Delicious Menu for the Seder

I love the bold and fabulous flavors of these recipes. By the time we get to the meal, I’m ready for some great dishes that delight my palate. Of course, these recipes are not just for Seder night but are also great for any Yom Tov meal. Make sure to serve the brisket with lots of pan juices to drizzle all over the mashed potatoes. The dessert is perfect because it’s light and refreshing not to mention beautiful too.

Moroccan Salmon

Makes 8 servings

• 3 red bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
• 8 cloves garlic
• 2 cups chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• ¼ cup kalamata olives
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 8 (5-ounce) fillets boneless, skinless salmon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine bell peppers, jalapeños, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until chunky. Add 1 cup of the cilantro and pulse to incorporate. Season with salt and set aside.

Heat oil and lemon juice in a large skillet over medium. Add remaining 1 cup cilantro, olives, and tomatoes and cook 30 seconds. Add reserved pepper puree. Cook 2 minutes and remove from heat.

Place salmon in a 9x13 oven-safe pan. Pour prepared sauce over salmon. Bake for 18 – 22 minutes. To serve, place salmon on platter and spoon sauce over and around the fish.

Olive Oil and Garlic Whipped Potatoes

Makes 8 servings

Roasted Garlic:

• 1 large head garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Potatoes:

• 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (Yukon Gold potatoes work well or red potatoes with skins on)
• 1 cup olive oil, divided
• ½ cup non-dairy creamer
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

To prepare the garlic: Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the top off the head of the garlic, exposing the cloves. Place a large piece of aluminum foil under and around the garlic head. Drizzle olive oil over the garlic, allowing the oil to cover the garlic completely. Wrap tightly with the foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove from oven to cool. When cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic out of skins and mash into a pulp. Set aside.

To prepare the potatoes: Place potatoes in a large stockpot; add enough water to cover and salt well. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain potatoes; transfer to a large bowl. Using a potato masher, mash potatoes until chunky. Do not over mix or they will become gummy and dense.

Add reserved roasted garlic, ¾ cup of the olive oil, non-dairy creamer, salt, nutmeg, and pepper to mashed potatoes; mash or beat slowly with an electric mixer to desired consistency.  Drizzle with olive oil; stir in chopped chives.

Serve warm.

Stewed Mushrooms

Makes 8 servings

• ½ cup (1 stick) margarine
• 3 tablespoons potato starch
• 3 pounds button mushrooms
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Passover soy sauce or white horseradish
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Melt margarine over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add potato starch and stir to blend; cook 2 minutes, stirring. Add mushrooms, wine, broth, onion, garlic, and Passover soy sauce/horseradish. Cook until mushrooms are tender and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.

Transfer mushrooms to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon

Serves 8

• 2 lbs. asparagus, washed and trimmed (white or green)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large, low-sided roasting pan, place asparagus in a single layer. Drizzle with oil and garlic. Toss well.

Roast for 12 – 14 minutes (depending on thickness of asparagus and color, white takes longer, and thin asparagus might be cooked through with only 7 minutes cooking time). Remove from oven. Sprinkle lemon zest, juice, salt, pepper and parsley over asparagus.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Savory and Sweet Cola Brisket

Serves 10

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) brisket
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups low-sodium broth or water
• 1 cup cola (regular not diet)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small dish, mix together the brown sugar, garlic, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Rub the mixture generously and evenly over the brisket.

In a large roasting pan or Dutch oven, place the chopped onions on the bottom of the pan. Top with the brisket. Pour broth, and cola on top of and around brisket. Cover tightly, and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Cool and slice thinly. Return to pan juices. Rewarm covered. Serve brisket with sauces.

Lemon Mousse with Berries

Serves 8

• 1 tablespoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest or lemon zest
• ½ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice or fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted margarine, cut into pieces, divided
• ½ cup sugar, divided
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup chilled pareve cream
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Meyer Lemon Mousse

Bring lemon zest and juice, ¼ cup margarine, and ¼ cup sugar to a simmer over medium heat in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat.

Whisk egg yolks, egg, and remaining ¼ cup sugar in a small bowl until pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot lemon mixture into egg mixture. Transfer back to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened and whisk leaves a trail, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining ¼ cup margarine, whisking until melted and curd is smooth.

Transfer curd to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto surface. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, whip cream in a small bowl to soft peaks and gently fold into curd.

In a medium bowl, stir strawberries and blueberries with sugar and balsamic vinegar. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.

To serve: Place lemon curd in decorative bowls. Spoon berries and sauce over mousse.

Do Ahead: Lemon curd can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.