwise julienne. Set aside. This may be done several hours in advance. 2. For chicken, rub chicken pieces with cut lemon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 3. In a large pan or a heavy-bottomed skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat 5 tablespoons oil until it is hot but not smoking. Sauté the chicken pieces skin side down for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn chicken; sauté for another 5 to 6 minutes, adding more oil if necessary. Remove chicken to a large, warm platter. 4. In the same pan, sauté the potatoes for 3 or 4 minutes. Shake pan back and forth to prevent sticking. Push potatoes to one side. Return sautéed chicken to pan. Top gently with potatoes. Sprinkle with herbs. Add wine and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover tightly. Cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is almost fork-tender. 5. Add reserved julienned peppers. Toss gently. Cook chicken and peppers for an additional 5 minutes. Chicken is done when, pierced with a fork, the juices run clear with no tinge of pink. Note: Check white meat for doneness first as it cooks faster than the dark meat. The white meat may be removed from the pan and kept warm while the dark meat continues to cook.

LIBYAN MEAT AND POTATO BAKE (MAFROOM) Preparation time: 1 hour Cooking time: 2 hours Yield: 8 to 10 servings The Ben-Gads serve these generously spiced meat patties as an appetizer or a first course. The dish can be cooked in advance and reheated.

Sauce: 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste 2 eggs 1 cup water 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

Meat patties: 2 pounds ground beef round 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 large onion, grated 2 eggs, beaten 1 box (12 ounces) matzo meal, about 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt or to taste Oil for frying 6 baking potatoes Chopped fresh parsely or cilantro 3 lemons, cut into wedges

1. For sauce, mix tomato paste, 2 eggs, water and cayenne in shallow bowl. 2. For meat patties, mix meat, parsley, onion, eggs, 3 tablespoons of the matzo meal, cinnamon, pepper and salt in large bowl. Shape into palm-sized patties about 3/4-inch thick. Thoroughly coat each patty in remaining matzo meal. 3. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in large skillet. Dip a couple of patties in sauce and then immediately fry in a single layer in oil. (Use caution; oil will splatter when sauce from patties hits it.) Cook, turning, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Set aside to drain on paper towels. Repeat to fry all patties. 4. Peel potatoes and slice lengthwise into 3/4-inch thick slices. Line a 4 1/2 or 5-quart Dutch oven with a layer of potatoes. Top with a layer of meat patties. Repeat alternating layers until all ingredients are used. Add water to come almost to the top. Heat to boil over medium-high heat. Boil gently, uncovered, until only 2 or so inches of water remains, about 1 hour. 5. To serve, carefully remove potatoes (use wide spatula to prevent breakage) and place in a serving dish. Place meat patties on top. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot. Squeeze lemon wedges over each patty before eating.

MAPLE-CHILI-GLAZED LAMB CHOPS Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings This quick recipe gets flavor from Asian prepared chili paste. Look for it in Asian food markets. Recipe developed in the Tribune test kitchen. 8 loin lamb chops, 2 inches thick 3 teaspoons salt Freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1 tablespoon prepared Asian chili paste

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Season the lamb chops with 2 teaspoons of the salt and pepper to taste. Combine the syrup, chili paste and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. Brush on both sides of chops. 2. Heat a non-stick skillet on medium-high until very hot. Brown chops in batches, about 30 seconds on each side. Place in a 13-by-9-inch baking pan; bake until cooked through or internal temperature reaches 130 degrees for medium-rare, about 10 minutes.

MEAT AND LEEK PATTIES Six servings Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Recipe by Angele Schreim 8 medium leeks, cut into pieces, see note 2 eggs 1/2 pound ground beef 1/2 teaspoon each: salt, pepper 1 tablespoon matzo meal, or 2 small boiled potatoes, mashed Oil

1. Rinse leeks thoroughly. Cook in simmering water in large skillet for 10 minutes. Drain well. 2. Mash leeks with eggs in large bowl or in blender. Add ground beef, salt, pepper and matzo meal or potatoes. Mix well. Shape mixture into six patties. 3. Heat a thin layer of oil in large well-seasoned skillet. Add patties and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and ground beef is cooked, about 10 minutes. Serve hot. Note: Two packages, 10 ounces each, chopped frozen spinach can be substituted for the leeks. Cook spinach according to package directions and drain thoroughly before using in step 2.

MOROCCAN MEATBALLS Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 1 hour Makes: 8 servings, about 40 meatballs

Moroccan Meatballs

This recipe, adapted from chef Ayelet Danino, comes from her Moroccan mother-in-law. You can grind the liver in a food processor (or use 2 pounds ground beef if you prefer to omit the liver).

Sauce: 5 to 7 cloves garlic, crushed 1/4 cup olive oil 1 ounce chicken bouillon cubes 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 2 tablespoons sweet paprika 1 tablespoon hot paprika 1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree 2 cups hot water 1 teaspoon salt

Meatballs: 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 1/2 pound ground calf ’s liver 3/4 cup matzo meal 1 cup chopped parsley 1/2 cup finely diced onion 1/2 cup water 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon each: paprika, ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 tablespoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 2 large eggs, beaten Vegetable oil

1. For the sauce, cook the garlic in the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, 1 minute. Add bouillon cubes, crushing them in the pot. Add chili powder and the paprikas. Add tomato puree, water and salt. Heat to a boil; lower heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer while preparing meatballs. 2. For the meatballs, combine beef, liver, matzo, parsley, onion, water, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, turmeric and cinnamon in a bowl, mixing with your hands. Add eggs; blend well. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. 3. Heat about 1/4 cup oil in a skillet; brown meatballs, in batches without crowding. Gently slip meatballs into simmering sauce. Cook, partially covered, over low heat until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is thick, 45 minutes.

MOROCCAN-STYLE FISH Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour, 5 minutes Yield: 8 appetizer servings

Moroccan-Style Fish

Ayelet Danino serves this stew as an appetizer, but it also could be a main course for four. 3 guajillo or other dried chilies, soaked in hot water until soft, stemmed, seeded, thinly sliced 1 red bell pepper, seeded, finely chopped 2 large tomatoes, 1 sliced, 1 seeded and chopped 10 cloves garlic, each sliced into 5 slices 8 fillets (about 4 ounces each) red snapper or tilapia 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 2 cups water 1/2 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons each: lemon juice, tomato paste, sweet paprika 1 teaspoon each: turmeric, salt 1/4 teaspoon hot paprika, optional

1. Layer guajillos, bell pepper, chopped tomatoes, garlic, fish, sliced tomatoes and cilantro in that order in a Dutch oven or large skillet wide enough to accommodate the fish in one layer. 2. Mix water, oil, lemon juice, tomato paste, sweet paprika, turmeric, salt and hot paprika in a medium bowl; pour liquid evenly over the layered fish and vegetables; cover. 3. Heat to a boil; cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook 1 hour, spooning liquid over the fish every 10 minutes, adding water if necessary. Serve warm.

PASSOVER SALMON CAKES WITH CUCUMBER-WASABI SAUCE Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 7 minutes Makes: About 20 cakes

Passover Salmon Cakes with Cucumber-Wasabi Sauce

Adapted from a recipe from Ido Shapira. 1/4 cup matzo meal 1/2 cup water or fish stock 1 wild salmon fillet, about 1 pound 3 tablespoons wasabi powder 2 1/2 tablespoons cool water 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, quartered 1/2 cup kosher mayonnaise 1 teaspoon chopped chives 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1/4 cup chopped shallots 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon cracked red or black peppercorns

1. Mix matzo meal with water; set aside 30 minutes. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place fillet on a baking sheet, skin side down. Bake until flesh is just slightly pink in the middle, 7-8 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, mix together wasabi powder and water in a small bowl. Place cucumber in food processor; pulse until chunky. Add mayonnaise, chives, sesame oil and the wasabi; puree until thoroughly mixed. (If not using right away, cover; refrigerate.) 3. Gently flake the fish with a fork into a shallow bowl, Add matzo meal mixture, shallots, egg, salt and pepper. Pour oil to 1/4 inch deep in a large, heavy skillet. Heat over medium heat. Scoop up fish mixture with a tablespoon; carefully drop into the hot oil, patting it down with back of the spoon to make small cakes. Do not crowd the pan. Fry until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Serve with wasabi sauce.

ROAST LAMB WITH GARLIC, ONIONS AND POTATOES Eight servings Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: About 2 1/2 hours 8 garlic cloves A 5 1/2-pound lamb shoulder, boned and tied in a rolled roast (about 3 1/ 2 pounds after boning), bones reserved if possible Salt, pepper 8 medium baking potatoes 2 medium onions, sliced 2/3 cup water 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped 1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut 12 very thin lengthwise slivers from garlic; chop remaining garlic. Pierce lamb with point of a sharp knife. With aid of knife, hold slit open and insert a garlic sliver. Repeat piercing and inserting garlic slivers, spacing them fairly evenly. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Put lamb bones in center of a large roasting pan and set roast on top of them. Peel and quarter potatoes and put in pan around meat. Sprinkle potatoes with remaining chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Add sliced onions to potatoes. Add water to pan. Cover with foil. Bake 1 hour. 2. Uncover and stir potatoes gently. Bake 30 minutes more. Add tomato to juices, stir and roast until lamb is very tender and a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer registers 155 to 160 degrees, about 1 hour and 10 minutes more. During roasting, baste lamb and potatoes occasionally and add a few tablespoons water to pan if it becomes dry. Let meat rest on a cutting board 10 to 15 minutes before carving. 3. Meanwhile, spoon juices over potatoes and keep them warm in low oven. If bones are meaty, cut meat from bones; discard bones. Remove strings from meat. Carve into about 1/2-inch slices, using a very sharp large knife. With a small knife, remove excess fat, if desired, from slices. Sprinkle potatoes and lamb with parsley and serve hot. Season juices to taste with salt and pepper; serve separately.

SALMON STEAKS WITH HERB SAUCE Eight servings Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes 1 1/2 to 2 pounds salmon steaks, about 1-inch thick 2 shallots, chopped Salt, pepper 3/4 cup dry white wine Herb sauce: 10 spinach leaves 1/4 cup watercress leaves 1/4 cup parsley sprigs 2 tablespoons tarragon leaves, optional 1 cup mayonnaise, homemade or a good quality brand 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water, optional Parsley sprigs, lemon wedges for garnish

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Oil a gratin dish or other shallow baking dish large enough to contain the salmon steaks in one layer. Sprinkle shallots in the dish. Set salmon steaks on top and season them with salt and pepper. Pour the wine over them. Cover with oiled parchment paper or foil. Bake about 15 minutes or until just tender and the flesh near the bone has changed color to light pink. Carefully transfer the steaks to a plate and let cool. 2. For herb sauce, remove stems from spinach and rinse leaves thoroughly. Plunge spinach, watercress, parsley and tarragon into a saucepan of boiling water. Bring back to a boil and drain thoroughly. Rinse under cold running water and drain thoroughly. Squeeze hard to remove excess liquid. Puree leaves and herbs in a food processor until smooth. If necessary, add 2/3 tablespoons of mayonnaise to help make a smoother mixture. Add remaining mayonnaise and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Taste for seasoning. (If sauce is very thick, whisk in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time, until sauce is just thin enough to be poured.) 3. Carefully pull off skin from each salmon steak and cut steak in two. Transfer to a platter. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges. Serve sauce separately.

SAUTÉED LAMB CHOPS Preparation time: 35 minutes Marinating time: 2 hour or overnight Cooking time: 35 minutes Yield: 4 servings Serve this earthy Italian dish with a kosher cabernet sauvignon wine. 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 cloves garlic, chopped 2 teaspoons each, fresh: lemon juice, finely chopped rosemary 1/2 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 8 loin lamb chops, 3/4- to 1-inch thick 4 fresh parsnips, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 medium Spanish onion, peeled, cut in half, sliced thin

Sauce: 1 cup each: dry white wine, beef broth 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon each: salt, ground black pepper, or more to taste 1/4 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

1. For marinade, combine 1/3 cup of the oil, garlic, lemon juice, rosemary, salt, pepper and pepper flakes in small, non-reactive bowl. Pour over lamb chops in 13- by 9-inch baking pan. Cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight. 2. Cook parsnips in water to cover, 8 minutes; drain. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until soft and brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove onion; reserve. 3. Drain chops; pat dry. Put in same skillet; cook 4 minutes. Turn chops; add reserved onions and parsnips. Cook until chops are browned and medium rare, about 4 minutes. Remove to platter; keep warm. 4. Add wine, broth and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to pan. Heat to boil; scrape skillet with wooden spoon to dissolve browned bits. Reduce liquid by half. Add salt and pepper. Return chops to pan; reheat briefly. Transfer lamb and vegetables to warmed plates or a platter. Spoon sauce over. Garnish with chopped parsley.

SIDE DISHES

ASPARAGUS WITH FRESH HERBS Preparation Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 to 12 Minutes Yield: 6 to 8 Servings 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed 6 tablespoons pareve margarine 6 shallots, chopped 2 tablespoons each: chopped parsley, chives, dill Fresh chervil to taste Juice of 1 lemon Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Cook asparagus in boiling water until just tender, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Drain thoroughly. 2. While asparagus is cooking, heat 4 tablespoons margarine in a large skillet. Sauté the shallots and then add the asparagus and the herbs and cook for a few minutes, shaking frequently. Sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and ground pepper to taste.

CAPONATA 12 appetizers or 6 side dishes Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, peeled, cubed into 1/2-inch pieces 1 pound zucchini, washed, cubed into 1/2-inch pieces Kosher salt 1 large onion, peeled, sliced thin 2 cloves garlic, chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 red pepper, cored, seeded, cut into thin strips 1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes with juice, slightly crushed 1/2 cup calamata, green or black olives, pitted, quartered 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon each: basil, sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon capers, drained, optional

1. Sprinkle eggplant and zucchini with kosher salt; allow to drain in colander 15 to 20 minutes. Pat dry. 2. Cook onions and garlic in olive oil in large skillet until soft, about 5 minutes. Add eggplant, zucchini and red pepper; cook 5 minutes. 3. Stir in tomatoes with juice, olives, vinegar, basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. 4. Stir in tomato paste and optional capers. Cook, uncovered, 5 minutes more. Adjust seasoning. May be served hot or at room temperature. Best made a day ahead.

IDA SHILCRAT’S CHOPPED LIVER Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 cups Unlike pate de foie gras, in which the livers are cooked lightly, kosher laws require that livers be broiled to remove blood. One of the tricks employed by Ida Shilcrat, in her universally acclaimed chopped liver, is to grill the livers over charcoal, which fulfills this requirement. You will need a grill used only for Passover or a new one. When it’s not Passover, Shilcrat adds a little MSG to the liver mixture along with the salt and pepper. 2 pounds chicken or beef liver 2 large onions, chopped 2-4 tablespoons rendered chicken fat or pareve margarine 2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled Salt, pepper to taste 1/2 cup chicken broth

1. Prepare a charcoal grill or preheat broiler. Rinse liver well. If using chicken livers, remove and discard any fat or membranes. (If using beef liver, remove veins and outer skin before cooking.) Sprinkle liver with salt. Grill 6 inches from hot coals covered with gray ash or broil 6 inches from heat source, turning, until juices no longer run pink, 5 to 8 minutes. Rinse liver again. 2. Cook onions in chicken fat in large skillet until tender. 3. Grind liver, eggs, onions with fat from skillet together in meat grinder (which works better than a food processor) until coarse. Put into large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour chicken broth onto mixture. Mix with hands until pasty, if too dry add more chicken fat and broth as needed. Note: According to kashrut, liver must be cut open across its length and width and grilled or broiled over a grate with the cut-side down so the blood drains off. Before broiling, liver is washed and lightly salted. After grilling, it must be washed three times so the blood is rinsed off.

CARROTS WITH GARLIC AND CUMIN (CHEERSHE) Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Yield: 6 to 8 servings 9 large carrots, cut into 1/3-inch thick slices 1/4 cup oil 3 large cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/4teaspoon salt Cooked rice for serving, optional Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

1. Boil carrots in water to cover in medium saucepan until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. 2. Heat oil in large saucepan; add garlic, cumin, cayenne, lemon juice and salt. Cook and stir 1 minute; do not let garlic brown. Add carrots; toss well to heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more cumin, cayenne, lemon and salt as desired. Remove from heat. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold over rice. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

JULIENNED ROOT VEGETABLES Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Yield: 6 servings 4 each, medium peeled: turnips, carrots 2 medium parsnips, peeled 1 small celery root, peeled 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons margarine 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon minced parsley

1. Cut turnips, carrots, parsnips and celery root into 2- by 1/4-inch matchsticks. 2. Heat a large pan of water to boil. Add vegetables and salt and cook just until crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain immediately and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. 3. Combine lemon juice, sugar and mustard in a small dish and set aside. 4. Heat margarine in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in julienned vegetables and lemon juice mixture. Cook until vegetables are glazed and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

LEEK FRITTERS Eight servings Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes 4 pounds leeks 2 large eggs 1/4 cup matzo meal 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme, crumbled Salt, pepper Freshly grated nutmeg to taste Vegetable oil for deep-frying, about 5 cups Lemon wedges (for serving)

1. Discard very dark green parts of leeks. Split leeks lengthwise twice, leaving root end attached, and rinse well. Cut in about 4-inch pieces. Put in a large pan of boiling salted water and cook about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Finely chop with a knife; you will have about 4 cups leeks. Drain again in a strainer and squeeze firmly by handfuls to remove excess liquid. 2. Transfer leeks to a bowl. Add eggs, matzo meal, thyme and salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Shape mixture in flat cakes, using about 2 tablespoons mixture for each; if mixture won’t hold together in cakes, stir in a little more matzo meal, by teaspoons. Put cakes on a plate. 3. Heat oil in a deep fat fryer or heavy medium saucepan to 350 degrees on a deep fat thermometer, or until oil sizzles vigorously when a small piece of leek mixture is added. Fry in batches until light golden brown, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Keep cooked fritters warm in a low oven while frying remaining ones and until ready to serve. Serve with lemon wedges. For the following recipe ask the butcher to trim the fat and skin from the lamb, to bone it, roll it and tie it.

MATZO-FARFEL, RISOTTO-STYLE Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 7 minutes Yield: 4 servings This recipe comes from Laura Frankel of Shallots Bistro in Skokie. 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 shallots, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 4 matzo, coarsely crushed 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/2 teaspoon salt Grated zest of 1 lemon Freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat; add shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables turn light golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the matzo pieces. 2. Add the chicken broth a few tablespoons at a time, stirring after each addition, until liquid is absorbed and matzo has an al dente texture, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, pine nuts, salt, zest and pepper to taste.

MOROCCAN-STYLE EGGPLANT Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Yield: 8 servings 2 large eggplant Oil for frying 1 cup tomato paste 2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon each: salt, cayenne pepper 1-1 1/2 cups water Juice of 1/2-1 lemon to taste Cooked rice Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish

1. Wash eggplant; pat dry. Cut into 1/2-inch thick circles. Heat about 1/4-inch oil in large skillet. Add eggplant slices in single layer. Fry, turning until nicely browned and tender, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Repeat to fry all eggplant using more oil as needed. 2. Wipe skillet clean. Put tomato paste, cumin, salt and cayenne into skillet; stir well. Add enough water to make a thick sauce. Heat to simmer; cook 5 minutes adjusting consistency with more water if needed. Add lemon juice to taste. Heat to boil. Add fried eggplant slices. Cook over low heat for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold over rice. Sprinkle with parsley.

PASSOVER “EGG ROLLS” 10 to 12 rolls Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes

Crepes: 3 eggs 1 cup water 4 tablespoons margarine, melted 1/4 cup potato starch 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt Margarine for frying

Meat filling: 1 pound ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1 large clove garlic, chopped 1 egg, slightly beaten 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste 1/4 cup raisins 1/4 teaspoon each: garlic powder, salt, pepper

1. For crepes, put all ingredients in food processor and process for 10 to 15 seconds or beat with electric mixer until well blended. 2. To fry, melt margarine in a 6-inch well-seasoned skillet. Use about 3 tablespoons of batter for each crepe, or enough batter to cover entire pan bottom. Fry on one side until edges are brown. Loosen edges with long spatula. Slip spatula under middle of crepe and with fingers flip crepe over. Cook second side only 30 seconds. 3. Repeat until all batter is used up. Stir batter between each crepe because potato starch may settle to bottom. 4. For filling, mix all filling ingredients in small bowl. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling down the middle of each crepe, brown side up. Fold crepe up compactly, envelope-style and roll away from you. 5. Place seam-side down in a lightly oiled frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry until brown and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Or, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Brush with a little melted margarine to help brown and crisp. Note: Crepes may be made ahead and frozen. Layer with plastic wrap or wax paper and place in freezer bag. Try other fillings such as vegetables or fill with ice cream and or fresh fruit and top with melted chocolate.

SEPHARDIC-STYLE HARD-COOKED EGGS Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours Yield: 12 servings Don’t be surprised at the lengthy cooking time for these eggs-it infuses the eggs with the rich flavors of the broth and turns them a striking reddish-brown color. Skins of six brown onions 12 eggs 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon each: salt, pepper 1. Put 1/2 of the onion skins in a large, heavy saucepan. Place eggs on top and add rest of onion skins. Add oil, salt and pepper, and enough water to cover the eggs. Heat to a gentle boil then reduce heat to very low. Simmer 2 hours. 2. Cool in the broth. Drain and refrigerate until serving time.

SPICY HOT VEGETABLES (MASSIR) Preparation time: 30 minutes Marinating time: 4 hours or overnight Yield: 8 to 10 servings The longer the vegetables marinate with the hot chili peppers, the spicier they will become. If time is short, use additional chilies. 12 carrots, peeled 4 large green peppers, seeded 1/2 large cauliflower 2-3 fresh hot chili peppers, to taste Water Juice of 2 lemons 2 tablespoons salt 1. Cut carrots into 3-inch-long matchsticks. Break cauliflower into bite- sized flowerets. Slice green peppers into 1/2-inch wide strips. Cut hot peppers into 1/4-inch thick slices. 2. Put vegetables into large bowl; add cold water to cover. Add lemon juice and salt; stir to dissolve salt. Refrigerate until vegetables have become spicy, at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Drain well when desired spice level is reached. Keep refrigerated up to several days.

SYRIAN STUFFED PRUNES Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Yield: 6 servings Serve this rich dish an accompaniment to turkey, lamb, or veal using the juices as a sauce. 1 box (12 ounces) pitted prunes 1/2 cup walnut halves, about 2 tablespoons butter or pareve margarine 1 cup sweet red wine 1 tablespoon pomegranate syrup Juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Stuff each prune with a walnut half. Melt butter or margarine in a large non-stick skillet. Add prunes, cook, over low heat, turning occasionally, until prunes are tender, about 5 minutes. 2. Stir in wine, pomegranate syrup and lemon juice. Simmer, uncovered, over a low heat, until pan juices are syrupy, about 20 minutes. Note: Pomegranate syrup, also known as grenadine, can be replaced with honey or sugar if desired.

WENDY PASHMAN’S GRILLED VEGETABLES Preparation time: 30 minutes Marinating time: 2 hours or overnight Cooking time: 20 to 30 minutes Use any vegetables that are appropriate, figuring about 1 to 2 cups cooked vegetables per serving. Pashman likes the following, but others, such as carrots or leeks, also will work. Avoid corn, which is not acceptable for Passover. The dressing is sufficient for 4 to 6 pounds of raw vegetables. 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper, oregano 1 clove garlic, minced Handful of parsley, chopped Vegetables such as eggplant; zucchini; green, red or yellow peppers; shiitake mushrooms, red onions

1. Mix olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic and parsley in large bowl. Clean and slice vegetables according to your own preferences. Eggplant must be sliced, salted and drained 1 hour to remove the bitter juices. 2. When cleaned and cut, marinate vegetables in the dressing for 2 hours or as long as overnight. 3. Grill vegetables, 6 inches from smoldering coals, turning often until nicely browned and tender. Alternatively, broil vegetables, 6 inches from heat source, on a baking sheet. Arrange on platter and serve at room temperature.

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE WITH DILL Eight servings Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 50 to 60 minutes 2 pounds medium zucchini 1 large onion 5 eggs 1/4 cup chopped parsley 2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill 1/3 cup matzo meal Salt, pepper to taste 3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grate zucchini and onion using large holes of grater. Put both in a strainer and squeeze firmly to remove excess liquid. Transfer zucchini and onions to a bowl. Add eggs, parsley, dill and matzo meal. Season quite generously with salt and pepper so mixture will not be bland. Mix well. 2. Put 2 tablespoons oil in a shallow 8-to 8 1/2-inch square baking dish. Put dish in oven briefly to heat oil. Add zucchini mixture to hot dish. Sprinkle with remaining oil. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until set. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot.

KUGEL

ALSATIAN ALMOND RAISIN MATZO KUGEL Eight servings Preparation time: 25 minutes Baking time: 25 minutes 6 matzos 1/2 cup dark raisins 2/3 cup whole almonds 1/2 cup sugar 5 eggs, separated Pinch of salt 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon Glaze: 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons brandy, plus 1 teaspoon if needed 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish with margarine. Break matzos in small pieces and put in a bowl. Cover with hot water and let stand for 2 minutes. Put in a strainer and squeeze out as much water as possible. Put in a large bowl. Pour enough hot water over raisins to cover them. Let stand 5 minutes and drain. 2. Grind almonds in a food processor with 2 tablespoons sugar until fine. Add to bowl of matzo. Stir in egg yolks, salt, cinnamon, raisins and 4 tablespoons sugar. Beat egg whites until just stiff. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat at high speed another 1/2 minute or until glossy. 3. Gently fold egg whites, in 4 portions, into matzo mixture. Spoon mixture into greased dish. Bake in preheated oven about 25 minutes or until firm. 4. Meanwhile prepare glaze: Combine sugar, 2 tablespoons brandy and cinnamon in small bowl and stir until well blended. If mixture is too thick to pour, add 1 teaspoon brandy. When kugel is done, remove from oven and spoon glaze evenly over top. Brush glaze gently over cake. Cut in squares and serve hot or warm.

JERUSALEM KUGEL Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours Yield: 8 servings Author Joan Nathan adapted this recipe for kugel found during a trip to Mea Sherim, an Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem. It comes from resident Bluma Zegal, who told Nathan that the secret to a great Jerusalem kugel is a perfect balance of sweetness and pepper. 12 ounces noodles (Kosher for Passover), cooked according to package directions, drained, rinsed in cold water 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup vegetable oil

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Combine pasta, pepper, salt, eggs and 2/3 cup of the sugar in large bowl. Mix well. 2. Heat oil in small saucepan. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar; mix well to form a caramel, stirring constantly until sugar melts and starts to turn brown. Do not overcook. 3. Pour sugar mixture over pasta mixture, mixing well. Don’t worry if some of the caramel hardens; it will soften later. Pour pasta mixture into greased bundt pan. Place foil over pan; bake in middle rack of oven 2 hours. For a crustier top, remove foil the last half hour of cooking. Note: For a classic Sephardic Jerusalem variation, add the following ingredients to the cooked pasta in step 1: 2/3 cup plumped raisins, 3 chopped sautéed onions, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 crushed clove garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon each ground allspice and ground cloves. Proceed as above.

PASSOVER CHEESE KUGEL Six servings Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour This sweet baked pudding is studded with raisins and nuts. For Passover, matzos replace the usual noodles in kugel. 4 matzos, each about 6 by 6-inches 2 cups (16 ounces) cottage cheese 3 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice Grated rind of 1/2 lemon 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup broken or coarsely chopped walnuts 6 tablespoons melted butter Sour cream (for serving)

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Soak whole matzos in cold water to cover until slightly softened but not mushy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Mix together the cottage cheese, eggs, salt, sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind, raisins and walnuts. 2. Pour about 3 tablespoons melted butter into an 8-inch-square baking dish or cake pan of about 2-quart volume. Set 1 whole matzo in the pan, filling in any spaces with pieces from another matzo. Spread half the cheese mixture in the pan. Cover with another layer of matzo. Spread the remaining cheese mixture in the pan. Top with a layer of matzos. Sprinkle the remaining melted butter on top. 3. Bake for about 1 hour or until set and the top is browned. Serve hot or lukewarm, cut in squares and accompanied by sour cream.

SOPHIE BERGER’S VEGETABLE KUGEL Six servings Preparation time: 30 minutes Baking time: 45 minutes Sophie Berger of Chicago, who has been cooking seder meals for many years, gave us her recipe for kugel, which she serves with roast beef brisket. “When making the spinach kugel, you can substitute frozen spinach and it won’t affect the taste,”Berger said. “If you wish, bake it in individual muffin tins-10 or 12 of them. The tins are done when the mixture is firm to the touch.” 6 tablespoons margarine 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup each: peeled, chopped celery, chopped mushrooms 1/4 cup green pepper, chopped 1 1/2 cups grated carrots 3/4 cup matzo meal 1 pound fresh spinach, cooked, drained and chopped (or substitute frozen chopped spinach) 3 eggs, beaten Salt, pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt margarine in medium skillet. Add onion, celery and mushrooms to pan and sauté 10 minutes, stirring often with wooden spoon. Stir in green pepper, grated carrots, matzo meal, spinach, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well. Spoon mixture into greased loaf pan. 2. Bake until firm, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let mixture sit at room temperature 15 minutes. If loaf pan is attractive, bring the kugel to table in its original pan. Otherwise, invert kugel onto rectangular serving dish. Serve immediately.

CAKES & TORTES

BANANA SPONGE CAKE Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Yield: One 10-inch cake 3/4 cup matzo cake meal 6 tablespoons potato starch 9 large eggs, separated 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups sifted granulated sugar 2 very ripe bananas, mashed 1/2 cup chopped nuts Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon cold water

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a piece of parchment or brown paper to fit the bottom a 10-inch tube pan; put in place. Sift the cake meal with the potato starch together three times; set aside. 2. Beat egg whites and salt in a 4-quart bowl of an electric mixer on high speed until they hold soft peaks. Gradually add sugar and beat until whites are thick and glossy; set aside. 3. Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl; mix in bananas and nuts. Add to egg whites and mix in on low speed. Gradually add sifted dry ingredients; beat on low speed until combined. Add lemon juice and water; mix to combine. 4. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Invert pan and let stand until cool. Carefully loosen from sides of pan with a slender knife and invert onto a serving plate.

CITRUS DAIRY CHEESECAKE WITH LEMON CURD Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours Yield: 10 to 12 servings Lemon curd: Put ingredients in a double boiler. Heat to boil and let boil gently 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Strain into a bowl and cool. Keep refrigerated. Warm slightly before using. 1 pound each: no-curd style cottage cheese (farmers cheese), cream cheese 1 and 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 and 1/2 teaspoons grated rind each: lime, orange, lemon 5 large eggs 1/4 cup evaporated milk Lemon curd: 2 lemons, juice and rind 2 large eggs 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoon unsalted margarine 1/4 cup water 1 teaspoon potato starch

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9- or l0-inch springform pan with parchment. 2. Cream cottage and cream cheese together with sugar until smooth on low speed of electric mixer. Blend in lemon juice and rinds, scraping down bowl often. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until each is blended. Stir in evaporated milk. Spoon into pan. 3. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 225 degrees and bake until middle of cake doesn’t jiggle, about 1 hour. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with warm lemon curd.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 70 minutes Yield: 10 servings 5 large eggs, separated 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted, cooled 1 tablespoon each: unsweetened cocoa powder, dark rum, coffee liqueur Unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; grease the paper. 2. Put the egg yolks and 1/3 cup of the sugar into a large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on high speed until the mixture is thick and has tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Add the butter; continue to beat until batter is thick and smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chocolate and cocoa; mix well. Stir in rum and coffee liqueur. 3. With clean beaters in a clean bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Continue beating until the whites are thick and glossy. Thoroughly mix 1/4 of the whites into the chocolate mixture; gently fold in the remaining whites. 4. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Cool completely in the pan. (The cake will sink in the center while cooling.) Invert cake onto a serving plate and remove the pan and paper. Sift cocoa over the top.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE PECAN TORTE Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes Cooling time: 2 hours Chilling time: 4 hours Yield: 10 servings This is chef Ayelet Danino’s favorite Passover cake. 1 bag (16 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 sticks (1 cup) butter 1/2 cup sweet kosher wine 6 eggs 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1. Combine chocolate chips, butter and wine in a microwave-safe container; heat at medium (50 percent power), stirring at 30-second intervals, until the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool, about 20 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, beat eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy and lemoncolored, about 20 minutes. 3. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Fold the melted chocolate into the eggs; carefully fold in nuts. Pour into a 9-inch greased cake pan. Bake until just set in center, about 45 minutes. Turn off oven; leave oven door partially open. Cool torte in oven, about 2 hours. Refrigerate 4 hours. Cut into wedges to serve.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 40-45 minutes Yield: 8 servings 1/2 cup matzo meal 1/3 cup walnuts 2 large eggs 1 1/4 cups sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup grated peeled apple 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 8 large egg whites 1/2 teaspoon salt Confectioners’ sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine matzo meal and walnuts in food processor; process until nuts are finely chopped. Spread on baking sheet; toast in oven 5 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool. 2. Whisk 2 eggs, 3/4 cup of the sugar and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Stir in matzo-nut mixture, apple, cocoa and chocolate. Set aside. 3. Beat 8 egg whites and salt in bowl of electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high; beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until glossy and stiff peaks form. 4. Stir 1/4 of the beaten whites into batter. Fold in remaining whites with rubber spatula. Scrape batter into ungreased 9-inch springform pan, spreading evenly. Tap pan lightly on counter to release air bubbles. 5. Bake until top springs back when touched lightly and skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Loosen edges of torte with knife. Let cool in pan on wire rack. (Torte will sink in center.) 6. Remove pan sides; place torte on serving platter. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

MOIST ITALIAN CHOCOLATE TORTE Preparation Time: 25 Minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes Yield: 8 Servings This recipe is adapted from Claudine Ostrow, a fine cook and an Egyptian Jew who lived for many years in Italy, where she learned this recipe from a chef. 1/2 cup (1 stick) pareve margarine 8 ounces imported semi-sweet chocolate 5 large eggs, separated 3/4 cup sugar 1 cup ground almonds

1. Melt the margarine with the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a microwave oven. Cool. 2. Mix the egg yolks with the sugar, stirring until they become pale yellow. 3. Combine the chocolate mixture with the yolk mixture; fold in nuts. 4. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry. Fold in. 5. Place a shallow roasting pan, filled with water, in a 375-degree oven. (This makes the torte moister.) 6. Grease 9-inch springform pan and line with aluminum foil, smoothing out a many wrinkles as possible. Pour in batter. Wrap outside of pan in foil so no water gets in pan. Place in pan of water and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool a few minutes. Remove sides from pan and carefully peel off the foil. Invert onto a serving plate. Serve as is or sprinkle with granulated sugar ground finer in a food processor. During the rest of the year sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Note: Confectioners’ sugar is prohibited by some at Passover because it contains cornstarch.

NOTHING CAKE Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 40 minutes Makes: 12 servings Handy when flour, butter and cream are contraindicated. 12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened!) chocolate 2/3 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup sugar 5 eggs, separated 1/3 cup almond meal Kosher for Passover confectioners’ sugar

1. Melt: Break up chocolate and settle in a large heavy saucepan along with the oil. Melt. Cool slightly. 2. Mix: Stir in sugar. Stir in egg yolks. Stir in almond meal. 3. Fluff: Beat egg whites just until they form firm peaks. 4. Fold: Stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate batter. Gently and thoroughly fold in remaining whites. 5. Bake: Pour batter into a lightly oiled 9 1/2-inch springform pan set on a baking sheet. Slide onto the middle rack of a 350-degree oven. Bake until firm and springy, 25-30 minutes. Cool. Release. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Voila!

PASSOVER ORANGE SPONGECAKE Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Yield: 10 servings This recipe is from pastry chef Ayelet Danino’s Aunt Rachel. 1/2 cup each: matzo cake meal, potato starch, see note 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 eggs, separated 3/4 cup sugar plus additional for decorating 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon each: lemon juice, vanilla extract 1/2 cup orange marmalade plus additional if desired

1. Combine matzo meal, potato starch and salt in medium bowl; set aside. Combine egg yolks, half of the sugar, oil, lemon juice and vanilla extract in bowl of electric mixer; beat on medium speed until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until thick and light yellow in color, about 20 minutes. 2. Beat remaining sugar and egg whites in another bowl of electric mixer on medium-high to stiff peaks, about 6 minutes. Fold whites into yolks. Sift in dry ingredients; fold together completely. 3. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Transfer batter to two 8-inch round cake pans sprayed with oil and bottoms topped with parchment paper.(Do not spray the sides.) Bake until a tester tests dry, about 1 hour; remove from oven. Cool on rack completely; run knife around the edge of the pans. Remove one layer to platter; remove parchment. Spread marmalade over layer. Top with second layer; sprinkle top with granulated sugar or spread with additional marmalade. Note: Matzo cake meal and potato starch are sold in the kosher foods aisle of many supermarkets.

SHOSHANA’S PASSOVER ROULADE Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Yield: 8 servings

Cake: 5 large eggs, separated 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 5 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 1 tablespoon potato starch

Filling: 1 cup whipping cream 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder

Glaze: 4 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped 1-2 tablespoons milk 1-2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15 by 10-inch jellyroll pan. Line pan with waxed paper. Grease the paper. Have a clean kitchen towel spread out on work surface. 2. Beat egg yolks in large mixer bowl until light; beat in vanilla. Beat egg whites in small mixer bowl until frothy; gradually beat in granulated sugar. Beat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold whites, cocoa and potato starch into egg yolks until blended. Spread in prepared pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and top springs back when lightly touched, about 20 minutes. Turn cake out onto towel. Carefully peel off waxed paper. Roll cake up in towel from the long side and let it rest for a minute. Unroll it and let it rest for a few minutes, then roll it up in the towel again and let it cool completely. 3. For filling, beat cream in large mixer bowl until frothy. Beat in confectioners’ sugar and coffee powder; beat until soft peaks form. 4. Gently unroll cake; spread filling over cake to within 1-inch from sides. Roll up as before but without the towel. Refrigerate while making glaze. 5. For glaze, melt the chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water or in microwave oven. Remove from heat and add milk and Cognac until a thin consistency is reached. Drizzle immediately over cake. Refrigerate cake up to 4 hours before serving.

UPDATED PASSOVER SPONGECAKE Preparation time: 30 minutes Yield: 12 servings Cooking time: 30-35 minutes 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons matzo cake meal 2 tablespoons potato starch Pinch salt 7 egg yolks Zest, juice of 1 lemon 2 cups sugar 11 egg whites

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together cake meal, potato starch and salt in medium bowl; set aside. Beat yolks, lemon juice, zest and 1 cup of the sugar in mixing bowl of electric mixer until light and creamy in color. 2. Beat whites until foamy with clean beaters and in separate bowl. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar and continue beating until whites hold stiff peak but are still shiny. 3. Fold 1/3 of whites into beaten yolks, followed by remaining whites and cake meal mixture. Turn into ungreased angel-food or 10-inch tube pan; bake until finger barely leaves an indentation in cake when touched, 30 to 35 minutes. Turn pan upside down on cooling rack to cool completely. Remove cooled cake from pan.

FRUIT & COMPOTE

COCONUT MACAROONS Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes per batch Yield: 24 Adapted from a recipe by Sarah Levy, pastry chef, author, and food consultant. Levy suggests that if your kitchen is humid, you can put dry ingredients such as almond flour and confectioners’ sugar in an oven that’s only a little warm. She says this really dries everything out. 3/4 cup sugar 3 tablespoons hot water 2 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut 2 egg whites, lightly beaten 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Cook, stirring, 1 minute; remove from heat. 2. Place the coconut in a large bowl; stir the sugar mixture into the coconut, stirring to combine. Stir in the egg whites and vanilla. 3. Form into small rounds using a tablespoon; place on greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly; bake until lightly browned, 12-15 minutes per batch. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

RASPBERRY JAM CAKE WITH WARM BERRY COMPOTE Preparation time: 45 to 50 minutes Yield: 12 servings Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes Batter for 1 spongecake 1/2 cup each: sugar, water 2 cups best-quality raspberry jam or other fruit preserves, strained if desired 3 cups mixed berries 1 cup whipping cream, whipped, or non-dairy topping

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 greased 15 1/2- by 10 1/2-inch jellyroll pans with parchment paper or wax paper. 2. Prepare spongecake batter as directed. Turn into pans, rap pans on counter to ensure even distribution of batter. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, switching pans to opposite shelves after 15 minutes. Place cake pans on rack; let cool completely. 3. Meanwhile, put sugar and water in small saucepan. Heat to a boil over medium heat; remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. 4. Gently run knife around edge of one cake pan. Grasp corners of parchment; lift cake out. Place cake on counter; top with another piece of parchment. Turn cake over; gently loosen original parchment but leave on cake. Turn cake over again so original parchment is on bottom; remove second piece of parchment. Repeat with the second cake. 5. Lightly brush cakes with cooled sugar-water mixture using pastry brush. Spread 1 cup of the preserves evenly over top of each cake. 6. Place one cake lengthwise in front of you, roll an inch of cake edge over. Grasp parchment or wax paper with both hands and roll it away from you, using paper to guide cake (each cake will be 15 1/2 inches long). Wrap parchment around cake. Repeat with second cake. The cake may be made a day in advance and refrigerated along with remaining syrup. 7. Strain remaining sugar syrup into saucepan; reheat over low heat. Add berries; toss gently in syrup until warmed. Cut roulade into 12 slices. Place two slices on each plate; top with berries and whipped cream.

MERINGUE ROULADE WITH LEMON CURD AND RASPBERRY SAUCE Preparation time: 50 minutes Cooling/chilling time: 3 hours, 25 minutes Cooking time: 33 minutes Yield: 18 servings The recipe is adapted from one developed by Shelley Young of The Chopping Block.

Lemon curd: 3 egg yolks 2 eggs 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Zest of 1 lemon 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Raspberry sauce: 1 pint raspberries, or 1 bag unsweetened frozen raspberries, thawed in the refrigerator 1/4 cup sugar

Meringue: 6 large egg whites, room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, optional 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup whipping cream, whipped, or non-dairy topping

1. For lemon curd, place egg yolks, eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest in a heavy saucepan; whisk to combine. Add butter; cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the curd thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 18 minutes. Place the curd in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap touching the curd. Refrigerate until well-chilled, about 2 hours. 2. For raspberry sauce, puree the berries and sugar in a food processor, food mill or blender. Strain the sauce, if desired. Refrigerate until serving time. 3. For meringue, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 18-by-13-inch jellyroll pan with parchment, extending the paper two inches over the edge of the pan. Butter the parchment. Beat egg whites in bowl of electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 10 minutes. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Add remaining sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, until stiff peaks form. 4. Spread meringue evenly over prepared pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees; bake meringue 15 minutes. The meringue should be firm to the touch and very lightly browned, but still soft on the inside. Run a knife around the edges if necessary to loosen from the pan. Lift the meringue out of the pan; invert onto an upside down jellyroll pan with a sheet of parchment on it. Remove the parchment that the meringue was baked on; let cool 25 minutes. 5. Spread chilled lemon curd over the surface of meringue; spread curd with whipped cream. Roll up the meringue, starting at the long side, using the parchment underneath to help pull the meringue up and over. Put the roll seam-side down onto a sheet pan; refrigerate 1-8 hours. Slice; serve with raspberry sauce.

POACHED CINNAMON PEACHES Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 3 minutes 1 can (28 ounces) peach halves 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup Kosher red wine, preferably sweet 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Drain peaches of half their juice. Put in a medium sized saucepan and stir in remaining ingredients. Heat gently to combine flavors, allowing to come to a gentle boil for 2 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate until needed. 2. Rewarm and serve 1 to 2 peach halves in wine, cognac or brandy glasses.

TROPICAL FRUIT CUP Preparation time: 15 minutes Chilling time: 1 hour 1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, hulled 2 medium bananas, peeled 2 mangos, skinned 1/3 cup orange juice 1/2 cup maple syrup

1. Halve strawberries. Cut bananas into 1/4-inch slices. Cut mango into chunks. Put fruit in a large glass bowl. 2. Mix orange juice and maple syrup together to combine. Toss with fruit. Refrigerate about 1 hour before serving. Can also be served with orange sherbet balls.

ETTI’S COMPOTE Preparation time: 10 minutes Standing time: 1 day or more Yield: 8 servings This compote needs to be made at least one day in advance. 1 pound dried pitted prunes 1/2 pound dried apricots 1/4 pound large white raisins 1-2 slices lemon Water

1. Mix all fruit in large bowl. Add water to cover generously (remember the fruit will swell). Refrigerate, covered, for several days, removing the lemon after a day or two. The longer it stands, the sweeter the juice becomes. Note: The process can be speeded up by adding 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar and heating the mixture until it just boils. However, the recipe should still be made at least one day in advance.

HONEY GLAZED FRUIT KEBABS Preparation time: 20 minutes Standing time: 30 minutes Broiling time: 10 minutes Yield: 6 servings 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cut in 1-inch chunks 1 fresh pineapple, rind removed, cut in 1-inch chunks 1 package (5 ounces) dried apricots 1 cup red wine, preferably kosher 1/4 cup each: melted margarine, honey 1 cup minced walnuts 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Toss together apples, pineapple, apricots and wine in a bowl. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. 2. Whisk margarine and honey together in a small dish. Combine walnuts, sugar and cinnamon in another dish. 3. Put rack 6 inches from heat and heat broiler. Thread fruit on metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternating three kinds. Arrange on a foil-lined broiler pan and brush generously with honey mixture. Broil, turning several times and brushing with honey mixture, until golden, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully so they do not burn. 4. Sprinkle with nut mixture and serve hot.

PASSOVER LEMON BARS 20 to 25 bars Preparation time: 10 minutes Baking time: 45 minutes 1 cup matzo cake meal, sifted 1/2 cup margarine 1/4 cup “confectioners’ sugar,” see note 4 eggs 2 cups granulated sugar 1 teaspoons “baking powder,” see note 1/4 teaspoons salt 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together cake meal, margarine and “confectioners’ sugar” until well blended. Press into bottom of a 9-inch square pan. Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. 2. Combine eggs, granulated sugar, “baking powder”, salt and lemon juice; beat until smooth. Pour over baked crust and return to oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. 3. Cool; top with “confectioners’ sugar” and cut into bars. Note: To make a kosher confectioners’ sugar, use 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Remove 1/2 tablespoon from the sugar and replace with 1/2 tablespoon potato starch. To make a kosher baking powder, mix 1/2 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY DREAMS 36 bars Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 35 minutes

Chocolate brownie base: 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup margarine, melted 2 cups sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 eggs 1/2 cup matzo cake meal, sifted 1/2 cup potato starch, sifted 1/2 cup crumbled chocolate macaroons

Filling: 6 ounces cream cheese, optional 4 tablespoons milk, optional 1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves

Glaze: 6 ounces semisweet chocolate 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13-by-9-inch pan. Stir cocoa into melted margarine. In large bowl, beat sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs. Stir in chocolate mixture just until blended. Stir in cake meal, potato starch and crumbled macaroons just until blended. 2. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool. 3. If using cream cheese and milk, beat until smooth and fluffy; spread over cooled base. Spread raspberry preserves carefully over cream cheese. If not using cream cheese and milk, simply spread preserves over base. 4. Melt chocolate and shortening in a small saucepan, stirring constantly. Spread over raspberry preserve layer. Cool completely; cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

RAISIN SYRUP About 2 cups Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours One of Angele Schreim’s fondest memories of Passover from the old country —the Egypt she left decades ago—is arrope. Arrope is Spanish for raisin syrup, traditionally served with bimuclos (pancakes) for Passover breakfast. “My aunt used to make arrope for the whole family,”she recalls. “She would make a large batch, put it into jars and pass them out to all our relatives.” 1 pound dark raisins 5 cups water 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional

1. Rinse raisins. Simmer raisins in water in large nonaluminum saucepan for about 2 hours. 2. Push mixture through a food mill or sieve into a bowl forcing as much pulp through as possible. Pour some of the strained juice over remaining pulp several times, pushing through until practically all the pulp has been forced through. Discard remaining raisin skins. 3. Return mixture to low heat. Stir in lemon juice and cook and stir until the syrup reaches desired consistency, about 5 minutes. Note: Raisins can be combined with dates. A food processor can be used instead of food mill or sieve.

SWEET TREATS

ALMOND TART WITH SOFT ALMOND MERINGUE AND PINEAPPLE JAM Preparation time: 55 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Yield: 12 servings This recipe is adapted from one developed by Corner Cooks in Winnetka. Look for kosher almond flavoring and other products at Hungarian Kosher Foods in Skokie.

Pineapple jam: 1 1/4 cups water 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 piece (2 inches long) ginger root, peeled, minced 1 star anise, optional 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 pineapple, peeled, cored, diced

Almond tart: 2 1/4 cups slivered almonds 8 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon potato starch 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 large eggs, separated 1 teaspoon almond extract 1/4 teaspoon salt

Almond meringue: 5 egg whites Pinch salt 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon almond extract

1. For pineapple jam, heat water, sugar, lemon juice, ginger root, star anise and cinnamon to a boil in a large saucepan. Add pineapple; cook over medium heat until the pineapple starts to soften and the mixture thickens, about 40 minutes. Discard the star anise; refrigerate the pineapple jam. 2. For tart, heat oven to 375 degrees. Put the almonds, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, potato starch and cinnamon in bowl of a food processor; pulse until it resembles coarse sand.

3. Beat the 4 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and almond extract in bowl of an electric mixer until the mixture doubles in volume and turns pale yellow, about 8 minutes. Pour into a large mixing bowl; set aside. Wash and dry the beaters and bowl thoroughly. Beat the 4 egg whites and salt until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the remaining 4 tablespoons of the sugar; beat just until shiny, about 3 more minutes. 4. Fold the almond mixture into the beaten yolks-sugar mixture; fold in the whites. Transfer the batter to a greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake until the tart is puffed and golden, about 25 minutes. Cool. Remove the top of the pan, leaving the tart on. 5. For meringue, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Beat the egg whites and salt in bowl of an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the sugar to the whites, beating until stiff and shiny, about 5 minutes. (Be careful not to overbeat; the whites will separate.) Fold in the almond extract. Spread the meringue on the cooled tart. Bake until the meringue is golden brown on top, about 5 minutes. Spread pineapple jam on each plate; top with a slice of the almond tart.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED MATZO CARAMEL SQUARES Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 17 minutes Chilling time: 12 hours Yield: 26 pieces

Chocolate-Covered Matzo Caramel Squares This recipe is from Zelda’s Sweet Shoppe in Skokie. 3 cups crushed matzo 2 cups non-dairy whipped topping 1 cup each: light brown sugar, granulated sugar, honey 1 stick (1/2 cup) pareve margarine 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 bags (12 ounces each) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips Chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, grated coconut, frosting, optional

1. Sprinkle matzo on the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan lined with greased wax paper; set aside. 2. Combine 1 cup of the whipped topping, sugars, honey, margarine and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly pour remaining cup of the whipped topping into the sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until mixture is medium brown and reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 13 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the vanilla. 3. Carefully pour caramel sauce over matzo; refrigerate until caramel holds its shape, about 12 hours. Cut into squares. 4. Melt chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Dip matzo squares with tongs into chocolate to cover. Transfer to a baking pan covered with wax paper. Sprinkle tops with nuts, chocolate chips or coconut; or frost, if desired. Transfer to parchment or wax paper to cool, about 20 minutes.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT GATEAU 10 servings Preparation time: 30 minutes Baking time: 1 hour 1 cup hazelnuts (filberts) 1/2 cup sugar 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 2 tablespoons water 1/2 cup unsalted nondairy margarine, cut in 8 pieces, room temperature 4 eggs, separated, room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 tablespoons potato starch Raspberries for garnish, optional

1. Position rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan in oven about 8 minutes or until skins begin to split. Transfer to a strainer. While nuts are hot, remove most of skins by rubbing hazelnuts energetically with a towel against strainer. Cool nuts completely. 2. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 by 2 1/2 inch springform pan with margarine, line its base with parchment paper or foil and grease paper or foil. Set aside 8 attractive hazelnuts for garnish. Grind remaining hazelnuts with 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until as fine as possible, scraping inward occasionally. Transfer to a medium bowl. 3. Combine chocolate and water in a double boiler or large heatproof bowl over hot, not simmering, water over low heat. Leave until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Stir until smooth. Add margarine and stir until blended in. Remove from pan of water. Whisk egg yolks to blend. Graduallly add yolks to chocolate mixture, whisking vigorously. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar, followed by vanilla, nuts and potato starch. Mix well. 4. Whip egg whites in a large dry bowl with a dry beater at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue whipping at high speed until whites are stiff and shiny but not dry. Gently fold about 1/3 of whites into chocolate mixture until nearly incorporated. Fold in remaining whites in 2 batches. Continue folding lightly but quickly, just until batter is blended. 5. Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake about 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack for about 10 minutes. Run a thin-bladed flexible knife or metal spatula carefully around side of cake. Invert cake onto rack, gently release spring, and remove side and base of pan. Carefully remove paper and cool cake completely. Invert cake onto another rack, then onto a platter so that smoothest side of cake faces up. (Cake can be kept, wrapped, up to 2 days at room temperature or in refrigerator.) Serve at room temperature.

FROZEN MAPLE MOUSSE Four servings Preparation time: 30 minutes Freezing time: 5 to 6 hours Yolks of 6 extra-large eggs; reserve whites for other use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Passover maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups well-chilled whipping cream Pinch of salt 2/3 cup lightly toasted coarsely broken walnuts or pecans

Garnish: 1 cup whipping cream 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar Few drops vanilla extract Coarsely broken walnuts or pecans

1. Put egg yolks and maple syrup in the top part of a double boiler. Beat yolks and syrup with a handheld portable mixer for 3 or 4 minutes. The mixture will be frothy and somewhat thick. 2. Place enough water in the bottom part of the double boiler so that the water barely reaches the bottom of the top part. Have ice cubes ready for use later. 3. Over hot, not boiling water, cook yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 8 or 9 minutes. Do not overcook or eggs will cook solid. Remove mixture from heat. 4. Pour hot water out of bottom of double boiler. Replace with ice and water. Put top part back on lower part of double boiler. Let cool, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Upon cooling, mixture will thicken but remain frothy. Stir in vanilla extract. 5. In a large chilled bowl, using chilled beaters, beat the cream with a few grains of salt until cream forms soft peaks. Pour cooled egg yolk mixture into the cream, blending well. Mixture should be smooth, not gritty. Fold in 2/3 cup nuts. 6. Scrape mixture into a 2-quart serving dish or individual freezer-proof serving glasses. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 5 or 6 hours, or until the mousse is solid. 7. Meanwhile, beat 1 cup cream with 2 or 3 tablespoons granulated sugar until stiff. Add a few drops vanilla extract. Before serving, pipe or spoon whipped cream on top of mousse. Garnish with additional chopped, lightly toasted nuts.

PAVLOVA Prep: 30 minutes Cook: 55-60 minutes Makes: 8 servings

Pavlova Perhaps the ultimate expression of meringue, the Australian dessert Pavlova is the perfect celebration of spring. It also provides a delicious opportunity to practice your egg white whipping. Incidentally, this recipe makes a perfect flour-free dessert for your Passover seder (but be sure to use kosher for Passover vanilla). 6 large egg whites, room temperature 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar Pinch salt 1 1/2 cups sugar combined with 4 teaspoons potato starch 2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Place egg whites in a grease-free bowl; add the cream of tartar and salt. Gently whisk by hand or, preferably, using an electric mixer on low speed. When the whites look white and very foamy, whisk more quickly, gradually adding the sugar-starch mixture. Add the vanilla; continue to whisk until the meringue is stiff and glossy, and holds a peak when you lift the whisk. At this point it is very difficult to over-whip, so keep whisking (you will be glad if you used an electric mixer). 2. Scoop onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat into eight 3-inch-round mounds. The mounds should be not be spread or smoothed; you want them to look like puffy clouds. Create a crater in the center of each mound with the back of a spoon to hold a filling later on. 3. Bake until the meringues are dry to the touch but still white in color, 55-60 minutes. If they start to turn beige, reduce the heat by 25 degrees. Transfer carefully to a wire cooling rack; when cool, store in an airtight container until ready to serve. 4. To serve, fill the crater with sorbet, ice cream, fresh berries, whipped cream, lemon curd, chocolate sauce, or any combination thereof.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-DIPPED MACAROONS Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 20 to 22 minutes

Macaroons: 2 cups ground almonds 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon almond extract Grated rind of 1 lemon 3 large egg whites

Chocolate garnish: 4 ounces white or semi-sweet chocolate 1 tablespoon unsalted margarine 1/3 cup toasted, chopped almonds for sprinkling

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease. 2. Combine macaroon ingredients except egg whites and blend well. Stir in egg whites gradually to make a pastry dough. Take dough by teaspoonsful and roll each into a ball. Put on baking sheet, flattening slightly. 3. Bake until tops of the cookies seem dry to the touch, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool on wire rack. 4. Melt chocolate with unsalted margarine until smooth. Dip one end of the macaroons in white chocolate and put on a cake rack, set over wax paper to set. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and press in a little to adhere. Refrigerate.

SOURCES Brachear, Manya A. “Seder Drama.” Wednesday, March 24, 2010. Brownson, Jean Marie. “Brikset and Beets: Simple and Savory.” Sunday, April 13, 2008. Brownson, Jean Marie. “From Libya, Via Israel.” Thursday, April 9, 1992. Dailey, Pat. “After the Holidays, Cake Flour and Cornstarch Keep Passover Favorite Light.” Thursday, March 24, 1994. Dailey, Pat. “Fuss-Free Brisket Continues a Tender Tradition.” Thursday, March 24, 1994. Dailey, Pat. “Lightness Without Leavening.” Wednesday, April 12, 1995. Daley, Bill. “Matzo Rules!” Wednesday, April 5, 2006. DeWan, James P. “Simple Steps for Matzo Balls that Float.” Wednesday, March 30, 2011. Dillon, Beverly. “A Holiday Meal Showcases Traditional Foods of the Passover Season.” Thursday, April 13, 1989. Eddy, Kristin. “Lamb’s Season.” Wednesday, March 20, 2002. Eskin, Leah. “The Rules of Cake Engagement.” Sunday, March 28, 2011. “Fanny’s Gefilte Fish.” Wednesday, April 4, 2001. Futterman, Lisa. “Reach for the Heights.” Wednesday, March 28, 2012. Goldman-Posluns, Marcy. “Passover Rolls a ‘Legal,’ Easy Alternative to Matzo.” Sunday, April 9, 1989. Goldman-Posluns, Marcy. “Topping it Off.” April 9, 1989. Jenkins, Robin Mather. “Special for You, Special for Them.” Wednesday, March 21, 2007. Leavitt, Beverly. “Beyond the Tried and True.” Wednesday, March 24, 2010. Leavitt, Beverly. “Elegant Take on Gefilte Fish.” Wednesday, March 24, 2010. Lenhard, Elizabeth. “Kugel Comfort.” Wednesday, December 1, 1999. Levy, Faye. “Paris Passover.” Sunday, March 27, 1988. Levy, Faye. “Seders Open Traditional Celebration of Passover.” Thursday, April 17, 1986. Levy, Maxine. “The Ceremonial Passover Seder a Family Dinner.” Thursday, April 9, 1987. Magida, Phyllis. “Chicken Soup, Matzo Balls, Kugel Seder Favorites.” Thursday, March 31, 1988. Nathan, Joan. “Passover.” Thursday, March 29, 1990. “Passover Dessert Gets Healthful Makeover.” Wednesday, April 8, 1998. Peres, Judy. “Passover Legacies.” Thursday, March 21, 1991. Phillips, Richard. “Kosher Food Isn’t ‘Passed Over’ with Incentive Recipes. Thursday, April 4, 1985. “Ready for the Holidays.” Wednesday, April 9, 2003. Revsine, Barbara. “Hitting Some New Heights.” Wednesday, March 31, 2004. Revsine, Barbara. “Macaroon Migrations.” Wednesday, April 16, 2008. Revsine, Barbara, and Wendy Kaplan. “Desserts Can be Adapted to Passover Restrictions.” Wednesday, April 16, 1997. Rice, William. “New Traditions.” Wednesday, April 8, 1998. Rice, William. “The Beet Goes On.” Sunday, February 9, 1992. Rice, William. “The Little Grain That Isn’t.” Sunday, March 10, 1996. Rossen, Diane. “Bringing Some Chocolate to Passover Dessert Table.” Wednesday, April 4, 2012. Seefeldt, Sheri Nye. “Not Mom’s Recipes.” Thursday, April 13, 1989. Shapiro, Beatrice. “Sephardic Seder Recalls Long-Ago Passover in Egypt.” Thursday, April 9, 1987. Shapiro, Mark. “Chopped Liver.” Thursday, April 9, 1992. Shapiro, Mark. “Prairie Passover.” Thursday, March 21, 1991. Skolnik, Lisa. “A Seder of Substance.” Thursday, March 24, 1994.

Skolnik, Lisa. “Holiday Head Start.” Thursday, April 9, 1992. Skolnik, Lisa. “Passover Legacies.” Thursday, March 21, 1991. Wolff, Peggy. “Kindness of Strangers.” Wednesday, April 4, 2012. Wolff, Peggy. “Sharing Traditions.” Wednesday, March 31, 2004.

PHOTO CREDITS Fila, Bob. “Passover Seder.” Fila, Bob. “Fresh Horseradish.” Hogan, Bill. “Stuffed Whitefish Ingredients.” Fila, Bob. “Matzo-Crusted Perch.” Hogan, Bill. “Matzo Ball Soup.” Dziekan, John. “Brisket with Apricots and Prunes.” Trafelet, Bonnie. “Peppered Brisket with Melted Sweet Onions and Prunes.” Hogan, Bill. “Moroccan Meatballs.” Fila, Bob. “Moroccan-Style Fish.” Hogan, Bill. “Salmon Cakes with Cucumber-Wasabi Sauce.” Fila, Bob. “Chocolate-Covered Matzo.” Hogan, Bill. “Pavlova.”