My Vegetarian Recipe of the Day

I belong to a CSA. Basically, what that means is we get seasonal produce from a local farm. So, sometimes we get things that I wouldn’t necessarily have bought at the grocery store. One of the vegetables that I wouldn’t have picked out but that I’ve grown quite fond of is swiss chard. I like it in frittatas, in particular. But recently I was looking for something new to do with my latest batch of swiss chard, and I came across a recipe for swiss chard pancakes. I haven’t tried it out yet, but it does contain matzoh, so we may be eating them during Passover. In case you’re feeling adventurous, I thought I’d pass along the recipe, so hear it is— courtesy of Epicurious.

Swiss Chard Pancakes

2 bunches Swiss chard, stems cut away, leaves rinsed, chopped
4 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup unsalted matzo meal
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

5 tablespoons (about) olive oil
Lemon wedges

Stir chard with any water still clinging to leaves in large pot over medium-high heat until just wilted but still green, about 3 minutes. Place in sieve; press out moisture. Cool completely.
Combine eggs, onion, matzo meal, cinnamon, salt, allspice and pepper in medium bowl; blend well. Mix in chard.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Place baking sheet in oven. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop heaping 1 tablespoon Swiss chard mixture for each pancake into skillet; flatten to 1/2-inch thickness. Fry pancakes until golden brown and cooked through, adding more olive oil to skillet as necessary, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pancakes to baking sheet in oven to keep warm after each batch. Serve pancakes warm with lemon wedges.

Serves 4 to 6.

I think this is the most delicious chocolate cake ever (hence, the name). This Passover version is adapted from a recipe called “Drop-Dead Chocolate Cake” from a cookbook by Karen Lee titled “The Occasional Vegetarian”. It’s a great cookbook and a wonderful recipe. I’ve adapted it for Passover here.

The Most Delicious Chocolate Cake Ever

Cocoa powder
8 1/2 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 c., plus 1 T. sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 large eggs
2 1/2 T. potato starch

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter and sprinkle cocoa powder into an 8-inch springform pan. (The pan should have sided at least 2 inches high.) Tap out any cocoa that doesn’t adhere.

In a double boiler, heat the chocolate and sugar until the chocolate melts. (I have done this without the double boiler, just keep the heat on very low and really watch it, so you don’t scorch the chocolate.) Add the butter gradually, stirring until the butter is incorporated. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Separate the eggs. Set the whites aside.

Beat the yolks into the cooled chocolate mixture until combined (you really do want to make sure it is cool, or you’ll end up with little bits of scrambled eggs— eww). Add the potato starch and stir well.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan on the middle rack in the oven and bake until the cake has risen and the crust is beginning to crack, about 45 minutes. The inside of the cake will be soft and have a slightly puddinglike consistency. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool before unmolding. (The cake is supposed to fall, so don’t be dismayed when the center sinks in.) Serve at room temperature. Excellent with whipped cream or ice cream and berries.

I really like matzoh brie. I’m happy with it with eggs, but not everyone eats eggs, so I’m including this recipe that I read on the Vegetarians in Paradise website. I think you could also add a bit of tofu to this, if you wanted.

Veggie Matzoh Brie

4 pieces whole wheat matzoh, broken into coarse pieces
Hot water
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. water
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 pound (225 g) sliced cremini or button mushrooms
1/4 C. (60 ml) raw walnuts, coarsely ground

Salt and pepper to taste

Break matzoh into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks and put them into a deep bowl. Pour in hot water to cover, and soak matzoh about 1 minute. Pour off water, draining well, and set aside.
Put the olive oil and water into a large, deep skillet. Then, add remaining ingredients, including the soaked matzoh. Sauté over high heat, stirring frequently, about 2 to 4 minutes, just until onions become translucent.
Season with salt and pepper, and serve. Makes about 3 to 4 servings.

As far as my kids are concerned, no Passover would be complete with matzoh meal pancakes (boubalech). They’d like me to make them all year round. They are really tasty— light and airy, they almost melt in your mouth. We serve them with syrup. But you can serve with kosher for passover powdered sugar, preserves, or just with a bit of butter.

This recipe is based on the recipe from the Manichewitz matza-meal box.

Matzoh meal pancakes (boubalech)

2 eggs, separated
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup matza meal
1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tablespoons sugar (also okay without)

Add the water to the egg yolks. Beat lightly and add dry
ingredients, mixing well. Refrigerate until well chilled
(recommend preparing in evening, to have ready for breakfast).

Beat whites to stiff peaks. Fold into prepared mixture. (If
the matza meal you’re using is coarse, the batter may be too
runny; add more matza meal, a tablespoon at a time, until
of correct consistency.)

Pour oil into frypan to cover surface. Ladle batter into
pan; approximately a cooking-spoon full (I use a 1/3-cup
measure). Fry until golden brown on each side. Avoid turning
more than once.

Enjoy with your favorite pancake topping.

Epicurious recently had a matzoh ball contest. The winner was a vegetarian recipe. I’m happy to include it here, and I’ll be happy to include it at my seder, too

Battle of the Matzoh Balls Vegetarian Winner

4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons white onion, grated
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup matzoh meal
7 cups vegetable stock
Additional stock for serving

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt, cayenne pepper, onion, and butter. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the matzoh meal in several additions. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour.
In a large pot, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Moisten hands with cold water and roll the matzoh mixture into 3/4 inch balls. After all the balls are formed, drop them into the boiling stock. Return to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Serve warm in vegetable stock.

Note: The matzoh balls can be served in the same stock they were cooked in, but the soup will be cloudy. If you do use separate stock for serving, you can cook vegetables such as carrots or parsnips in it and serve them with the soup.

Makes about 20 medium-sized matzoh balls.

I haven’t tried this one yet, but it’s on the list for a dessert/snack/goodie for this year. It just sounds delicious, and the name is irresistable— MY TRADEMARK, MOST REQUESTED, ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT CARAMEL MATZOH CRUNCH. Yum. I got this recipe from A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking by Marcy Goldman.

4-6 unsalted matzohs
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or unsalted Passover margarine
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate (preferably fair trade)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large (or two smaller) cookie sheet completely with foil. Cover the bottom of the sheet with baking parchment — on top of the foil. This is very important since the mixture becomes sticky during baking.
Line the bottom of the cookie sheet evenly with the matzohs, cutting extra pieces, as required, to fit any spaces.

In a 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter or margarine and the brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil (about 2 to 4 minutes). Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour over the matzoh, covering completely.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350°. Bake for 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure the mixture is not burning (if it seems to be browning too quickly, remove the pan from the oven, lower the heat to 325°, and replace the pan).

Remove from the oven and sprinkle immediately with the chopped chocolate or chips. Let stand for 5 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate over the matzoh. While still warm, break into squares or odd shapes. Chill, still in the pan, in the freezer until set.

This makes a good gift.

Variation:
You can also use coarsely chopped white chocolate (or a combination of white and dark), and chopped or slivered toasted almonds (sprinkled on top as the chocolate sets). You can also omit the chocolate for a caramel-alone buttercrunch.

This is a standby of mine for a vegetarian Thanksgiving, as well. I’ve adapted the recipe to make it appropriate for Passover.

Adapted from Pat Stockett’s “The Thanksgiving Book”

This hearty vegetarian standard takes the place of roast
turkey at White Cloud Inn, in the Pocono Mountains of
Pennsylvania.

WHITE CLOUD INN BAKED NUT LOAF adapted for Passover

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 Tbs olive oil
1 cup each walnuts and cashews
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup matzoh meal
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1 1/4 tsp onion powder
2/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 375. Saute onion and celery in oil. Put all other ingredients in food processor and process until slightly chunky. You don’t want it to be completely pureed. Mix processed ingredients with sauted vegetables and then put all ingredients into a greased 9×9 baking dish and bake until just firm and slightly brown on top, about 35-40 minutes.

Serve with your favorite kosher for Passover sauce or gravy. The Inn uses a mushroom sauce, but the dish is also good with a tomato sauce or onion gravy. Yield: 5 to 6 servings.

I love this kugel. As a matter of fact, it’s one of my favorites all year round. But at Passover, it’s especially nice, as Passover food can sometimes get a bit, um, boring… This is especially good for serving at your seder or for the Sabbath meal that falls during Passover.

Vegetable kugel

3 large zuchinni
3 large carrots
2 baking potatoes
1 large onion
4 eggs, whisked together
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
20 grinds black pepper
1/2 c. oil (use one that is kosher for Passover)
3/4 c. matzoh meal

Select an oven-to-table dish measuring approximately 10×8 x 2 inches deep
or use an oval gratin dish about 11-12 inches long. I have used a 9×13 pan, but I don’t think it’s the best option.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Cut the ends of the zuchinni and carrots, peel all the vegetables (except
the zuchinni), then grate on the finest disc of the food processor (or
grate by hand) and mix together in a bowl. (You don’t have to use the finest disc on the food processor. If you use the regular grating disc, it will be slightly more rustic. I kind of like it better that way, but the finer grating will be more traditional.)

In a very large bowl, whisk the eggs and seasonings until fluffy, then stir
in the oil and meal, followed by the vegetables. Mix very
thoroughly, then pour into the dish and smooth level. Bake for 1 to 1-1/4
hours or until a rich golden brown.

I’ll be adding some more comfort foods later, but right now I’m a bit distracted by different culinary demands in our lives.

In our family, we celebrate Passover. Passover can be a bit tricky if you’re vegetarian. No roast chicken or brisket at the seder, obviously. So, what do you serve? Leading up to Passover, I’ll be printing some recipes that are appropriate for Passover. Since we don’t follow orthodox halacha when it comes to kosher for Passover, make sure you check with your rabbi if you have questions about whether something listed would be allowed. We do tend to follow Sephardic custom, which allows rice, beans, and corn.

If you don’t observe Passover, don’t worry! Many of these recipes are delicious anytime.