A new twist on some traditional recipes

FRANCINE COLES | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Jews from Mexico have had an influence in the culinary world for a very long time. Between their Ashkenazi and Sephardic roots and local flavors, Jewish foods became truly distinctive. Passover is a time for these flavors to shine!

Interestingly, the Jewish people have had a presence in Mexico since 1519, when the first Spaniards arrived. The bulk of the Jewish community began to form in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Jews from Europe looked for new places to call home due to heightened tensions and antisemitism.

Currently, the bulk of the 100,000 or so Jews in Mexico live in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Cancun and there are many notable figures in arts, science, journalism and politics from this thriving Jewish community. While the recipes I am featuring may not have strictly indigenous ingredients from Mexico, they have tastes that we are familiar with and are a take on traditional Passover or Mexican recipes.

Mexican Matzah Brei

Makes: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Mexican matzah brei

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)

• 2 large carrots, peeled and halved crosswise

• 1 parsnip, peeled and halved crosswise

• 2 stalks celery, halved crosswise

• 1 large white onion, peeled, and halved through the root

• 2 medium leeks (white and light green parts), ends trimmed, halved through the root and rinsed

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

INSTRUCTIONS:

• 1 dried chipotle chili, split lengthwise and seeds removed, or 1 teaspoon chipotle chili flakes

• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro (stems OK)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1 cup matzah meal

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley, optional

• 2 tablespoons seltzer water

• For serving: Lots of lime wedges, finely chopped white onion, fresh cilantro leaves and finely chopped avocado

Place the chicken, carrots, parsnip, celery, onion, leeks, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, chipotle chili and cilantro in a large soup pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a low boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to

The Mexican Matzah Ball Soup with Chipotle & Limes starts out as a very traditional soup where chicken is boiled with carrots, parsnips, celery, onions and leeks but the addition of dried chipotle pepper, cilantro and a hearty squeeze of lime juice elevates the dish.

Mexican Matzah Brei is a savory brei that’s been enhanced with cheddar cheese, salsa, avocado, queso fresco and chopped cilantro.

And, finally, the Passover Vegetarian Enchiladas are a fun way to enjoy matzah this year. Matzah is soaked and then rolled around a vegetarian filling of beans (who knew you could roll matzah?), finely diced vegetables and chiles. While not everyone will eat beans during Passover, if you are one of those people who will, this is a wonderful recipe for you.

I hope you enjoy a different Passover this year! Chag Sameach!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 4 matzah boards, broken into 1 inch pieces

• 6 eggs, lightly beaten

INSTRUCTIONS:

• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese

• 1/2 cup salsa

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 1/4 cup queso fresco, crumbled

• 2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped

Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté over medium-low heat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the broken pieces of matzah in a colander and bring a kettle of water to a boil.

Slowly pour the boiling water over the matzah until all the pieces are soaked. Drain in the colander, shaking gently.

Beat together the eggs and cheese in a large bowl. Add the damp matzah to the egg mixture in the bowl. Pour the egg and matzah mixture into the skillet with the onions.

Cook the matzah brei over medium-low heat, stirring as needed, just until the eggs are set.

Arrange the matzah brei on a large plate and pour the salsa over it. Garnish with avocado slices, crumbled queso fresco and chopped cilantro. Serve hot with extra salsa on the side.

Mexican Matzah Ball Soup With Chipotle And Lime

Makes: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours

Mexican matzah ball soup with chipotle and lime

PASSOVER low. Gently simmer, partially covered, skimming o any foam that accumulates, until the chicken is very tender and falling o the bone, about 1 1/2 hours. The soup should roll along at a very gentle simmer. If it starts to bubble too vigorously, turn the heat down.

Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pot, transfer to a cutting board and let cool to the touch.

Meanwhile, make the matzah balls. Mix together the eggs, vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon salt, matzah meal, parsley, if using, and seltzer in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Return the strained broth back to the pot. Discard the onion, leeks, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, chili and cilantro. Chop the carrots, parsnip and celery into bite-size pieces and return to the pot.

Using your fingers, remove all the meat from the bones and roughly chop and return to the pot. Discard the chicken skin and bones. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium-low and keep at a simmer.

Moisten your hands with water; scoop out a rounded tablespoon of matzah ball batter and roll it into a 1-inch ball. Drop into water, and repeat with remaining batter. Cover the pot, and simmer until matzah balls are tender and pu ed, 30-35 minutes. (If you cut one in half, it should be uniformly pale in color throughout.)

To serve, place a few matzah balls into serving bowls and ladle soup over top. Serve hot with lime wedges, white onion, cilantro leaves and avocado on the side for topping.

PASSOVER VEGETARIAN ENCHILADAS (Kitniyot only)

Makes: 6 servings

Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

Passoverenchiladasvegetarian

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 pieces of matzah

• 1 (14-ounce) can baked beans in tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 red pepper, chopped

• 1 carrot, chopped

• 1 tomato, chopped

• 1 mild green chili, finely chopped (poblano or anaheim)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

• Salt and pepper

• 1/2 can (3 ounces) tomato paste

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

• 2-3 tablespoons water

• 1 cup grated cheddar or Monterey cheese

Just over an hour before you’re going to start cooking, take the matzah and wet each piece individually with water. Place on a large plate and cover it with paper towel that you have also wet with water. Leave for about an hour, making sure they don’t dry out. (If they start getting dry, you can wet them a little).

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large pan, on medium-high heat, sauté the onions, peppers and carrot in the oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and mix in. Add the chili and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, paprika, cumin and fresh coriander and mix. Add the beans, mix thoroughly and allow to simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors permeate.

Mix the tomato paste with a little water to get it to a spreading consistency, add the sugar and season with some salt and pepper, a little paprika and cumin as well. Spread half the tomato over the bottom of a greased large baking dish.

Place a piece of wet matzah on a cutting board or clean surface. Place about 3 tablespoons of the bean mixture across the bottom length of one side. Carefully roll the matzah up from the filling side. Place the roll, seam side down, onto the tomato paste. Keep going until all the matzot are filled. Spread the remaining tomato paste over the top of the rolls, and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and brown. JN

Francine Coles is a food blogger based in Phoenix. Find more of her food insights and recipes at thefancypantskitchen.com.