The Feast of Unleavened Bread : Passover From the Pros

Traditionally, Seder dinners are held at home. But in typical Los Angeles style, Seder is starting to spill over into trendy eating places. It seems that every year a new restaurant joins in the festivities.

The most expensive, and most exclusive, Seder is held at Spago, where since 1985 a rabbi or cantor has presided. The meal costs $135 and the money goes to charity.

No, Wolfgang Puck Seder pizza is not on the menu. In fact, the Spago’s Seder is fairly traditional--if you don’t count the foie gras on the potato latkes. There is gefilte fish with homemade red and white horseradish and matzo ball soup (with parsnips in the chicken broth). And there are matzos--although here they are not plain, but sprinkled with shallots and thyme and baked in the restaurant’s wood-burning ovens. Then comes braised Moroccan lamb with prunes, apricots and almonds; Moroccan carrot salad; mushroom and eggplant ratatouille and an assortment of desserts: sorbets, ice creams, macaroons, cheesecake, flourless chocolate cake and strawberry-nut cake.

Prego in Beverly Hills also sticks relatively close to tradition. Chef Andrea Rogantini’s four-course Passover menu (it costs $23.75 per person) starts with matzos and honey-nut marmalade, then proceeds to chicken broth with matzo balls, sauteed lamb loin with fresh herbs accompanied by asparagus and sauteed baby artichokes, and flourless chocolate cake. Among the Kosher wines are Hagafen Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Last year’s Seder drew so many customers that the restaurant decided to do it again, says Andrea Bullo, general manager.

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For something a little less traditional, consider the dinners that chef Evan Kleiman is set to cook at West L.A.’s Trattoria Angeli Wednesday through Saturday evenings. The Italian-style Passover foods include artichokes braised with herbs and extra-virgin olive oil and a layered dish of lamb, baby artichokes, caramelized onions and spinach topped with tomato sauce. For dessert, Kleiman is making riciarelli de Siena, rich cookies of sweetened almond paste. The price is $28.

Sephardic Jews, says Michel Ohayon, owner of the Moroccan restaurant Koutoubia, put the accent on sweet flavors in order that the coming year will be sweet. That’s why the meal he’s making includes chicken with prunes and honey and lamb with honey and almonds. These Kosher Sephardic dinners, which are prepared for takeout, cost $29.50 and include Moroccan salads such as marinated tomatoes and peppers, beets with cumin, and potatoes with citrus dressing. For the main dish customers get a fish course and a choice of chicken or lamb.

*BACKGROUND

A Seder is more than a meal. It blends food with ritual to commemorate the release of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Traditionally, the meal is held on the first night of Passover, which begins at sundown tomorrow. Many families also celebrate with a Seder dinner on the second night too. Ceremonial foods like maror (bitter herbs), which represent the bitterness of slavery, and salt water, symbolizing tears, appear on the table along with the Haggadah, a guide to the ceremony that includes everything from songs to ritual cups of wine.

This is the fifth year that Ohayon, a Sephardic Jew from Casablanca, has offered the dinners. “A long time ago, some customers asked for Seder food to go. From then, we’ve been increasing every year,” he says.

A true international meal is being prepared at Le Petit Market, a specialty grocery and deli in Los Feliz. Chef-owner Pierre Pelech, formerly of the Los Feliz Inn, is from Toulouse in southern France; his wife and mother come from Morocco. He says that the Jewish, American, Moroccan and Southern French dishes he’s making won’t be kosher. But, he adds, “the meal will be traditional.”

The package includes gefilte fish with fresh horseradish and beet sauce, chicken soup with matzo balls and a choice of three main dishes: lamb seasoned with saffron and garnished with almond-stuffed prunes, turkey with matzo chestnut dressing, and breast of veal with matzo-Swiss chard stuffing and olive sauce. Carrot kugel--carrots cooked with raisins, red wine and sugar--comes with the meal. And for dessert, there’s matzo-apple cake with brandy sauce. The cake, which includes Swiss chard, is Southern French, adapted for Passover. The entire meal costs $10 per person, but the minimum order is $100.

Some restaurants aren’t offering an entire Seder menu, but are including a single dish to commemorate the holiday. Chef Didier Poirier of Barsac Brasserie in North Hollywood is making charoset , a chopped mixture of fruits and nuts that represents the mortar used by slave laborers in Egypt. His version combines apples, apricots, dates, raisins and almonds in a marinade of amaretto liqueur, red wine and spices.

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Poirier, a Roman Catholic from Le Mans, France, has more than a passing interest in Passover. “I’m getting married in June, and with a Jewish girl,” he says. He’ll cook haricots verts and brisket for a Seder today. It’s hosted by his future in laws, who switched the dinner to Sunday because that is Poirier’s day off.

On Tuesday, Mario Martinoli will introduce Passover dishes to his restaurant and deli, Mario’s Cooking for Friends. He’s created artichokes stuffed with fresh salmon for the occasion and is baking amaretti cookies based on a recipe in an old Jewish cookbook from Italy. They’re made with matzo meal instead of flour. Other dishes are lamb stew with North African spices, baked whitefish with raisins, toasted pine nuts, spinach and thyme, and carciofi alla Judea (Jewish style artichokes), which are deep fried without breading.

For those who’d rather stay home and cook their own Seder dinner, here are a few restaurant Seder recipes that could easily be added to the repertoire of any family’s recipes.

The longer this mixture marinates, the more flavor it will have. Try stirring the leftovers into yogurt for breakfast.

BARSAC BRASSERIE’S CHAROSET

1/4 cup chopped dates

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup diced dried apricots

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup amaretto liqueur

2 red apples, chopped

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 to 2 tablespoons honey

Soak dates, raisins and apricots in red wine several hours or overnight. Add amaretto, apples, almonds, cinnamon and honey 2 hours before serving. Cover and refrigerate. Toss several times before serving. Makes about 3 cups.

Each tablespoon contains about:

23 calories; 0 sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.15 gram fiber.

Mediterranean flavors highlight a dish that conveys the sweetness of freedom celebrated at Passover.

KOUTOUBIA’S POULET AUX PRUNEAUX

(Chicken With Prunes)

32 prunes

1/2 cup kosher sweet red wine

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup apricots, chopped

1/4 cup raisins

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 (3-pound) chickens

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon saffron

2 bay leaves, crumbled

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons honey

Soak prunes 3 hours in wine, adding more wine if needed.

Mix walnuts, apricots and raisins. When prunes are softened, cut open at each end and stuff each prune with nut-fruit mixture. Set aside.

Heat oil in Dutch oven. Place chickens breast-bone-down in pan. Mix onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, ginger, paprika, saffron, bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Spread mixture over chickens. Add water until half way up chickens. Bring to boil over high heat.

Place pan in oven. Bake at 350 degrees 1 1/2 hours, turning chickens over every 30 minutes. Chickens are done when meat falls apart easily. Remove from Dutch oven and place on serving platter. Strain sauce, return to pan and bring to boil. Add prunes, soaking liquid and honey. Add more wine if desired. Cook sauce until heated through. Arrange prunes on platter with chickens. Serve sauce separately. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

632 calories; 186 mg sodium; 153 mg cholesterol; 37 grams fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 41 grams protein; 1.31 grams fiber.

Pierre Pelech of Le Petit Market learned to make this omelet from his Moroccan mother-in-law. It’s surprisingly light in texture. Preserved lemons can be purchased in Middle Eastern shops, or the preserved lemon peel may be omitted from the recipe.

LE PETIT MARKET’S OMELET MAZAL

5 small potatoes, cooked and peeled

2 hard-cooked eggs, diced

1 carrot, cooked and cut in small dice

1/2 cup cooked peas

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 piece preserved lemon peel, diced

Juice of 1 lemon

10 eggs

Oil

Place potatoes in bowl and mash with fork. Do not puree. Add hard-cooked eggs, carrot, peas, parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix gently with fork. In another bowl, beat eggs with fork. Stir into potato mixture.

Heat small amount oil in 2-inch deep 9- or 10-inch-diameter non-stick round pan. When oil is hot, add egg mixture. Bake at 325 degrees 45 minutes, or until small knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let omelet stand in pan 15 minutes. Invert onto serving dish. Serve at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

261 calories; 143 mg sodium; 425 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 0.93 gram fiber.

Mario Martinoli of Mario’s Cooking for Friends designed this dish as a main course. Or you could let guests tear off the leaves and eat as appetizers.

SALMON-STUFFED ARTICHOKES

6 large artichokes

Juice 1/2 lemon

1 medium onion, minced

1 stalk celery, minced

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 to 1 1/2 pounds fresh salmon, cut into chunks

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt, pepper

1 1/2 cups matzo meal

1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley

3 cups fish stock

4 whole cloves

2 bay leaves, crumbled

Cut off tips of artichokes to make tops flat. Remove all hard exterior leaves. Cut stems so artichokes sit flat. Place artichokes in large container of water combined with lemon juice.

Saute onion, celery, garlic and salmon in some of olive oil until cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in bowl and mix in matzo meal and parsley. Add oil as needed until filling is moist and holds together.

Remove artichokes from water and dry thoroughly. Open leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Season lightly to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff artichokes with salmon mixture so top is fully covered and flat. Place in large non-aluminum pot with tight-fitting lid. Add fish stock to cover lower 1/3 of artichokes. Do not moisten stuffing. Add cloves, bay leaves and dash olive oil. Cover and simmer 35 to 45 minutes or until leaves come away easily.

Drain artichokes. Place on baking sheet under broiler and broil until tops are browned. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

397 calories; 221 mg sodium; 2 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 68 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 2.56 grams fiber.

This Moroccan salad would make a fine relish for a summer barbecue.

KOUTOUBIA’S SALADA MADOUCHA

1 green pepper

1 sweet red pepper

5 Anaheim chiles

1 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Salt, pepper

Roast peppers and chiles, then peel. Discard seeds. Cut in pencil-size strips. Combine tomatoes and garlic in saucepan. Cook, uncovered, over very low heat until almost all liquid is gone. Add peppers and cook until no liquid remains. Add vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

35 calories; 47 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1.18 grams fiber.

Nut topping adds to the attraction of these cookies. Another advantage is, they contain little sugar.

MARIO’S PASSOVER AMARETTI

1/4 cup margarine

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons dark corn syrup

1 egg, well beaten

2 teaspoons almond extract

10 tablespoons matzo meal

Minced blanched almonds

Combine margarine, sugar and corn syrup and beat until creamy. Add egg, almond extract and matzo meal. Mix well. With slightly wet hands, form dough into small balls and place on non-stick or greased baking sheet. Press each lightly to flatten slightly. Dust with almonds. Bake at 400 degrees 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to rack to cool. Makes 18 small cookies.

Each serving contains about:

55 calories; 33 mg sodium; 12 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.02 gram fiber.

Desserts that contain no flour, like sponge cake and macaroons, are ideal for Passover.

SPAGO’S APRICOT MACAROONS

1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

4 egg whites

4 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

Combine apricots, water and 1 tablespoon sugar in small saucepan. Poach apricots over medium heat until tender and about 1 tablespoon liquid remains, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool slightly. Puree mixture in food processor. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar and egg whites and process until apricots are pureed. (Start with on/off pulsing and then let food processor run.)

Place coconut in large bowl. Add apricot puree and beat with electric mixer until mixture holds together when pinched.

Using hands, shape mixture into pointed cones (pyramids), each weighing about 2 ounces. Arrange 1 inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees until tops are well browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove macaroons from pan and cool on wire rack. Store in airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen.

Each cookie contains about:

129 calories; 14 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.83 gram fiber.

After Passover, you can make this cake with cookie crumbs or ground nuts instead of matzo meal.

PREGO’S FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

1/2 cup milk

1/4 pound bittersweet chocolate

2 (7 3/4-ounce) containers mascarpone

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup corn syrup

3/4 cup matzo meal

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Place milk in saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat mascarpone with powdered sugar. Add corn syrup, then milk mixture, then matzo meal, cocoa and cornstarch, beating while adding each ingredient. Pour into greased 8-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes, or until cake is puffed and pulls away from edges. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

399 calories; 179 mg sodium; 61 mg cholesterol; 26 grams fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.68 gram fiber.

Seder Datebook

Spago, 1114 Horn Ave., West Hollywood; (310) 652-5906. Seder on Tuesday, $135.

Prego, 362 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 277-7346. Seder on tk; $23.75.

Trattoria Angeli, 11651 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles; (310) 478-1191. Italian Passover food, Wednesday-Saturday, $28.

Koutoubia, 2116 Westwood Blvd., West Los Angeles; (310) 475-0729. Sephardic Seder food to go, $29.50.

Le Petit Market, 1801 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles; (213) 661-1914. Passover dinner to go, $10 per person.

Barsac Brasserie, 4212 Lankershim Blvd., Studio City; (818) 760-7081. Charoset served at lunch and dinner during Passover.

Mario’s Cooking for Friends, 7475 Beverly Blvd.; (213) 931-6342.

Food styling by Donna Deane and Mayi Brady