Growing up, Passover was one of those holidays that seemed like an ancient form of torture to a child. The smells of delicious food would hover in the room as you were forced to sit through a lengthy seder in which food played a very minimal role.
Needless to say, as an adult, my friends and I took the full liberty of foregoing the traditional ceremony in favor of eating first and celebrating by way of enjoying some fantastic company. I can’t even tell you how much food we had. Or ate. Oy. I’m still full this morning! Since all of the recipes were so delicious, I couldn’t pick which to share...so you get them all!
Also, a quick note-
Charoset is a traditional apple and nut dish that is used in the Passover ceremony as a symbol of the mortar that the Israelites used to hold bricks together while they were enslaved in Egypt. It plays a fairly prominent role in the Seder. But really, it’s just delicious and worth eating any time of year. Liberally.
Ashkenazic-Style Charoset
3 medium Gala or Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced (food processor works great)
1 1/2 cups walnut halves, lightly toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sweet red wine
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
Moroccan Roasted Carrot Salad with Chard and Parsley
From A Passover Dinner Gets a Mediterranean Makeover
3 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch chunks
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt
1/2 cup olive oil (divided)
2 bunches Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
1 bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, washed and roughly chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 teaspoon honey
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with cumin, paprika, a generous pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of the olive oil (add more if necessary to coat the carrots well). Toss to coat. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are soft and caramelizing on the edges (about 30 minutes). Remove from the oven and place the carrots on a serving dish.
While the carrots are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Place a large bowl of ice water in the sink. Add the chard to the boiling water and cook until tender but still bright green, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chard to the ice water to stop the cooking (this step is optional, but locks in the bright green color).
Drain the chard and pile it on top of the carrots. Top with the parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic and honey. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad, toss to coat, and let sit at room temperature for a few hours to allow flavors to integrate before serving.
Flourless Orange-Almond Cake with Ginger
From A Passover Dinner Gets a Mediterranean Makeover
2 large oranges (or 3 smallish oranges)
2 cups almond meal
1/4 cup candied ginger, minced
1 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons (divided)
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
Dash vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup orange marmalade
Directions
Place the oranges in a pot, and cover with water by a few inches (the oranges will bob around, but that's OK). Simmer until the oranges are totally soft, about 1 hour, turning them occasionally so that all sides are simmered (this will not smell as lovely as you'd think it would). Drain, and let cool.
While the oranges are cooling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
Chop the boiled oranges into large pieces, discarding any seeds. Place the oranges, skin and all, into a food processor, and process until the oranges are finely minced. Add the almond meal, candied ginger and 1/2 cup of the sugar; process until combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and 1/2 cup of the sugar on high speed until light and thick enough to form a ribbon when the mixture falls from the beater (this can take up to 10 minutes). Gently fold in the orange mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake until a tester comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before removing the ring.
Before serving, whip the cream, vanilla and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to medium-soft peaks. Spread the cream over the top of the cake. Stir the marmalade to loosen it up, then spread it over the cream.
3 medium Gala or Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced (food processor works great)
1 1/2 cups walnut halves, lightly toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sweet red wine
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
Directions
In large bowl, stir together all ingredients. Store, covered, at room temperature until ready to serve.
Moroccan Roasted Carrot Salad with Chard and Parsley
From A Passover Dinner Gets a Mediterranean Makeover
3 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch chunks
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt
1/2 cup olive oil (divided)
2 bunches Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
1 bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, washed and roughly chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 teaspoon honey
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with cumin, paprika, a generous pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of the olive oil (add more if necessary to coat the carrots well). Toss to coat. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are soft and caramelizing on the edges (about 30 minutes). Remove from the oven and place the carrots on a serving dish.
While the carrots are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Place a large bowl of ice water in the sink. Add the chard to the boiling water and cook until tender but still bright green, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chard to the ice water to stop the cooking (this step is optional, but locks in the bright green color).
Drain the chard and pile it on top of the carrots. Top with the parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic and honey. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad, toss to coat, and let sit at room temperature for a few hours to allow flavors to integrate before serving.
Flourless Orange-Almond Cake with Ginger
From A Passover Dinner Gets a Mediterranean Makeover
2 large oranges (or 3 smallish oranges)
2 cups almond meal
1/4 cup candied ginger, minced
1 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons (divided)
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
Dash vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup orange marmalade
Directions
Place the oranges in a pot, and cover with water by a few inches (the oranges will bob around, but that's OK). Simmer until the oranges are totally soft, about 1 hour, turning them occasionally so that all sides are simmered (this will not smell as lovely as you'd think it would). Drain, and let cool.
While the oranges are cooling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
Chop the boiled oranges into large pieces, discarding any seeds. Place the oranges, skin and all, into a food processor, and process until the oranges are finely minced. Add the almond meal, candied ginger and 1/2 cup of the sugar; process until combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and 1/2 cup of the sugar on high speed until light and thick enough to form a ribbon when the mixture falls from the beater (this can take up to 10 minutes). Gently fold in the orange mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake until a tester comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before removing the ring.
Before serving, whip the cream, vanilla and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to medium-soft peaks. Spread the cream over the top of the cake. Stir the marmalade to loosen it up, then spread it over the cream.
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