Let's Get Cooking

A new Pesach cookbook is as tasty as it gets.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor

B

y the end of Pesach, you may
be feeling that no holiday fare
can escape the clutches of
matzah or matzah meal or
matzah farfel.
Rest assured, you can eat normally —
and quite well, in fact, thanks to a new
cookbook Passover Cookery: In the
Kitchen with Joan IO.st (Five Star
Publications, Chandler, Ariz. $24.95).
Kekst, who describes herself as "pas-
sionate about Passover" is a food colum-
nist for the Cleveland Jewish News and
also has written for the Forward. She has
produced one of the most delicious and
original Pesach cookbooks around.
What makes this cookbook so
yummy?
First, the recipes are not so complex
that you will need a translator.
Second, it's well designed and easy to
read.
Third, it's an original. This is not just a
rehash of the same old matzah balls or
potato kugel.
Fourth, and most important, this is
food that you will actually want to eat.
Consider, for example, Tomato Eggplant
Soup with Roasted Peppers or Carrot
and Ginger Soup or Roasted Vegetable
Pyramids with ricotta cheese or Turkey
Schnitzel with Cranberry Sauce.
Ready for a taste?
Here are a few recipes from Passover
Cookery. (For ordering information, con-
tact Five Star Publications, Inc., P.O. Box
6698, Chandler, AZ., 85246-6698;
phone (480) 940-8182, or
wwvv.FiveStarSupportcom/passover
cookery

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB SOUP
(dairy)
3 c (1 lb.) rhubarb, cut in 1/2" slices
3 c water
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. grated orange peel
dash nutmeg
2 c. fresh strawberries, rinsed and
hulled
sour cream OR yogurt, optional
mint leaves, to garnish
In a large stainless steel pot, bring
rhubarb, water, sugar and orange peel to
a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 min-
utes. Puree in batches with 1 cup straw-

berries and nutmeg. Chill.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream or
yogurt, sliced strawberries and a mint
leaf (May be frozen. Thaw overnight in
the refrigerator.)

GINGERED TOMATO
AVOCADO RELISH (pareve)

1 navel orange
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 avocados, peeled and diced
4 green onions, trimmed and chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. sugar
1 t. minced fresh ginger
salt and pepper, to taste
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
Cut orange in half, remove and chop
the pulp, reserve shells. Combine toma-
toes, avocados, onions and orange pulp
in a medium bowl. Mix together olive
oil, lemon juice and sugar. Pour over veg-
etables, stir in ginger, season to taste with
salt and pepper. Refrigerate several hours.
Spoon into reserved
orange shells and gar-
nish with parsley.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.

MINA —
A GREEK-STYLE
MEAT PIE
4 T. vegetable OR
olive oil
2 c. chopped onions
1 T. minced garlic
1-1/2 c. (8 oz.) thinly
sliced mushrooms
2 c. cooked lamb OR
chicken, minced
2 T. matzah meal
salt and pepper, to
taste
1 c. chopped parsley
1/2 lb. fresh spinach,
chopped
1 whole egg and 3 egg
whites, lightly beaten
8 slices matzah
1 c. chicken stock
Heat 3 T oil in an 11" skillet, add
onions, slowly saute five minutes. Add
garlic, cook two minutes until transpar-
ent. Add mushrooms.
Increase heat when mushrooms exude
their juices to evaporate most of the liq-
uid. Cool slightly. Stir in meat, matzah
meal, season to taste with salt and pep-

per. Add 1/2 cup
parsley, the chopped
spinach and half
the beaten eggs.
Remove from
heat.
Preheat oven to 350E Lightly
oil a 9x13" baking pan.
Quickly dip matzah into stock to soft-
en, arrange a single layer in pan. Spoon
half the meat mixture over matzah, cover
with a second matzah layer, spread
remaining meat mixture, top with
matzah. Brush top matzah with oil, pour
over remaining stock and egg mixture,
bake 15 minutes.
Brush again with oil, continue baking
15 minutes more. Cool five minutes
before slicing. Serves 8.

3 eggs, beaten
1 t salt
dash pepper
Saute vegetables, except broccoli, in small
amount of oil. Cook broccoli, drain and
chop. Combine all ingredients„ Bake in
8" pan at 350F for 40-45 minutes.
Double recipe for 9x13" pan.

MELON COMPOTE WITH
TOASTED ALMONDS (pareve)

PASSOVER MANDELBREAD
3 eggs

3 c cantaloupe chunks
3 c. honeydew chunks
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
3 T. sugar
1/2 t. freshly ground
nutmeg, optional
1 c. seedless green
grapes
1/4 c. almonds, light-
ly toasted, optional
Combine melons,
lime juice and 2 T
sugar in a bowl.
Gently toss to coat
well. Chill. Combine
1 Tbsp. sugar and the
nutmeg and gently stir
into the melon com-
pote. Scatter grapes
and almonds on top.

.

And if you're
looking for a
great local cook,
don't miss these
favorites from
Muriel Silverstein of Oak Park

VEGETABLE KUGEL

3/4 c matzah meal
1 10 oz. pkg. broccoli or spinach,
frozen
6 T. margarine
1 c onion, diced
1/2 c. celery, diced
1-1/2 c. carrots, grated

1 c. sugar
2 T. potato starch
3/4 c. oil
2/4 c. nuts
3/4 c. matzah meal
3/4 c. cake mal
1 t. cinnamon
Mix eggs with sugar. Add oil and dry
ingredients alternately. Refrigerate
overnight.
With a little oil on hands, form mix-
ture into 3 to 4 rolls. Place on greased
cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at
350F. Remove, slice and roll into cinna-
mon-and-sugar mixture. Bake for about
30 minutes more at 300E

STRUDEL

4 eggs
1 c. oil
1 c sugar
1/4 t. salt
4 T. potato starch
2 c. cake meal
Beat eggs, sugar and oil. Add remain-
ing ingredients. . Mix well. Let stand in
refrigerator for half an hour.
Divide dough into four pieces. Roll
each or pat out. Spread with jam, nuts or
cinnamon/sugar mixture. Roll like jelly
roll and mark slices. Bake on greased
cookie sheet for 45 minutes at 350F.
(Note: I make this with jam and a
grated, small apple for each roll.)

LET'S GET COOKING

on page 82

4/11
2003

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