Passover Recipes from Around the Region

With Passover fast approaching, Patch asked readers, local businesses, and area Jewish organizations to submit their favorite recipes. Here are a few of the top entries:

PASSOVER LEMON TART

Source: , Darien

Crust ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups crumbled macaroons (pulse in food processor until they turn into medium crumbs)
• 1/2 cup margarine, cut into 8 pieces
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Process all of the ingredients in food processor until well blended. Press into bottom and sides of ungreased 10” loose bottom tart pan. Bake in 400◦F Oven for about 6 minutes until golden. Cool slightly.

Filling ingredients:

• Juice of two lemons
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
• Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
• 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 1 paper-thin lemon slice

In the top of a double boiler, over hot but not boiling water, whisk together the lemon juice, eggs and sugar until blended and eggs are pale in color. Add the butter and whisk continuously until thick and smooth, about 8 minutes. Whisk in grated lemon zest. Pour into macaroon crust and bake about 30 minutes. Stir the preserves over low heat until liquid and lightly brush over the custard’s surface being careful not to tear it. Place lemon slice in center of the tart and lightly glaze with liquefied preserves. Serve at room temperature.

MICHAL'S CHICKEN SOUP

Source: Michal Mendelow, co-director of Chabad of New Canaan

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken
• 3 sweet onions whole
• 5 stalks of celery
• 5 carrots
• 2 yams or sweet potatoes
• fresh dill
• 1 Tablespoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper

Clean chicken and remove excess fat. Cut celery and carrots into pieces. Place chicken and vegetables into a large pot. Fill with water. Add salt, pepper, and dill. Bring to a boil. Simmer covered for 2 hours. Remove dill.

Mendelow will be hosting traditional community Passover Seders with her husband Rabbi Levi Mendelow. For more information, visit www.chabadnewcanaan.org.

MICHAL'S MATZAH BALLS

Source: Michal Mendelow, co-director of Chabad of New Canaan

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 4 tablespoons ice cold water
• 1 cup matzah meal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 cups water

In a large bowl mix eggs, oil and cold water together. Add matzah meal, salt and pepper and mix well.

Refrigerate for 1 hour. Bring water and salt to boil in a 4-quart pot. Lower the flame. Wet palms of hands with cold water forming mixture into balls. Drop into simmering water. Cover pot and cook for 30 minutes. Be sure to keep cover on pot during entire cooking time and ten minutes after while pot cools.

Note: For large, fluffy matzah balls, cook in wide pot, thus allowing lots of room to expand (yields 12 matzah balls). Optional: serve with chicken soup.

APPLE BEET CHAROSET

Source: 

Ingredients:

• 1 Gala or Fuji apple, peeled and grated 
• 2 medium beets (about 1/2 pound), peeled and grated 
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans, toasted 
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped 
• 2 tablespoons wildflower honey 
• 2 tablespoons juice and 1 teaspoon zest from 1 orange 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow apples and beets to soften and flavors to come together.

PASSOVER HAROSET

Source: Nancy Eckl of Gold’s Delicatessen, Westport

Ingredients:

• 2 Gala apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 4 Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup yellow raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup sweet red wine

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This may be made up to 1 day ahead. If you prefer your Haroset on the sweeter side, you can add honey to taste. Recipe yields about four cups.