Matzo Oven Pancake

Last night instead of attending a seder we went out for tortillas.  Our seder this year is tonight.  Tonight we will gather with friends and family to read through the Haggadah, eat matzo and ask the 4 questions.  As we ate our tortillas I mentioned that it was the first night of Passover.  "What!" Said Sebastian in horror as he looked at his dinner.  "I don't want to eat bread during Passover this year."

 "Don't worry honey."  I replied, "It is still light out, Passover has not started."  He looked at the bright sky, sighed happily and finished his quesadilla.  I did not think much more about Sebastian's observance of the Passover holiday until this morning when I recognized we had a problem.  I have not bought any matzo yet.  Normally for Passover we as a family add matzo to the food we regularly eat, without subtracting anything.  Clearly without matzo, matzo brei was not an option.  Besides, for Lewis and I matzo brei has alway been our traditional breakfast the morning after our seder.  All we had for Passover provisions was a canister of matzo meal.  So what could we make for breakfast that Sebastian could eat?

Then I had an inspiration, matzo meal oven pancake.  I have played enough over the years with modifying recipes to use matzo meal, so I had a good idea of what to do.  However Lewis is usually in charge of making the oven pancakes.  So I began preparing the dough as Lewis watched, often disapprovingly.  However in the end it turns out I did know what I was doing as I pulled a golden brown and puffed pancake from the oven.  With fresh lemon juice squeezed on top, our preferred way to serve oven pancake, it was a delicious breakfast.  It would have been delicious even if it was not Passover.

Sebastian happily ate his share.  However as he ate it he informed me that the regular oven pancake would have been fine.  "I don't want to eat any bread with yeast in it this week.  Flour is fine though."

Matzo Meal Oven Pancake: Kosher for Passover

3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup matzo meal
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 450°

Combine the eggs and milk in a large bowl and beat well to combine.  Add the matzo meal and mix well before stirring in the melted butter (don't worry about over mixing the dough, because matzo has already been baked the gluten is set and cannot make the mixture tough).

Add the salt, sugar, and vanilla extract and mix well.  Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes so the matzo meal can absorb some of the liquid and soften a little.  Near the end of the dough resting place 2 to 3 Tbsp butter in a large cast iron skillet (10 to 12 inches wide) or a pyrex dish (9 x 13 or a little smaller).  Place the skillet or pan in the oven until the pan is hot and the butter is fully melted.  Pour the dough into the pan and place in the oven.

Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and set.  Do not check on the pancake until it has cooked for at least 15 minutes so it does not deflate.  I often place an oven mitt over the handle when I remove a hot skillet from the oven.  When I don't I always seem to forget and grab the burning hot handle.

Slide the pancake out of the pan and onto a cutting board.  Slice into wedges and serve with fresh lemon juice squeezed on top and if you wish a sprinkling of powdered sugar (I never use the sugar).  To get more juice from your lemons place them in the microwave on high for 40 seconds before slicing into them.

Macaroons: Gluten Free, Kosher for Passover and irresistible

The usual in like a lion and out like a lamb of March has been turned upside down this year.  Outside there are crocuses and daffodils shivering in the sudden drop in temperature as March ends.  Even with March ending with temperatures reminiscent of Winter or Fall the end of March/beginning of April to me signals Passovers approach.  Every year I ignore the containers of macaroons in the "Passover shelves" in the grocery store.  Store bought macaroons are squishy throughout with a flavor that is more sweet then true coconut.

 A good Macaroon is a personal favorite, at their very best the tender inside contrasts with the crackly outside and their sweetness is subtle against a pronounced coconut sweetness.  I have baked up many versions of them, some with beaten egg whites and a long list of ingredients while others required a boxed mix and water.  However I was still in search of the perfect recipe.  Food52 posted a new macaroon recipe by Alice Medrich's that boasted  tiny wings of toasty brown coconut with soft and discrete inside layers,  As soon as I read the description I began searching out the large shards of coconut in the recipe.

After baking up a batch I found the inside layers to be almost tough, instead of the soft pillowy center I was craving.  Lewis loved them, calling them flannel macaroons because they have real texture to them.  However the boys both suggested I try again, but this time use the tiny shreds of coconut.  I might have switched out the coconut and then just followed the recipe, but then I would have had 8 egg yolks in my fridge.  So when the mixture appeared to be dry, I added 2 of the egg yolks back in.  I mean who said macaroons have to be made with egg whites only?  After all the richness and fat of the egg yolks would add the creamy texture I was after.  That is just what they did, there is a still a crackly crisp outer layer where the coconut crisped in the ovens heat, but the inside texture is softer, more giving and tender with a pronounced coconut flavor.  I tested the cookies again with all 4 egg yolks and found the extra yolk muted the coconut flavor.  So these will not eliminate the yolks in the fridge, but it will reduce it by 2.

Macaroons


3 cups medium shred coconut (preferably unsweetened)
3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Mix all of the ingredients well in a large bowl.  Set the bowl in a saucepan of simmering water.  You are not trying to create a mock double boiler here, the bowl should be in the water.  Mix the batter well using a silicone or other heat proof spatula for about 2 to 5 minutes, just enough to dissolve the sugar and warm all the ingredients.

Set the bowl of cookie batter aside for 30 minutes so the coconut can absorb some of the liquid.  While the batter is resting place the oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and scoop out tablespoon sized balls of dough spaced 1 inch or so apart on the sheets.  I used a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough out.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray positions after 10 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown.  To cool either places the pans directly on cooling racks or slide the parchment paper on to the racks.

Sesame Honey Cookies

It was the week before school vacation and we were working to clean our house for a visit from our friends the Gatherers.  I heard Sebastian explain to Julian, "We need to clean the house for them because they ALWAYS clean their house when we visit."  I decided that 9 years old is too young to explain they just keep their house clean at all times, rather then living like slobs until they have friends come over.  As part of cleaning we carefully ate the last of the peanut butter cookies, Malcolm, their 4 year old, has a peanut allergy.  Once the peanut cookies had been eaten I began to think about creating a peanut safe version.

I don't stock any of the peanut butter alternatives in my house like sun butter and soy nut butter because we can eat peanut butter, which is cheaper and tastier.  So I decided to make a tahini cookie, one that would be safe for Malcolm and help with the many containers of tahini stacked in my fridge.  Apparently I am often worried that I don't have enough tahini when I go grocery shopping.

The peanut butter cookies I made used maple syrup in addition to sugar, for the tahini cookies I used honey instead.  Honey is a traditional accompaniment to tahini, paired with it in many desserts and other dishes.  As I mixed and baked them I was reminded of the smell of halvah, a traditional middle eastern confection.  The first few I scarfed down continued to remind me of halva, probably because I had the idea in my head, or because they taste different when they are warm.  When Sebastian took a bite he thought for a moment before telling me they reminded him of honey sesame candies.  The flavor of these cookies is indeed reminiscent of honey sesame candies, the ones I steal every year from my kids Halloween bags.  However these are more substantial and chewy and they don't get stuck in your teeth.

If you are searching for desserts to make during Passover think about baking a batch of these cookies.  There is Kosher for Passover baking powder which does not contain cornstarch, all baking soda is kosher for Passover.  The dietary restriction on leavening refers to a rise that is from fermentation, sour or sharp.  Commercial yeast is still off limits but baking soda is, "just minerals.  What do we care about minerals?"

Sesame Honey Cookies

1 cup tahini
1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg 1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment (I did one pan without the parchment paper and I was able to remove all but one cookie in one piece with a spatula. However after that experiment I made the rest with parchment).

In a large bowl, stir tahini and sugars together until well combined. Add egg, baking soda, honey, vanilla, and salt and mix well. Stir in the sesame seeds.

Measure out 1 tablespoon of dough either with 2 tablespoons or a One Tablespoon measured scooper. Roll the dough in your hands to form a ball and place on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. I placed them 3 across and 4 down.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes on the trays so they will began sturdy enough to handle before serving or transferring.

Kosher for Passover Brownies

I grew up in Manhattan in a predominately Jewish neighborhood and attended a school were most of the students were Jewish. I am not sure when I first realized that this was not the case for the rest of the country, or even the state. I do remember in 10th grade one of my history teachers, Mr. Gatch, told of a time he subbed for a 7th grade history class. Midway through the lesson he realized that the class believed the majority of U.S. citizens were Jewish. So after taking a poll of the class where students said they believed the U.S. was 90 to 95 percent Jewish he told them about the town in Ohio where he grew up.

He told them about the one Jewish family in the whole town. "Imagine what it would be like to be the only Jewish family in your town. Imagine how you would feel if you and your brother were the only Jewish children in your school". Mr Gatch just stood there for a minute to allow the students to try to picture what he said, try to place themselves in the shoes of Mr Gatch's classmate. Then one boy in the back raised his hand and asked, "Mr Gatch, what was it like for you being the only Jewish family in your town?" My whole class laughed at the inability for this student to even comprehend that their teachers were mostly not Jewish. Our laughter was stronger because of our faint chagrin that we only recently (some while Mr Gatch told his story) learned otherwise ourselves.

Now 24 years later I am living in Burlington, Vermont. My children do not go to a school that is predominately Jewish. This time of year it feels like every adult who talks to them asks what the Easter bunny is going to bring them. They never get asked what gift they received for the Afikomen or how their seder was. Everyone here seems to assume children are part of the predominant culture, waiting expectantly for the Easter Bunny.

This is the first year since Sebastian was born that I have not hosted a seder this week. We are going to wait to have a belated seder with family in New York the last week of April. Vermont seems to have an independent streak when it comes to school holidays, so our April break does not coincide with Passover and Easter as it does in most states. Last year we took Sebastian out of school for the week of Passover so we could celebrate with my family. However it felt like we came home just in time for April vacation. This year we will wait to have our seder, we could have celebrated with local friends, but my boys like this opportunity to celebrate with my family. I think they like feeling like one of many Jews at the Passover table, or maybe I am just projecting.

It feels really weird not to be marking this week, not to have gathered with either family or friends to read through the Haggadah I have written. It feels strange that I have not slaved in the kitchen for 2 weeks to prepare for our seder. I will still make my family crazy with the smells of brisket braised for hours only to be sliced and placed in the freezer for the future, just not yet.

In the midst of this weirdness I read an article about the White House Seder. I love the story of the start of the new tradition, a box of matzo and a bottle of Manishevitz after a long day. The Jews at the seder unable to answer all the questions asked by those new to the holiday celebration. I have to admit I also love the idea of gefilte fish being served on white house china. My non Jewish husband has embraced all other Jewish foods but draws the line at gefilte fish. I wonder what the Obama's think of it. This gathering really sounds like the best Passover seders have to offer.

So perhaps in recognition of what most other Jews (and the Obamas) are doing this week, I made Kosher for Passover brownies. My boys are all ecstatic to have brownies. These brownies don't taste of struggle or matzo, instead they are rich and chocolatey. The first year I made them one of the children at my seder, who is not Jewish and did not comprehend the matzo slight of hand that makes it possible to be so creative at Passover, asked me to teach her mother how to make brownies. Somehow I have lost my original recipe and had to play around and create my own. I was not happy with my first attempt, so I adjusted the recipe and made another half batch. Everyone agrees that the second batch is much better. However I am not worried that the first batch will go uneaten, it just needs to wait its turn.

Passover Brownies

These brownies can be made pareve (can be eaten with a dairy or meat meal) by using Kosher for Passover margarine, and of course you can use Kosher for Passover chocolate as well. My family celebrates Passover more as a way to connect with our ancestors and the rituals and celebrations they engaged in, so I use Callebaut chocolate and butter.

6 ozs bittersweet chocolate (Kosher for Passover if you want, I use Callebaut)

3/4 (1 1/2 sticks) cup butter (if you wish to make this pareve use Kosher for Passover margarine)

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp chocolate extract

3/4 cups matzo cake meal

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a 9" by 13" pyrex pan with butter or margarine and set aside.

Melt butter (or margarine) and chocolate in a heavy pot over very low heat (if you want you can use a double boiler but the butter or margarine will protect the chocolate from the heat). Once the chocolate is all melted and smooth turn off the heat and add the sugar. Stir until well blended. Add the eggs, salt, vanilla optional chocolate extract. Stir in matzo cake meal and nuts if using. Allow to rest for 5 minutes to let the matzo meal soak up some of the batter before spreading in the prepared pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick or cake tester comes out with little or no batter on it.

Spring Celery

According to the calendar it is now spring. This time of the year I begin to glare at the white stuff falling from the sky and declare that it is not snow, instead it is "White dust." I also begin to have trouble cooking locally and in season. My taste buds have declared they will have nothing more to do with apples, and so have my boys. I was talking with a mom friend while our children had a play date the other day and we compared notes on our recent abandon in the grocery store. She bought grapes from Chile and I bought strawberries.

In addition my winter CSA is over but the summer one has not yet begun. The stores all try to push the season of spring in the produce aisle by having asparagus on sale. However I have stayed away from the woody looking asparagus from across the country. Come May and June we will eat so much asparagus that we will get tired of it, so I can wait.

However I still want a light flavorful spring vegetable. One that is easy to prepare, tastes like spring and can be served as a side dish at Passover and Easter. When planning this years Passover menu I discovered a recipe for sweet and sour celery. In all honesty I probably would have ignored it if Ruth Reichl had not mentioned it in her letter from the editor. I like a reason to try a new recipe and her description of visiting the test kitchen to steal pieces of the celery and its flavor sold me.

The recipe is really very simple, there are only 6 ingredients if you don't count pepper and salt, 5 if you don't count water either. However the slow gentle cooking mellows the celery, making it tender while the honey and lemon make it brightly flavored and comforting. I loved it so much for Passover I made it again 3 nights later when we were invited over to a friends for Easter. Sebastian had 3 helpings on Passover, along with his weight in brisket and several helpings on Easter.

Spring Celery

Gourmet April 2009

3/4 cups water

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Tbsp mild honey (use the same spoon you measured the oil with)

3/4 tsp kosher salt

3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 pounds celery (from 2 - 3 bunches) outer ribs that are tough and darker green peeled, cut in to 2 inch lengths and then in half lengthwise if wide.

1 cup coarsely chopped inner celery leaves

1/4 cup finely chopped flat italian parsley

Trace the lid of a wide heavy pot that is 6 to 8 quarts on parchment paper. Cut out the parchment round and set aside. I used my 7 1/4 qt round Le Creuset Dutch Oven on Easter and my aunts 6 3/4 qt oval french oven on Passover.

Combine water, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in pan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the honey is dissolved. Add the celery and stir so it is all coated with the braising liquid. wet the parchment paper, crumple it up, open it and then place on top of the celery. Cook over medium low heat just below a simmer until the celery is tender, 30 - 45 minutes. Remove the celery to a serving bowl and continue to cook the liquid over medium high heat until it reduces to approximately 3/4 of a cup. Pour reduced liquid over the celery and sprinkle the parsley and celery leaves on. Serve hot or at room temperature.

On Passover I cooked the celery for 45 minutes, on Easter I was running late so I cooked it for 30 minutes. It was wonderful both ways.