Partners In Torah program coordinators
Rachel Leah Black and Chaya Rubin
flank Susie Fishbein at the event.
Holiday Food For Thought
Partners in Torah brings in kosher cookbook author Susie Fishbein.
Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Contributing Writer
M
ore than 150 women got into
the swing of Passover food
preparation on March 12 with
a captivating cooking lesson by renowned
culinary expert and best-selling cookbook
author Susie Fishbein.
Hosted by the Women's Division of the
Jean and Theodore Weiss Family Partners
in Torah, the sold-out crowd tasted and
learned about Passover foods at a Ladies
Night Out event at the Townsend Hotel in
Birmingham.
"Susie Fishbein gave a demonstration
on stage on how to make tri-colored mat-
zah balls, chicken lollipops (small pieces
of chicken on a skewer), spaghetti squash,
and pineapple and chocolate truffles;'
said Chaya Rubin, director of Partners'
Women's Division.
Quality Kosher Catering used her
recipes and made samples for all. The
Southfield-based caterer also provided
strolling hors d'oeuvres and wine during
the evening.
Partners in Torah is hosted by the
Southfield- and Oak Park-based Yeshiva
Beth Yehudah. Hundreds of participants,
male and female, gather weekly for the
program that partners pairs of learners
with mentors to discuss Jewish topics.
Foods Of The Seder
Rubin was pleased that the event provided
not only cooking tips, but also "food for
the soul" from featured speaker Rabbi
Leiby Burnham, Partners' director of out-
reach.
(Due to the high water content of fresh
spinach, these matzah balls may be a little
harder to roll than the other two flavors.
If this occurs, add some extra matzah ball
mix or matzah meal, 1 teaspoon at a time,
until the batter can be rolled into balls.
You want to use as little extra as possible
so the balls remain light and fluffy.)
Try New Recipes:
A Matzah Ball Trio
SPINACH MATZAH BALLS
(Meat or parve/makes 6 balls or
gebrokts)
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg white
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup matzah ball mix (usually both
bags out of a box)
48 April 5 • 2012
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and oil. In
the bowl of a food processor fitted with
a metal blade, process the spinach until
pureed. Squeeze the water out of the spin-
ach. Add the spinach puree into the egg
mixture. Whisk to incorporate.
Sprinkle in 1 cup (2 bags) of the mat-
zah ball mix. Stir in with a fork, mixing as
little as possible. Don't overwork it. Chill
in freezer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water or
chicken stock to a boil.
Wet your hands in a bowl of cold water.
Using your hand, and manipulating as
Hadas Bernard of Birmingham, Ruchie
Torgow of Oak Park and Naomi Reiter of
West Bloomfield enjoy the evening.
"The four cups of wine make the most
sense, as they represent royalty and
freedom, ideas that Pesach celebrates:'
Burnham said. "But the marror represents
the opposite, the bitterness of hundreds of
years of slavery, of families torn asunder,
children thrown in the Nile; the mar-
ror is the millions of tears of our people
wrapped in one bitter root"
So why aren't these foods more joyful?
"The secret of the seder is the recogni-
tion that it was specifically through the
pain we endured that the beauty was
born:' Burnham said. "We were enslaved
and degraded, denied all spirituality and
holiness, and pitted against each other. But
when we finally emerged with our glori-
ous exodus, we were a sensitive and lov-
ing people, a holy and meaning-seeking
people, ready to unite and grow together.
"Passover is a time when we can look at
our lives and find our personal redemp-
tion, in times that seemed like affliction,
but later brought us to a better place he
said.
Fishbein, author of the Kosher by Design
cookbook series, signed copies of her
books for guests.
"She was terrific, and it was really a nice
event," said Ilana Liss of Birmingham, one
of the evening's hostess, along with Susan
August and Lilly Jacobson of Bloomfield
Hills, Jill Menuck of Birmingham and Geri
Zacks of Huntington Woods. "I left with
several great recipes to incorporate into
my Passover seder and a few new cook-
books:' ❑
For information or to participate
in Partners in Torah programs,
call Rachel Leah Black at (248)
JUDAISM (583-2476) or email
rlblack@partnersdetroit.org . For
information on Women's Division
programs, call Chaya Rubin at the
same number or email chayasrubin@
partnersdetroit.org .
little as possible, scoop out a ping pong
ball-sized scoop of the mixture. Form
into a ball with your fingertips, using no
real pressure. Bring the water down to
a simmer. Drop the balls into the water.
Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
chicken stock to a boil.
Follow same instructions for forming
and cooking balls as in the first recipe.
TOMATO MATZAH BALLS
(Meat or parve/makes 6 balls)
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg white
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2-3/1 cup matzah ball mix (usually
1-11/2 bags out of a box)
In a medium bowl whisk eggs and oil.
Add turmeric to egg mixture. Whisk to
incorporate to an even yellow color.
Sprinkle in 1/2 cup (1 bag) of the mat-
zah ball mix. Stir in with a fork, mixing as
little as possible. Chill in refrigerator for
20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water or
chicken stock to a boil.
Follow same instructions for forming
and cooking balls as in the first recipe.
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg white
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2-% cup matzah ball mix (usually
1-1 1/2bags out of a box)
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and oil.
Add the tomato paste into the egg mix-
ture. Whisk to incorporate fully.
Sprinkle in 1/2 cup (1 bag) of the mat-
zah ball mix. Stir in with a fork, mixing as
little as possible. Chill in refrigerator for
20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water or
TURMERIC MATZAH BALLS
(Meat or parve/makes 6)