Since I did not get a chance to post about the superb grilled meat dishes I enjoyed together with some dear friends (Irving Schild and his wife Regina!) on the 4th, on a Pennsylvania lake, I’ll just keep those recipes for after the 9 Days. Let me assure you, however, that they were absolutely mouth watering and are well worth waiting for. Meanwhile, for the rest of the 9 Days we’ll regale you with some of our favorite dairy, vegetarian and fish recipes.
Scrambled Egg with Salmon
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 eggs
1/2 cup MimicCreme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnishing
salt and pepper
3 1/2 ounces salmon, cut into small pieces,
2 tablespoons butter (or margarine, if you will follow with a meat dish)
slices of toasted bread
4 sprigs of dill, for garnishing
Directions
Break the eggs into a large bowl and whisk together with the MimicCreme and dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the salmon pieces and mix to combine.
Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet and pour in the egg and salmon mixture. Using a wooden spatula, gently scrape the egg away from the sides of the skillet as it starts to set. Swirl the skillet slightly to allow the uncooked egg to fill the surface.
When the eggs are almost cooked but still creamy, remove from the heat and spoon onto the prepared toast. Serve immediately garnished with a sprig of dill.
Traditionally women have slaved away cleaning and cooking for Passover, almost making this season into something akin to an Egyptians’ Revenge. While there is no doubt that celebrating the sedorim (aside from the religious reasons) is beautiful, getting there is not easy. While we can’t make your cleaning either easier or faster, Lévana – in the video below – shows us how to cook faster, easier and still enjoy a feast!
Lévana regales us with three fast, delicious, wholesome recipes from her new book: The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen – Glorious Meals Pure and Simple
Chicken and Swiss Chard
8 serving pieces chicken (2 pieces per person, for example: 6 thighs, 6 drumsticks, 4 half breasts – 16 pieces, total for 8 people) with skin on.
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 large bunches of Swiss chard, leaves and ribs sliced thin
3 cups water
Place all ingredients in a wide heavy pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the flame to medium and cook covered for about an hour. Transfer the chicken pieces onto a platter. If the sauce is not thick enough, reduce it on a high flame, uncovered , just a few minutes until it reaches the consistency of maple syrup. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Serve hot. Makes 8 servings.
Salmon in Pomegranate Sweet-&-Sour Sauce
Sweet-and sour combinations work beautifully with salmon. The onions caramelize and contribute a sweet counterpoint to the vinegar. Another quick and delicious dish, just the way it I like it – one pan, one step.
1 whole side salmon, no skin, no bones, about 3 1/2 pounds, trimmed
1 large red onion, sliced very thin (use the food processor)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon turmeric
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the salmon in a pan just large enough to accommodate the fish in one layer. Scatter the onions on top and on the sides of the fish. Mix the oil, juice, vinegar, tomato paste, salt, pepper and turmeric in a bowl, and pour over the fish. Cook about 20 minutes, or a tiny bit more until the fish flakes easily and the liquids thicken. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 8 main course servings or a dozen or more course servings.
2 cups very good quality semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups very good quality semisweet chocolate chips plus tablespoons vegetable oil. Melt in a small saucepan, on a very low flame, stirring, until just melted. Let cool just a few minutes, then dip only half way the fruit of your choice: strawberries, orange segments, pineapple cubes, banana segments etc… Arrange the dipped fruit on a platter sprayed with vegetable spray (to prevent the chocolate from sticking). Serve at room temperature.
It’s hard to believe that until about 21 months ago I had never eaten fish, other than a small piece of gefilte on Friday evenings (and even then, none too willingly!). Having learned how to enjoy them, thanks to Orchideä and the defunct Avenue Plaza Dining (both in Boro Park), I now savor the taste and appreciate the nutritional value of that which for decades I’d considered untouchable, inedible, food.
Since, I’ve made this recipe a few times because it tastes great and it’s easy:
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a skillet. Lightly salt and pepper the fish. Cook the fish over medium-high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.
Add the tarragon, garlic, parsley, oregano. When garlic browns add capers, white wine and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Remove fish from fire to a plate keeping it warm as you make the sauce. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Whisk in the cornstarch; when smooth, add the cream and milk, whisking until smooth, cook until it thickens.
Simmer for one minute, return the fish to the pan, and reheat for another minute. Top fish with sauce and serve with rice.
Susie Fishbein, best selling kosher cookbook author, graciously consented to share two of her recipes – from her upcoming Kosher By Design – Teens and 20-Somethings – with our readers. I tried the first one last evening, after the fast, and loved it (and… I’m quite a few hours past my 20-somethings):
Maple Roasted Pears and Sweet Potatoes
DAIRY OR PARVE – YIELDS 6 SERVINGS
I adore these soft sweet pears and the way the sweet potatoes become sticky and sweet. You can try this with cubed butternut squash in addition to or in place of the sweet potatoes. While you have the maple syrup on hand, put the Pineapple Maple Glazed Salmon (page 134) on your menu for another night.
Ingredients
8 mini pears, such as Seckel, or 4 ripe Anjou pears, peeled, halved, cored, quartered
3 large sweet potatoes, (about 2 pounds) peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into
chunks the same size as the pears
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup pure maple syrup, NOT pancake syrup
1⁄2 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 325˚F.
For easy cleanup, completely cover a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.
As you cut up the pears and sweet potato, place them into a large bowl. Set
aside.
In a medium pot, melt the butter or margarine over medium heat. Whisk in maple
syrup and salt. Cook until it starts to bubble.
Remove from heat. Pour over the pears and sweet potatoes. Toss to coat.
Transfer to prepared pan
Bake, uncovered, for 11⁄2 hours.
Transfer to a serving bowl or platter.
…and one more, can’t wait to try it!
Pineapple Maple Glazed Salmon
PARVE – YIELDS 6 SERVINGS
Ingredients
6 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, without skin, pin bones removed
1⁄4 cup maple syrup (NOT pancake syrup)
1⁄4 cup crushed pineapple, from a small can, squeezed dry
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Directions
Preheat oven to 375˚F.
Rinse the salmon and place it on a parchment-lined jelly roll pan. Pat dry with
paper towels.
In a medium bowl, whisk the maple syrup, pineapple, soy sauce, mustard, olive
oil, and garlic.
Pour over the salmon and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Transfer to serving platter. Drizzle with pan juices. Serve hot or at room
temperature.
The Kosher Scene 
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