Category: Passover

Spaghetti Squash Bolognese


Bolognese is a meat-based sauce for pasta originating in Bologna, Italy. Traditional Bolognese includes a mirepoix of onions, celery and carrots but it can be adapted to suit your taste and dietary needs. In my house, we call Bolognese “smashed meatballs” because that’s what gets my kids to eat it :) I love to make this recipe because unlike meatballs and burgers, this meaty pasta sauce requires no ‘fillers” such as bread crumbs and does not contain any sugar. Serve it up on a bed of spaghetti squash, or, with its traditional accompaniment, tagliatelle pasta.

Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 container mushrooms, sliced
1.5 lbs. extra lean ground beef
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp basil
salt and pepper, to taste
spaghetti squash (click on the link for how to prepare)

Method:
Saute onion and garlic till translucent. Add celery, carrots and mushrooms and continue to saute until golden. Remove from pot. Add ground beef and saute until no longer pink. Drain meat. Return meat and veggies back to the pot and add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer on low for 30 minutes-1 hour.

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Pan Seared Tuna Steak

Years ago, I ordered tuna steak at a restaurant for the first time. I had never eaten it before, so I had no idea what it was supposed to taste like. When the kitchen delivered a bone-dry piece of tuna, I thought that was the way it was meant to taste, and that was it for me. I had no interest in ever eating it again. Fast forward a few years and I was watching an episode of Chopped on the Food Network. They mentioned one of the competitors websites so I checked it out. I happened upon a video of the chef preparing a pan-seared tuna steak and it was the most beautiful piece of fish I had ever seen. The very next day I was off to the fishmonger. I heated up my skillet, and in 5 minutes flat I had the most juicy, mouth-watering piece of fish. I can’t say enough how simply delicious this is. No need for spices, sauces or fancy marinades – just a sprinkle of salt and pepper and you’ll be blown away!

Pan Seared Tuna Steak

1 tuna steak
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Method:

Rinse tuna steak and pat dry on paper towel. Heat up a frying pan over medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle tuna steak with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and add seasoned-side-down to the pan. You should hear it sizzle (if you don’t, your pan is not hot enough). Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper. Sear for 2 minutes and flip, searing the second side for 2 minutes as well. Using tongs, hold the fish on its side and sear all around. Remove from pan and slice into 1/4″ slices. If you like your tuna more well done, continue to cook until desired doneness.

Simple Cabbage Salad

1/2 head cabbage, sliced
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp safflower oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
black sesame seeds
scallions, for garnish

Method:

Slice cabbage into thin strips. Mix with oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and sesame seeds. Garnish with scallions.

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Creamy Pareve Mashed Potatoes

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, what’s a kosher girl to do? Those turkey drippings have got to be sopped up by something. Enter my perfect pareve mashed potatoes – creamy, fluffy and oh so delicious. Traditionally, butter and milk are used to bind the potatoes, while some include sour or cream cheese for added creaminess. With turkey as the main component of Thanksgiving dinner, dairy is not an option. Of course margarine, soy milk and toffuti cream cheese/sour cream can do the trick, but you’ll be left with an overwhelming taste of soy. I know some people who use mayo, but that just doesn’t work for me. Instead, I opt for a healthy dose of olive oil to bind the mixture, while chicken stock stands in as a flavorful creamer. The results are lighter, yet still smooth and delicious (which leaves room for the smorgasbord of calories awaiting you).

Now that you’ve got your mashed potatoes nice and creamy, it’s time to talk about add-ins. When I was growing up, my mother never made mashed potatoes without a side of caramelized onions. Not surprisingly, that’s my go-to every time. Still, there are some other options out there, so go ahead and mix up your favorite version.

– spices: garlic salt, smoked paprika, curry powder, lawry’s seasoned salt
– pepper (some people like to use white pepper so the potatoes don’t have black flecks)
– fresh herbs: oregano, parsley, basil, cilantro, thyme, rosemary
– caramelized onions and/or mushrooms
– roasted garlic cloves
– horseradish or wasabi
– chipotle or poblano chilies
– lemon juice and/or zest
– sundried tomatoes
– pesto or tapenade
– spinach
– chives
– truffle oil
– mustard

Have you got your own version of pareve mashed potatoes that you’d like to share? Tell us about it in the comments below!


Creamy Pareve Mashed Potatoes

4 Idaho potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil (use full-bodied or extra-light depending on your taste)
1/3-1/2 cup vegetable stock (I like Imagine)
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
chives, for garnish

Method:

Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Do you best to keep the pieces the same size so they will cook evenly. Add potatoes to a pot, cover with water and sprinkle with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then lower the flame slightly so that the water maintains a rolling boil. Continue to cook the potatoes until they fall apart when poked with a fork. Pour potatoes into a strainer and drain well. Return potatoes to the pot and turn the flame on low. This will evaporate any leftover water so that the potatoes won’t be mealy. With a potato masher, mash the potatoes well, making sure that no lumps remain. Remove from heat and mix in olive oil, chicken stock, salt and pepper. If needed, add more chicken stock. Mix in your fillers of choice and serve.

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Hasselback Sweet Potatoes


Hassleback potatoes are the Swedish version of a baked potato, and are named for Hasslebacken, the Stockholm restaurant where it was first served. Traditionally, hassleback potatoes are made with white potatoes and are sometimes stuffed with garlic cloves. I came up with this sweeter version, using thin slices of apples, and topping it off with some sweet maple syrup and a sprinkle of brown sugar. The sweet potatoes came out soft on the inside, and crispy on the outside while the apples caramelized and crisped around the edges. With the autumn colors, rustic styling, and sweet taste, hassleback sweet potatoes make the perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving feast!

Hassleback Sweet Potatoes

4 organic sweet potatoes
2 crispy sweet apples, such as honeycrisp
3 tbsp butter or margarine, melted
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
kosher salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub potatoes well and pat dry. Lay them flat on a cutting board and set one chopstick on each side. The chopsticks will ensure that you don’t cut all the way through. Starting from one end, make slits about 1/8″ thick. Peel and core apples and slice very thinly. Place apple slices in between each slit in the potatoes. Brush potatoes with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar. Drizzle with maple syrup and finish with a sprinkle of kosher salt. Bake, uncovered for about 1 hour, until the insides are cooked through and the outsides are crispy. If the apples begin to burn around the edges, and the sweet potatoes are still not soft, cover the pan with foil to prevent more burning.

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Bubby’s Cabbage Soup with Flanken


Succos is one of my most favorite times of year. I love the smell in the air, the breeze in my hair, the fall harvest and the brilliant autumn leaves. The crisp air is the perfect backdrop for this warm, hearty soup. With cabbage, apples, tomatoes, onions and flanken in a sweet tomato broth, this bowl of goodness is sure to be a star at your Yom Tov table. The more you cook this soup, the better and thicker it becomes, so don’t mind rewarming it for several meals!

Bubby’s Cabbage Soup with Flanken

1 medium head of cabbage, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 green apples, peeled and diced or grated
2 soft tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 pieces flanken
2 marrow bones
3 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
7 canfuls of water
1/3 cup sugar, or to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon

Method:

Add all ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for a few hours, until the broth has thickened and the meat has softened.

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