For The Union-Tribune
One of the more challenging issues for Jews who try to observe the dietary limitations of Passover — primarily no bread or other leavened grains known as “chametz” — is less about what to prepare or eat for the customary Seder meals on the first and second nights, and more about what to eat during the rest of the week.
It’s not exactly a huge sacrifice, but it does shake up our habits and, in a good way, makes us think about the meaning of the holiday. But within a couple of days it can feel constrained — no pasta, no tortillas, no bagels or toast or cereal. Certainly things have loosened up since I was a kid growing up in an Ashkenazi, or Eastern European, tradition. Back then, legumes, beans, peas, rice, corn and seeds were also not allowed. But over the years, that’s mostly dropped away.
Still, it’s helpful once the Seder leftovers are gone to have some holiday-adjacent foods to enjoy, so in March — well before the arrival of Passover on the evening of April 12 — I sought advice from chef Jeff Rossman of Terra Catering and Shalom Kosher Catering. I’ve known Rossman since he originally opened Terra Restaurant in Hillcrest back in the late 90s. Years later, he moved Terra to the College Area, where he would regularly host farm-to-table dinners. He closed it in January to focus on his successful catering business. With his Shalom Kosher Catering arm of the business, this year he’s not only catering Seders for private clients but also Congregation Beth Israel’s Seder.
Rossman offered me a slew of cool recipes to choose from, but a few caught my eye for various reasons. Salmon croquettes were something my mom loved to make for us during hot summer months. Hers were made with canned salmon — and Rossman admitted his mom did the same — and breadcrumbs. They were a great way to encourage my siblings and me to eat fish without it all being too fishy. Instead, think chicken fingers pre-MacDonalds, crispy from pan frying with a dip and everything.
Rossman’s are elevated enough for adults to enjoy, using fresh salmon that you’ll sear, then bake and then mix with fresh herbs and enjoy with a luscious horseradish cream.
Then I saw on his list a recipe for Honey Roasted Garlic Tzimmes. Now tzimmes, which is cooked root vegetables and usually mixed with dried fruit, is certainly a Seder dish, but in other incarnations I haven’t enjoyed it, not being much of a fan of boiled carrots and other boiled root vegetables. I assumed these would also be roasted, but no. It’s the garlic cloves that are roasted, first in olive oil, then with honey. But I was sold. I loved the tenderness of the carrots with the sweetness of both the apricots and the aromatic honeyed garlic. It’s a perfect midweek dish that can go with the salmon croquettes or roasted chicken or as a vegetarian main dish with brown rice and toasted nuts.
The last dish I wanted to share is Rossman’s matzoh toffee, because it’s the easy treat we can make to snack on through the week. Never heard of it? Oh, you’re welcome. It’s matzo, with a glaze of homemade caramel (easy-peasy to make), topped with chocolate chips and then any other add-ins that make you happy — say, toasted pecans, toasted coconut, dried fruit. You can even combine different types of chocolate chips.
But let’s start with how you prepare the croquettes. First, Rossman confirms that you can certainly make this dish with canned salmon. There’s a long tradition of doing this. But how about giving fresh salmon a try?
Because you want the flavors of the accompanying horseradish cream to come together, whip that up first. Really, you’re just blending five ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerating them. Rossman uses mayo and sour cream, but you could also sub in plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream. The quarter-cup of horseradish is just a baseline. If you like a more potent sauce, add more. Same with the garlic.
Once that’s in the fridge, focus on the salmon fillet. Rossman recommends seasoning and searing it first on the stove before putting it in the oven for about 15 minutes. Remember that you’ll be seasoning the mixture, too, so be judicious with the salt and pepper. You could also substitute the salt with lemon salt for a bit more punch. In addition, pay attention to the thickness of your fillet. Some are uniform, but others can taper off toward the tail. In that case, you don’t want to overcook it, so at around 12 minutes, check to see if it’s fully cooked.
While it’s in the oven, do a quick prep of the diced red onions and fresh herbs. Rossman suggests parsley, dill and basil, but other salmon-friendly herbs include tarragon, chives, thyme and a bit of rosemary. Heat a saute pan with canola oil until it’s just smoking. Add the onions and stir, then mix in the herbs and remove from the heat. Basically, you’re waking them up.
Once the salmon and the onion mixture are cooled to room temperature, it’s time to combine all the ingredients and make the croquettes. Flake the salmon into a bowl, then add the onion mixture, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir it together gently and taste to see if you need to adjust the seasonings. Then you’ll stir in beaten eggs and matzo meal. Again, gently combine; don’t overmix. Then give it about five minutes so any moisture is absorbed.
“I was taught this technique in Maryland,” Rossman recalled. “When you form the Maryland crab cakes, it’s similar. You don’t want to mash the salmon. You don’t want to mash the mixture. And you gently form either oblongs or patties. Don’t overwork them.”
When you’re ready, heat a large pan and add canola oil — about a 1/4 inch up the side. Wait to drop your croquettes in until a tiny bit of the mixture sizzles when you drop it in the pan. If you have a thermometer, put it in the oil and aim for 350 degrees. Gently form 2-ounce patties or oblongs and place them in the oil. It may take a couple of batches because you don’t want to overcrowd them — and certainly they shouldn’t touch. Fry them on both sides until they’re an inviting golden brown. The internal temperature should read 155 degrees on the thermometer. Remove the croquettes from the heat and drain on paper towels. Then they’re ready to serve with the horseradish cream for an herbaceous dish that captures the coming of spring.
The tzimmes preparation starts with roasting the garlic. It’s similar to making a confit: Place the peeled cloves in a small roasting pan and cover them with olive oil, then roast in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes, until they’re tender. Drain off the oil and reserve it to use for anything from a vinaigrette to a dipping sauce for artichokes or roasting your favorite veggies. Then pour honey over the garlic and continue roasting the cloves another 10 minutes.
While that’s going on, cook the carrots in a pot of water until they’re tender. Then drain off half the liquid and add lemon juice, dried apricots, butter and the honey roasted garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil so the butter can emulsify into a lovely sauce. Season with salt and pepper and it is ready to serve.
Finally, there’s the Matzo Toffee. These pieces are crispy-crunchy, sweet and savory, and a bit gooey. What’s not to love?
Rossman prepared a simple version for us, but feel free to be extravagantly creative with ingredients. Still, there are two directives from Rossman.
“Make sure the foil goes up every side of the sheet pan, because you don’t want the caramel going underneath,” he pointed out. “Then the foil will harden into caramel.
“The other thing is to spray the top of the foil with oil or baking spray where you place the matzo so that it will lift off easily.”
And, obviously, watch the caramel so it doesn’t burn. Place two pieces of matzo side by side on the treated foil, smooth a layer of caramel over the matzo, then sprinkle chocolate chips on top and bake for up to 5 minutes. Spread the melted chips across the matzo for a second layer and add nuts, coconut or whatever you wish, refrigerate and then break into pieces to serve.
Salmon Croquettes With Horseradish Cream
Makes about a dozen 2-ounce croquettes.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 pounds raw salmon fillet
1 teaspoon canola oil
4 ounces red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and ground pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup matzo meal
Canola oil for frying
For the horseradish cream:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
DIRECTIONS
1: Make the horseradish cream: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together. Let stand in refrigerator for at least one hour for flavors to blend.
2: Prepare the salmon: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season salmon with salt and pepper or lemon salt. Add oil to oven-proof pan and heat. Add salmon and sear on both sides, then place in oven and bake for about 15 minutes (if you have the thin tail end of the fillet, it will take a couple of minutes less). Check to make sure the fillet is fully cooked, then remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
3: While the salmon is baking, add oil to a saute pan and heat until smoking. Add onions and stir. Saute until soft. Place in small bowl and mix in herbs.
4: Make the croquettes: Place the salmon in a mixing bowl and flake into pieces. Add onion mixture, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in eggs and matzo meal and combine until just well mixed. Let stand for about 5 minutes to allow moisture to be absorbed.
5: In a large saute pan, add canola oil to about 1/4 inch deep and heat until you start to see little bubbles form when you drop a little bit of mixture in. Lightly form the salmon mixture into 2-ounce balls or patties and put each one into the oil, about an inch apart. (Note: If the mixture is too soft to be shaped, stir in more matzo meal.)
6: Fry the croquettes in the oil until browned on both sides and their internal temperature reaches 155 degrees, then drain on paper towels.
7: To serve, place on serving dish with the bowl of horseradish cream.
Honey Roasted Garlic Tzimmes
Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves
1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup honey
8 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced in half
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small roasting pan, place garlic cloves and cover with olive oil. Roast garlic for about 30 minutes until tender, and strain oil. Pour honey over garlic and continue roasting for another 10 minutes.
2: Meanwhile, put carrots in a sauce pot and cover with water. On medium-high heat, cook carrots until tender. Drain half the liquid and add lemon juice, dried apricots, butter and honey roasted garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Matzo Toffee
Yield depends on both the size of and how many pieces of matzo you use, but there should be plenty for a group of at least 4 to 6.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 box unflavored/salted matzo (if you add finishing salt as a topping, just use regular unsalted matzo)
2 cups chocolate chips of whatever type you enjoy
Optional add-ins: toasted, chopped nuts and/or seeds, toasted coconut, dried fruit, finishing salt (like flaky sea salt), crushed potato chips, and even dried rose petals or violets
DIRECTIONS
1: Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2: Gather all your toppings to make sure you place them on the melted chocolate before it hardens.
3: In a small sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter and sugar together to make caramel. Continue to cook until syrup consistency. Remove from heat.
4: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with a non-stick spray. Line baking sheet with two whole pieces of matzo and then break pieces to fit and cover the foil completely (make sure the lines on the matzo are all going in the same direction).
5: Pour the caramel over the matzo and then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Place in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes to completely melt the chocolate. Remove from oven and spread the chocolate and caramel evenly with a spatula. Repeat with more matzo if desired.
6: Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set. Break up into pieces and serve.
Recipes from Jeff Rossman of Terra and Shalom Kosher Catering.
