Around the Passover Table (31 page)

COOK'S NOTE:
Beautifully fresh Swiss chard is increasingly available in markets these days. It is much easier to clean than spinach, and I find its sweet yet distinctively earthy green leaves make an excellent substitute in this recipe.

I also vary the cheeses; experiment with some of your favorites, using a mixture of mild (Jarlsberg, Gruyère, Muenster, cottage cheese) and sharp (Kasseri, kashkaval, Cheddar, Parmesan).

Zucchini Fritada

yield:
About 8 servings

Its Ladino name reveals the fritada's origin in
Sepharad
(Old Spain). In fact, the dish—containing vegetables, eggs, and usually cheese—was so identified with Jewish life there that a continued taste for it was a telltale sign that a professed converso was still a Jew in his heart. As David Gitlitz and Linda Davidson point out in
A Drizzle of Honey: The Lives and Recipes of Spain's Secret Jews,
servants' testimony to the Inquisition about fritadas eaten cold on Saturdays betrayed their employers as secret Jews or
Judaizers,
as surely as did the hot Sabbath stews that were made without pork.

Also known as
almodrote
as well as several other names in the Diaspora, these crustless casseroles, enriched with roasted eggplant, sautéed spinach, or zucchini, and oven-baked now, are extremely popular, especially among Jews from Greece, Turkey, and the Balkans. Warm or at room temperature, fritadas are ubiquitous at the desayuno brunch served with a host of salads after morning services on Shabbat and holidays, or as a first course at meatless Sabbath dinners.

This well-flavored zucchini version has plenty of pizzazz. A family favorite, it is especially nice for Shavuot, Break-the-Fast, and simple light suppers whenever our greenmarket overflows with either juicy emerald zucchini or the pale green Middle Eastern varieties and fragrant herbs.

If you can find the delicious zucchini blossoms—or better yet, grow them yourself—they make a stunning presentation, a bright orange starburst folded into the center of the cheesy casserole.

2 pounds zucchini, trimmed and scraped

Kosher salt

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for greasing the pan

2 cups chopped onion

Freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces feta (about 2 cups), crumbled

4 large eggs

1 cup packed shredded kashkaval or kasseri cheese, or a mixture of shredded Muenster and grated Parmesan

3 tablespoons matzoh meal

¹
⁄
₄
cup fresh snipped dill

¹
⁄
₄
cup thinly sliced scallions (white and light green parts)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

6 to 8 fresh zucchini flowers, if available

SHRED
the zucchini in a food processor or over the large holes of a hand grater. Transfer the zucchini to a colander, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt, and weight it down (I use a small plate or bowl topped with a heavy can) so that it can drain for at least 30 minutes. Rinse off the salt, and using your hands, squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

WHILE
the zucchini is draining, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper lightly, and sauté about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft and translucent. Add the drained zucchini, and cook, lifting and turning, about 5 minutes, until the zucchini loses its raw look. Let cool slightly.

PREHEAT
oven to 350°F.

MASH
the feta in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, then stir in
³
⁄
₄
cup of the kashkaval or kasseri (reserve about
¹
⁄
₄
cup for the topping), the matzoh meal, dill, scallions, and mint. Add the cooked zucchini and onions. Season, if desired, with additional pepper (it will probably be well salted from the cheese), and mix well.

GENEROUSLY
grease the bottom and sides of a deep 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet or similar size ovenproof pan, pour in the zucchini batter, and smooth the top. If you are using the zucchini flowers, arrange them decoratively. A starburst pattern (form a wide X, then make a vertical line of blossoms through its center) is especially pretty in a round pan. Sprinkle the top with the reserved cheese.

BAKE
for about 50 minutes, or until the fritada is firm and golden-topped, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

LET
the fritada rest until set before cutting.

COOK'S NOTE:
This is even better the next day or when made ahead and reheated.

If your pan is broiler-proof, you can place it under the broiler briefly until the cheese is bubbly, if desired.

Chopped Chicken Liver from the Rue des Rosiers

yield:
6 to 9 generous appetizer servings

This luscious chopped liver relies on perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs: tender and moist, without chalky greenish yolks or tough, rubbery whites. For a foolproof method for preparing them: place the eggs in a heavy saucepan large enough to accommodate them in a single layer. Add
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt (to prevent cracking) and enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Partially cover the pan and bring the water to a full boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat. Then cover the pan, remove it from the heat, and allow the eggs to stand for 15 minutes. Pour off the water and cover the eggs with fresh, cold water, to prevent further cooking, until they are cool. To remove the shells easily, peel the eggs under cold running water or submerge in a bowl of very cold water.

7 large eggs

Approximately 6 tablespoons olive oil or 3 tablespoons olive oil plus approximately 3 tablespoons
Olive Oil Schmaltz
or
Poultry Schmaltz

1 pound onions, diced (about 4 cups)

Coarse salt

1 pound fresh (not previously frozen) chicken livers, rinsed, fat and any green spots removed

Freshly ground black pepper

Accompaniments: soft lettuce, Belgian endive, or radicchio leaves; radishes, scallions, ripe tomatoes, black olives; matzoh;
Grated Black Radish and Endive Salad in Shallot Vinaigrette

PREHEAT
the broiler.

HARD-BOIL
the eggs, cool, and peel them. Cut the eggs into eighths.

IN
a 10-inch heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add 2
²
⁄
₃
cups of the onions, sprinkle lightly with salt, and cook, stirring from time to time, until soft and rich gold, about 15 minutes. Do not let the onions brown or they will make the texture chewy.

MEANWHILE,
prepare the liver: line the broiler rack with either heavy brown paper sprinkled with water or foil. Pat the livers dry with paper towels, and spread them out on the broiler rack. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and broil about 4 inches from the flame until lightly browned on top, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn, sprinkle the other side with salt, and broil for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broiled livers to the onions in the skillet, season generously with salt and pepper to taste, and sauté for about 1 minute, tossing and turning the ingredients. Let cool slightly.

TRANSFER
the contents of the skillet to a food processor and pulse on and off to chop coarsely. Add the eggs and 1 tablespoon of oil or schmaltz. Pulse. Add the remaining 1
¹
⁄
₃
cups raw onion and pulse on and off a few more times until the desired texture is achieved. I prefer it slightly coarse—a rustic rather than a fine-textured pâté, but some like a smooth spread. (Alternatively, you can chop all the ingredients by hand in a wooden bowl with a hand chopper. Chop the liver and sautéed onions first, then add eggs and additional oil or schmaltz. Finally, add the raw onions and chop again.)

SCRAPE
the mixture into a large bowl. Adjust the seasoning and add 1 to 2 tablespoons (or to taste) more oil or schmaltz as needed to make it moist and rich. Mix again so the ingredients are well combined. Refrigerate covered until thoroughly chilled.

SERVE
cold, on lettuce, radicchio, or alternating green and red Belgian endive leaves for an elegant presentation. Or pack the chopped liver into small custard cups or cleaned tuna cans and invert onto frilly greens. Accompany the liver with the suggested vegetables and breads. It is terrific served with a condiment of grated black radish. Or stir crunchy chopped red radish into the liver just before serving.