Although I was not born Jewish, I did marry into a Jewish family. Now, over 20 years later, the culinary traditions of that religion feel as much like my own as those I share with my own family. One of my favorite of the Jewish traditions is making Charoset for Passover dinner, a task to which I have been assigned for some years now.

Charoset is a pasty mixture of fruit, nuts and wine that symbolizes both the mortar used by the Israelites to build the pyramids of the Egyptians and the sweetness of the freedom they would one day live to see. Charoset is eaten during the Passover ceremony, and later, spread between two motsah halves with a bit of horseradish, it makes Hillel’s sandwich. The Charoset we serve is a traditional Eastern European recipe. Sephardic versions may use dates or figs, mixed nuts and even fruit juice.

The Charoset recipe I use never varies, but every batch is unique. That’s because I’ve never actually written the recipe for Charoset down. It’s impossible really since the flavors evolve as you make it, and vary depending on the size and variety of apple you use in a given year. Thus, every year’s Charoset making is a bit of an adventure to see if I can get it as close to perfect as I can, or at least as good as it was last year.

I begin each year by assembling the tools of the task – an old wooden bowl (did Irene give it to me? Did I get it at a house sale? I don’t remember) and the old rocker-bottom metal cleaver I bought at an antique market. Although the bowl is very occasionally used for salad during the year, the chopper is never used for anything else but this one task, and never unless it is used with this bowl.

I then gather the ingredients – Apples (Fuji or gala with a granny smith or two), pecans (How many? I have no idea – at least a cup but not more than two cups), a bottle of Manichevitz wine (I used about 3/4 of the bottle) and some ground cinnamon (2 tbsp? 3 tbsp?…). maybe some brown sugar or honey if your apples aren’t sweet enough…

There is always one, and sometimes more than one phone call to my mother-in-law. How many apples? (5-6 seems about right ) Which wine again – elderberry or blackberry? (Blackberry) Do I peel the apples? (Yes)

I peel the apples, cut them into eights and toss them into the bowl, working quickly because I don’t want them to brown. Next, I toss the pecans on top, sprinkle some cinnamon and pour some wine over the lot. And then the fun really begins.

There is nothing, I tell you, more satisfying than the Fwick! Clunk! sound the cleaver makes as it slides through the apples and pecans and then bounces against the wooden bottom of the bowl, only to repeat itself again, again and again, interrupted only long enough to sweep across the bottom to gather up more apples into the center so the symphony of chopping can begin anew. Here – just listen to it and see what I mean -

How long to chop? Until the mixture is evenly chopped, almost but not quite mushy, but not chunky either. As the wine is absorbed, you keep adding more. You stop to taste, and add more cinnamon. Then more wine. Maybe some brown sugar or honey, but not too much, just a teaspoon or so. Then more chopping. Until it is perfect. Or as perfect as you can make it until tomorrow, when you bring it to your mother-in-law’s kitchen for the final taste test. There, you won’t mind at all if she tells you that you added too little cinnamon. Or didn’t chop long enough. Or need a little more wine.  She will help you adjust it and she will always be right.

Each time you make Charoset, you remind yourself to stop and write down exactly what you are doing so that you get the quantities right once and for all. But then the Fwick! Clunck! begins, and you are lost in the sounds and a tradition that reminds you to savor this moment, and this task, and to just let what you are making be whatever it will be. And in that moment, you know that, perfect or not, it will be wonderful.
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If you want a recipe for Charoset, here a few -

• Traditional Apple-walnut Charoset from Epicurious
• Some Sephardic Charoset recipes
• Charosets of the World from the LA Times
• Charoset recipe thread from Chowhound

Of all my mother in law Irene’s recipes, this is my favorite. It’s a family standard she created in the 1960′s that has withstood the test of time and pleased hundreds of guests at parties, dinners and various gatherings over the years.

This started out as a recipe from the New York Times in the 60′s. Irene modified it by replacing the original filo dough with her mothers sour cream pastry, then added vermouth to the filling along with an increased amount of sour cream. And she’s still tweaking it – tonight she told me that of late she has increased the mushroom amounts.

I’ve made this myself at least 6 times, and it’s never failed me. It’s easy to make ahead a freeze, making it prefect for parties.

If you do use this recipe, please be sure to credit Irene. It’s a one of a kind, and it’s pure gold.

MUSHROOM STRUDEL

Pastry

½ lb. Sweet butter
½ pint sour cream
2 cups flour
¼ tsp. salt

Place flour and salt in food processor. Pulse for a second. Cut in butter and pulse ‘til crumbly, then add sour cream and pulse ‘til mixed but ready to hold together. Place on floured pastry board and knead briefly and roll into a ball. Divide in ¼’s. Refrigerate overnight.

Filling

2 tbsps. Sweet butter
1 ¼ lb. Mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tbsps. Finely chopped shallots or scallions
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsps. Dry vermouth
½ tsp. thyme
1/3 cup sour cream
Breadcrumbs (optional)
Egg wash ( 1 egg, 1 tbsp water)

Remove pastry from refrigerator to warm a bit while preparing the mushroom filling.

Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the mushrooms, shallots, salt, pepper, vermouth and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is mushy. Let cool slightly. Stir in the sour cream. Cool until ready to fill pastry.

Roll out ¼ pastry on floured board as thin as possible into a 9 or 10 inch round. Sprinkle dry bread crumbs over pastry. Then, using ¼ of the cooled mushroom mixture make a sausage shape roll at the end of the pastry closest to you, about an inch in from the edge. Roll pastry like a jelly roll, closing in the ends and stretching the pastry roll gently length-wise. Place on flat cookie sheet, seam side down and proceed with the remaining pastry and filling and placing them on the same cookie sheet when each is rolled. Make an egg wash of 1 egg with 1 tsp. water and brush on the rolls. With a fork pierce top of pastry roll 3 or 4 times.

Place in freezer a few hours or overnight until frozen. Then wrap in aluminum foil for freezer storage.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap frozen strudel rolls and place on ungreased jelly roll pans about 3 inches apart. Bake about 1 hour until nicely browned on top.

Cool for 10 or 15 minutes before slicing them diagonally into serving pieces about an inch and a half wide.

Makes 4 rolls.
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A few tricks for working with the cooked strudel. Get youself a long spatula and use it to remove the strudels from the pan. Here, I’ll let Irene show you how…

Cut them on a diagonal using a very sharp knife.

Then transfer to your serving platter using the long spatula again.

First of all, I want to thank my friend B for bringing the champagne and raspberry framboise. There is nothing like ringing in the New Year with old friends and getting to know new friends (and new mixed drinks).

Interesting how the meal evolved. I spent all last week perusing Gourmet magazines and Epicurious, huddling with Irene and trading recipes, with plans to do another elegant haute-gourmet meal like the braised duck breasts with port wine reduction I had served last year. (Oh, my God, was that good…) But two things gave me pause: L remarked that the kids never eat the great meals, and B found some beautiful avocados and wanted to bring guacamole. Suddenly, it was all very clear. Make barbecue chicken, a dinner that everyone, including the kids, would love. And we did. Here’s what we served:

Appetizers
Guacamole with corn chips
Bell Pepper and Onion Crostini with Pesto
Fresh Corn Madeleines with sour cream and caviar (Gourmet)
Assorted cheeses (including B’s pistachio-crusted goat cheese log)
Assorted olives

Dinner
Irene’s Roast chicken with Paul’s barbecue sauce
Roasted Garlic and Basil Smashed Potatoes (Sara Moulton)
Green salad with cranberries, goat cheese and honey vinaigrette
Steamed green beans with butter

Dessert (Thanks, L)
S&S Cheesecake (NY’s finest)
Chocolate chip brownies

BELL PEPPER AND ONION CROSTINI WITH PESTO
I vote this number one in the “Best Appetizer to Serve or Bring to a Party” category. I use the recipe from Epicurious, but the pesto is Irene’s recipe (usually made by me in batches in the summer and frozen for the winter), and I use sherry vinegar instead of red wine vinegar because it is sweeter. (You could use balsamic if you want that flavor.) I also peel the peppers before cooking, because otherwise you end up with sharp little bits of pepper peel in the mix. Warning: the peppers and onions take a lot longer than Gourmet says to caramelize perfectly. Take your time, it’s worth it. You can make the pepper mixture ahead of time. They taste just as good reheated in the oven next day, if you have any leftovers.

1 long baguette, cut into (1/4-inch-thick) slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 red peppers and 3 yellow peppers, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
2 large Vidalia onions cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry-wine vinegar
Irene’s Pesto (Recipe follows)

Brush tops of baguette slices with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake at 350° till pale golden, about 10 mins. Cool.

Cook bell peppers, onions, and garlic with salt in oil in a 14 inch sauté pan over moderately low heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until softened (20-25 minutes). Cover pot and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender and just starting to brown (for as long as it takes – for me it was 45 mins.). Stir in vinegar and remove from heat.

Put about 1 tablespoon pepper mixture on each toast and top with about 1/4 teaspoon pesto. I don’t assemble till 30 mins. before guests arrive. The kids do it for me while I take my shower and get dressed for the party. They haven’t ruined it yet.

IRENE’S PESTO
2 cups fresh basil leaves
½ cup olive oil
2 tbsp roasted pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 tsp salt
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp butter, softened

Pulse basil, nuts and garlic in food processor or blender with olive oil till evenly blended. Stop from time to time to and scrape ingredients toward bottom with rubber spatula. When evenly blended, pour into bowl and mix in grated cheese by hand. When evenly incorporated, beat in softened butter. Before spooning over pasta, add tablespoon hot pasta water. (Officially, if you are planning to freeze the pesto, you are not supposed to add the cheese or butter till after you thaw it. I just make it all and freeze it and it tastes fine.)

IRENE’S BAKED CHICKEN
I keep a large shaker jar with the spice mix in my spice cabinet, just like Irene does, with the recipe taped on the jar, so I always have it on hand.

Chicken parts (we use thighs and legs exclusively)
Spice mix
2 parts paprika
3 parts kosher salt
1 part Old Bay Seasoning
½ part lemon pepper mix (whatever brand you like)
1 part garlic powder
1 part sugar

Rinse chicken well and pat dry. Sprinkle spice mix on both sides of chicken and place on broiler pan. Broil 6 inches from heating element, 8-10 minutes on each side. Check frequently to keep browning even. Lower rack to middle of oven, and bake 20-30 mins. at 350° till done. Remove from oven and let sit a bit before serving. Serve with Paul’s Barbecue Sauce.

PAUL’S BARBECUE SAUCE
My husband, Paul, makes a mean barbecue sauce. The recipe varies a bit depending on what he has on hand, so no two batches are ever the same, but they are always delicious. He serves it on grilled chicken every year at his annual tennis team barbecue, and word is starting to spread….

1 tsp oil (olive or vegetable)
3-4 clove garlic
¼ cup chopped onion
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
Something sour (balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or lime juice)
1 tsp mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup beer
If you are in the mood, you can also add 1 tbsp brandy or bourbon
If you are really in the mood, throw in a little hot sauce

Sauté onions and garlic in oil over medium low heat for a few minutes. Stir in ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium low heat for 15 mins. or so (As long as it takes for you to finish the rest of the bottle of beer). Taste towards the end of cooking time and tweak as needed.

SHERRY VINAIGRETTE (Gourmet)
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
2 to 3 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
Whisk together all but the olive oil in a small bowl. Pour olive oil in a stream, whisking well to emulsify.

Category: Food