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P

assover lasts for a long time, especially when 
you’
re thinking about the food you’
ll eat. 
That’
s a lot of eating home-cooked fare and lots of 
matzah. 
Each year, I forget how much I like matzah brie … 
until Passover. Then I wonder why I don’
t make it all 
year long. I prepare it sweet for breakfast (soak matzah 
in a mixture of whisked eggs and milk — 1 egg and 
½ cup of milk for every matzah sheet 
— and fry in butter or oil with lots of 
cinnamon and sugar). I make savory at 
night. Nix the sweetness and add fresh 
or frozen (thawed) spinach, cottage 
cheese, feta cheese to the mix and fry 
slowly in olive oil. 
Aside from classics, there is a whole 
week of snacks and meals that can get 
pretty dull, especially when there are 
often so many seder leftovers you simply cannot stuff 
another bite of “brisket on matzah” into your mouth.
Here are some thought-starters to keep the holiday 
noshing modern, fresh and fabulous. 

ASPARAGUS SOUP
 2 pounds asparagus (2 bunches)
 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
 1½ cups chopped onions
 1 cup chopped celery
 1½ cups peeled, 1-inch Idaho or russet potatoes
 1 cup ½-inch carrot rings
 6 cups water
 Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
 ½ cup half-and-half

Trim the top 2 inches of the asparagus stalks and set 
aside (these will be used to garnish the soup). 
Cut the tough ends off the asparagus (it’
s lighter in 
color and “
tough” — do not use). 
Press “
sauté” on the Instant Pot and add butter to 

the pot. Add the onions and saute until tender, stirring 
occasionally. Add the asparagus (not the tips), potatoes, 
carrots, water and 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. white pepper. 
Seal the lid on the pot and press “high pressure” or 
“
manual,
” press the “
plus +” to add 10 minutes to the 
cooking time. When finished cooking, allow the pot 
to cool for 15 minutes. Release any remaining steam 
manually. 
To make on the stove, saute in a large saucepan or 
soup pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then 
cook on medium heat for about 30-40 minutes. 
Use an immersion blender, blender or food proces-
sor to make the soup smooth. Adjust salt and pepper 
to taste. To serve, warm the soup with the remaining 
asparagus tips. Drizzle in the half-and-half and serve. 
Makes 8 or more servings (depending on portion size). 

MATZAH AND MUSHROOM STUFFED ROLLED EGGPLANT
1 large eggplant, sliced vertically into thin slices
Vegetable oil for brushing over the eggplant
Olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
12 ounces sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste.
1½ sheets matzah, crumbled
¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 large egg
1½-2 cups good-quality marinara sauce
1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly brush one or two 
rimmed baking sheets with olive oil. Arrange the egg-
plant slices on the baking sheet and lightly brush the 
eggplants with additional olive oil. Bake the eggplant 
slices until softened, about 10-15 minutes. Remove 
from the oven and cool.
Meanwhile, heat another 2 Tbsps. oil in a large non-
stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions 
and saute about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 

cook, stirring occasionally for another 3 minutes. (Do 
not allow all the liquid to evaporate.) Stir in the matzah 
and cook 2 minutes more. 
Remove from heat and cool slightly before adding 
the pine nuts, salt and pepper to taste. Let this mixture 
cool slightly. 
Reduce heat to 350ºF. Spray a baking large dish with 
nonstick cooking spray (large enough to accommodate 
the eggplant rolls). 
Place one slice of cooked eggplant on a clean surface. 
Spoon about ¼-1/3 cup of matzah mixture at one end of 
the slice and roll carefully. Carefully place the eggplant 
roll in the baking dish. Repeat the process, packing the 
eggplant into the dish tightly until all the slices and fill-
ing are used. 
Spoon the marinara sauce over the rolls and cover 
in foil. Bake, covered in foil for 20 minutes. Remove 
the foil, sprinkle over the cheese and bake for 15-20 
minutes more, until the cheese is melted. Makes 6-8 
servings.

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP CRACKLE COOKIES
These are thin and fudgy with an almost meringue-
type, crackled top.
3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. salt
3 large egg whites at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a rimmed baking 
sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa 
powder and salt.
Add the vanilla and egg white and whisk until you 
obtain a thick batter (because there is no flour, the bat-
ter must be thick or it will “
spread” too much on the 
baking sheet. 

Annabel Cohen
Contributing Writer

passover

Beyond The Seder

These recipes can help add variety to the remainder of Passover meals.

