Newsgroups: rec.humor.jewish

From: oldbear@arctos.com (The Old Bear)

Subject: Something Different for Valentines Day

Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 20:20:31 -0500

 

Well, it's that time of year again -- so here goes my second annual

rec.humor.jewish helpful Valentines Day post:

 

 

Planning to send your true love a dozen roses for Valentines Day

but unsure whether the gesture will be seen as extravagant and

trite?

 

Well, this year forget the dozen roses.  Give your sweetie something

different, something sweet, and something which will prove useful

in only a few short weeks.

 

That's right, this year send.... A DOZEN HAROSETS....

 

 

 


1. BASIC HAROSET

 

     8-10 large apples

     10-12 ozs. chopped pecans, almonds and/or walnuts

     1 1/2 cup sweet wine

     1 tbsp. cinnamon

     4 tbsp. sugar, or to taste

 

Peel, core and coarsely chop apples.  Add nuts, wine, cinnamon and

sugar.  If sweeter taste is desired, add additional sugar.

 

Source: The Cookbook for All Seasons from the

        Sisterhood of Temple Emanuel of Houston, Texas

 

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2. YEMENITE HAROSET

 

     1/2 lb. pitted dates

     1/4 lb. raisins

     4 dried figs

     1 1/2 c. Sweet wine

     1/4 lb. walnuts

     1/4 lb. almonds

     2 Tbsp. Sesame seeds

     1/2 tsp. cumin

     1/2 tsp. ground ginger

     1/2 tsp. cinnamon

     1/2 tsp. cardomom

 

Place fruits in food processor or blender. Finely chop. Add 1/2 cup of the wine. Mix again, at low speed. Add remaining ingredients

and mix at low speed until nearly smooth. Refrigerate.

 

Yield: 8 servings

Source: Clipping from the Peninsula Daily News (1993)

 

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3. DESSERT HAROSET FROM ERETZ YISROEL

 

     2 chopped apples

     6 mashed bananas

     1 juiced and grated lemon

     1 juiced and grated orange

     1-1/4 cup chopped dates

     4 teaspoons chopped candied orange peel

     Nuts

     1 cup red wine

     Matzah meal

     2 teaspoons cinnamon

     Sugar

 

Blend the fruits and nuts. Add wine. Add as much matzah meal as the mixture will take and still remain soft. Add cinnamon and

sugar to taste. Mix well and chill before serving.

 

Source: Shayla (bkosky@kosky.com)

 

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4. SYRIAN HAROSET

 

     10 large pitted dates

     1/2 cup golden raisins

     1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

     1/2 orange, zest and juice

     1/2 cup sweet Passover wine

     1 cup chopped walnuts

 

Makes about 1 cup.

 

Combine all the ingredients except the nuts in a saucepan and heat until the dates absorb the liquid and begin to get mushy, about 5

to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in nuts. Let cool for several hours to absorb liquid and ripen flavor. Mash with a fork until

the mixture resembles a thick paste. Spread on matzoh and enjoy.

 

Yield: 1 cup

Source: old clipping from the Washington Post Food Section

 

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5. PERSIAN HAROSET

 

     25 dates, pitted and diced

     1/2 c unsalted pistachios

     1/2 c almonds

     1/2 c golden raisins

     1 1/2 peeled apples, cored and diced

     1 pomegranates

     1 orange, peeled and diced

     1 banana, sliced

     1/2 c sweet red wine, to 1 cup

     1/4 c cider vinegar

     1/2 tbsp cayenne

     1 tbsp ground cloves

     1 tbsp ground cardamom

     1 tsp cinnamon

     1 tbsp black pepper

 

Combine all the fruits and nuts. Add the wine and vinegar until a pasty consistency is achieved. Add the spices and blend well.

Adjust seasonings.

 

Yield: 5 cups

Source: Mohtaran Shirazi by way of Joan Nathan

 

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6. SEVEN-FRUIT HAROSET FROM SURINAM

 

     8 oz unsweetened coconut

     8 oz chopped walnuts or:

     8 oz grated almonds

     1/4 c sugar

     1 tbsp cinnamon

     8 oz raisins

     8 oz dried apples

     8 oz dried prunes

     8 oz dried apricots

     8 oz dried pears

     4 oz cherry jam

     sweet red wine

 

Combine everything except the jam and wine in a pot. Cover with water and simmer over low heat. Periodically, add small amounts of

water to prevent sticking. Cook at least 90 minutes. When it is cohe sive, stir in the jam and let stand until cool. Add enough sweet

wine to be absorbed by the haroset and chill.

 

Yield: 5 cups

Source: Joan Nathan in "The Jewish Holday Kitchen"

 

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7. SEPHARDIC HAROSET

 

     1/2 cup grated coconut

     1/2 cup ground walnuts

     1/4 cup sugar

     2 teaspoons cinnamon

     1 cup raisins

     1 cup dried apricots

     1/2 cup prunes

     1/2 cup dried pears

     12 ounce jar cherry preserves

     1/3 cup Malaga wine

 

Mix coconut, walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Chop the dried fruits. Combine the two mixes and place in a pot, cover with water.

Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for approximately 1 hour. When the mixture begins to thicken and

come together, stir in the cherry preserves. Remove from heat; add the wine and let cool.

 

Source: Zell Schulman in "Something Different for Passover"

 

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8. LARRY BAIN'S BUBIE'S HAROSET

 

     1/2 lb walnuts

     1/4 lb dried apricots

     1/4 lb dried prunes, without pits

     3 peeled apples, cored and quartered

     1 lg navel oranges, with skin, quartered

     1/2 c sweet wine

     2 tbsp brandy

     1/2 tsp cinnamon

     1/8 tsp ground cloves

     1/8 tsp nutmeg

     1 tbsp lime juice

     2 tbsp matzo meal, or as needed

 

Using the steel blade of a food processor, chop very fine, but not to a paste, the walnuts, apricots, prunes, dates, apples and orange.

Add the wine, brandy, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and lime juice. If needed, add enough matzo meal to make a mortar-like

consistency.

 

Yield: 6 cups

Source: Larry Bain via Joan Nathan's "Jewish Holday Kitchen"

 

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9. VENETIAN CHAROSET

 

     1+1/2 cups chestnut paste

     1/2 cup pine nuts

     10 ounces dates, chopped

     Grated rind of one orange

     12 ounces figs, chopped

     1/2 cup white raisins

     2 Tbs poppy seeds

     1/4 cup dried apricots

     1/2 cup chopped walnuts

     1/2 cup brandy

     1/2 cup chopped almonds

     honey to bind

 

Combine all ingredients, gradually adding just enough brandy and honey

to make the mixture bind. Other Italian Haroset recipes include mashed

up bananas, apples, hard-boiled eggs, crushed matzah, pears, and lemon.

 

Source: Maxine Wolfson

 

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10. ASHKENAZIC APPLE-NUT HAROSET

 

     6 peeled apples, coarsely chopped

     2/3 c chopped almonds

     3 tbsp sugar, or to taste

     1/2 tsp cinnamon

     grated rind of 1 lemon

     4 tbsp sweet red wine

 

Combine all, mixing thoroughly. Add wine as need. Blend to desired texture- some like it coarse and crunchy, others prefer it ground

to a paste. Chill.

 

Yield: Makes 3 cups.

Source: Joan Nathan

 

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11. PROCESSOR SEPHARDIC HAROSET

 

     1/2 cup grated coconut

     1/2 cup ground walnuts

     1/4 cup sugar

     2 tsp. cinnamon

     1 cup raisins

     1 cup dried apricots

     1/2 cup dried apples

     1/2 cup dried prunes

     1/2 cup dried pears

     12 oz. jar cherry preserves

     1/2 cup Malaga wine

 

Processor method:  1. Insert metal blade. Combine coconut, walnuts,

sugar, and cinnamon with 2 0r 3 pulses. Add diced fruits and chop

with 3 or 4 pulses, until mixture is in medium sized pieces.

 

2. Place in a 4-quart pot, adding water to cover. Simmer uncovered,

stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for approximately one

hour. When mixture begins to thicken and come together, stir in

cherry preserves.  Remove from heat, ass wine and let cool.

 

Conventional method: 1. Mix coconut, walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon

together.  Chop dried fruit with a grinder or in a chopping bowl.

Proceed to step 2 above.

 

Yield: about 3 cups

Source: Zell J. Schuman's "Something Different for Passover"

 

 

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12. CALIFORNIA HAROSET

 

     1 large avocado, peeled and diced

     juice of 1/2 lemon

     1/2 cup sliced almonds

     1/3 cup raisins

     4 seedless dates

     2 figs or prunes

     1 whole orange, peel and sections

     2 tbsp. apple juice

     2 tbsp. matzo meal

 

Toss the avocado and lemon juice in a bowl. Set aside.  In a

processor or blender, place the almonds, raisins, dates, and

figs.  Process until coarsely shopped.  Add the orange peel

and orange sections and process briefly to combine.  Add the

avocado and process just 1 or 2 seconds more.  Transfer the

mixture to a glass bowl and gently fold in the apple juice and

the matzo meal.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the

refigerator.

 

Yield: 3 cups

Source: Judy Zeidler's "The Gourmet Jewish Cook"