For Passover, the holiday of springtime, it is customary to showcase vegetables, especially green ones, on the menu. This year we’re preparing an aromatic broccoli and cauliflower tajine and a variety of salads, including a colorful green salad with papaya and pecans.
Wheat flour is strictly forbidden during this eight-day holiday, which begins Saturday, April 12. In many households, like those of our families when we were growing up, noodles, rice and other grains are also not allowed. Today, however, there are kosher for Passover alternatives to grains.
Instead of rice, we use quinoa, a grain-like seed that’s permitted during the holiday, or hearts of palm rice, which is derived from a vegetable. Shirataki noodles, made from the flour of konjac, a root vegetable, offer a satisfying alternative to traditional wheat noodles and are very low in carbohydrates and calories.
Some of our favorite Passover desserts are no-cook sweets like our date and chocolate balls. For a light finale to the Passover Seder dinner, we enjoy a refreshing treat such as a hibiscus and chia seed pudding with sour cherry preserves.
Green Salad with Papaya and Pecans
Make this lively salad with sweet cocktail grapefruit when it’s available. The Italian-style dressing is based on a recipe in “Olive Oil for Dummies” by Amy Riolo and Simon Poole.
Yield: 2 or 3 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 to 5 cups romaine, torn in bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups papaya cubes
1/2 cup jicama sticks
3 mini cucumbers, diced
Pinch of pico de gallo seasoning (chile salt)
1 cocktail grapefruit or other small grapefruit, divided in segments
1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted if desired
DIRECTIONS
1. For dressing: Whisk olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. For salad: Combine romaine with half the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning.
3. Top romaine with papaya, jicama and cucumber pieces and with rest of dressing. Sprinkle papaya and vegetables with pico de gallo seasoning. Add grapefruit segments and pecans and serve.
Beet, Apple and Walnut Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing
I dress this salad, which is based on a recipe in “Melissa’s Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce” by Cathy Thomas, with lemony tahini and Greek yogurt instead of blue cheese dressing. For the best flavor, make the salad with freshly toasted walnuts.
Yield: 2 or 3 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice (divided)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon tahini (see Note)
1 small shallot, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 crisp unpeeled red-skinned apple, cut in thin wedges
4 cups coarsely chopped romaine
4 cooked baby beets, cut in bite-size cubes
1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (see Tip)
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
DIRECTIONS
1. Dressing: Reserve 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil for flavoring lettuce.
2. Combine remaining lemon juice, remaining olive oil, yogurt, tahini, and shallot in a small bowl. Whisk until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Set aside 7 or 8 apple wedges for garnish. Dice remaining apple.
4. In a medium bowl toss romaine with reserved lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
5. In another bowl combine beets, diced apple, half of walnuts and half of parsley. Stir in tahini dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spoon mixture on top of romaine. Garnish edges of mixture with apple slices. Top beet mixture with remaining walnuts and parsley.
Tip: Toast walnuts on a baking sheet at 300 degrees for 5 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove to a plate.
Note: If your family avoids sesame on Passover, omit the tahini.
Exotic Mushrooms Bourguignon with Garlic Whipped Potatoes
Use any selection of mushrooms you like in this dish. It is based on a recipe in “The Vegan Blueprints” by Chef Eileen Elizabeth.
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
12 ounces exotic mushrooms such as shiitake, chanterelles, lion’s mane or oyster mushrooms, cut in bite-size pieces
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil (divided)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 medium-size yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
3 medium or large carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced (divided)
8 ounces thin-skinned small tomatoes, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons dry red wine (optional)
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon potato starch
1 teaspoon dried thyme, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, or to taste
3 to 4 tablespoons plant-based milk (optional)
Chopped chives or Italian parsley (optional garnish)
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Toss mushrooms with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast on a baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned.
2. Meanwhile, cover potatoes with water in a medium-large saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until very tender. Remove from water, rinse briefly and let cool enough to handle.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add carrots, onion and 4 minced garlic cloves. Saute for 7 minutes or until onion pieces are translucent. Stir in tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes until sauce thickens. Stir in broth and wine and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
4. Stir water into potato starch in a small bowl. Whisk to blend well. Slowly whisk this slurry into the sauce. Add thyme and oregano.
5. Add roasted mushrooms to sauce. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, over low heat until mushrooms are very tender and sauce is well flavored. Adjust seasoning.
6. Peel potatoes. Mash with a potato masher, adding remaining minced garlic clove, 1 to 2 tablespoons oil, and milk to adjust consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Serve mushrooms in their sauce on or alongside mashed potatoes. Sprinkle mushrooms with chives.
Cauliflower-Broccoli Tajine with Hearts of Palm Rice
Bold flavors popular in Morocco — ginger, garlic, saffron, cumin and other spices, as well as lemon pieces — simmer with the broccoli, cauliflower and sweet potato. The recipe is adapted from “The Heart Healthy Plant-Based Cookbook” by Dr. Jenneffer Pulapaka and Chef Hari Pulapaka.
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 cups cauliflower florets
3 cups broccoli florets
1 medium onion, sliced
1 sweet potato (about 1/2 pound), peeled and cut in large dice
2 lemons, quartered, seeds removed
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
4 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced into slivers
1 tablespoon ground cumin, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
Pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons warm water for 20 minutes
2 cups vegetable stock, more if needed
9-ounce package hearts of palm rice
1/2 cup chopped parsley, cilantro or a mixture of both
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roast cauliflower and broccoli florets on a baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add onion and sweet potato to baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes until they soften slightly. Transfer them to a stew pan.
3. Add lemon quarters to stew pan along with ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander and cinnamon. Stir over low heat for 1 minute.
4. Add roasted cauliflower and broccoli to pan. Add bay leaves, saffron and its liquid, and enough vegetable stock to barely cover sweet potato cubes. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat 15 to 18 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let stand for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves.
5. To serve, prepare hearts of palm rice. Serve vegetables over it. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and cilantro.
Shirataki Spaghetti with Shiitake Mushrooms and Asparagus
Shirataki spaghetti — Japanese noodles made from root of the konnyaku or konjac plant — can be used on Passover because they are made without grains. We flavor the noodles with Asian seasonings — sesame oil, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and white pepper. You can find kosher for Passover soy-style sauce and hoisin sauce at kosher markets.
Yield: 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch asparagus (about 3/4 pound)
1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, quartered, tender stems trimmed and halved lengthwise
3 to 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 eight-ounce packages shirataki spaghetti
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil or avocado oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce, or to taste (optional)
White pepper to taste
Green of green onion, chopped (optional garnish)
DIRECTIONS
1. Cut upper two thirds of each asparagus spear in 2 or 3 pieces. (Discard tough bases or use in vegetable stock.)
2. Put asparagus pieces in a roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 or 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast for 4 to 6 minutes. Stir and roast for 4 to 6 more minutes or until just tender. Remove from roasting pan.
3. Add shiitake mushroom pieces to pan. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, then with salt and pepper. Roast for 5 minutes. Stir, drizzle with another 1 teaspoon olive oil and roast for 5 more minutes or until tender and lightly browned.
4. Prepare shirataki spaghetti according to package directions. Drain well. Add sesame oil, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and white pepper.
5. Transfer spaghetti to a platter. Top with mushrooms and asparagus. Garnish with green onion.
Chocolate Date Balls
Vary the nuts and dried fruit to your taste when making these fun treats; but bear in mind that, in addition to adding pleasing sweetness, the dates help hold the ingredients together. The recipe is from “The Vegan Blueprints” by Chef Eileen Elizabeth.
Yield: 12 date balls
1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup pistachios
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup almond butter
DIRECTIONS
1. Cut dates in small pieces. Chop in a food processor. Add chocolate chips and process together. Let stand for 3 or 4 minutes so the chocolate softens and begins to blend into the dates.
2. Add almonds and process until chopped fine. Add pistachios, followed by dried cranberries and pine nuts. Chop until all ingredients are in small pieces.
3. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Mix ingredients by hand. Add almond butter and mix well.
4. Roll mixture in golf-ball size or smaller balls, using about 1 tablespoon for each one. Refrigerate them for 30 minutes so chocolate will harden. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Hibiscus Chia Seed Pudding with Cherry Preserves
This bright-red pudding spiced with ginger root and turmeric root makes a light, healthy dessert or breakfast treat that’s easy to prepare and needs no cooking. Make hibiscus tea from a tea bag or from soaked dried hibiscus flowers.
Yield: 2 servings
3 tablespoons chia seeds
3/4 cup hibiscus herbal tea, cool
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger root
1/2 teaspoon finely grated turmeric root
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or dried coconut
4 teaspoons sour cherry preserves or jam
1. Spoon chia seeds into a small bowl. Pour tea over them and whisk to blend. Add ginger and turmeric. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until pudding thickens, whisking from time to time.
2. To serve, divide pudding between two small serving bowls. Top each serving with yogurt or coconut, then with sour cherry preserves.
Faye Levy is the author of 1,000 Jewish Recipes.