What’s Cookin’ For Passover And Repeating History!

Passover is coming, Corona of not, and this year we are repeating history that occurred in Egypt, over 3,000 years ago, somewhat mind blowing really. The very first Seder happened with each family ALONE as they were quarantined in their homes in Egypt! Moses told the Jews not to go out of our houses (sound familiar?) as G-d would actually Pass-over the Jewish homes as he delivered the plague of the firstborn. One of the great Torah commentators from 14th century Spain, the Baal Haturim, discloses that just like the first Seder on the night of the actual redemption from Egypt was performed by each family ALONE in their houses, so too the final redemption will be performed by each family alone in THEIR OWN HOME. Whew! The main message is, make the most of this seder, with just your closest family, as it is truly a special one, despite all the horrors simultaneously playing out around the world.

And so Passover preparations are now in high gear, and all the last minute shopping has been done as the government is enforcing really tight restrictions starting tonight through Friday or Sunday, with the closure of all stores, and no going farther than 100 meters from your home. The point is to limit social gatherings for Passover, to really prevent the spread of Corona.

Sooooo, together with the last minute neatening up of the house, I have started cooking up a storm, as I can cook for the Seder and shabbat, and freeze some more for next week. My pots for Passover are huge, as I’m used to cooking for a crowd, I just have to remember to freeze smaller quantities for our reduced family of 5. Keep on reading to see what I’m cooking, with links to many of the recipes!

We love our traditional foods, so I generally make the same dishes, and here are links to many of them:

I have already prepared:

• Quick Moroccan pickled lemons, but I now cut the pieces much much smaller than in the photo, here
• Moroccan matbucha salad, which is like chutney, here. i made a huge quantity, and it freezes fairly well.
• Passover just isn’t Passover without traditional Moroccan carrot and beet salads, but without the cumin, here. And now I roast the beets in the oven, highly recommended!
• Ah yes and Moroccan Roasted Eggplant salad, again without the cumin, here. 
• Sliced green olives (in a can) with chopped garlic, parsley and very tiny chopped lemon peel and all
• Hard boiled eggs – one for the seder plate and the rest for hungry folks before the holiday
• Whole boiled potatos, one for the seder plate and the rest to eat with hard boiled eggs, a typical Moroccan dish for Passover, mashed potato topped with chopped hard boiled eggs and drizzled with olive oil. Best when potatos are warm, but in a rush cold works too.

In Progress:

• Right now I’m in the process of making my favorite chicken recipe, a recipe from the Bagdadi Jews of India, here.
• Meat with celery and garlic, sorry no recipe, maybe next year! I boil the meat, cool, slice, and then cook on the stovetop in a low pot, on a bed of celery and garlic topped with a mixture of olive oil and tumeric, and some water, but not too much!
• Salmon with honey garlic sauce, made on the stove top, will do that tomorrow
• Gefilte fish, because while everyone else prefers Moroccan fish, husband likes the Ashkenazi fish log, go figure!
• Pesto made with half coriander, half parsley, walnuts and garlic, plus some olive oil.
• Faux Pickled radishes, just sliced and soaked in salted water
• Hot peppers, for Passover they are fried which I would never do during the year……..
• Homemade almond milk, using a nut milk bag set aside just for passover, recipe here.

For Shabbat:

My son will miss his favorite red pepper salad, so I’ll make some on Friday to honor the shabbat! The peppers are roasted right on the gas flame, find the recipe here.

Our Friday night favorite is Moroccan Fish, generally made with talapia or nile perch, recipe here.

Fresh salads of course like this Moroccan fennel bulb classic here,

Really Hoping To Have The Time For:

I have some large glass jars for pickling and will make some fermented veggies, recipe here, hopefully sooner than later as they take about 4 days to ferment, yum!

And For Desert?

This is daughter’s territory fortunately, (and she has all kinds of plans……) plus the family bought enough chocolate spread to feed an army. (This is the one time of the year that we purchase this terribly unhealthy standard Israeli food item, so that my kids would never feel deprived……and boy do they enjoy it on Passover spread thickly on the matza. They even feel sorry for those who eat it all year and can’t enjoy it for Passover!)

Wishing everyone a very Happy Passover! And hoping that the Corona virus will also Pass-over us all and bring a healthy new world full of peace.