Preparations for a Perfect Passover

This year since I am blogging I wanted to chronicle my preparations for Passover. This is a day like unto Thanksgiving. They are both feasts and thus have many dishes and timing start and end times and a festive table to set so that the whole day is one culinary accomplishment to make any homemaker proud to BE a homemaker!

On Thursday morning, April 9th, I began by preparing the 1/2 leg of lamb. (Normally I get a whole shank portion, but with less people coming and Sr. D and my substantially reducing our meat intake I just got the smaller piece.) I combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 8-10 minced garlic cloves, a tablespoon each of fresh oregano leaves and thyme leaves, pepper and Kosher salt, and rub it with bare hands all over the lamb. Then I wrap it in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for it to cure.

Next I prepared the chicken broth that would be the base for the matzo ball soup. Into a big pot went a whole pullet, carrots, celery, an onion, garlic cloves, a turnip, thyme leaves, salt, pepper and water to simmer for 2 hours. And the aromas of Passover began! MMM!

Boiling eggs for the seder and making charoset came next. Charoset is also eaten during the seder, or program, at Passover. It represents the mortar used by the Israelites to make the bricks while they were slaves in Egypt. It is made by peeling and finely chopping up apples, and adding , cinnamon, chopped pecans, and a little apple juice. It is very yummy!

For the table centerpiece I have had a tradition for many years of buying fresh flowers and making vases out of the matza bread used in the seder. Matza is unleavened bread, which is the only bread eaten at Passover reminding us that the Israelites had to leave Egypt so fast they didn't have time to let their bread rise.

Then I made the matzo balls for the soup. They are like dumplings and the soup is just the matzo balls and the chicken broth with everything strained, and it is soooo good. The balls are made with matzo flour, eggs, oil, salt and water. They are boiled in the broth.

I also made a sponge cake which turned out wonderful, but forgot to document it. Ugh! And the strawberry shortcake tiered in parfait glasses with the sponge cake didn't get photographed either. So we will just have to imagine the look and taste as best we can!

For the feast I serve lamb, small red roasted potatoes, asparagus, gefilte fish, and then strawberry shortcake for dessert. Sometimes I throw in a Caesar salad too. The potatoes are made by combining in a bowl the washed and dried potatoes, chopped fresh rosemary leaves, garlic (I use a LOT of garlic at Passover) olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss it around and put potatoes on a cookie sheet at 375 for 1 hour, turning occasionally. They are so delicious! I got a picture of the rosemary being chopped, but not the final product. Oh bummer! At this point I am trying to simultaneously set the table, finish the parfait dessert, get the potatoes in and make sure the timing is still good. So I just forget all about taking pictures.

On to setting the table. Many years ago I found some green and yellow dishes at Dollar Tree and thought they would make a perfect set of Passover dishes, and they do! I use them only on Passover and Easter each year and they are so fun! Besides the big seder plate on the table, I put small portions of the food we eat during the seder on each person's plate. Emily was a big help on this part of the preparation. There is some unleavened bread, a hard-boiled egg, a little horseradish, a sprig of parsley, and a spoonful of charoset. (the apple stuff) Grape juice in the goblets, miniature frogs scattered in the middle and two candles finish off the table setting.

The lamb comes out and the aromas are amazing to the senses. Sr. D carves (and picks) the lamb (his absolute favorite part of Passover). He gives any in the kitchen the first juicy bites. The full-time elders arrive, and we are about ready to begin the seder. But I am still trying to do the very last touches: get the asparagus on the stove, but not turned on yet, matches placed near to light the candles during the seder, get a bowl, a pitcher of water and a towel for washing hands during the seder, and pull out the token bottle of gefilte fish from the fridge. (Sr. D loves this and it is a very traditional Passover feast item, but the rest of us cringe at the odor it gives off:))

And Passover begins! Shalom!