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A FEW OF OUT FAVORITE THINGS

Jewish Echo
Staff

April 10, 2024

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Wash the strawberries, remove the tops, and pulse in the bowl of a food processor. until smooth (a few small pieces are fine). Place the strawberries into a mixer bowl along with the sugars, egg whites, and lemon juice. Start your mixer on low and slowly make your way to highest speed. Let it whip until it triples in size, around 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into whatever you feel like freezing it in. You can pour it into a Tupperware and then using an ice cream scooper, scoop it out to serve or you can pour into a round pie dish and serve as triangular pie pieces. Allow to freeze for at least two hours and up to six months.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Rechyl Weg

I use only simple ingredients on Pesach. This chicken recipe fits the bill, with a nice kick of jalapeno to make it a little different.

Ingredients

4-6 chicken bottoms, cut into eights

2 oranges, sliced

Third of a jalapeno pepper sliced into ¼ circles (use more or less to adjust the spiciness)

1 small onion, sliced into large slices

Salt

Oil

Water

Directions

Start with cleaned dry chicken bottoms sprinkled with a little bit of salt. Heat your frying pan on a fairly high flame, drizzle a small amount of oil, and let it spread around the pan. Put your chicken in the pan, skin side down and as soon as it starts crackling you can turn the flame to medium. After three to four minutes turn the chicken over. Add onions and jalapeno to the frying pan and sprinkle some salt on it.

Stir every so often, once the onions start caramelizing, add the orange slices some under the chicken and some on top. Let it cook on medium high heat for a few minutes and then turn it down and cover it to let it finish cooking. Check it every so often and add a tablespoon of water as needed.

Option: Add some cut up squash and carrots when you turn down the heat and let it cook with the chicken. Serve it over mashed potatoes for a very flavorful side dish.

Pesach Blondies

Menucha Worcman

These blondies taste so much like the original chametz version, it’s hard to tell that they are made specifically for Pesach!

Ingredients

3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup ground almonds
1 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Cream oil and sugars. Add eggs and mix and then add the remaining ingredients. Pour batter into a 9×13 pan which has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake on 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Potato Knishes

Menucha Worcman

Potato knishes that are so easy to make, you will find yourself doubling the recipe to have them for an additional meal as well!

Ingredients

2 large onions, diced

4 potatoes, cooked and mashed well

3 eggs

1 cup potato starch

2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper, optional

Directions

Sauté the onions in a liberal amount of oil. Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Form into balls and place on cookie sheets. Brush with egg. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Yields 10 to 12 knishes.

Mini Carrot Muffins

Menucha Worcman

These carrot muffins are a winner! They can be made in advance and frozen until you’re ready to serve them.

Ingredients

10 large carrots, boiled until soft

5 eggs

1 tablespoon potato starch

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup oil

1 cup Pesach crumbs or crushed ladyfingers

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray twelve mini muffin tins with nonstick spray. Combine all ingredients except the crumbs in a food processor bowl until a smooth mixture forms. Divide the Pesach crumbs in half. Distribute the first half inside the muffin cups. Pour the carrot mixture over these crumbs. Top the mixture with the remaining crumbs. Bake until the muffins are firm.

Homemade Pesach Applesauce

Sruly Meyer

This recipe is simple yet delicious and easy to make. It’s great for dessert or a healthy snack. For additional flavoring, add one cup of fresh strawberries or other fruit.

Ingredients
10 apples, peeled and cored
1 cup water
Dash of cinnamon or brown sugar (optional)

Directions

Peel and core the apples, then chop them into chunks. Place the chopped apples in a pot with one cup of water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, and then reduce the heat to low.
Keep an eye on the apples, stirring occasionally, and let them simmer for about 20 minutes or until they are soft enough to mash. Once the apples are soft, mash them with a potato masher or fork until desired consistency is reached. Let the applesauce continue to cook on low heat for an additional 30 minutes to enhance the flavor. Add a dash of cinnamon or brown sugar for extra sweetness. Once cooled, transfer the applesauce to a container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Shredded Chicken Soup

Rayle Rubenstein

This is an easy, filling, and a great replacement for the chicken-barley soup that my family enjoys all year. It’s great for the second night of Yom Tov when no one really wants to eat a full meal.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 carrots, grated

4 stalks celery, grated (I peel mine first)

1 bunch fresh dill, prechecked

3-4 pieces boneless chicken breast

Salt and pepper, to taste

10 cups water

Directions

Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent. Add carrots and celery and continue to cook until soft. Add salt, pepper, and dill. Add water and chicken cutlets and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for two hours. Remove chicken and shred with a fork and then return it to the pot. Cook for another 30 minutes.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Leah Issac

Chicken soup is a must in my home, but with so many meals on Pesach, we need some variety. This soup is so creamy and silky, even non-broccoli eaters will enjoy it. It freezes well. To maintain the smooth texture, simply re-blend before serving.

Ingredients

1 Spanish onion, diced

2 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons potato starch

large potatoes, diced

1 large carrot, diced

20-ounce bag frozen broccoli florets

6-7 cups chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Sauté onion in oil until translucent, add garlic, and continue sautéing until fragrant, about two minutes. Add potato starch and mix until onion and garlic are coated. Slowly add the chicken broth and vegetables. Bring soup to a boil, lower the flame, and simmer until vegetables are soft for about one and a half hours. Add salt and pepper to taste. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until silky and smooth.

Roasted Mushroom Salad

Leah Issac

I like to start Shabbos and Yom Tov meals with a variety of salads. This one is a staple at my table all year round and there is never any left. It is a mushroom-lover’s dream. The mix of different mushrooms helps create delicious flavor. It stays fresh in the fridge for up to a week.

Ingredients

2 boxes baby bella mushrooms, washed and quartered

1 box button mushrooms, washed and quartered

1 box shitake mushrooms, washed and quartered

2 red peppers

1/2 purple onion, finely diced

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons oil

1-2 tablespoons imitation soy sauce

Dressing

3 tablespoons oil

1/4 cup vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar or xylitol

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the mushrooms and one red pepper (cut in half) on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Roast until the mushrooms soften and the pepper begins to blister, about twenty minutes. Remove pepper from the tray and immediately place in a zip-top bag (this will help the skin of the pepper come off easily when it cools). In a bowl, place the dressing ingredients and mix well. Dice the second red pepper and onion; add to dressing. Add warm mushrooms and pan drippings to the bowl. Peel the roasted pepper and dice. Add to the dressing. Mix well and place in a container. Refrigerate for up to one week.

Chicken Spinach Blintzes

I make a lot of chicken soup on Pesach and am always looking for new ways to use the boiled chicken from the soup. These blintzes are a great appetizer, served with your favorite mushroom or onion sauce.

Leah Issac

Crepe Ingredients

6 eggs

5 tablespoons potato starch

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup frozen spinach, squeezed dry

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch pepper

Oil, to coat pan

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, dissolve potato starch in water and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well until a smooth batter is formed. Using a small skillet, over a medium flame, heat a small amount of oil. Pour in about ¼ cup of batter just to thinly cover the bottom of the skillet. Cook for about one minute until set. Gently flip and cook for an additional thirty seconds. Remove from pan. Repeat until all the batter is used.

Filling Ingredients:

1 8-ounce box baby bella mushrooms, finely diced

1 small onion, diced

1 cup diced, boiled chicken

1 stalk celery, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons chicken soup

2 teaspoons oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch of pepper

Directions

Sauté onion until it begins to brown. Add mushrooms and celery and cook until soft. Add diced chicken, chicken soup, salt, and pepper and heat through. Place two tablespoons of filling in each crepe, roll up, and freeze until ready to serve. To serve, gently fry for two to three minutes on each side.

Sweet and Sour Meat Balls

Leah Issac

These are my kids’ favorite chametz meatballs. I serve them on Pesach with minor modifications.

Ingredients

1 large jar marinara sauce

1 large can tomato sauce

3-4 teaspoons honey

4-5 teaspoons brown sugar

Juice of three lemons or 6 tablespoons of lemon juice

2 lbs. chopped meat

1 egg, beaten

1 potato, grated on large box holes

Garlic powder, to taste

Directions

Combine marinara sauce, tomato sauce, honey, brown sugar, and lemon juice in a large pot. Season the meat with garlic powder. Add the egg and grated potato to the meat and shape into small meatballs. Place meatballs gently into the pot of sauce. Cook approximately one and a half hours on a low flame.

Vegetable Latkes

Latkes on Pesach?? Yes! Why not? These freeze well and can be reheated by placing in a single layer on a cookie sheet uncovered until warm. These latkes make a great appetizer. Simply top with your favorite pulled beef or mashed potatoes and fried onions.

Leah Issac

Ingredients

2 large potatoes

1 carrot

2 small zucchinis

1 Spanish onion

2 eggs

1/2 cup potato starch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Directions

Sauté onion until translucent. Using a wide hole grater, shred the carrots, zucchini, potatoes, and onions. Squeeze excess water from the vegetables. Add vegetables to a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients. In a large skillet heat two to three tablespoons of oil. Form patties using a half cup of batter, and fry on each side until golden and set. Remove from flame and allow to cool. Freeze on parchment in a single layer. Transfer to a 9×13 pan and cover with parchment and foil.

Pickled Vegetables

Leah Issac

Fermenting or pickling vegetables is all the rage. It is good for gut health and fills you up. You can make these weeks in advance and store in a large mason jar. I like to use a 64-ounce mason jar.

Ingredients

1 24-ounce bag of cauliflower, defrosted

2 carrots, cut to match sticks

2 stalks celery, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1/4 head of cabbage chunked

Pickling Liquid

2½ cups boiling water

1/2 cup sugar or xylitol

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1½ cups imitation vinegar

2 tablespoons turmeric

Directions

Wash all vegetables well and layer them into a mason jar. Mix all the pickling ingredients into the hot water until dissolved. Pour over the vegetables and cover the jar tightly. Flip the jar upside down and allow to cool on the counter for at least 6 hours. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

Spicy Cauliflower Bites

Leah Issac

Cauliflower bites are addictive and make for a great side dish. Spicy mayo adds an unexpected kick.

Ingredients

1 24-ounce bag of cauliflower, defrosted and patted dry

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon lime

2 cups Pesach crumbs (I like Jeff Nathan brand)

olive oil, for drizzling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and drizzle a little olive oil. In a bowl combine mayonnaise, hot sauce, and lime and mix well. Dip cauliflower into mayonnaise mixture and then into breadcrumbs. Place on cookie sheet and repeat until the cauliflower is all coated. Liberally spray with cooking spray and bake till golden and crispy.

Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Avocado Ranch Dressing

Leah Issac

Stuffed baked potatoes are one of my favorite foods. They are traditionally stuffed with cheese. I set out to create a parve version that can be served at a meat meal. My tasters agreed that they didn’t miss the cheese.

Potato Ingredients

4 large potatoes

8-10 broccoli florets

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 purple onion, sliced thinly

8-10 mushrooms, cut into four

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub the potatoes well. Pierce each potato with a fork a few times and wrap individually in foil. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until a fork goes through easily. While the potatoes are baking, place all vegetables on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes. Check the vegetables. Cook until they begin to brown.

Slice the potato open and top with roasted vegetables.

Avocado Ranch Dressing Ingredients

1 Large ripe avocado

Juice of half a lime

2 Cloves garlic

1 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup lite mayonnaise

Directions

Purée all dressing ingredients using an immersion blender. Add 1-2 tbsp. of water if needed to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over potatoes.