38 April 18 • 2019
jn
continued on page 40
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.