Jewish Passover

Passover or Pessah
Passover focuses on Jewish identity and its transmission from one generation to the next. It is an occasion for a family reunion, and those away from home or living on their own are offered hospitality. The week-long festival begins in the evening with one of the most popular of all Jewish ceremonies: the Seder meal, which preserves features of a Greco-Roman banquet. All formal Jewish meals begin with blessings for wine and bread and for the day itself, but the Seder ritual is especially elaborate: the recitation of the biblical story of the exodus from Egypt is interwoven with meditations on the themes of liberty and rescue and with songs of praise to God. Because Passover is concerned with the continuity of generations, children play a leading role in the ceremony. It is the youngest present who traditionally begins the proceedings by asking the leading question ”Why is this night different from all other nights?” What follows, the narrative of the exodus, is the reply to this enquiry. Then symbolic ritual food are served. A roast lamb’s bone and egg are offered for the paschal sacrifice, matzoh as a reminder of the haste with which the Israelites were forced to leave Egypt and horseradish or other bitter herbs as a reminder of their sufferings. Last but not least is kosher wine, which will be certified for Passover use. The evening concludes with some popular songs which help to hold the children’s interest to the very end.

Fish Beleha

  • 1 kilo hake, filleted, reserve head 
  • 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp cumin, 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • Eggs, as needed, oil, 5 garlic cloves
  • 2 celery sticks, cut into large pieces
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste, juice of 3 lemons, 2 cups water

Process fish fillets in a food processor until it forms a paste.
Add 1 tbsp each of spices and the breadcrumbs then add 1 egg at a time as needed to form a malleable mixture.
Shape a mixture into a roulade and panfry in a lightly oiled hot sauté pan.
Turn roulade to brown on all sides then remove from heat.
Panfry garlic cloves in the same pan.
In a second lightly oiled sauté pan, place the fish roulade and the garlic, then add the fish head, celery, tomato paste, lemon juice, the remaining 1 tsp of spices, and water.
Simmer over low heat turning the roulade often to cook evenly on all sides.

Defin Potatoes

  • I kg new potatoes
  • 4 eggs
  • Onion peel
  • Salt, pepper to taste
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • Water, enough to cover ingredients

Place potatoes, eggs, onion peel, salt and pepper, oil and water in a pot.
Simmer over very low heat overnight. ( eggs will take on a brown color due to onion peel. )

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah, which means head of the New Year, has traditionally been regarded as the first day of creation. The ceremony lasts ten days of repentance, beginning with Rosh Hashanah (New Year) and culminating in Kippur (Atonement). In English they are called High Holy Days, and in Hebrew the Awesome Days (Yamin Nora’im). Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first day of Trisheit, the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, as a day of rest. Activities prohibited on Shabbat are also prohibited on Rosh Hashanah. The sounding of the Shofar (ram horn) on Rosh Hashanah is a religious obligation and is intended to awaken the listener from his or her slumber and alert them to the coming judgment. The traditional Jewish greeting on that day is Shana Tova. Rosh Hashanah meals often include apples and honey to symbolize a sweet new year. Various other foods with a symbolic meaning may be served depending on local custom, such as tongue and other meats from the head of an animal to symbolize the head of the year, as well as dates, black-eyed beans, leeks, spinach, and gourd. Pomegranates are used in many traditions.

Leek Ragout

  • 1 kg. osso buco
  • Oil         
  • 2 kg leeks, washed and dried
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 5 tomatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 8 new potatoes

Panfry osso buco in a lightly oiled hot heavy sautee pan until browned on both sides.
Remove from pan.
Tie every 3 leeks with a string and pan fry in the same pan until golden.
Add turmeric, salt, pepper and tomatoes into skillet then place osso buco on top.
Cover pan and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Add new potatoes and cover again and continue to simmer until potatoes are soft and osso buco is falling off the bone.