FOOD
FOR PASSOVER AND FOR REMEMBRANCE
This is
a 2012 article from the Mosaic Law Scroll, so
dates no longer apply!
Article
© by Evie Lieb – All Rights Resesrved
This month brings our annual week of
nights (and days) that are different from all others in the year. With the
celebration of Passover come many restrictions and, for many of us who like to
spend time in the kitchen, the challenge to come up with something new that
will please our family and guests. In recent years the inclusion of quinoa among
permitted foods has allowed us to expand our Passover repertoire. This
versatile ingredient, a seed which resembles a grain, can be made into salads
or main dishes, or it can be a tasty accompaniment. I hope you will try the
pilaf recipe shared this month; it can be varied for serving with a meat or
dairy meal and is good hot, cold or at room temperature. (Read all about quinoa
here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa .)
A couple of extra notes: if you need to
know about Passover substitutes for confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract,
check out last year’s April Scroll column at http://mosaiclaw-org.myhostcontrol.com/~mosaicla/facts-information/monthly-scroll-library/ .
Full of anticipation, I purchased a canister
box of kosher for Passover panko crumbs at Whole Foods. I tested
them and found them to be extraordinarily expensive and less than satisfactory
in taste and texture when used as a topping for baked eggplant slices. The
spelt matzah from Streits was another story—tasty and crispy-fresh. Not a big
difference from the usual product, but nice to be able to include in our
celebration something with this ancient grain.
QUINOA PILAF
This was inspired by a recipe on the “Simply
Recipes” blog of my friend Elise Bauer. It is a very versatile and flexible
dish, and you can let your imagination and the preferences of your family and
guests lead you in different directions. What makes this a little different
from many quinoa recipes is the sautéing of the seeds with the other
ingredients before adding the liquid. You can use red or white quinoa; the red
may take a little longer to cook. The recipe can easily be doubled to feed more
people or for planned leftovers. 4 to 6 side dish servings
2 to 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, finely
chopped
1 each sweet red, yellow and orange
mini-peppers, chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 TBSP pine nuts, toasted
1 C quinoa
2 C water, chicken or vegetable
broth (note saltiness of the broth if used)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small zucchini, unpeeled, cut into
small cubes
2 TBSP chopped fresh mint, or more
to taste*
2 TBSP chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley, or more to taste
1Tbsp chopped fresh chives or 1
medium shallot, finely chopped
1/3 to ½ C crumbled feta cheese,
optional
(You can add or substitute cilantro
or basil for some of the herbs and add cubes of other vegetables.)
* The
best way to chop mint is to chiffonade it by rolling up the leaves like a cigar
and thinly slicing crosswise.
Place quinoa in a large sieve and
rinse until the water runs clear. Heat 1 TBSP of olive oil on medium high heat
in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the onion, chopped peppers, garlic and pine nuts and
cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, but not browned.
Add the drained quinoa and cook, stirring frequently for a few more minutes. It’s
all right for the quinoa to get toasted, but be careful not to burn it.
Add the water or broth, ½ teaspoon
salt (or less if broth is salty) and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil
and reduce the heat to low so that the contents of the pot are simmering;
partially cover the pot to allow the escape of some steam. Simmer for 10 to 15
minutes or until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. You
should see a little white ring around each quinoa seed and all the seeds will
have puffed to about three times their original volume. Gently mix in the
zucchini cubes. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Fluff up with
a fork.
Cool slightly and add 1 or 2 more
tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in chopped mint, parsley, chives or shallot and cheese,
if using. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm, chilled or at room
temperature.
MIRIAM
MARGULIES’ SWEET AND SOUR RED CABBAGE
This
is from RECIPES REMEMBERED. The
author of this recipe lived in Austria under Nazi rule until 1940, when an
uncle managed to get papers to bring her (then 10 years old) and her mother to
America. They settled in the German Jewish community of Washington Heights, New
York, where Miriam did much of the cooking while her mother worked. This story
ends happily with a reunion with her father after the war. She is now the
mother of two with seven grandchildren and a great-grandchild!
This dish is also good hot or cold. Hot,
it would be a good accompaniment to a brisket and would certainly add color to
a Seder table. You can double the recipe with confidence that it will keep for
at least 5 days in the fridge. Larry and I enjoyed the cold cabbage leftovers
from my trial run on a roast beef sandwich on home-made rye bread!
Makes 4 to 5 C
1
large onion, peeled and sliced
2
TBSP vegetable oil
1
small head red cabbage (about 1 lb), cored and shredded (about 4 C)*
¼
C water
1
tsp. all-purpose flour OR matzah cake meal
¼
C apple cider vinegar
¼
C sugar
Salt
and freshly ground pepper
Heat the oil in a large skillet over low
heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15
minutes. (You can shred the cabbage while the onions are cooking.) Add the
cabbage and water to the softened onions and cover the pan; cook over low heat
for about 15 minutes, until the cabbage is soft and wilted. Mix in the flour or
cake meal, vinegar and sugar and cook for two more minutes until all is well
combined. (Enjoy the change in color caused by the vinegar!) Season to taste
with salt and pepper; add vinegar or sugar for desired sweet and sour balance. Serve
hot or cold.
*Packaged
shredded red cabbage is available where fresh produce is sold in grocery
stores. It works well in this recipe and is a time- and mess-saver!
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