GET THIS BOOK!! |
I am a huge fan of cookkosher.com
and Leah Schapira! I loved Leah’s recent
cookbook Fresh
& Easy, which received rave reviews
(especially from me!). Leah is fun,
vivacious, friendly, and great to know – and her recipes are fabulous. I was incredibly psyched when I saw
that she had come out with a new Passover cookbook with Victoria Dwek – Passover
Made Easy. I eagerly sat down with my handy-dandy multi-colored sticker tabs, and began to
read. I LOVE THIS BOOK! Recipes aside (we’ll get to those in a
minute) this cookbook is fun to read!
The “cartoon” like info bites – “tidbits” are very informative and easy
to read. Each section and recipe is supplemented
with “dialog-bubble” stories and incredibly useful tips and recipe
variations. Did you know that “The largest Seder in the world
is celebrated in Katmandu, Nepal whose 1,800 participants collectively consume
1,100 lbs of matzah?” Thanks to Leah and
Victoria, now you do! There’s also a great tutorial on wine pairings
and suggestions. Many of the recipes come with additional sauce recipes and
suggestions which make the dishes go from awesome to super-awesome! My only problem with this book was that using
my handy-dandy, multi-colored sticker tabs ended up being a waste of time…it’s
not so helpful if every page has a sticker tab on it – is it?
It was tough to decide which
recipe to try from the book for this review.
I was tempted by the Crispy Crackers, Butternut Squash Salad,
Seder Night Chicken, Shnitzel Nuggets (with apricot dipping sauce),
Onion Rings, Cauliflower Gratin (pareve!), and Frozen Lemon
Wafer Cake. I finally settled on the
Brisket Egg Rolls, which required making the versatile Basic Passover
Crepes. It was a good thing I doubled
the recipe because my family went crazy for these egg rolls. They were delicious! The recipe calls for Brisket, but I ended up using a chuck steak - which I chopped instead of shredding, with great results. I also wound up egging the edge of the egg rolls before sealing them after a few from the first batch sort of exploded. No worries - even though they weren't as pretty as the others they were still inhaled like the rest of them. The Basic Passover Crepes were easy to
make, and I stacked them between pieces of waxed deli paper as I made
them. According to Leah, the crepes can
be made in advance and frozen until ready to use. Considering the many suggestions that Leah
and Victoria have for them it’s a good thing they can be made in advance. I can easily see them becoming a staple in my
Pesach preparations.
Awesome Brisket Eggrolls!! |
What struck me as I was going
through the Passover Made Easy cookbook was that it could easily be
named “Gluten-Free” Made Easy.
With the exception of a few “Gebrokts” recipes in the book, most of the
recipes are terrific for the GFE (Gluten Free Eater) year round. I know that I’ll be keeping this book close by
not only during Pesach but year round for healthy, easy to make recipes. Thanks Leah and Victoria – nice job!!
For more information about Passover Made Easy go to artscoll.com or cookkosher.com.
Basic Passover Crepe
12 large eggs
¾ cup potato starch
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
In a blender (or using an immersion blender), beat eggs. Add potato starch, water, and salt. Blend until smooth.
Lightly grease a crepe pan or skillet.
Heat over medium-high heat. Add
3-4 tablespoons batter and swirl the pan to coat the bottom with a thin layer. Let cook until crepe is firm and edges appear
golden, about 1 minute. Flip crepe,
using a slotted spatula. Cook for 15
seconds and flip over onto plate. Repat
with remaining batter, re-greasing pan as necessary. Stack crepes as they are completed.
Brisket Eggrolls
These awesome eggrolls can be paired with your own Passover
teriyaki sauce on p. 23
½ pound brisket ( 2 ½ cups cooked shredded meat)
Salt, to taste
Coarse black pepper to taste
¼ cup oil, divided, plus more for frying
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch coarse black pepper
3 tablespoons orange juice
10 (6-inch) Basic Passover Crepes (see above)
You may skip the first step if you are using leftover meat. Season brisket with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a sauté pan over
medium heat. Sear brisket for 3 minutes on each side. Lower heat, cover, and cook brisket for 1-1 ½
hours, checking periodically. If meat
seems to be burning, lower heat further.
Shred meat. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté 10-12 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add sugar, lemon juice,
salt, and black pepper. Sauté 5
additional minutes. Stir in orange
juice; taste to adjust seasoning. Remove
from heat and stir in shredded meat.
Place 2 tablespoons onion-meat filling towards the bottom-center of
each crepe. Roll, egroll-style: fold up
bottom to cover filing. Fold in sides,
then roll-upward to close.
Heat 1 inch oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot (eggrolls should sizzle when slipped
into the pan), fry eggrolls until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side.
For the Basic Passover Crepes
A dozen eggs in the bowl...
Blended with the immersion blender...
Add the starch and other ingredients
then blend again!
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup...
Batter into the pan!
Crepe!
The first one was a little bunchy but the
rest came out great!!
Now for the meat...
Check out this gorgeous chuck steak!
Coarse black pepper...searing on one side...
Flipped...
Cover and cook until soft...
An episode of "Chopped"...
All the onions finely chopped with the
Hindy Chopper...
Saute' with some oil...
Add the juice and other ingredients...mmmmm....
Add the meat...
Now stuff the crepe's...
Rock & Roll
(don't forget to egg the edge so they don't explode)
So pretty I almost want to weep...
A squadron of egg rolls...
Into the hot oil...
AHHHHHH!!! They're exploding...
Note to self: Next batch - egg to seal.
Second batch - perfect!
Love!!
Kosher Everyday
is dedicated to the memory of my father
Dr. Theodore
Saltzberg - Tuvia Ben Nachum Z”L
May his memory
be for a blessing - Yihi zichro baruch.
Look
for additional information about Edible Experience Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com,
aish.com,
Mishpacha Magazine’s Kosher Inspired Magazine,
The
Chicago Tribune Syndication,
or on Facebook at Edible Experience by Sharon Matten.
These recipes are for sole, personal use of
visitors to Sharon Matten -Edible Experience Kosher Everyday. Edible Experience
Kosher Everyday recipes are for your enjoyment but are not to be posted or
reprinted without express permission from Sharon Matten. Thank you!!
These look amazing, can't wait to try them! from Mary Cohn
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary!!! Send some over when you do ;-)
DeleteOh wow, seeing this pessach does not seem like such a challenge, this would be something I'd enjoy any day of the year.
ReplyDeleteThanks - you can even try them with different fillings too!!
Delete