Chocolate Passover Desserts
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I’m an avid baker. I always have been, even before I started my own family at which point it becomes a touchstone to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies with your child. How many of us have made that emergency batch of cookies on a raining day, making the kitchen smell divine while at the same time providing a learning moment for your kids. That’s one of the great things about baking - its pure chemistry in action. How does that batter, that starts out wet and sloppy, with mundane ingredients like flour, baking powder or eggs, end up producing such a lovely golden confection? Every time I bake, I get the satisfaction of watching this wonder happen again and again. And I get this opportunity a lot. Last Sunday I made a raspberry tart and a batch of brownies, Tuesday evening I made oatmeal cookies, Thursday afternoon I made an apple galette, and on Saturday I made another apple galette and chocolate crunch cookies. That’s a pretty typical week for me. My family eats it up and I try not too. My son put in a request for madeleine cookies, so that’s what I have on the schedule to bake today.
I can thank my mom for my love of baking. When I was younger and used to walk home from school, I looked forward to arriving at my house to find out what she had baked. I still have vivid memories of opening the front door to be greeted by the scents of vanilla or maybe chocolate. There were many times that I just wanted to stay in that kitchen forever ensconced in the warmth of the stove and my mom. My mom wasn’t trying to be a June Cleaver. We were a large family of six children and at the time it was cheaper to make fresh baked products at home than to buy the mass produced cookies that are so cheaply offered in today’s markets. I’m grateful for the fact that she did take the time to bake and cook from “scratch” as they formed in me a lifetime love for nourishing foods and the art and craft of baking.
And so it is that next week we will be gathering together for a Passover Seder, which always presents unique problems in the dessert category. How do you bake a good dessert without flour? For me it’s the most challenging part of the meal. Baking cakes with matzo meal is a bit of a trial. The large quality of eggs that are usually added, (and I do mean large - usually 8 to 10) are suppose to add lightness to the cakes but I haven’t found a recipe that’s been worth it. They usually lack flavor and are very heavy. That being said I went in search of desserts that could handle very little flour but would taste rich and satisfying, like all good desserts should. Chocolate was the answer.
The first two years I made these brownies for Passover, they were eaten so fast I wasn’t able to try them. The third year I got smart and doubled the batch. The recipe came from a friend and remains a favorite. They couldn’t be easier to make.
- Preheat your oven to 375F.
- Melt a stick of butter.
- Beat 2 eggs and 1 cup of sugar together.
- Gradually add the melted butter and mix well.
- To this add:
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3Tbsp matzoh cake meal
- ½ cup cocoa
- 1 cup chocolate chips.
- Pour into a buttered square baking pan (8x8 or 9x9) and bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick plunged into the middle of the brownies comes out slightly moist.
I came across the next recipe several months ago and they’d be perfect for Passover, no flour required. They have lots of chocolate and coconut and are chewy, soft and moist. The recipe comes from Alice Medrich and they are called Chocolate Coconut Macaroons.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Combine:
- 4 egg whites
- 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 3 ½ oz bar of semisweet chocolate finely chopped (all food markets carry chocolate bars in this size in the baking aisle)
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt in a heat proof bowl.
- Set the bowl in a skillet of barely simmering water and stir the mixture continuously until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is sticky and hot to the touch.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto a cookie sheet that’s lined with foil.
- Flatten each cookie slightly with your fingers.
- Bake for 13 minutes.
- Cool the cookies before removing them from the foil.
Make sure you put these out while the children are looking for the afikomen. That way the adults are sure to get to taste one before they all disappear.
Sweet Grass Grill, Homecooking But Better
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We were invited to Sweet Grass Grill in Tarrytown on a chilly night and were not sure what to expect….was it a new Thai place? Chicken and ribs? We decided to suspend judgment and prepare to be surprised. And as it turned out we were in for a very pleasant surprise.
The restaurant is on Main Street in Tarrytown and even the décor did not betray what kind of cuisine was in store. It looked like a homey log cabin, with blond wood and an informal air. We were warmly greeted by Managing Partner Theresa McCarthy who knew our companions from her stint at Millennio on Scarsdale Avenue. She is now part owner of Sweet Grass, which she manages with partner David Starkey, who is known for his Mexican eatery, Tomatillo in Dobbs Ferry. Sweet Grass Grill shares a similar local food sensibility with Tomatillo, both using seasonal, home grown ingredients.Chef Tommy Lasley trained under Dan Barber at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and fetures organic, locally-sourced foods. In fact, Sweet Grass changes the menu four times to incorporate seasonal ingredients… on the night we visited squash, local pork, beets and cauliflower were featured on the winter menu.
The bar stocks an extensive variety of beer on tap and the wine list is impressive. With our drinks we were served homemade caraway and cumin bread that was warm, soft and difficult to resist.
The menu includes fresh, creative combinations without pretense or lofty prices. For starters we tried the Pigs in a Blanket which were local pork in pastry with tarragon mustard, the Cauliflower Veloute soup with smoked chicken and parmesan crackers and the Marinated Hudson Valley Baby Beet Salad, that came with shaved green apple, braised leeks, greens and walnut butter. Between the caraway bread, my beer and the salad I was full but the main course was yet to come.
The entrees include two lists – one of burgers priced at just $10-$12, and another of reasonably priced main courses. Along with a traditional hamburger, the burger list included an American Bison burger and a smoked vegetarian shroom burger with three types of mushrooms. For main courses there was a braised New Zealand lamb shank, grass-fed rib-eye steak, and a handmade pappardelle, with braised beef, poached egg, greens, and pistachios in a caramelized garlic sauce. For non-meat eaters, toasted fregola with smoked vegetables, dried fruits and nuts in a parsnip brown butter looked tempting as well as the crispy skin Scottish salmon.
Though we passed on dessert, we saw a plate of warm cider donuts with apple ice cream and caramel sauce go by and vowed to leave room for dessert on our next visit.
The entire experience was pleasant, relaxed and civilized… as if we had been served a thoughtfully prepared meal at the home of good friends. And like good friends, we’ll be returning to Sweet Grass Grill soon.
Sweet Grass Grill
24 Main Street
Tarrytown, New York
914-631-0000
www.sweetgrassgrill.com
Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner
Brunch served on Sundays
Dinner Prices:
Soups and Appetizers: $6 to $10
Main Courses: $16 - $30
Why Buy Local Food?
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The Scarsdale Farmers Market is trying desperately to maintain its presence in Scarsdale for the loyal residents that have supported it from day one. Once again I would like to thank them. However we find it more and more difficult to continue the market without customer participation.
This past week The Scarsdale Inquirer ran a very long story in a special section of the paper called “Today's Women”. The article title was "Farmer's Market is her Field of Dreams". This was large and bold and beautifully executed, however this was not an article promoting the Scarsdale Farmers Market but one that helped to promote the Hastings Farmers Market. What am I missing here? The customers that brought this to my attention were shocked and dismayed as to why the Hastings Farmers Market would be front and center in the Scarsdale paper. Needless to say we will not be spending any of our springtime advertising budget with this paper.
It has been the mission of the Scarsdale Market to bring "Farm To Table Eating" to your families from opening day, but some still ask, “Why Buy Local Food?”
Here are just a few good reasons:
Local food is not genetically modified. Although biotechnology companies have been trying to commercialize genetically modified fruits and vegetables, they are currently licensing them only to large factory-style farms. Local farmers don’t have access to genetically modified seed, and most of them wouldn’t use it even if they could. A June 2001 survey by ABC News showed that 93% of Americans want labels on genetically modified food - mostly so that they can avoid it. If you are opposed to eating bio-engineered food, you can rest assured that locally grown produce was bred the old-fashioned way, as nature intended.
Local food keeps your taxes in check. According to several studies, farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services, whereas suburban development costs more than it generates in taxes. On average, for every $1 in revenue raised by residential development, governments must spend $1.17 on services, thus requiring higher taxes. For each dollar of revenue raised by farm, forest, or open space, governments spend 34 cents on services
Local food preserves open space and there are so many more reasons you should support local food producers; no preservatives, freshness, no chemicals.
So why wouldn't you come down to Christie Place or the Village Hall parking lot to support such a valuable cause and why would the local paper promote a market in another town? Remember, "Your health is your wealth".
Support a Local Farmer and Enjoy Organic Produce
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A CSA (community supported agriculture) is basically a group of people who get together ahead of the growing season and agree to support a local farmer (in our case it is two farms, Adamah and Chubby Bunny). The Hazon CSA committee of the five synagogues of White Plains is accepting applications to join our group for the upcoming season. You do not have to live in White Plains or be a member of one of the synagogues to join the CSA. Each shareholder (individual or family) commits in advance to purchase organic produce from a local farm for the season, which is delivered once a week to a central location in White Plains. The members’ advance commitment and upfront payment help support the farmer’s season start up costs. Each shareholder also has a small volunteer responsibility to the CSA. The deliveries run from June through November. The shareholder, aside from partaking in such wonderful, healthy food, agrees to share the farmer’s risk that certain crops may be damaged in the rare event of a flood, drought, blight, etc., which may impact the harvest.
There are many advantages to joining our CSA, which include:
• Learning about and trying new vegetables, and receiving a variety of fresh, local, organic vegetables at competitive prices
• Supporting local sustainable agriculture – helping family farms to survive
• Gaining a closer relationship to where your food comes from
• Supporting a healthy environment – lowering your carbon footprint
• Building a strong community
• Receiving weekly newsletters with recipes, tips, news from the farm, and information about food issues
• Enjoying farm trips, educational programs, and community events around food and agriculture
• Linking into a national network of people who care about food and sustainability
Additional information about the CSA and applications for the 2010 season are available on our web site, http://www.tuvwhiteplains.org. The early bird discount price for the 2010 season is $580 for 22 weeks of produce, which includes a $5 administrative fee. This discounted price is only good through March 31st. After that date, the price goes up to $605, including the $5 administrative fee. The opportunity to purchase shares is open to the general public through June 1st, or until all available shares have been sold. Completed applications, accompanied by checks in the full amount of the share made payable to Chubby Bunny Farm, should be delivered to Temple Israel Center’s main office – to the attention of the CSA. For additional information, please contact Daryl Moss at coordinator@tuvwhiteplains.org.
Make Your Own Pasta
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At last count I have 110 cookbooks, though another two arrived today in the mail. I can’t stop myself - I love cookbooks. Really good ones are like great novels that nourish the soul and body. In addition, they keep on giving. So many times I pull out a cookbook to review a recipe and end up coming across something new that passed me by the first, second, third time around. By the time I’m finished an hour of time has been absorbed and I’ve added more food items onto the shopping list.
I bought my first cookbook when I was eighteen. It was like a right of passage for me. I needed to sustain myself and this was going to teach me how. It was Marion Cunningham’s revised edition of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook. When I was younger and still living at home, I used to pull out my mother’s beat up, food stained, no cover jacket version of Fannie Farmer out of which I learned to make my first coffee cake and corn bread. I loved it. I would read the beginning sections of every chapter for its overview and to review the little hand drawn sketches of various techniques. I was hooked.
When the weather is cold and outdoor activities become limited, cookbooks can transplant you to countries where the sun is always shining, the people are welcoming and the food is to die for. They are like travelogues without all the bad parts. Lately, I’ve been spending a great deal of time in Italy – the beautiful northern regions of Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombardy, and Valle D’Aosta that border Switzerland, Austria and France and that are famous for their mountains, lakes (Lake Como) and food like Asiago, Grana Padano and Fontina cheeses, and the short grain rices like Arborio and Carnaroli. Emilia-Romagna, which sits just a little bit south of these regions, is famous for its egg pasta and its classic Bolognese sauce (named after its capital Bologna).
It was at this point that I got inspired to make fresh egg pasta this weekend. Fresh pasta may sound daunting to make but the dough is a breeze if you have a food processor and a pasta machine to roll it out (like the one pictured above). If you’re a wiz at rolling and stretching, you don’t need a pasta machine. For that fact, you don’t need a food processor either as you can make the pasta dough using the traditional well method which starts with a mound of flour and then incorporates the eggs by making a well in the flour. But I think the food processor method produces great results for everyone.
I’ve noticed that over time the recipe for pasta dough has changed. In my older cookbooks, such as “Classic Italian Cooking” by Marcella Hazan’, the ratio of eggs to dough was typically one cup of flour to one egg. More current cookbooks utilize a ratio of one cup of flour to two eggs. The extra eggs create a dough that is not only easier to work with but is smooth and silky feeling. The recipe is pretty straightforward and I particularly like this one by Lidia Bastianich. Place 3 cups of flour into your food processor and pulse once or twice to aerate. In a measuring cup with sprout, whisk 3 eggs, 3 egg yolks, 3 tablespoons olive oil and 3 tablespoons cold water. With the machine running add the egg mixture to the flour and process until the dough starts to come together into a ball. If necessary add a bit more water if the dough does not gather into a ball. Remove from machine and knead for a minute or so. Your dough should feel smooth and soft. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest on counter for 30 minutes. That’s it! The resting period is longer than the time it takes to make the dough.
Stretching the dough in the pasta machine requires some patience. You’ll need both hands to crank the machine and hold the pasta sheet as it continues to get stretched and some extra flour in a cup. Start by cutting the dough into 6 pieces; set aside 5 pieces in the plastic wrap to keep from drying out. Flatten the remaining dough into a rough circle, pat a little bit of flour onto it and pass through the pasta machine at its widest setting (usually marked 1) Decrease the setting a notch and pass the dough again through the machine. You will continue this process until the lowest or second to lowest setting on the machine (6 or 7). The pasta should be thin enough so that you can see your hand behind it when held up to the light and its around 30 inches long and five inches wide. At this point you can cut the sheet into two rectangle half’s so that is more manageable ending up with two sheets about 12 inches long. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. When I’m finished stretching all six pieces, I use a sharp chef’s knife to cut each pasta sheet into strips ½ inch wide to make pappardelle or tagliatelle noodles. Cook in boiling salted water until al dente and top with your favorite sauce. This pasta is so good butter and cheese would be enough.
