Passover Menu with a Twist

Recipes and menus for Passover are always a challenge – sometimes in a positive way. It’s nice to be pushed to new levels of creativity and culinary artistry, and to discover you can actually make a lot of delicious food for Passover (your family and guests will love you for it; your waistline is another story!) Try this menu this Yom Tov and just wait for the rave reviews. It is a delight to the eyes and the palate. For more “gourmet” Passover recipes, please visit www.gourmetpassovercooking.com.

Sautéed Tuna with Tomato Salsa

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tuna steaks (about ¼ pound each)
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons red wine
1 teaspoon minced rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté tuna on both sides – 5 minutes per side for a red to pink inside, longer if you want the inside to get really cooked. In the meantime combine all remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve atop or alongside the tuna.

Veal Stew with Onions and Peppers

2 pounds veal stew meat
2 tablespoons potato starch
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup white wine

Dredge veal in potato starch and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add veal and saut? until browned on all sides. Add vegetables and continue sautéing – about 10 minutes. Add chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 2 hours.

Sweet Red Cabbage

2 tablespoons oil
1 red cabbage, chopped into medium-sized pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 apples, chopped
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup red wine

Heat oil and saut? cabbage and onion over medium heat until softened. Add apples, vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add wine and simmer 5 minutes longer.

Eggplant and Green Pepper Kugel

1 large eggplant (about 2 pounds)
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons pine nuts
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to tast
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 matza, crumbled
2 tablespoons margarine

Peel the eggplant and dice in 2-inch cubes. Cook in simmering salted water to cover until the eggplant is tender about 20 minutes. Drain and mash.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion, pepper, and pine nuts in olive oil over medium heat until the vegetables are tender but not crisp. Combine with the basil and salt and pepper.

Mix the eggplant with the lightly beaten eggs as well as the vegetable mixture. Add the matza and mix well. Place in a greased casserole and dot with butter or margarine. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown on top and crusty on the sides.

Yield : 6 to 8 servings

Ginger Chocolate Soufflés

This recipe is courtesy of my friend Dana Slatkin. You can find more of her fresh and exciting offerings on her website: www.danaslatkin.com Yum!

Unsalted margarine and sugar to coat souffl? molds
6 ounces best-quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
A 2-inch unpeeled piece of ginger root, grated into a small bowl
1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
Powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare 6 ½-cup souffl? molds by brushing them with melted margarine and coating them with sugar.
2. Slowly melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave, then cool to room temperature.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and vanilla. Squeeze the grated ginger into the bowl and stir in the juice, discarding the pulp. Stir in the melted chocolate.
4. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with the lemon juice until foamy. Gradually add the sugar as you whip the whites to soft peaks.
5. Fold a third of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it; then add the chocolate mixture to the rest of the whites. Transfer the mixture to a small pitcher (or liquid measuring cup) to make it easy to pour into the prepared souffl? dishes. Fill the dishes to the top and level off with a knife.
6. Bake for about 12 minutes on the lower rack of the oven until puffed up. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.