Every
spring millions of Jews throughout the world gather to celebrate Passover in
remembrance of their ancestors’ exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago.
Traditionally the Passover meal - known as the “Seder” - is prepared in the
home and consists of recipes that have been handed down from generation to
generation.
But a new
trend is emerging among American Jews who prefer to dine out during this
week-long holiday. On Passover, Jews are not supposed to eat “Chametz,”
leavened bread or anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley,
oats and spelt) that have not been completely cooked within eighteen minutes
after coming into contact with water. This new trend of dining out for the
Passover Seder - seen mostly among reformed Jewish communities - spurred many
upscale restaurants throughout the country to create innovative
Passover-inspired dishes prepared without "chametz."
Every
spring for the past four years Chef Roberto Santibañez of Rosa Mexicano in New York City has offered
his patrons dishes that reflect the traditions of Mexican Passover seders. He bases the menu on the dishes popular among the
roughly 50,000 Jews currently living in Mexico
– mainly in Mexico City, Guadalajara,
Cancun and Tijuana.
The aromas emanating from Chef Santibañez’s kitchen are no longer that of
Eastern European dishes like gefilte fish and matzoh ball soup, but rather
scents of spicy Mexican cinnamon, invigorating cilantro, sweet mangos, and
spicy habanero chili peppers. Central to Chef Santibañez’s Seder menu is
Chambaretes deBorrego, a traditional Mexican lamb dish that uses the native
guajillo chili to slowly braise the meat. These smooth-skinned, brick-or
cranberry-red chilies are a little spicier than anchos, and not nearly as
sweet.
Chef
Roberto Santibañez will offer his Mexican-inspired Tropical Harroset at each of
the five Rosa Mexicano locations from April 13th-15th. A Mexican Passover
cooking demonstration will be offered at the Union Square and Washington, D.C.
locations on April 15th.
Chef Roberto Santibañez
Rosa Mexicano
9 East 18th Steet
New York, New York 10003
(212) 533-3350
1063 1st Avenue
New York, New York 10023
(212) 753-7407
61 Columbus Avenue
New York, New York 10023
(212) 977-7700
575 7th Northwest
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 783-5522
245 18th Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30363
(404) 347-4090
____________________________
Recipes from Chef Roberto Santibañez of Rosa
Mexicano
» Chambaretes de Borrego
» Tropical Harroset
» Green Bean Casserole with Achiote
» Róbalo al Limón
» Tamal de Coco
» Passover Dessert Pears
Chambaretes de Borrego
Chef
Roberto Santibañez of Rosa Mexicano — New
York, NY
Guajillo Sauce:
3 ounces guajillo
chilies, cleaned, lightly toasted,
soaked,
and rinsed with cold water
6 chilies de arbol, toasted
4 cups pineapple,
diced
2 ounces whole
garlic cloves
1 teaspoon cumin
8 cloves
1 Mexican cinnamon stick
(3-inch)
1 cup orange
juice
2 cups water
3 ounces olive
oil
1 Tablespoon apple
cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar
salt
Lamb Shanks:
6 lamb shanks
6 sheets parchment
paper
6 pineapple slices, cored (1/2-inch
thick)
salt and pepper
3 teaspoons ground
Mexican cinnamon
zest of 1 orange
1 quart guajillo
sauce
butcher’s twine
Roasted vegetables:
2 leeks, white parts only, sliced ½-inch
thick
1 pound turnips,
trimmed, peeled and ½-inch diced
1 pound sweet
potatoes, peeled and ½-inch diced
2 bay leaves
2 Tablespoons olive oil,
plus one teaspoon
½ teaspoon
dried thyme
salt and pepper
1 whole head garlic,
top 1/2-inch trimmed
For Guajillo Sauce:
Blend
guajillo, arbol, pineapple, garlic, cumin, cloves,
cinnamon and orange juice with 1 cup of the water. Blend until very smooth.
Heat the
oil in a saucepan and fry the sauce, cooking at least 30 minutes. Add the
vinegar and sugar, and season with salt, to taste. Strain the sauce through a
fine seive, reserving the solids and liquid separately.
Add the
remaining cup of water to the solids and mix thoroughly. Strain through a fine
seive and discard any remaining solids. Allow to cool, cover and refrigerate/
(Should make approximately 4 cups.)
Note:
It’s important to remark that the guajillo chiles must be weight-cleaned. Alter
amount of garlic to taste. This adobo can be used as a marinade for shanks
before cooking. (Before step 2).
For Lamb Shanks:
Preheat
the oven to 350ºF.
Loosen
the top parts of the flesh and ligaments of the shanks so the bone and meat is
separate for ease of handling. Place 1 sheet of parchment
paper on work surface. Place 1 pineapple slice
on center of paper and top with 1 shank. Season generously
with salt and pepper. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and orange
zest over the shank. Repeat with remaining pineapple and shanks.
Pour
approximately 5 ounces of the guajillo sauce over each shank, trying not to get
sauce on the exposed bones. Wrap up the parchment paper around each shank to
form a pouch and secure it to the bone with twine. (The bones should be left
exposed.)
Steam
the shanks in the oven for 2½ hours, or until very tender and the meat is
falling off the bone.
For Roasted Vegetables:
Preheat
the oven to 450°F.
Place
leeks, turnips, sweet potatoes and bay leaves in a large roasting pan. Drizzle
with 2 Tablespoons of the oil; add the thyme, and season with salt and pepper,
to taste. Toss to coat thoroughly.
Wrap the
garlic, cut side up, in aluminum foil leaving the top exposed. and drizzle with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Place
garlic in the roasting pan; place the pan in the oven and roast until the
vegetables are tender and slightly browned. Remove from oven.
Remove
garlic from the pan and unwrap; peel and thinly slice. Toss with vegetables.
To Assemble and Serve:
Remove
the parchment wrapping from lamb shanks. Arrange the shanks on a large serving
platter, and spoon the guajillo sauce around the shanks. Line the platter with
the roasted vegetables, and serve immediately.
Yield: 6
Servings
Tropical Harroset
Recipe by Chef Roberto Santibañez
of Rosa Mexicano
1 pear, peeled,
cored and diced
3 apples, peeled,
cored and chopped
3 bananas, peeled
and mashed
1 pound dates,
pitted
½ pound almonds,
blanched
2 Tablespoons ground
cinnamon
1 cup sweet
wine
Combine all ingredients in a food
processor and puree. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and simmer over low
heat, approximately 15-20 minutes, adding additional wine or water as needed.
Allow to cool; cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
To Serve: Serve Harroset as a spread with matzoh.
Yield: 6 Servings
Green Bean Casserole with Achiote
Recipe by Chef Roberto Santibañez
of Rosa Mexicano
Note: Chefs today
will be surprised at how good a well-cooked green bean can be, and particularly
with achiote paste. Use young and fresh green beans.
8 Tablespoons olive
oil
2 red onions, thinly
sliced
3 jalapeño peppers,
seeded and membranes removed
5 cloves garlic,
chopped
4 Beefsteak
tomatoes, roasted, peeled and crushed
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons oregano,
crumbled
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ounce achiote
paste
2 oranges, juice of
1 cup water
2
1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
salt,
to taste
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Heat the oil in an oven-proof
casserole dish over medium-low heat. Cook the onions and jalapeños until they
are soft. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the
tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, sugar, achiote paste, orange juice and water.
Bring mixture to a boil, and then add the green beans. Cook for an additional
2-3 minutes; season with salt, to taste. Transfer casserole dish to the oven
and bake for 2 hours.
Yield: 8 Servings
Róbalo al Limón
Recipe by Chef Roberto Santibañez
of Rosa Mexicano
2 Tablespoons olive
oil
4 white
fish filets, fleshed like red snapper (7-ounce)
½ teaspoon roasted
chile de arbol powder
salt,
to taste
2 limes, zest and
juice separated
2 Tablespoons chopped
garlic
1 cup crème
fraîche
1 cup cilantro
stems, finely sliced, to garnish.
Heat the oil in a sauté pan. Season
the fish with chile de arbol, salt and several drops of lime juice. Sear each
fish filet on both sides. Add the zest and garlic to the pan, and cook for 30
seconds. Add the crème fraîche and toss to coat all ingredients.
Lower the heat to medium-low and
simmer the fish until done, or approximately 7 minutes. Add cilantro stems and
cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add 4 teaspoons of lime juice, and adjust
seasoning of salt, so taste.
To Serve:
Arrange fish on a serving platter
and spoon extra sauce over the filets. Garnish with cilantro.
Yield: 4 Servings
Tamal de Coco
Recipe by Chef Roberto Santibañez
of Rosa Mexicano
20 corn husks
8 ounces coconut,
dryied and shredded
1 cup water
2 teaspoons natural
vanilla extract
8 ounces butter, or vegetable
shortening
1 teaspoon baking
powder (optional)
3/4 cup sugar
1 hefty pinch salt
2 pounds masa
5 ounces raisins
Soak the corn husks in warm water
for 1/2 hour; drain.
Soak the coconut in water with the
vanilla extract until it softens slightly. Whisk the butter with the baking
powder until it creams. Add the sugar, salt, masa and coconut-water to form a smooth dough that is light and fluffy in consistency.
Put 2 Tablespoons of dough into
each corn husk and sprinkle with raisins. Fold and form the tamales and cook in
a steamer for 1 hour. A tamal is ready when it detaches from the husk easily.
Yield: 20 Tamales
Passover Dessert Pears
Recipe by Chef Roberto Santibañez
of Rosa Mexicano
Stuffing:
2 Tablespoons margarine
1/2 cup pecans,
chopped
1/2 cup apricots,
chopped
1 Tablespoon brown
sugar
Pears:
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups red
wine
2 cups water
6 pears, peeled and
cored
1 vanilla bean
1 Mexican cinnamon stick (3-inch)
1 teaspoon anise
seeds
1 Tablespoon lemon
zest
1 sheet parchment
Chocolate Sauce:
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup semi-sweet
chocolate (nondairy), chopped
Spicy Vanilla Sabayon:
4 egg yolks
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure
non-alcoholic vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon red
chili powder
Garnish:
Mint
Berries
For Stuffing:
Melt the margarine in a sauté pan;
add the pecans and toast lightly. Stir in the chopped apricots; add the brown
sugar and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until a
light syrup develops. Remove from heat and allow to
cool.
For Pears:
In a sauce pan over medium heat,
dissolve the sugar in the wine and water. Add the pears, vanilla bean and
aromatics. Press the parchment paper down into the sauce pan to keep pears
submerged in the liquid. Bring to a light simmer and cook until pears are just
tender, approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove pears from the liquid and chill.
Fill the hollowed pears with apricot stuffing, and refrigerate.
For Chocolate Sauce:
Melt the margarine in a small sauce
pan; remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. Take the chilled, stuffed
pears and dip them half way into the warm chocolate. Place the pears on a
parchment-lined tray and return to the fridge to allow the chocolate to set.
For Spicy Vanilla Sabayon:
Place the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla
and chili powder in a small mixing bowl. Whisk over a double boiler until the
yolks become light and frothy and all the sugar is dissolved.
To Assemble and Serve:
Ladle 1 ounce sabayon into the
bottom of each shallow serving bowl. Place 1 chocolate covered, stuffed pear in
the center of the bowl. Garnish with fresh mint and berries.
Yield: 6 Servings