Charoset is one part of the Passover seder, and it comes in different forms that might look similar to fruit and nut relish, a thick spread, or a pliable sweet truffle like you see here. Its name come from the Hebrew word for “clay,” and it’s meant to recall the mortar Jews used to construct the Egyptian pharaoh’s buildings.
Along with fruit and nuts, charoset is made with spices, wine or fruit juice and often a binder like honey. Ingredients depend on what’s abundant in the area where it’s made, like this Moroccan-inspired version that relies on dates and other dried fruit.
Ingredients
¾ – 1 cup Turkish dried apricots, cut into ¼’s
6 – 9 dates, pitted and crowns removed, roughly chopped
¼ cup golden raisins
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup almonds and shelled pistachios, mixed
2-4 Tbsp raw honey
2-3 Tbsp grape juice, kosher wine or pomegranate molasses (reserve for end)
Optional: Additional finely ground almond flour or shredded coconut, for rolling balls in
Directions
Make sure there are no crowns/pits/stems in dried fruit.
Pre-chop nuts in food processor so they’re close to the size you’d like. Remove from food processor and set aside. Separate and save any dust/crumbs for rolling the balls in.
Add dried fruit, cinnamon, honey to food processor. Blend everything together completely. If texture is too thick, add grape juice/wine/pomegranate molasses, to thin it out.
Add chopped nuts (minus dust) back into food processor along with fruit mixture. Pulse several times to incorporate into fruit mixture but not chop nut pieces too much smaller.
Roll mixture into balls about 1” inch diameter. Roll these in reserved nut dust, as well as additional ground almond flour and/or shredded coconut as desired.
Store in a cool place in a tightly sealed container.
Muhammara is a Middle Eastern walnut and roasted red pepper dip that’s all sorts of savory, sweet, slightly smoky, and just enough spicy! It’s like romesco sauce.
This recipe is easy to make, and you can make it even easier if you use roasted red peppers from a jar. Serve with warm pita as part of a Mezze platter, top your grilled fish or chicken or spread it on your sandwiches.
Ingredients
2 red bell peppers
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 oz walnuts, toasted
1 garlic clove roughly chopped
2 ½ Tbsp tomato paste
¾ cup breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp Aleppo pepper, or 2/3 tsp sweet paprika and 1/3 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp sumac
½ tsp salt
Additional pinches cayenne pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°. Line an edged sheet pan with parchment paper.
Brush bell peppers with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Place on sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes or so, turning them over 1-2 times.
Remove peppers from oven and place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for a few minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel peppers and remove seeds. Slice peppers into small strips.
In a large food processor, combine the roasted red pepper strips with 3 Tbsp olive oil, garlic, walnuts, tomato paste, breadcrumbs, pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper, sugar, sumac and salt. Blend into a smooth paste. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Can refrigerate for several days, bring to room temperature before serving.
When ready to serve, top the dip with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with a little more walnuts and fresh parsley, if you like. Serve with pita bread or pita chips. Enjoy!
Napa Cabbage Salad with Asian Pears and Red Pepper Ginger-Miso Dressing
4 servings
Looking for a salad that’ll be a hit at the next potluck, barbeque or picnic? It’s fresh and packed with flavor, with a great variety of ingredients so each forkful is a refreshing, fun combo. Add cold rice noodles, shredded rotisserie chicken, tofu cubes…and you’ve got a main dish. Just wait to dress it until you get where you’re going and you’re all set.
The dressing is a keeper. Great for dipping veggies, or just licking off your fingers!
Ingredients
6 cups chopped Napa Cabbage
1 bunch scallions, sliced into rounds
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup toasted almonds, chopped
2 cups thinly sliced Asian pears – Asian is best, but bosc pears are also good
Leaves from 1 bunch cilantro, picked
Dressing:
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded/chopped
¼ cup tahini, or hulled white sesame seeds
¼ cup water
1-2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp Tamari
2 Tbsp light miso
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp peeled, minced ginger
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ to ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, depending on how thick you want dressing
Salt to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper
Directions
Toss together in a bowl: Napa cabbage, scallions, carrot, pear and cilantro.
Prepare dressing: Put celery, bell pepper, tahini/sesame seeds, water, garlic, tamari, light miso, ginger, cayenne and lemon juice into a (ideally, high-speed) blender jar. With blender running, slowly pour EVOO through hole in blender lid until desired smooth consistency is reached. Adjust salt to your taste.
Dress salad somewhat lightly, you’ll have extra but you can always add more later! Stir in half of the almonds and scatter the rest on top.
Note: You can prep the ingredients the night before and store them separately, except for the pears since they discolor and don’t taste as good as when you first slice them. Only mix ingredients together when ready to serve.
Cabbage has really been having a moment over these past several years. After 4,000 years of cultivation, you don’t need to be a food anthropologist to see that we are officially in Cabbage 2.0. Where it is a bumbling brassica bowling ball no more!
Roasted cabbage wedges and thickly sliced “steaks” are popular ways to enjoy this newly-trendy veggie, with crispy toasted edges giving way to comforting, savory softness once you cut into it. With that in mind, savor this combo of salty-funky-spicy sauce and crispy, crunchy breadcrumbs or potato chips paired with the latest Cinderella of the veggie world!
1 medium green or savoy cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
½ cup panko breadcrumbs or crushed potato chips
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
½ tsp garlic powder
Salt to taste
1-2 Tbsp chopped parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Line an edged sheet pan with parchment paper. Cut cabbage in half lengthwise, and each half into four wedges, again lengthwise.
Mix 6 Tbsp of butter with miso and gochujang paste. Brush all over cabbage wedges, including the base.
Lay wedges on their sides on prepared sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven and flip wedges over so they’ll cook evenly. Cook another 30 minutes, rotating the wedges’ positions on the pan half-way through if some are cooking faster than others. Wedges should now be charred on the outside and slightly crispy.
While cabbage is roasting, make topping. Melt remaining 2 Tbsp butter in a pan. Add breadcrumbs/crushed potato chips, garlic powder and sesame seeds. Stirring constantly to avoid burning, toast until golden. Remove from pan immediately to stop cooking.
Sprinkle cabbage with crunchy crumb mixture, followed by chopped parsley. Adjust salt level to you liking. Serve.
Topping a combo of veggies with biscuits is sure to please. Change the filling depending on what you’ve got on hand, including a few cups shredded rotisserie chicken in place of cauliflower, etc.
Make it vegan by subbing the dairy ingredients for plant-based versions.
Ingredients
Filling
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 ½ cups veggie broth
1 Tbsp hot sauce (like Cholula)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled/sliced
2 cups butternut squash, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 cups cauliflower florets
¾ lb mushrooms, sliced
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp fresh thyme, minced, or 1 tsp dried
Biscuit Topping
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp granulated sugar
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut in small cubes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup whole milk, plus extra to brush biscuits before baking
Optional: Freshly chopped parsley, for serving
Directions
Prepare Filling:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9” x 13” baking dish. Whisk together veggie broth, cornstarch and hot sauce. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add celery, carrots, butternut squash and cauliflower. Cook/stir 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and tomatoes, stir to combine. Re-whisk cornstarch/broth/hot sauce and add to skillet. Stir in thyme.
Add veggie mixture to prepared baking pan. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.
Prepare Biscuit Topping:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Add butter and blend into flour using a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse meal. Add 1 cup milk, cheddar and thyme, gently storing just until a sticky dough forms. Do not over-mix.
Remove baking dish from oven and foil from dish. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, drop balls of dough on the filling – you should get about 12-14 biscuits. Brush biscuit tops with milk and return to oven, uncovered. Bake until biscuits are golden-brown and filling is bubbly, about 40-45 minutes.
Remove cobbler from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
