Passover orders are rolling in and I wonder (as I do every year) how I will manage to do all of the shopping and cooking for just two big days. I have already started to prepare some things for my own Passover Seder which for the first night will be an all-vegetarian one (Greek Matzah Meal-Spinach Pie, Layered Matzah & Cheese Mina, Syrian Pistachio Macaroons with Orange Blossom Water, Syrian Apricot Charoset, and Yemenite Date-Raisin-Pomegranate Charoset — all safe and sound in the freezer by now!).
Lenore is another great client of mine and she lives just around the block, so it’s very convenient. Because her family cannot all be together on the actual dates of the Seders, we are doing a “pre-Passover” Seder (with all of the traditional trimmings) on Sunday, March 17th, which happens to also be St. Patrick’s Day. Green is the color of choice to symbolize the Irish as well as St. Patrick’s Day, and it got me thinking about the karpas on the Seder plate (the green vegetable representing spring). Perhaps on this night we should dip a bunch of four leaf clovers into our salt water to ensure a year of good luck? Either way I think that I already have the luck of the Irish since cooking a Seder on Sunday gives me time to recuperate before preparing for four more Seders the following week. (Thank you Lenore!)
STARTERS:
Trio of Charosets:
–Syrian Charoset with Apricots, Pistachios, and Orange Blossom Water
–Moroccan Charocet “Truffles” with Dates, Raisins, and Walnuts, Rolled in Cinnamon
–Libyan Charoset with Pecans, Dates, Allspice, Nutmeg, and Fresh Ginger
*Above served with mini matzah crackers
Italian Whitefish with Capers, Caramelized Onions and Horseradish Marinade
(in place of usual gefilte fish)
MAINS:
Mixed Green Salad with Avocados, Artichoke Hearts, Toasted Nuts
Moroccan/Syrian Chicken with Lemon, Olives, and Oregano
Sephardic Brisket with Prunes, Onions, Cumin, Coriander, and Ginger
Potato Kugel (gotta find a good Ashkenazi recipe!)
Syrian Style Long Grain White Rice with Fried Onions and Pine Nuts
DESSERT:
Pistachio Macaroons with Orange Blossom Water
Sweet & Salty Toasted Ground Almond Cake with Almond Syrup
*Ask Lenore to provide sorbets, fresh fruit, maybe chocolate things?