Celebrate Passover with traditional foods

Wednesday, April 19, 2000 | 9:17 a.m.

Tonight at sundown Jewish people the world over will celebrate Passover (Pesach), an eight-day holiday that memorializes the freeing of the Israelites and the exodus from Egypt.

"The observance of Passover follows ancient customs which blend spiritual folklore with the history of the Jewish people," Sarah Lee Margolis writes in "The Jewish Woman's Cookbook."

She also notes that it is a busy time for Jewish homemakers. Passover lasts eight days. On the eve of the first and second days the Seder takes place.

The table is beautifully set and candles are blessed and lit. Decorative ceremonial plates hold the Seder symbols: matzo; bitter herbs (usually pungent horseradish); charoses (a mix of apples or dried fruits, nuts and wine); greens (parsley or watercress); roasted lamb shank, salted water and a roasted hard-cooked egg. The symbols are explained during the Seder service.

It is customary to drink four glasses of wine during the service and to taste the items on the Seder plates. After the service a traditional Seder meal is served.

The meals served throughout the holiday are not as elaborate, but only matzo is eaten and used in cooking and baking, a challenge generations of Jewish women have met. Many have learned how to adapt their favorite recipes to conform to the Passover restrictions.

Because of these restrictions, foods are different from those during the rest of the year. All leavening -- yeast, baking powder and baking soda -- is forbidden. Flour is replaced with matzo meal, finely-ground matzo meal cake flour, potato starch and finely-ground nuts.

And Passover customs vary according to cultural traditions. Sephardic Jews may eat rice; Ashkenazic Jews may not.

But in all communities, the setting of the Passover table and the special menu have symbolic value. Wherever Jewish people are, the ancient rituals are observed.

The following recipes are from "New Jewish Cooking" by Elizabeth Wolf Cohen. Cohen incorporates both Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions and captures the spirit of Judaism with dishes that blend tradition with contemporary techniques.

Sephardic Haroset

3/4 c. blanched almonds

3/4 c. walnut pieces

2 c. fresh dates, pits removed

1 c. raisins

1 pomegranate, cut in quarters, seeds removed and juice reserved

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1-2 Tbs orange juice

In a food processor fitted with metal blade, process nuts until coarsely chopped, or finer if you like. Turn into a medium bowl.

Add dates and raisins to processor and, using pulse action, process until chopped, 10-15 seconds. Do not overprocess or dried fruit may turn pasty. Add to nuts. Add pomegranate seeds and juice to processor and process until finely chopped.

Stir into nuts and fruit and add the spices. Taste and adjust spices. Moisten with orange juice. Chill before serving.

Ashkenazic Haroset

2 c. walnut pieces or pecan halves

2 large dessert apples, quartered and cored but unpeeled

2 Tbs sugar or light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground allspice

Grated zest and a little juice of 1 lemon

2-3 Tbs kosher sweet wine

In a food processor fitted with metal blade, process nuts until coarsely chopped, or finer if you like. Turn into a medium bowl.

Add apple quarters to processor and, using pulse action, process until chopped, 10-15 seconds. Do not overprocess or mixture will be too soggy (can be chopped by hand).

Add apple to bowl and stir in remaining ingredients until mixed. Taste and add more sugar or lemon juice if you like. Chill before serving. Makes about 3 cups.

Spiced Roast Chicken with Matzo Stuffing

Matzo Stuffing

2-3 matzos, broken into small pieces

1/2 c. chicken soup, stock or water, heated

1 Tbs olive or vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)

1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)

1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

1 egg, beaten

Chicken

1 3 1/2-4 pound roasting chicken

1 lemon, cut in half

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 Tbs olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

Fresh parsley sprigs for garnish

Prepare stuffing. Into a large bowl, place broken matzos. Pour hot chicken soup, stock or water over them and leave to stand until liquid is absorbed.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and celery and cook until vegetables begin to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle in the cumin and turmeric, if using. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is gold, 4-5 minutes. Stir in matzo mixture. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Stir in chopped parsley and beaten egg.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove any excess fat from chicken and cavity. Wash under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Rub outside of chicken all over with lemon half; squeeze other half into cavity. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste and cumin and turmeric. Rub or brush olive oil over.

Spoon stuffing into bird and close with skewers or toothpicks if necessary. Place sliced onion in a medium roasting pan and lay the chicken on top. Roast, basting with the pan juices occasionally, for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Halfway through roasting time, add 1/2-1 cup water to dissolve juices. Chicken is cooked through when juices run clear when leg is pierced with a knife or skewer.

Transfer chicken to carving board and cover loosely with foil. Leave to rest in a warm place for 10-15 minutes.

Pour any pan juices and onion into a small saucepan. Heat to boiling and reduce slightly, skimming any foam which comes to the surface. Pour into a gravy boat. Place chicken on serving platter, garnished with parsley. If you like, remove stuffing to a separate bowl for easier serving. Makes four servings.

Although some Jewish communities do not eat lamb at Passover, it is traditional throughout the Middle East and other lamb-producing countries, such as England. It is a popular choice for a Sephardic Passover Seder because young lamb is at its best in springtime. As with other meats, the hindquarters are not generally kosher so the shoulder is preferable. Ask your butcher to bone the lamb and cut a pocket for stuffing. The following recipe makes 6-8 servings.

Stuffed Passover Lamb

Stuffing

1 Tbs olive or vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 pound lean ground lamb

1/2 c. American long-grain rice

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp turmeric

1 Tbs chopped fresh coriander

1/2 c. chopped walnuts or almonds

1/2 c. raisins

1/2 c. chopped dried apricots

1 egg, beaten

1 4-5-pound shoulder of lamb, boned, pocketed and well trimmed of fat

2 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs honey

2 Tbs potato starch

1 c. beef or chicken stock

1 Tbs cider vinegar

Fresh watercress for garnish

Prepare stuffing. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until onion begins to soften and color, 3-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute longer.

Add ground lamb and cook, stirring with a fork to break up meat, until meat is no longer pink, 4-5 minutes. Stir in rice and cook until rice turns golden and translucent, 5 minutes longer. Pour in 1/3 cup hot water, salt and pepper to taste, cumin and turmeric. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat, until rice is just tender and all liquid has been absorbed. 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir in coriander, nuts, raisins, apricots and beaten egg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay meat on work surface, skin side down. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spread stuffing evenly over the meat to within 1 inch of edges. Roll up meat as neatly as possible and tie at 2-inch intervals with kitchen string. Rub surface of meat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place meat, seam-side down, on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes per pound for medium. About 20 minutes before meat is done, brush with the honey. Return to oven.

Remove lamb to a serving platter, cover with foil, keep warm and leave to stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove rack from plan and pour off all but about 2 tablespoons fat. Mix potatostarch with 1/4 cup water and pour into pan with stock and vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until smooth and slightly thickened, 7-10 minutes.

Pour gravy into gravy boat to serve separately. Garnish lamb with watercress.

Passover cakes are probably the most uniquely Jewish of all cakes, because they are made with flour substitutes. These cakes were perfected by the Sephardic Jews in Spain who escaped to Greece during the Inquisition, but they are now enjoyed by Jews the world over. The most popular substitutes are potato starch, very fine matzo meal sometimes called cake meal, and ground nuts. The end result is a light, delicate sponge cake, served here with a lemon sauce. The following recipe makes 6-8 servings.

Lemon-Scented Plava

6 eggs, separated

1 c. sugar

1 c. fine matzo meal (cake meal)

1/2 c. finely ground blanched almonds or potato flour

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Almond halves or slivered almonds for decoration

Foamy Lemon Sauce

1 Tbs potato starch

2/3 c. sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 eggs, separated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 1/2-9-inch springform pan. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat egg yolks with half the sugar until thick and lemon colored and mixture forms a "ribbon" when beaters are lifted from bowl, 3-5 minutes.

In another large bowl, with cleaned beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, in 3 or 4 batches, beating well after each addition, until whites form stiff peaks.

In a medium bowl, combine matzo meal, ground almonds or potato flour, cinnamon and lemon zest. Alternately, in 3 batches, fold beaten whites and matzo-almond mixture gently into the beaten yolks. Fold in lemon juice.

Pour batter into prepare pan and press almond halves into batter at 2-inch intervals or sprinkle with slivered almonds.

Bake until top is golden and skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 45-55 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Carefully run a sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen edges, then unclip side of pan and remove. Cool completely; cake may sink a little.

Prepare Foamy Lemon Sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine potatostarch and sugar. Slowly stir in 1 1/2 cups water and lemon zest and juice, until well blended and smooth. Beat in egg yolks.

Over medium-low heat, cook mixture until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Bring to a oil, then remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, with electric mixer, beat whites until soft peaks form. Slowly fold in yolk mixture until just blended. Cool, then refrigerate at least 1 hour or until chilled. Serve cold with cake.

Recipes courtesy of Family Features.

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