These recipes come to us from our friend Yocheved Adelman of the Chabad House of Amherst. Chabad House hosts seders for students and community members each Passover and serves Kosher meals for students throughout the holiday. All are welcome.*
The first is for charoses, one of the foods served at the Passover Seder, a meal replete with meaning and ritual, a remembrance and celebration of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, their journey from slavery to freedom.
“Charoses represents the clay used by the Jewish slaves to construct the Egyptian buildings,” explains Yocheved. “It is a food of slavery into which we dip bitter herbs reminding us of the breathtaking labor, yet contains the promise of freedom through its simple fruitful ingredients.”
Ingredients
3 lbs peeled and cut into large pieces (mix and match varieties to suit your taste)
20 walnuts shelled (you can cheat and use preground walnuts, but for the authentic “do it yourself” feel, break out your nutcracker and get cracking!)
Red kosher-for-Passover wine
Pears (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)
To make:
Using the S blade of a food processor, grind the nuts until fine. Add apple (and pear, if using) slowly to ensure the mixture is smooth, then add cinnamon, if you’re using it.
Scrape down the bowl occasionally until the texture of the mixture resembles clay. Add a quarter of a cup of wine and mix well before serving. (“We’re told leftover charoses goes great in applesauce!” says Yocheved.)
The second recipe is for an easy vegan eggplant side dish.
“Passover foods are free of leaven. The dramatic Exodus from Egypt was in haste,” Yocheved tells us. “The dough we kneaded as provisions for our journey had no time to rise. Our cooking is leaven-free in remembrance.”
Ingredients:
4 sweet onions
2 eggplants
4 large tomatoes
Olive oil, for frying
Salt and pepper to taste
Simple syrup (optional)
To make:
Peel and thinly slice the onions. Peel and cube the eggplant. Loosely chop the tomatoes.
Saute the onions in olive oil; once they are translucent, add the cubed eggplant. Stir frequently, adding more oil if necessary. When the eggplant is soft, add the tomatoes. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste. If you like, add a tablespoon of simple syrup (boiled sugar and water) or a teaspoon of sugar to taste for a sweeter dish. This healthy and delicious dish can be served hot or cold.
Happy Passover!
* For information about times, visit its Facebook page (Chabad House at Amherst) or call 413 626 5668.
Photographs by Faye Wolfe