Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Second Seder Menu



Lemony Salmon
Roasted Green Beans
Green Salad
Veggie Tray
Fruit Salad
Matzo Hash
Haroset

Guest Dishes:
Roasted Turkey Breast
Gravy

First Seder Menu


Traditional Brisket
Roasted Green Beans
Matzo Ball Soup
Green Salad
Haroset
Half Sour Pickles

Guest Dishes:
Sweet Carrots
Cauliflower


Haroset



3 large Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cored
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar

Run through the food processor. Add Manieschvitz Concord Grape Wine to moisten. 

Fondue Au Gratin Potatoes



5 red potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

1/2 onion, diced

salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons matzo meal (or flour if it isn't Passover)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup heavy cream 

1 cup white wine 

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded Colby cheese 


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9x11" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour, salt, and garlic powder and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in cream and wine. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds.
Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. Top with the diced onions, then pour half of the cheese mixture on top of the onions. Layer the rest of the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and top with the remaining cheese sauce. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 80 minutes

Adapted from Six Sister's Stuff

The kids and I ate half a pan for lunch. 

Traditional Brisket




4 pounds of brisket (I like costco, they trim it well)
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
1 box of broth (beef, but at Passover I use vegetable)
Dried onion
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Caraway seed

Coat the non-fat side of the brisket with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet or pan large enough for your brisket. Sear the top side first and then the fat side. Remove brisket to slow cooker. In the skillet sauté about half of the onion and then deglaze with the broth. Place the remainder of the onion on the brisket.  If your brisket is in two pieces, place the slices between them. Cover the top of the brisket in dried onion. Add the broth to the pot. Sprinkle in some caraway seeds. Cook on high for 5 hours. 

Pull brisket out and let it cool for a few minutes and then slice. In a separate pan ladle out three or four ladles of broth. Add more dried onion, salt and pepper (other seasoning to your taste). Reduce the broth by about half. Place the sliced brisket on a tray and then pour the reduction over it. Serve immediately. 

Lemony Salmon



3.75 pounds of salmon (you can adjust the recipe for the size of your fillet)
4 Meyer lemons (conventional are fine, just adjust for size, Meyers are small)
2 tablespoons of oil (olive or butter)
1 handful of fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

Cover a large cookie sheet with foil and place salmon on sheet. 

Zest and juice your lemons into a small mixing bowl. Finely chop the parsley and add it in along with the oil. Add salt and pepper to your taste and whisk until combined. Pour over the salmon, ensuring that the top is completely coated. Leave marinating for up to two hours. (In the fridge is safest). 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once preheated, bake salmon for approximately 30 minutes. Let rest on counter for 10 minutes before serving to complete the cooking process. 

I use this for most thick fish. 

Matzo Ball Soup



1 Rotisserie Chicken (Costco)
1 Onion
2 Stalks of celery
2 Carrots
2 Bay Leaves
Herbs (thyme, parsley, etc)
2 boxes of chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Matzo ball mix (follow ingredient directions on package)

At least six hours before separate chicken. Put all skin, bones and in edible pieces in a stock pot. Separate white and dark meat and shred white meat into soup sized pieces (you will need about half). 
Pour broth over chicken in pot. Add the skin only of the onion. Clean and peel the carrots and add the peel. Cut the top and bottom of the celery and place them in the pot. Add the bay leaves. Add stems of herbs. Salt and pepper.  Simmer this together for about 5 hours. (Cut up your veggies while you wait) At that point strain the broth and discard the chicken and other items. 
Put the pot back on the stove with the broth. Add half the white meat chicken, the cut up veggies, and chopped herbs. Simmer for 30 minutes. At this point follow the directions to make matzo balls. After 15 minutes add the balls (about 1/2 rounds) to the broth and simmer for 10 minutes. 
Serve 2-3 balls per person with some soup.