Does anyone have a local source for green schug?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skhug

http://w.ivenue.com/holonfoods/ecommerc ... g-jar.html

I'd like to serve some in addition to horseradish. Thanks!

Adam

I would check either Hungarian Kosher foods or Garden fresh in Northbrook -

EvA wrote:As usual, I am in search of a good potato or other side dish. This year we will be 22 people, and it has to be something that is not too much last minute work. Right now, I am leaning towards boiled tiny new potatoes, but I welcome other suggestions.

What are you making? Any new ideas or recipes?

Agreeing with weinstein5 on the potato kugel.

LAZ wrote:

EvA wrote:As usual, I am in search of a good potato or other side dish. This year we will be 22 people, and it has to be something that is not too much last minute work. Right now, I am leaning towards boiled tiny new potatoes, but I welcome other suggestions.

What are you making? Any new ideas or recipes?

Agreeing with weinstein5 on the potato kugel.

Maybe it's just me, but I always find potato kugel too heavy. I'm going with tiny white potatoes boiled as we eat the fish and soup. Butter and parsley as Geo suggests above. I or one of my children will be scrubbing the 90 or so potatoes I bought at Fresh Farms the other day on Monday, but I hope to have the fish made and the cakes baked by the end of the day tomorrow. Our brisket has been on the smoker since about 7:30 this morning; we will slice it tomorrow and reheat in the oven before the Seder.

Envious. I am going to a seder at a hotel. The food will be adequate, at best.

Chag Ha'Matzot sameach, chaverim!

What's the opinion on using turkey for the broth for matzoh ball soup?

JoelF wrote:What's the opinion on using turkey for the broth for matzoh ball soup?

I assume you're talking bones, wings and the like, just as if you were making chicken stock? It'll be fine, but I think you can get more/better flavor typically from chicken . . . greater bone to meat ratio helps too.

EvA wrote:

LAZ wrote:

EvA wrote:As usual, I am in search of a good potato or other side dish. This year we will be 22 people, and it has to be something that is not too much last minute work. Right now, I am leaning towards boiled tiny new potatoes, but I welcome other suggestions.

What are you making? Any new ideas or recipes?

Agreeing with weinstein5 on the potato kugel.

Maybe it's just me, but I always find potato kugel too heavy. I'm going with tiny white potatoes boiled as we eat the fish and soup. Butter and parsley as Geo suggests above. I or one of my children will be scrubbing the 90 or so potatoes I bought at Fresh Farms the other day on Monday, but I hope to have the fish made and the cakes baked by the end of the day tomorrow. Our brisket has been on the smoker since about 7:30 this morning; we will slice it tomorrow and reheat in the oven before the Seder.

I wanted to do a substantial casserole type dish (had a vegetarian seder guest and wanted her to have something " meat" like as a main) but didn't necessarily want something with yet more matzo, so made a riff on a potato kugel--layered thinly sliced yukon and purple potatoes with leek coins and artichoke hearts (canned)--only a few beaten eggs to bind--and I thought it was tasty but not as heavy.

boudreaulicious wrote:
I wanted to do a substantial casserole type dish (had a vegetarian seder guest and wanted her to have something " meat" like as a main) but didn't necessarily want something with yet more matzo, so made a riff on a potato kugel--layered thinly sliced yukon and purple potatoes with leek coins and artichoke hearts (canned)--only a few beaten eggs to bind--and I thought it was tasty but not as heavy.

It was indeed tasty.

I made deviled eggs (sans Worcestershire sauce). I also made a squash dish from Yottam Ottolenghi's Plenty, and left out the tahini to be safe.

pairs4life wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:
I wanted to do a substantial casserole type dish (had a vegetarian seder guest and wanted her to have something " meat" like as a main) but didn't necessarily want something with yet more matzo, so made a riff on a potato kugel--layered thinly sliced yukon and purple potatoes with leek coins and artichoke hearts (canned)--only a few beaten eggs to bind--and I thought it was tasty but not as heavy.

It was indeed tasty.

I made deviled eggs (sans Worcestershire sauce). I also made a squash dish from Yottam Ottolenghi's Plenty, and left out the tahini to be safe.

And both were delicious!! We even found a place in the Seder to incorporate the eggs!

It's that time of the year again. Any great new recipes or ideas for the Seder meal? I'm always interested especially in vegetable and potato ideas. The rest of the menu at this point is set (and discussed earlier in this thread). Having made a smoked brisket a few years ago, we are now expected to make it every year without fail. Thus great family traditions are born.

As sdritz mentioned upthread, matzo crunch courtesy of David Lebovitz's recipe (adapted from Marcy Goldman), is a must-do. If you've never made it before, do try it. You'll thank us later.

EvA wrote:Having made a smoked brisket a few years ago, we are now expected to make it every year without fail. Thus great family traditions are born.

This is the first year that my Mom has ever asked for help preparing her sedar meal. Of course, I'm up for the project, which will finally let me snag some of her recipes. The first change I made to her long standing dinner menu is that I will be smoking the brisket this year.

stevez wrote:

EvA wrote:Having made a smoked brisket a few years ago, we are now expected to make it every year without fail. Thus great family traditions are born.

This is the first year that my Mom has ever asked for help preparing her sedar meal. Of course, I'm up for the project, which will finally let me snag some of her recipes. The first change I made to her long standing dinner menu is that I will be smoking the brisket this year.

Hope you can share some of those snagged recipes!

Yeah, smoked brisket kind of took over our seder and high holidays.

I stopped at Dirk's yesterday and noticed a big sign that advertises that they will grind fish (and veg) for gefilte fish. http://www.dirksfish.com/

I usually buy fish for gefilte fish from Roberts on Devon, but I'm going to give Dirk's -- my regular fishmonger - a try this year.

Dirks does a fine job grinding fish, but his house made gefilte fish is a little bland for my taste.

Darren72 wrote:Yeah, smoked brisket kind of took over our seder and high holidays.

I stopped at Dirk's yesterday and noticed a big sign that advertises that they will grind fish (and veg) for gefilte fish. http://www.dirksfish.com/

I usually buy fish for gefilte fish from Roberts on Devon, but I'm going to give Dirk's -- my regular fishmonger - a try this year.

I just ordered my fish from Robert's. They always do a good job and the place is so wonderfully basic. And it's very close to my house.

I've gotten my fish from Dirk's the past 3 years--they're good at helping you determine amounts based on desired mix and quantity. I'm doing a GF incorporating smoked fish this year--hoping for good results.

My mom does it all. Matzo Ball soup, kishke, sweet potatoes, turkey with matzo stuffing and a broccoli/peas cheddar cheese casserole.

This year we are going to be in Florida at my aunt's house for seder, but staying in a rented apartment. I have no idea what the cooking equipment situation will be. I was thinking of offering to make dessert, but I don't want to make anything that will require special equipment because I don't know what will be available. Also, nuts are prohibited (cousin's kid with severe allergy), as is chocolate (husband who has just discovered he is prone to calcium oxalate kidney stones, so most nuts are out, as are chocolate, figs, dates, prunes, and dried apricots).

Any dessert ideas? Preferably not involving large amounts of matzoh meal? I was thinking maybe some kind of lemon curd parfait with whipped cream and berries...my go-to in this situation has historically been some kind of flourless chocolate cake or nut-based torte, but those are both out of the question. Sigh.

Fruit salad?

Eva Luna wrote:This year we are going to be in Florida at my aunt's house for seder, but staying in a rented apartment. I have no idea what the cooking equipment situation will be. I was thinking of offering to make dessert, but I don't want to make anything that will require special equipment because I don't know what will be available. Also, nuts are prohibited (cousin's kid with severe allergy), as is chocolate (husband who has just discovered he is prone to calcium oxalate kidney stones, so most nuts are out, as are chocolate, figs, dates, prunes, and dried apricots).

Any dessert ideas? Preferably not involving large amounts of matzoh meal? I was thinking maybe some kind of lemon curd parfait with whipped cream and berries...my go-to in this situation has historically been some kind of flourless chocolate cake or nut-based torte, but those are both out of the question. Sigh.

Assuming eggs are still OK, how about a flan or custard? You can always get aluminum pans from the grocery store if the kitchen is lacking. Maybe pack a hand mixer?! You can buy ready-made Passover sponge cake/ladyfingers and use those as the "pastry" for your flan, as is suggested by an old English Jewish cookbook I have. Also meringue cookies or good ol' macaroons are possible. Actually, now that I think of it, you could use the store-bought Passover cake and make trifle with fresh fruit and whipped cream. I suppose you will need a nice big glass bowl for that, however. I think the idea of a parfait is similar and a good one as well.

Mellisa Clark (of The New York Times) demo's a GREAT Kosher for Pesach
dessert w/ a French sound- Macaroon(s)!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EdPtRLFUKY

http://www.nytimes.com/recipes/1016216/chocolate-caramel-macarons.html

I love macaroons, but I have to check if the nut allergy also includes coconut...

I love macaroons, but I have to check if the nut allergy also includes coconut...

The recipe to which Hombre de Acero linked is a macaron recipe, not a macaroon. No coconut, but it does include both cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate, so sadly, it's not in line with your request.

sundevilpeg wrote:

I love macaroons, but I have to check if the nut allergy also includes coconut...

The recipe to which Hombre de Acero linked is a macaron recipe, not a macaroon. No coconut, but it does include both cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate, so sadly, it's not in line with your request.

And almond meal, which would put the allergic kid in the ER. They don't allow nuts in the house at all. Plus almonds are verboten for husband due to oxalate level. I am willing to check whether coconut is a possibility, but tree nuts, peanuts, and chocolate are right out. (Eggs are fine, though.)

P.S. I saw that recipe in the NYT this weekend and am dying to find another excuse to make it, though...just not for this Seder.

Building on the meringue idea, what about a pavlova or Eton Mess (here's a sample recipe http://joyofbaking.com/EtonMess.html). I've not tried this recipe before, though I've made Eton Mess using store-bought Trader Joe's vanilla meringues, whipped up some cream that's been sweetened a little bit, and thrown in some pureed strawberries and possibly blueberries (I can't recall the preparation off-hand). Anyway, it's delicious and can be very easy if you buy the meringues.

sundevilpeg wrote:

I love macaroons, but I have to check if the nut allergy also includes coconut...

The recipe to which Hombre de Acero linked is a macaron recipe, not a macaroon. No coconut, but it does include both cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate, so sadly, it's not in line with your request.

If coconut is okay, this recipe from Food Network (no smirking, please, at least it's not a box mix with the foil plan included) for Macaroon Crusted Orange Tart is pretty good. The combination of citrus with sweetened condensed milk is reminiscent of key lime pie. Some years I am stricter than others regarding serving dairy (I never do with the main meal at Passover, sometimes will for dessert), but when more liberal and needing something not chocolate, it works.

How about a rice pudding substituting quinoa for the rice (depending on how observant the crowd is)? You can use coconut milk and diced mango to liven it up.

Most of the info I've read indicate they coconut is safe for those allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. I would think that you could make a "crust" from a combo of matzo meal "flour" and ground coconut-- a lemon cheesecake garnished with toasted coconut would be delicious.