Johannesburg - Cookbook author Sharon Lurie shares four of her favourite recipes for the Jewish celebration, although they can be savoured by anyone. Passover in 2014 will start on Tuesday, the 15th of April and will continue for 7 days until Monday, the 21st of April. Note that in the Jewish calander, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Jews will celebrate Passover on the sunset of Monday, the 14th of April.
TERRIYUMMY BEEF STRIPS
Serves 6-8
2 top rib roasts cut into 1cm-thick strips
2 x beef stock cubes
500ml boiling water
little oil for frying
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 chilli, finely chopped
250ml Coca-Cola
30ml sugar
15ml honey
30ml sweet wine
15ml potato starch dissolved in 60ml cold water
bunch of coriander
Fry the meat until golden brown. Place in a roasting dish and set aside.
In a small pot, dissolve the beef cubes in boiling water over medium heat.
In another pot, fry the garlic, ginger and chilli in a little oil for a minute.
Add the stock, Coca-Cola, sugar, honey, wine, and return to heat.
Whisk as you bring it to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add dissolved potato starch while still whisking. Cook until thickened. Remove from heat.
Pour the sauce over the meat and roast, covered, at 180ºC for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 160ºC, uncover and continue to cook, for about another 30 minutes, basting every now and then, until golden brown. Serve sprinkled with coriander.
l Ask your butcher to cut the ribs vertically (1cm thick),so that you end up with seven little bones in each strip of meat.
ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATO SALAD
Serves 6-8
125ml olive oil
1 small chilli, finely chopped
5ml salt
15ml sugar
2 large eggplants
an assortment of big and small tomatoes
2 red onions, sliced into very thin rings
large handful of fresh basil, snipped
Dressing
125ml lemon juice
125ml sugar
250ml oil
5ml salt
3ml pepper
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
Preheat oven to 180ºC
Combine oil, chilli, salt and sugar and set aside to infuse.
Cut eggplants into ½cm slices and put in a bowl.
Pour chilli-infused oil over sliced eggplants and toss well to ensure they are well coated.
Put eggplant on a tinfoil-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels and set aside to cool.
Slice larger tomatoes into ½cm slices and leave baby tomatoes whole.
Build the salad by placing a layer of eggplant, followed by a layer of sliced tomato, then onion and finally basil.
Repeat layering and finally place baby tomatoes and snipped basil leaves on top.
Just before serving, pour over the salad dressing.
DRESSING: Combine all the salad dressing ingredients in a food processor or in a jug and mix until well blended.
PESACH COOKIE DESSERT
Serves 6-8
2 eggs
250ml sugar
200ml oil
125ml syrup
100g ground almonds
80ml cake meal or potato flour
100g slivered almonds
150g choc chips
2 litres pareve* vanilla ice cream
bought chocolate sauce for serving
BISCUIT LAYERS: Line two trays with baking paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In a food processor, beat eggs and sugar until light and creamy (at least five minutes). Add the oil in a slow constant steam. Reduce the speed and add syrup, almonds and cake meal or potato flour.
Mix until combined. Fold in the almonds and choc chips.
Divide the mixture between two lined trays.
Bake at 180ºC for 15-20 minutes. As it comes out the oven, while the biscuit is still hot and soft, take a 20cm springform tin base and cut out 2 discs. Allow to cool.
Roughly crumble the remaining biscuit to use as the middle layer between ice cream.
Allow the ice cream to soften for easy mixing and spreading.
Place a biscuit disc at the bottom of the springform tin followed by a layer of ice cream, a layer of crumbled biscuit, a layer of ice cream and finally a layer of biscuit. Put in the freezer to set.
Remove from the tin and place on a serving plate. Drizzle with chocolate sauce before serving.
* Pareve means made without milk, meat, or their derivatives.
ROASTED PUMPKIN AND ASPARAGUS STICKS
Serves 4-6
60ml balsamic vinegar
60ml sugar
60ml oil
500g peeled pumpkin or butternut cut into sticks (about 6cm in length and ½cm width)
300g asparagus spears
Combine the balsamic vinegar, sugar and oil and mix well.
Sprinkle over the pumpkin, mix well and place on a baking tray. Bake uncovered at 150ºC for about 45 minutes. Turn them over halfway.
Add asparagus and continue cooking for another 45 minutes until they are lightly browned and soft.
Low and slow is the way to go with these veggies.
Feel free to add some of your favourite vegetables, such as sliced beetroot and baby onions, to the roasting pan. - Angela Day, The Star