By Beck Krystal
Haroset, by far, was always my favourite part of the Passover table. For a kid, anyway, there was no contest when stacked up against the other parts of the symbolic Seder plate: the egg (usually hard-boiled, gasp), greens (typically parsley), bitter herbs (horseradish), another bitter herb (often lettuce) and shank bone (purely decorative).
Haroset, which according to legend if not historical fact, represents the mortar used by enslaved Israelites in building the Pharaoh's pyramids. It was sweet, familiar (made with apples and walnuts) and, again from the point of view of a kid, slightly transgressive (parent-sanctioned wine consumption, albeit minuscule).
As I got older, I began to appreciate the symbolic and culinary value of haroset. It represents hope even amid struggle, and surely, we can appreciate that during this pandemic. In terms of flavour, the contrast between the sharp horseradish and sweet haroset is a beautiful dance. Each enhances and tempers the other.
Don't feel obliged to stick to your family's recipe if you want to flex your creative muscle. Or, if you must hew to tradition, serve several variations. They're easy enough to put together and are perfect to make ahead, as they tend to improve in flavour over several days. Really, who's going to object to more haroset?
The type of fruit you use, fresh or dried, will guide you to how crunchy or chewy the haroset is. Dried fruit can be briefly pulsed in a food processor for just a coarse chop or more finely minced. Try soaking it and then cooking it on the stove top, where the mixture can be left looser or concentrated into something more akin to jam.
Apple, Walnut and Fig Haroset With Mulled Wine Syrup (Serves 12)
Ingredients
1 cup (90 grams) walnut halves and pieces
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) plus 2 tablespoons red wine, divided, or more to taste
1/2 cup (100 grams) white sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 medium apples (380g), peeled, cored and diced
6 dried figs (110g total), each cut into 4 to 6 pieces
Pinch salt, or more to taste
Method
Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 180 degrees. Place the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Transfer to a plate or cutting board, let cool completely and then chop.
In a wide pot or skillet over medium-high heat, combine the 1 1/2 cups of wine, sugar and cinnamon sticks, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the liquid becomes syrupy and has reduced by about two-thirds, 11 to 13 minutes. The mixture will start to look foamier as it gets close. When it's ready, a spatula dragged through the skillet should leave a trail that briefly holds before closing back up. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks, transfer the syrup to a small bowl or container and let cool. (You should have 1/2 cup of syrup.)
In a large bowl, combine the walnuts, apples, figs, salt, 2 tablespoons of wine and 1/4 cup of the wine syrup. Taste, adding more wine, syrup or salt, as desired. For optimal flavour, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
Dried Fruit Haroset With Cardamom and Lemon (Makes 2 Cups)
Ingredients
1/2 cup (80g) raisins (dark or golden)
1/2 cup (105g) dried apricots
1/2 cup (5g) dried apples
4 Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (70g) roasted, unsalted pistachios
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, plus more to taste
Method
Combine the raisins, apricots, apples, dates and pistachios in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. For a chunkier consistency, pulse less, or you can process it more to get a smoother, paste-like texture. Stop the motor and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times, if needed.
Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the lemon juice and cardamom. Taste, and add more lemon juice or cardamom, if desired. Serve or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
The Washington Post
Becky Krystal is a food reporter and staff writer for Voraciously.