The Jewish holiday of Passover begins Friday at sundown. Alexis and Lara will both be celebrating with their families over the weekend, so we’re preparing our seder table for the feast! This week Lara and her wonderful hubby Zack, enjoyed an early Passover meal so we could test out these recipes and give them to you. We’re so excited to share our spread!

LOTSA MATZO BALL SOUP

Makes 8 servings



There’s something so satisfying and comforting about a big bowl of matzo ball soup. Dig your spoon into these Passover dumplings, and feel the warmth!

Ingredients



Soup Base:

Olive oil, 1 Tablespoon



Onion, 1



Garlic, 2 cloves



Carrots, 2 large



Kale, ½ bunch



Vegetable broth, 8 cups



Parsley, for garnish



Matzo Balls:

Matzo meal, 1 ½ cup

Dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon

Dried mustard, 1 teaspoon

Salt, ½ teaspoon

Baking powder, 1 teaspoon

Silken tofu, 16-ounce container

Olive oil, ¼ cup



Directions:



Combine the matzo meal, rosemary, mustard and salt in a blender or food processor, and blend until you create a fine powder. Pour the dry mixture into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Add the tofu and olive oil to the blender or food processor, and blend until fully mixed. Pour the liquid mixture into the mixing bowl, and stir until the dry ingredients are fully integrated (you’ll have to use your hands!). Place this dough in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the soup base. (You can also make the matzo mix ahead of time and refrigerate it.) Produce Prep: Dice the onion. Mince the garlic cloves. Rinse and chop the carrots into ¼-inch rounds. Rinse the kale, and remove the stems from the leaves. Finely chop the kale stems and set them aside with the carrots. Roughly chop the leaves. In a large soup pot, bring the olive oil up to medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, carrots and kale stems. Cook and stir for 5 more minutes. Pour in the vegetable broth, and bring up to high heat until the mixture reaches a low boil. While the soup base is heating up, remove the matzo ball mixture from the fridge and roll into one-inch balls. Once the broth is boiling, carefully drop the matzo balls into the broth. Reduce the heat until it’s on a low simmer. Place a lid over the pot, and provide a small gap between the lid and the pot for some steam to escape. Allow the matzo balls to simmer for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, stir in the kale leaves and cook until it’s just wilted. Serve yourself and your friends big bowls of soup, and top with parsley and/or horseradish.

CHAROSET

Makes 4 cups

This dish is Lara’s absolute favorite of the traditional Passover dishes. Symbolizing the bricks and mortar of the ancient pyramids, charoset is delicious and refreshing - whether it’s served as a side dish or a sweet matzo topping.

Ingredients:



Apples, 2

Lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon

Raw almonds and/or walnuts, ½ cup

Dates, 5

Maple syrup or agave, 1 Tablespoon

Kosher wine, 2 Tablespoons

Cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon

Optional: A pinch of dried ginger, cardamom and ground cloves



Directions:

Rinse and dice the apples. Place the diced apples into a large mixing bowl. Pour the lemon juice over the apples, and stir to combine. (This will keep the apples from browning.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast them for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly brown. While the nuts are toasting, chop the dates into small pieces. Mix them in with the apples. Add the syrup or agave, wine and spices to the bowl. Stir to combine. When the nuts are cool enough to handle, chop them small. Then add them to the apple mixture. Allow the charoset to chill in the refrigerator before serving to soak up all the flavors.

CHOCOLATE MACAROONS

Makes about 20 macaroons



Forgoing leavened cakes and cookies is part of the Passover tradition, but lucky for us, coconut macaroons are a deliciously sweet stand-in for chametz desserts. Here’s our simple version to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Ingredients

Shredded coconut (sweetened), 2 cups



Cocoa powder, 2 Tablespoons



Maple syrup or agave, 1 Tablespoon



Olive oil, 1 Tablespoon



Vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon



Matzo meal, 6 Tablespoons



Optional: pinch of salt and an almond for each macaroon



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the shredded coconut and cocoa powder to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine until the coconut is coated in the cocoa powder. In a small bowl, stir together the syrup or agave, oil, vanilla extract and salt (if you’re using it). Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir together. Then add the matzo meal and mix until combined. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. If you’d like, place an almond in the center of each macaroon. Place the macaroon balls onto a small nonstick or lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the macaroons to prevent burning on the bottom and cook for another 5 minutes. Enjoy with wine (optional, of course) and a fresh orange.

During this time of reflection, “chametz” - foods that are forbidden during the 8 days of Passover - include wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye. We designed meal plans to fit households observing Passover. Let us know if you’re keeping kosher for Passover this week and what your specific limitations are. We’ve got you covered.