Seder guests can enjoy vegetarian dishes
MIDDLETOWN — It’s becoming increasingly popular during Passover to offer vegetarian options for those whose diets restrict them from eating meat, poultry, dairy and other foods.
Passover, an eight-day holiday which celebrates Jewish freedom from Egypt and marks the Jews’ freedom from slavery, requires observers to avoid leavened bread, as it is said the Jews were made to cross through the Red Sea without having time to bake the bread.
The Jews were freed after 10 plagues were brought upon Egypt, each harsher than the previous one. The last plague was the slaying of the first born.
When the pharaoh finally let the people go, they had to leave right away — some 600,000 — so there was no chance for the mothers to finish baking their bread. The bread didn’t have a chance to rise because they had to leave.
So, during Passover there bread, rolls, cakes or other leavened products are not allowed. The food eaten during the holiday must be kosher for Passover, meaning more restrictions than everyday kosher food.
Elements of a traditional Seder plate include several dishes, according to foodfaith.com.
Z’roa: A lamb shank represents a symbolic offering to the temple.
Beitzah: The egg is a symbol of rebirth.
Maror: Bitter herbs such as horseradish signify the bitterness of enslavement.
Karpas: A non-bitter vegetable, here parsley, is dipped in salted water to symbolize tears.
Haroset: A mixture of apple, nuts and wine that represents the mortar and bricks used by the enslaved Jews.
Hazeret: Another bitter herb, such as romaine lettuce. Some do not use a second bitter herb.
ION Restaurant, at 606 Main St., Middletown, which offers a vegan menu, has provided a side dish recipe appropriate for Seder.
4 sweet potatoes
3 Granny Smith apples
1 cup raisins
1 cup matzo or cracker meal
1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup water
Shred the potatoes and apples using a grater or food processor.
Add the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix. Spread over a welloiled dish and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.
Because pasta and other grain-based foods aren’t permissible as part of Passover meals, Matzo serves as a great substitute. These large, thin “crackers” absorb liquids and flavors nicely, which makes them very flexible in recipes, including desserts.
Zucchini matzo lasagna recipes stack the flatbread in place of noodles between layers of ricotta, mozzarella, sauce and other ingredients. It is essential the matzo is soaked briefly in the cheese and egg mixture to ensure it is thoroughly incorporated, to avoid any dryness.
Other delicious nonmeat recipes abound on the internet, such as the Kitchn.com recipe, Kale Salad with Blood Orange and Meyer Lemon, a brilliantly colorful dish made with sweet and peppery black kale.
Another option is The Best Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup from myjewishlearning.com, made with a broth prepared with a cheesecloth bag filled with red and yellow onions, carrot, parsnip and celery, dill, parsley and garlic.
The Smart Girl Veg blog has recipes for silky chocolate pudding made with chia, which gives the dessert a shot of protein. Chia can be used as a replacement for eggs in baking, according to the blog. It also has a Passover version of Bob’s Red Mill magically moist almond cake.
Epicurious.com shares recipes from Esther Sung’s book “Mayim’s Vegan Table,” such as Brussels Sprouts Chips (baked separated Brussels sprout leaves), Mishmash Soup (onion, garlic clove, carrots, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, kidney beans, and dried basil, sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley and oregano), and Moroccan Vegetable Salad (a North African-inspired dish with potatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers and olives).
Luscious Date Avocado Chocolate Truffles, striking candies rolled in crushed pistachios and coconut flakes, from thedeliciouscrescent.com, consist of dates and avocado, which create a smooth texture. Avocado substitutes for cream and butter, with sweetness coming from the dates.
Vegetarian Brisket, another recipe from myjewishlearning.com, employs jackfruit, which, when cooked, has a meaty, hearty taste and texture.
These recipes might well encourage families to incorporate more vegetablebased options for Seder suppers, as a way to sate everyone’s appetite.