Saturday, April 6, 2013

Skillet Matzo Brei with Cinnamon, Apple, and Raisins

 Fabulous Passover breakfast, from Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:
5 matzos, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Fruit preserves, creme fraiche, honey, or maple syrup, for serving (optional)

Directions:
Place matzos in a bowl, and cover with water. Place a plate on surface to keep matzos submerged. Let stand for 5 minutes, and drain. Return to bowl.

Whisk eggs and salt together in a small bowl. Add to matzo. Add sugar, apple, raisins, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup oil. Gently stir until combined.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spread matzo mixture evenly in skillet, pressing firmly into pan. Cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula, 1 piece at a time. (The mixture will break into 3 or 4 pieces.) Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Spoon onto serving plates. Serve hot or warm with toppings if desired.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Strawberry-Lemon Trifle

Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart. A great Passover addition!

Ingredients:
Lemon Curd for Passover
8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons, freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 pinch of salt
1 teaspoon potato starch
8 tablespoons (1 stick) margarine, cut into 12 pieces

Passover Sponge Cake, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Margarine, for pan
Matzo meal, for pan
4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup potato starch

Trifle
2 pints strawberries, hulled
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions:
To make the Lemon Curd, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and potato starch in a medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until thick, about 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in margarine, one piece at a time, until all of the pieces have been fully incorporated. Transfer the lemon curd to a bowl, and lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool, and store in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

To make the Passover Sponge Cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with margarine. Dust pan with matzo meal; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks on medium-high speed with 1/4 cup sugar until thickened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Wash and dry the mixer bowl and the whisk attachment.

Place egg whites and salt in mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed with whisk attachment until soft peaks form. With machine running, slowly pour in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar; continue beating until stiff and glossy, about 3 minutes. Fold egg whites and orange zest into yolk mixture. Sift potato starch over the mixture, and fold in.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool 15 minutes.
 
To assemble the Trifle, quarter the strawberries, and place in a medium bowl; toss with 1/2 cup sugar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Add orange juice, and toss. Strain strawberries over a bowl, reserving juice. Place sponge-cake pieces in a 1 1/2-quart heatproof bowl. Pour reserved juice over cake; let sit 30 minutes. Spoon lemon curd over cake; top with strawberries. Enjoy!