arts&life books A Healthy & Delicious Passover 2 large ripe yellow peaches, unpeeled, pitted and cut into 1½-inch cubes, about 4 cups 1 English cucumber, unpeeled, and cut into chunks ¹⁄³ cup fresh mint leaves ¹⁄³ cup chopped red onions 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger Juice of ½ lime 1 Tbsp. honey ½ tsp. black pepper 3 scallions, ends trimmed, sliced, for garnish (optional) 1 ripe avocado, cubed, for gar- nish (optional) Separate 1 heaping cup of cubed watermelon from the 8 cups total and chop it into ¼-inch cubes. Set them aside in a small bowl and chill until ready to serve. In batches, place the peaches, cucumbers, remaining 7 cups watermelon, mint leaves, red onions and ginger into a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer the mix- ture to a large bowl or container. Add the lime juice, honey and pepper and stir. Chill the gaz- pacho for 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with the reserved cup of watermelon cubes, scallions and avocados. You could also add sliced peaches, small-cubed cucumbers and diced red onion in whatever combination you prefer. LYNNE KONSTANTIN ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Cookbook author Paula Shoyer shows us the way. 44 March 22 • 2018 jn I f there were a crown offered for Passover Cooking Queen, Paula Shoyer would surely reign. Passover is the big- gest Jewish holiday for enter- taining, but it is also limited by stringent food restrictions. Like Moses in Egypt, Shoyer has let the Passover-food oppressed free. The author of three bestsell- ing cookbooks on eating kosher and healthy devoted her last book — The New Passover Menu — solely to Passover, and to date, has published more than 100 kosher-for-Passover dessert recipes. Not only inventive and delicious, her Passover reci- pes cut all the fat, salt, sugar and processed heavy foods usually associated with this holiday. Shoyer, a former attor- ney, graduate of the Ritz Escoffier pastry program in Paris and teacher of French and Jewish baking in the Washington, D.C., area, has filled her newest book, The Healthy Jewish Kitchen: Fresh, Contemporary Recipes for Every Occasion (Sterling Epicure), with more than 80 recipes, including both Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jewish classics as well as trends from America and around the world. It’s Jewish soul food made healthy — and, of course, it includes a satisfying section on Passover. Mango Coleslaw, Brisket Bourguignon, Indian Barbecued Chicken, Eggplant with Capers and Mint and Chocolate Quinoa Cake are just a few of the mouthwatering options for Passover. Read on for a few of Shoyer’s Passover favorites, excerpted from The Healthy Jewish Kitchen. WATERMELON, PEACH AND MINT GAZPACHO Parve, Gluten-free, Passover • Serves 10 This refreshing summer soup is best served with a watermelon, scallion and avocado garnish, so don’t skimp on that. For adult guests, I sometimes add a few teaspoons of ice-cold vodka or tequila to the soup. PREP TIME: 8 minutes; 4 hours to chill • ADVANCE PREP: May be made 2 days in advance 8 cups watermelon, cubed and divided SALMON AND AVOCADO TARTARE Parve, Gluten-free, Fish, Passover • Serves 8 (¹⁄³ cup servings) Tartare is the French version of poke, ceviche and sashimi. I was working on a gefilte fish recipe when I got a call from my friend Chana Kaplan, who runs Friendship Circle at Chabad in Potomac, Md. I told her that I was agonizing over a gefilte fish recipe idea that just wasn’t panning out. When Chana said that there were enough gefilte fish recipes out there in the world, I mentioned an idea for salmon tartare as a lighter alternative. Chana con- vinced me to abandon my plan to include a gefilte fish recipe in this book. This tartare is infinitely easier to prepare and can be doubled and tripled for a crowd.