Seder Meal Recipes

Register online here to attend the Seder Meal on Thursday, March 24th, at 6:30 p.m.

SWEET POT ROAST

  • 4-5 lb Brisket
  • 2 cups mixed dried fruit (pit prunes)
  • 1-1/2 cups water or stock
  • 2 medium onions sliced
  • 1 cup medium dry white wine
  • salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat in heavy pot; add onions & brown over medium heat; add wine, other liquid & dried fruit; bring to simmer; add salt & pepper to taste; simmer covered for 2-1/2 hours or until tender.  Remove roast from pot to slicing board; skim fat from gravy; slice meat.  Arrange on platter & top with fruited gravy. (Serves 8 to 10)

MEAT PIE

  • 6-7 hard boiled eggs
  • 6 potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 2 egs, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil or chicken fat
  • 2 pounds chopped meat
  • 1 large onion pinch of salt
  1. In separate pot, boil eggs to hard-boiled. Set aside.
  2. Boil and mash potatoes with eggs and salt. Set aside.
  3. In frying pan, brown onion and chopped meat.
  4. Grease pan with olive oil or chicken fat. Put chopped meat on bottom of pot. Peel and slice hard-boiled eggs for second layer. Top with mashed potatoes.
  5. Cook at 350° for 1 hour or until done. Scoop out carefully so layers do not lose shape.
  6. When baking you may want to add an additional layer of mashed potatoes on the bottom of pan. Serves 6

HONEY GOLDEN CHICKEN-SABRA STYLE

  • 1 chicken, cut into serving pieces
  • ½ lemon
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • ¼  cup honey

Rub chicken pieces with lemon.  Sprinkle with 1 tsp. ginger and salt.  Combine oil, honey and remaining ginger and brush the chicken with this mixture.  Roast it in moderate over (350 F) for 1 ½- 2 hours, basting occasionally with honey mixture.

ROASTED LEMON HERB CHICKEN

  • 1 (3-pound) whole chicken
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)
  2. Combine the seasoning, salt, dry mustard, garlic powder and black pepper; set aside. Rinse the chicken thoroughly, and remove the giblets.
  3. Place chicken in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle 1-1/2 teaspoons of the spice mixture inside the chicken. Rub the remaining mixture on the outside of the chicken
  4. Squeeze the juice of the 2 lemons into a small bowl or cup, and mix with the olive oil. Drizzle this oil/juice mixture over the chicken
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until juices run clear, basting several times with the remaining oil mixture.

APRICOT BRISKET

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 6 pounds beef brisket (could be smaller)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
  • 1 pound dried apricots
  1. In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the beef on all sides. If the brisket is too large, cut it in half first, and brown in two stages. Place the meat in a large Dutch oven with a lid.
  2. Add onions to the drippings in the skillet. Saute over medium heat until the onions are beginning to brown. Stir in garlic, and cook for 2 or 3 more minutes. Pour over the brisket in the Dutch oven.
  3. Empty one package of dry, instant onion soup mix over the browned onions and meat. Arrange all of the apricots on top of the soup mix. Pour enough water around outside of meat, not on top, to cover the sides of brisket. Cover
  4. Bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 1 hour. Check liquid; if dish is starting to look dry, add a bit more water around meat. Cover, and cook another hour. Remove lid, and stir apricots into gravy. Leave uncovered, and cook for another hour. Stir gravy again, and add more water if the gravy is too thick. Meat should be very tender; if necessary, bake for an additional 1/2 hour. Cut across grain to serve.

CHICKEN IN ORANGE SAUCE

  • Six 4-oz. chicken breast halves, skinned
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, thawed
  • 1 cup defatted chicken broth or water
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch cayenne pepper to taste
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons potato starch
  • Orange slices for garnish
  • Parsley sprigs
  1. In a nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the chicken breast on both sides in the orange juice concentrate and 1/4 cup of the broth for about 15-20 minutes
  2. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, pepper, cayenne, and 1/2 cup of the broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 7-10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside
  3. With the remaining 1/4 cup broth, blend in the potato starch until smooth. Add this mixture to the skillet and stir until the gravy thickens and begins to bubble. Arrange the chicken on a platter and pour the sauce over all or pass the sauce around to individual plates. Garnish with the orange slices and parsley. Serves 4-6

PASSOVER (PESACH) BROWNIES

  • 5 eggs
  • 2 ½ cups white sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
  • 1 ¼ cups matzo cake meal
  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ¼ cups chopped walnuts
  1. Beat eggs and sugar. Add oil. Mix in cake meal and cocoa. Add nuts (or use the nuts as a topping).
  2. Bake in a greased 9 X 13 inch pan at 325 degrees F for 35 minutes. The secret to moist brownies, pesach or otherwise, is to underbake them. Check them at 30 minutes. I also put nuts on top rather than in the brownies for two reasons. They make the top look good without having to frost them and, for those who don’t or can’t eat nuts, they are easily removed without having to search for them.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

  • 1 ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 cup margarine, softened
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 2 ¼ cups almonds, sliced, blanched
  • 7 oz. unsweetened chocolate

Sauce:

  • 2 cups strawberries, frozen, unsweetened
  • 1 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 300.  Line the bottom of a 9 inch spring-form pan with wax paper; grease paper.  With blender, mix sugar and margarine until fluffy.  Add egg yolks.  In a food processor, process almonds and chocolate until finely ground.  Stir into sugar mixture.  In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to still peaks.  Mix 1/3 whites into batter.  Gently fold in remaining whites.  Spread batter into pan, smoothing top.  Bake about 1 ½ hours, until top springs bake.  Cool for 10 minutes before releasing.

Sauce: In small saucepan, combine sauce ingredients and puree.  Simmer 3 minutes.  Cover and cool.

To Serve:  place sauce on plate, place torte on top.

PERSIAN FRUIT SALAD

  • 2 seedless oranges, peeled and cored
  • 2 apples, peeled and cored
  • 2 bananas, sliced
  • 2 cups pitted dates, chopped
  • 1 cup dried apricots, chopped
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup almonds, chopped
  1. Place fruit in serving bowl
  2. Pour orange juice over fruit and mix gently
  3. Garnish with almonds or coconut
  4. Cover and chill several hours before serving.

PASSOVER CHEESECAKE WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

  • 2 cups soft coconut macaroon cookie crumbs (kosher for Passover)
  • 6 tablespoons margarine, melted
  • 4 (8 ounce) packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons grated orange peel
  • 1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries in lite syrup, drained, reserving ¼ cup syrup
  • 2 teaspoons orange juice
  1. Mix cookie crumbs and margarine.
  2. Press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of lightly greased 9-inch spring-form pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
  3. Beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Blend in peel; pour over crust.
  4. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until center is almost set.
  5. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan.  Refrigerate.
  6. Place strawberries in blender or food processor container; cover.  Blend until smooth.  Strain.  Stir in reserved syrup and juice.  Serve with cheesecake.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

  • 12oz. chocolate chips
  • 1 tbsp. sweet wine
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted margarine
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  1. Melt chocolate and wine in double boiler or microwave
  2. Add margarine and mix.
  3. Beat whites until stiff.
  4. Beat yolks until creamy.
  5. Add vanilla, salt and chocolate to yolk mixture and mix.
  6. Fold whites into chocolate.
  7. Pour into greased and sugared 9 inch spring-form or round cake pan.
  8. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

APPLE CAKE WITH STREUSEL

  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • ¾ cup cake meal
  • 5 apples, peeled and sliced streusel topping
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  1. Beat the eggs with sugar and oil until the mixture is light colored.
  2. Add the cake meal and mix well.
  3. Pour half of the mixture into a greased pan. 8 or 9 inch pan.
  4. Put half of the apples over the batter.
  5. Pour the rest of the batter over the apples and over with the remaining apples.
  6. Mix the topping in a small bowl and sprinkle over the cake.
  7. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 ½ hours.

PASSOVER RASPBERRY JAM CAKE

  • 8 eggs separated
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 1 lemon, juiced & rind
  • 2 tbsp raspberry jam / preserves
  • ½ cup cake meal and ½ cup potato starch, combined
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Crushed walnuts
  • Raspberries (for garnish)
  1. Preheat oven to 325
  2. Spray a long pan with cooking spray.   Cover bottom & sides with parchment paper (makes it easier to remove)
  3. Beat egg whites and salt until very stiff
  4. Beat egg yolks and sugar until smooth and light
  5. Add lemon juice and rind, jam, and dry ingredients; mix well
  6. Gently fold egg whites into mixture
  7. Pour into prepared pan.  Top with nuts
  8. Bake for 1 hour or until set up nicely
  9. Remove cake and invert on cooling rack.
  10. When cool, turn cake over so nuts are on top
  11. Garnish with raspberries

PASSOVER HONEY NUT CAKE IN SOAKING SYRUP

Cake

  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest, finely minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup matzoh cake meal
  • ½ cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds
  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Generously grease a 7 inch round layer cake pan.  In a medium-sized mixing bowl, using a wire whisk, beat the sugar, oil, and eggs.  Beat very well until mixture is thick and a pale yellow.  Stir in orange juice, zest, salt, cinnamon, cake meal, and nuts.  Turn batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes for until top is light brown and set.  (Cool at least 20 minutes before adding syrup)

Soaking Syrup

  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar, honey, orange juice, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon.  Heat to dissolve sugar and simmer 5-10 minutes until mixture becomes syrupy.  Cool well.  Pour syrup over cooled cake, poking holes in cake with a fork, a permit syrup to penetrate cake.  Allow to stand 2-4 hours to absorb syrup.  I prefer to refrigerate this cake so that while it is absorbing liquid, it is also firming up.  Also, the chilled cake offsets its innate sweetness and makes it easier to cut.

MOCHA ROLL CAKE

  • 1/2 cup matza meal
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • cream of tartar
  • 1 cup ground walnuts
  • 1 pint heavy cream (for whip cream)
  • powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons coffee
  1. Line cookie sheet with wax paper
  2. In a large bowl, put ½ cup of matza meal. Beat 6 egg yolks with a ½ cup of sugar.
  3. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar.
  4. Slowly pour the mix into the bowl with the egg whites, and stir. Add walnuts.
  5. Pour the mix into the cookie sheet and bake for a ½ hour until done.
  6. Remove from oven.
  7. Put powdered sugar on a towel.
  8. Roll the baked mix while still hot.
  9. Make whipped cream and add 2 tsp. coffee so you make it mocha. Add powdered sugar to taste.
  10. Open towel carefully. Spread mocha all over the cake and roll the cake again (without towel) and put it on a platter with the whipped cream.
  11. Decorate with walnuts. When frozen, it tastes like ice-cream. This may be refrigerated.

POTATOES & ONIONS BAKED IN BROTH

  • 6 medium potatoes, peeled & sliced into ½ inch slices
  • 2 cups onions, chopped
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp oil
  • salt & pepper to taste
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Grease 9X13 inch baking pan
  3. Place all ingredients in pan, mixing up potatoes & onions
  4. Cover
  5. Bake for 1 hour.  Uncover last few minutes to brown a little.

Serves six

HERBED POTATOES

  • 6-8 potatoes, peeled
  • 4 shallots/spring onions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp parsley
  • 1 tbsp dill, chopped
  • ¼ – ½ cup butter, melted
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Grease 9X13 inch baking pan
  3. Place thin layer of potatoes in pan
  4. Combine onions, parsley, dill, salt & pepper.
  5. Alternately layer herbs & potato slices, finishing with potatoes on top.
  6. Put butter over top of potatoes
  7. Cover with foil
  8. Bake 1 hour, removing foil for last 15 minutes to brown the top

PILAF

  • 1 cup quinoa (you can get at Sprouts or Whole Foods)
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup celery, minced
  • 8 oz mushrooms
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  1. Soak quinoa in bowl of water for 5-10 minutes
  2. Saute onions, add celery, then mushrooms & briefly sauté all together
  3. Drain & rinse quinoa
  4. In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients with broth and bring to boil.   Add a little water
  5. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes until just tender
  6. Drain any liquid, then serve
  7. Serve warm

POTATO LATKES

  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled & scrubbed
  • 1 medium onion, chopped finely
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 2-3 tbsp matzah meal (ground matzah)
  • Oil (or cooking spray) for frying
  • Applesauce or sour cream (optional)
  1. Grate potatoes
  2. Add onions, eggs, salt, pepper and matzah meal; mix well
  3. Pour enough oil in a frying pan to just cover the bottom
  4. Fry batter by heaping tablespoons in oil
  5. Drain, top with applesauce or sour cream
  6. Serve warm

BROCCOLI KNISHES

  • 1 cup potatoes, mashed
  • 1/3 cup matzah meal (ground matzah)
  • 2 tbsp potato starch
  • ½ small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 egg whites
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup broccoli (fresh or frozen), steamed & finely chopped
  • Cooking spray
  1. Preheat oven to 375
  2. In a bowl, combine potatoes, matzah meal, starch, onion, egg whites, pepper & salt, then mix together
  3. Divide dough into balls and flatten.
  4. Divide broccoli evenly onto each flattened circle, fold over, and press edges to seal.   They should be half-moons.
  5. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray
  6. Arrange knishes on baking sheet
  7. Bake on bottom rack of oven 15 minutes until just browning
  8. Serve hot

BROCCOLI AND CARROT VINAIGRETTE

  • 1 pound broccoli, fresh & cut up
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 2 tbsp wine or cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp chives
  • 1 tsp parsley (or 1 tbsp fresh)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  1. Steam broccoli & carrots until tender; allow to cool
  2. Whisk together all other ingredients.
  3. Combine everything and chill
  4. Toss and serve cold

CARROT TZIMMES

  • 6 carrots, sliced & cooked
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp matzoh meal
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  1. Melt better in frying pan.  Stir in meal & add broth; stir until thickened
  2. Add sugar, salt, and pepper
  3. Gently fold in carrots.
  4. Keep warm until serving time.

CARROT KISHKA

  • 2 cups carrots, grated
  • ½ small onion, grated
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup matzah meal (ground matzah)
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Combine all ingredients
  3. Place on a sheet of foil and shape into loaf
  4. Fold foil around the loaf and twist ends closed
  5. Bake on a cookie sheet for 1 hour
  6. Slice
  7. Serve warm

SPINACH WITH CHICKPEAS AND FRESH DILL

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 ½ cups canned chickpeas, drained
  • 1 pound fresh spinach, washed with thick stems cut off
  • ½ cup fresh dill, minced
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  1. In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat
  2. Add onion & sauté until soft
  3. Add chickpeas; toss and coat in oil
  4. Add spinach and dill to skillet; cook until spinach starts to cook down
  5. Stir in lemon juice
  6. Season with salt & pepper
  7. Serve warm

PASSOVER SPINACH FRITATTA

  • Two 10-oz packages of frozen, chopped spinach
  • 3 matzah meal (ground matzah)
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
  1. Heat spinach in a saucepan with ½ cup water until thawed.
  2. Drain spinach, reserving half of the liquid
  3. Crumble matzoh into mixing bowl, pour the spinach and remaining liquid over it
  4. Mix thoroughly until matzoh is softened.
  5. Add half the cheese, eggs, salt, nutmeg, and pepper
  6. Melt butter in 12 inch skillet, and add the mixture.
  7. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, 5 minutes each side
  8. Sprinkle with rest of cheese
  9. Serve hot