One of the more challenging issues for Jews who try to observe the dietary limitations of Passover — primarily no bread or other leavened grains known as “chametz” — is less about what to prepare or eat for the customary Seder meals on the first and second nights, and more about what to eat during the rest of the week. So in March — well before the arrival of Passover on the evening of April 12 — I sought advice from chef Jeff Rossman of Terra Catering and Shalom Kosher Catering.
Rossman offered me a slew of cool recipes to choose from, but a few caught my eye for various reasons. Salmon croquettes were something my mom loved to make for us during hot summer months. Hers were made with canned salmon — and Rossman admitted his mom did the same — and breadcrumbs. Rossman’s are elevated enough for adults to enjoy, using fresh salmon that you’ll sear, then bake and then mix with fresh herbs and enjoy with a luscious horseradish cream. Then I saw on his list a recipe for Honey Roasted Garlic Tzimmes. Now tzimmes, which is cooked root vegetables and usually mixed with dried fruit, is certainly a Seder dish. But I was sold on the inclusion of roasted honeyed garlic, which I’d happily eat throughout the week. The last dish I wanted to share is Rossman’s matzoh toffee, because it’s the easy treat we can make to snack on through the week. Never heard of it? Oh, you’re welcome. It’s matzo, with a glaze of homemade caramel (easy-peasy to make), topped with chocolate chips and then any other add-ins that make you happy — say, toasted pecans, toasted coconut, dried fruit. You can even combine different types of chocolate chips.
Check out the recipes for these dishes in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune.
