In the past on Passover, I’ve served the traditional sweet and sour brisket and a variety of chicken dishes, including one from the Mexican Jewish cook Pati Jinich, which has tamarind, apricots and chipotle (superb!). But, this year the first Seder will be a small event at my house as we are going to a big second Seder at our Temple. Finally, we can all gather after Covid!
This year I thought I’d lighten things up a bit, no heavy brisket, no rich chicken dish. I’ll save those for the fall, for Rosh Hashanah. But no matter what I serve this year, the one non-negotiable for the Passover meal is Matzo ball soup. I’m using Joan Nathan’s recipe for the soup and pretty much for the whole meal. She’s the doyenne of Jewish cooking. You can find her Matzo ball soup recipe in the NYT Recipe Section. The ginger in the matzo balls is a revelation. If you can get schmaltz, do so. It really takes your matzo balls up a notch. Another thing, make your own broth; chicken necks are essential. I’m serious.
So, here’s what I’ll be serving—
Joan Nathan’s Chicken Soup with Ginger Matzo Balls
Sea Bass with Cherry Tomatoes, Capers and Pine Nuts (from Joan Nathan’s memoir My Life with Recipes)
Golden turmeric rice with garlic (yes, we can eat rice on Passover now. Yay!) This looks beautiful on the plate with the fish and tomatoes.
The tiniest haricots vert I can find.
And for the grand finale, this dessert:
Passover Pecan Lemon Torte with Lemon Curd Filling LEARN MORE