Passover

The gefilte fish in Joseph Wechsberg's mouthwatering description is unfortunately a dish of the past. Today, most people buy frozen or bottled brands. Good cooks, however, insist on preparing the homemade variety for Friday night and the holidays. My late mother-in-law, Peshka Gerson, made it twice a year, at Passover and Rosh Hashanah. She used her mother's recipe, handed down orally, from Zamosc, Poland. Her only concession to modernity was making individual patties rather than stuffing the filling back into the skin as described by Wechsberg. In addition, her filling was less elaborate. Years ago, when I asked Peshka for her recipe, two of her sisters-in-law were present. They all agreed that the rule of thumb is one pound of fat fish to one pound of thin. They also preferred the Polish custom of adding a little sugar. (Lithuanians say sugar is added to freshen already unfresh fish. Needless to say, Lithuanians do not add sugar to their gefilte fish.) Peshka, Chuma, and Rushka disagreed, however, on the seasonings. Chuma insisted on more salt, and Rushka explained that a little almond extract would do the trick. They both took me aside, promising to show me the "real" way to make gefilte fish. I have used their two suggestions as variations on Peshka's basic recipe. Make your fish Lithuanian or Polish, with sugar or without, but just remember—it's the carrots and horseradish that really count! I have been making this recipe since the mid-1970s. The only difference is that I cook the fish for twenty minutes. My mother-in-law cooked it for two hours!

In another case of less is more, at-their-peak green beans—an old favorite—are paired with a quick vinaigrette that sparkles with a generous amount of minced sweet onion.

This rich Belizean pudding, or pone, is delicious warm or chilled.

Haroseth, a thick condiment of fruit, nuts, and wine, symbolizes the mortar the Israelites used in Egypt. Roberts's particular mix of almonds, pistachios, dates, and dried apricots, reflective of the Middle East, is outstanding (note that we prefer the sweet-tart complexity of California/Pacific apricots to the bland sweetness of Turkish ones). Enjoy leftover haroseth slathered on matzos or crackers; we discovered it's great with Manchego cheese as well.

Honey provides the sweet, and lemon juice the sour, in the Passover dish known as apio, which has origins in Turkey (the Ottoman Empire became a haven for Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition in 1492). As the celery cooks, it soaks up the braising liquid and becomes silky.

As a harbinger of spring, artichokes have a special place on the Passover table and in our hearts. One of Roberts's favorite ways to enjoy them is this elegant Roman preparation. (Rome is home to the oldest Jewish community in the Western world—the first Jews arrived in 161 b.c.e. as ambassadors from Judah Maccabee in Jerusalem.) The trimmed artichokes are braised in a lemony broth zinging with garlic and mint, which is later reduced to a satiny sauce.

Typically a ceremonial dish, haroseth becomes an inspired stuffing—dark and sweet—for Cornish hens seasoned seductively with allspice, cinnamon, cumin, and paprika. The tender meat and haroseth taste wonderful splashed with the rich jus (the Sherry is a nod to Spain), but we love the extra dimension added by the bright salsa verde, too.

The color yellow symbolized joy for medieval Arabs, who were cultivating saffron in Spain by 960 c.e. Sephardic Jews were equally inspired by the coveted spice, and golden rice became a holiday and Sabbath tradition. This version, made with basmati rice, is punctuated by caramelized onion, currants, and fried almonds.

Matzo brei is a Jewish dish made from eggs scrambled with matzo that is traditionally served for breakfast. This version has a few Mexican twists.

Marinate the chicken overnight, then pop it into the oven the next day.

This is a taste of prewar Hungary, from the family repertoire of my dear friend, Judy Abrams, gifted teacher and poet. Based on ground walnuts and leavened only with eggs, this light, fudge-luscious cake has not a jot of butter or flour, making it Passover-perfect for meat or dairy meals. To conclude a meat meal, it is delectable plain or dusted fancifully with confectioners' sugar (a Passover recipe without cornstarch below) or glazed with a simple chocolate icing. For a dairy dish, cover the torte in swirls of lightly sweetened whipped cream or serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream on the side, accompanied by a steaming cup of strong cappuccino. Enjoy this beautifully moist and virtually no-fail torte not just on Passover, but year round. When well wrapped (without icing), it keeps very well, tasting even better a day or two after it is made. As with all nut pastries, be sure the walnuts you are using are very fresh-tasting.

Set in spring, when the earth is renewing and reassembling herself, Passover is celebrated as a sort of second New Year, reflecting the rebirth of the Jews as a free people after the Exodus from Egypt. Children start the season with new clothes, and houses are thoroughly cleaned and freshened up to make way for the new foods and special sets of dishes reserved just for Passover use. And just as they delay until Rosh Hashanah their first tastes of the sweet new autumn fruits, so many Jews wait until Passover to savor the tender new vegetables of spring. In this delicious soup, woodsy shiitake mushrooms and early asparagus combine with delicate roasted fennel-flavored matzo balls in a free-wheeling ode to spring.

Chopping by hand or using a meat grinder will preserve the homemade, chunky texture of this traditional chopped liver.

Forget about chicken pieces. You can grill these two chickens— flavored (Sicilian-style) with lemon, parsley, and garlic—whole.

This recipe originally accompanied Lemongrass Consommé with Matzoh Balls, Leeks, and Shiitake Mushrooms

Ingredients of Sephardic cooking—dates, cardamom, and orange zest—bring a mosaic of Mediterranean scents and textures to the Passover table. The cake has a coarse crumb yet is incredibly moist and chewy, thanks to the dates. A sprinkle of our Passover version of powdered sugar dresses up the torte for a special occasion.

Food editor Melissa Roberts drew on the influences of her husband's Lebanese heritage when she created this dish, rich with the spices and textures of the Middle East. Each bite of chicken combines crisp skin with moist meat and is savory with a hint of sweetness. Pistachios and raisins pump up the "chew" factor.