Seder Recipes from Westchester Chefs

Local chefs give recipes for Seder dishes that no one will pass over.

Attention bubbelehs, your Passover guests will appreciate a little home cooking. So put on an apron, heat up the oven, and make shnel with the knives and graters! 

Lemon and Thyme Potato Latkes

Courtesy of Chef Eric Korn, Good-Life Gourmet, Irvington (914) 478-8080; Scarsdale (914) 723-3024; goodlifegourmet.com
(Serves 8; makes 15 three-inch pancakes)
5 medium-size Yukon Gold potatoes
1 Spanish onion
3 eggs
1 cup matzo meal
½ tsp lemon zest
½ tsp fresh thyme
kosher salt to taste
fresh cracked pepper to taste
canola oil
Peel potatoes and grate into a bowl of cold water.  Allow to sit for 15 minutes (can sit submerged in water for up to 2 days). Peel onion and grate into a separate bowl. In a third bowl, combine eggs, thyme, onion, and matzoh meal. Whisk into a batter. Strain water from potatoes and combine with onion. Wrap in a towel and squeeze out as much excess water as you can. Add potato to batter and combine. Season with salt and pepper. In a hot sauté pan, add canola oil to completely coat the bottom. Form balls of potato mix and drop into pan. Flatten with a spatula and cook over medium high heat until golden. Flip and cook until golden. Serve hot with applesauce (see recipe below).

 

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Savory Applesauce*

Courtesy of Chef Eric Korn, Good-Life Gourmet
1 Spanish onion
1 lemon, zested and juiced
¼ cup water
½ tsp fresh thyme
3 Gala apples
kosher salt to taste
Dice onion and sauté over medium low heat until translucent in color. While onions are cooking, peel apples and dice. Add apples, lemon juice, thyme, and water to the onions. Cook over medium heat until water starts to evaporate and apple begins breaking down, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add lemon zest and season with salt. Stir until a chunky applesauce consistency is achieved. Serve warm with fresh potato latkes.
*Can be made 2 days in advance

 

Matzoh Pudding

Courtesy of Chef Daniel Van Etten
Mima Vinoteca, Irvington (914) 591-1300; mimarestaurant.com
(Serves 12)
5 matzohs
6 large eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp sugar
2 unpeeled red apples, shredded
1 small pear, shredded
8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
¾ cup golden raisins
1 lemon rind, grated (zest)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp sugar mixed with ½ tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp currant jelly
Preheat oven to 325°. Break matzoh and soak in water 2 minutes, then drain. Mix eggs until fluffy. Add cinnamon and sugar. Stir in fruit, raisins, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix well and add matzoh. Coat a 13” x 9” casserole dish with oil. Add matzoh mixture and spread evenly in casserole dish. Sprinkle sugar-cinnamon mixture on top and dot with jelly. Bake 45 minutes until top is golden and pudding is solid. May be refrigerated overnight.

 

Gefilte Fish

Courtesy of Chef Arsenio Flores
Eastchester Fish Gourmet, Scarsdale
(914) 725-3450; eastchesterfish.com
(Serves 8 to 10; makes approx 18 to 20 pieces)
3 lbs of Michigan Lake whitefish*
3 lbs of yellow pike
6 eggs
2 carrots for grinding
1 carrot for garnish
2 parsnips
2 onions
â…” cup matzoh meal
â…” cup water
salt and pepper
fish stock (see recipe below)
Grind the fish, carrots, onions, and parsnips and mix together. Adds eggs, matzoh meal, and water and mix together, adding water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Roll into 6 oz logs. Steam for 30 minutes in fish stock using a shallow pan with stock covering half of gefilte fish. Garnish with carrots poached in fish stock.

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Fish Stock:
water
fish bones (the more used, the more flavorful the stock)
1 carrot
½ onion
1 celery stalk
1 parsnip
1 thyme sprig
1-2 bay leaf(-ves)
Put all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain vegetables and bones.

*For the Passover holiday, the whitefish and pike is sold at Eastchester Fish Gourmet; the store will also grind fish and vegetables.  

Matzoh-Ball Soup

Courtesy of Chef Ethan Kostbar
Moderne Barn, Armonk
(914) 730-0001; modernebarn.com
(Serves 10)

FOR STOCK:
2 whole chickens, washed
3 onions, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped (set aside leaves)
8 black peppercorns
1 bunch of thyme
2 bay leaves
Place all ingredients into a pot and let simmer for 1 hour. Pull out the chickens and shred the meat. Set meat aside. Simmer the stock for 4 more hours while skimming the fat from the surface. Strain through a fine chinois. Set onions, carrots, and celery aside. Season stock with salt and set aside.

FOR MATZOH BALLS:
16 eggs, separated
1 cup chicken fat
3 cups matzoh meal, plus a bit extra if needed
2 Tbsp tarragon, chopped
2 Tbsp dill, chopped
4 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1 cup club soda
¼ cup vodka
salt and white pepper to taste
Whisk egg yolks until fluffy, then add chicken fat. Whisk egg whites separately until hard peaks form. Mix herbs and spices in matzoh meal. Add club soda and vodka, stir, and then add in egg yolk mixture. Fold in whites. Let rest in fridge for 1 hour. Form golf-ball-sized matzoh balls. Simmer the balls in chicken stock for 30 minutes at 180°.

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TO ASSEMBLE SOUP:
parsley to taste, chopped
Heat matzoh balls in chicken stock. Add shredded chicken, onions, carrots, celery, a bit of chopped parsley, and celery leaves.
 

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