Below you will find the post I originally wrote (in quotes and italics) but due to the Corona virus, things have changed rather drastically for everyone. Many of us are in lockdown and goods we need, like eggs, are harder to find. I’m extremely grateful to the various vendors who’ve delivered food to our door since we are in isolation at the moment and although dear friends have been incredibly kind in pitching in and picking up milk, bread, eggs etc., you don’t want to impose too much.
So, I’m so grateful to the French butcher, fruit and veg guy, makolet (small grocery store) man and egg people. I will do my utmost to produce a beautiful Seder and since thank G-d, we shopped early for meat and chicken, that is available to us.
For you, my friends, I am giving you recipes and understand that not everyone will have access to everything but hope this helps you all to prepare.
“As pretty much everyone feels, the approach of the holiday of Passover/Pesach is fraught with a certain anxiety. Will my house be cleaned in a timely fashion? Will I be able to cook fabulous meals with the Ashkenazi limitations on foods permissible? Will I break the bank on the expensive ingredients I need and last but definitely not least, how many times will I have to shop for this holiday?
Of course, it always is done in time and despite ever mounting anxiety, the Seder table gets set, the house is clean and the food is served, thank G-d! So, I will not give you a rundown on how to clean your house, suffice it to say, my cleaner and I start right after Purim slowly and yet I still feel pressured. DH and I have, however, gotten shopping down to a science.
A week after Purim, we venture forth on our mission, focused like laser beams. We do a general store scan to see what they’ve put out for Pesach and invariably, we see that the first shopping mission is the meat/chix/fish we will purchase. After that, approximately 5 days later, the dry goods have filled the shelves, (and Schmerling chocolates, yay *pump fist*) we dive bomb the shops and we feel calmer and comforted. Fruit & Veg, Dairy and those little things you discover at the last second come later.
Then, I can focus on my menus.
Although I scan the various websites for new ideas, I have many tried and true recipes that the family awaits eagerly, year after year. So, after nearly 38 years of making Pesach at home, I am happy to share some menus. These are more elaborate than my Shabbat menus but hey, it’s the Seder!”
Let me add, if you want to make more complicated things, you can but I’ve tried to include simpler recipes as well so that everyone can grace their table with an attractive array of foods without too much struggle.
May we all have a beautiful, safe and healthy Passover and an uplifting Seder!
Leil Haseder Menu – Traditional
For the full list of recipes scroll below
Leil Haseder Menu – Vegetarian/Light
For the full list of recipes scroll below
Morning Meal Menu
For the full list of recipes scroll below
The Full Recipe List
Layl HaSeder Meal
Homemade Gefilte Fish – plain old fashioned sweetened g. fish. This is a yomtov tradition. This is an older post so I don’t have step by step pics.
Turkey Neck Soup with veggies – even if you are not a big turkey fan, I much
prefer this over chicken for soup. There is no fat to skim off and the
broth is very rich. Also, hide in your kitchen to eat the meat off the bones –
beyond yum
Bellisima Brisket in Wine and Coffee Sauce
This is a succulent and easy meat dish with a long cook time in the oven but it’s passive. Just tightly cover with foil, and wander off till done. Wonderful with mashed potatoes.
Pan Seared Chicken Thighs in Wine and Rosemary
For those without an oven for Pesach, or even those with, a wonderful chicken dish.
Not too heavy, a nice fresh tasting side dish.
A Perennial favorite, a lightly pickled salad, refreshing any time.
Sweet potatoes in Cranberry and Sweet Chili Sauce
A terrific change of pace from regular potatoes, if you can’t get the sweet chili sauce for Passover, you can sub in duck sauce.
a classic, always a favorite.
A nice cool end to your meal.
Pesach Lunch Meal Menu
Savta Norma’s Sweet and Sour Salmon
Good served warm, great served cold, keeps very well and the flavor deepens with each passing day if it lasts that long
Shamefully Fast and Easy Pargiot
boneless, skinless chicken thighs grilled under broiler in oven – quick, easy and delish, if you can’t get the oil spray for Passover, lightly brush with oil on both sides and use a combo of paprika, salt, pepper, cinnamon, tumeric and mix.
Like the brisket, mostly passive cooking. Easy and delicious.
Tangy.
You simply skip the mustard in this recipe but it’s still creamy and tangy, no worries!
Super quick dessert
I Can’t Believe it’s Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Terrific mouthfeel and only 2 eggs!
Vegetarian/Lighter Seder Meal
A change from chicken soup, a vegetarian alternative
Lighter than real chopped liver but equally good.
Multicolored Salad With Sweet Oranges
Pickled or not, as you choose a light and lovely salad.
Moroccan Cooked Olives – Meat or Vegetarian
Truly yummy, very nice served over mashed potatoes
Microwave Hassleback Sweet Potatoes
If you have a microwave for Passover, this is a fab, easy dish.
My SIL Eyal never believes this is a Passover cake. Nuff said.
