On the Menu:
Vegetarian Matzah Ball Soup - or -
Borscht with Cabbage
Israeli Salad
Sauteed Fiddleheads with Garlic
Roasted New Potatoes with Rosemary
Almond Quinoa Salad - or -
Quinoa with Oranges and Beets
Matzah Lasagna
Chocolate Dipped Macaroons
SOUPS
Vegetarian Matzah Ball Soup
Serves 6-8
Matzah Balls:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or vegetable oil)
2 tablespoons vegetable stock
1/2 cup unsalted matzo meal
1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill (or 1 tablespoon fresh dill)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Soup:
6 cups vegetable stock
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 bay leaf
2 green onions, including green parts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
salt and pepper
To make the matzo balls: stir together eggs, butter and vegetable stock in a small bowl. Add the matzo meal, parsley, dill and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 8 hours. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat; add a dash of salt. Using wet hands, form the dough into 12 1-inch balls. Drop the balls, one at a time, into the boiling water. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Matzo balls should be plump, tender and cooked through.
While the matzo balls are simmering, make the soup. Sautee onion, celery, and carrots in a large pot or dutch oven with olive oil. Sautee until vegetables are slightly brown, about 5 minutes, and add salt and pepper. Add stock, and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and green onions and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and taste. Adjust seasonings to suit taste.
To serve: spoon 1-2 cooked matzah balls into a bowl and ladle soup over them.
Borscht with Cabbage
Serves 6
Adapted from Bon Appetit
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound russet potatoes, peeled, chopped
2 1/2 cups chopped green or savoy cabbage (about 1/4 of small head)
1 large onion, chopped
8 cups (or more) vegetable broth
6 2-inch-diameter spring beets, peeled, chopped
1 cup drained canned chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Low-fat sour cream, chopped fresh parsley, or lemon wedges for garnish
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, cabbage and onion and sauté until cabbage softens, about 5 minutes. Add 8 cups broth, beets and tomatoes. Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Working in small batches, puree 4 cups of soup in blender; return to remaining soup in pot. If desired, add more broth by 1/2 cupfuls to thin soup. Add lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with dollop of sour cream; sprinkle with parsley. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.
SALADS & SIDE DISHES
Israeli Salad
Serves 4-6
Salad:
3-4 medium-sized hothouse/hydroponic tomatoes (in summer, use the real thing from the ground)
2 crisp green peppers
2 Persian Cucumbers
1 medium-sized purple sweet onion
Dressing:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon za’atar (the holy hyssop) :)
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil
For the salad: Halve the tomatoes, squeeze out and discard the seeds, and chop well. De-seed the green peppers and chop – do the same for the cucumbers (the seeds in some persian cucumbers are small enough that you won’t need to de-seed them). Remove the skin from the red onion and chop. Toss all ingredients together in a large glass or ceramic bowl with dressing.
For the dressing: Combine all ingredients except oil and whisk to combine. Continue whisking, and stream in the olive oil until combined and slightly thickened.
Garlic Sauteed Fiddleheads
Serves 4
1 pound fiddleheads, rinsed well and brown ends cut off
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
3 large clove of garlic, chopped or pressed really small
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil over high heat. In the meantime, fill a large bowl with ice water. Blanch the fiddleheads (cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes). Remove fiddleheads with a slotted spoon and put them in ice water. Let chill for about 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Heat olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add fiddleheads and sauté for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss.
Roasted New Potatoes with Rosemary
Serves 6
Adapted from Bon Appetit
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 pounds red-skinned new potatoes, halved lengthwise
Preparation: Blend rosemary, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in processor to coarse puree. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss potatoes and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl. Sprinkle generously with rosemary mixture and more salt and pepper. Arrange potatoes, cut side down, on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until potatoes are golden brown and tender, about 40 minutes. Serve warm.
MAIN COURSE
Matzah Lasagna
Serves 8-12
1 cup part-skim ricotta
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
two cups shredded mozzarella
one third cup chopped fresh parsley
4-6 cups your favorite tomato sauce
1 lb mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
1 onion, chopped
Enough matzah sheets to make four layers in a 13×9 baking dish, lightly softened with water. Do not soak or they’ll get too soggy. Moisten as you go under the tap, or dipped in a shallow baking dish filled with water.
Brown onions and mushrooms in a little olive oil in a sauté pan and set aside. Mix ricotta, cottage cheese, and parsley together, and set aside.
Spoon 1 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with one layer of moistened matzah. Layer 1/3 of the cheese mixture, 1/3 of vegetable mixture, and 2/3 cup of the sauce and 1/2 cup of mozzarella in dish. Repeat twice. Cover with a final layer of moistened matzah, 1 cup of sauce and mozzarella.
Cover will foil and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Almond Quinoa Salad
From Martha Stewart’s Body & Soul
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup (3 ounces) quinoa
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 yellow bell pepper, ribs and seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish (optional)
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 large celery stalk, diced
1 lime, halved
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds until crisp, lightly browned, and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain well.
In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add yellow pepper, garlic, scallions, and red-pepper flakes; cook until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
Stir in quinoa, thyme, 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 7 minutes. Stir in zucchini, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender but not mushy, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Remove the saucepan from heat.
Stir in celery, almonds, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil, season with salt, and fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature before packing into two containers and refrigerating. When ready to eat, squeeze lime over salad, if desired. Serve with additional lime wedge and thyme, if desired.
Quinoa with Oranges and Beets
Recipe by Linda Lantos
Serves 6-8
2 cups quinoa
4 medium beets
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup chopped chives
1/2 large, seedless cucumber, diced
1 cup orange segments
Salt and pepper to taste
Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Cook according to package directions until quinoa is tender. Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, place beets in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and add 1 tsp. salt; bring to simmer. Cook until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, 35-45 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water. Allow to cool. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in oil. Pour dressing over beets and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, marinated beets, and cucumber. Gently fold in the orange segments and chives. Taste and adjust for seasoning, adding more lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper as needed.
DESSERT
coconut.jpg
Chocolate-Chip Coconut Macaroons
Adapted from Elana’s Pantry
6 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups shredded coconut
1/2 package chocolate chips
In a mixing bowl whisk egg whites and salt until stiff. Fold in agave, vanilla and coconut and chocolate chips. Drop batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet, one rounded tablespoonful at a time. Pinch each macaroon at the top (like a kiss). Bake at 325-350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned
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