Appetizers/ Jewish/ Side Dish/ Vegan/ Vegetarian

Haroseth

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I’ve always had a sort of passion for Jewish cooking.  The meals come with great stories, the flavors are fantastic, and somehow certain dishes manage to be kosher.   I’m forever impressed by the chefs I’ve seen cook, and always begging for recipes by the end of dinner.  This particular recipe–for a Yemen-based take on the Jewish Haroseth–I tracked down from my friend Emily Nemens after scooping way too much of it out of the serving bowl and onto square matzo crackers. During Passover this year, Emily prepared the most delicious fruit and nut spread for the first time–Haroseth, or a chutney-like mixture filled with dates, figs, and walnuts pulsed to perfection as a warm, but chunky spread.  Since almost everything on the Passover table carries some symbolic weight (the egg, the greens, the kosher wine), Haroseth (or “Charoset”), as Emily explained, represents the mortar used by the Israelites in Egypt during their slavery.  Indeed, this mixture has a striking resemblance to mortar and comes from the word “cheres” (חרס) meaning “clay.”We ate Haroseth on matzo crackers as is the Sedar tradition, but this dish can be prepared throughout the year and paired with a good cheese plate or red wine.  Since my next Sedar is months away, I made Haroseth this Saturday with Jonathan who insisted we skip the matzo (for culinary purposes, of course) and dress the mixture on a simple sleeve of these La Panzanella Crackers.

For your next Sedar or cocktail hour, I suggest serving this incredibly simple fruit and nut spread as an amuse-bouche for your guests.  One bite and someone will certainly be asking for the recipe.

Haroseth

This recipe is courtesy of my friend Emily Nemens in the English Department at LSU.  I was so wowed by Emily’s Haroseth that I asked for it twice this year until finally making a point to prepare this spread for readers.  Emily adapted her recipe for Haroseth from Epicurious (see the original recipe here).  Although there are numerous ways to prepare this dish based on culture and regional ingredients, the version below has a beautiful sweetness undercut by a hint of spice and pepper.  Notably, the use of apricots is a unique addition to this version of Haroseth while most dishes of the African and Easter tradition commonly just call for dates and nuts.

Ingredients:

*2/3 cup mission figs

*2/3 cup apricots

*1/3 cup dates, pitted

*1 1/3 cups walnuts, chopped and toasted

*1/4 cup manischevits (can substitute 1/4 cup minus 1 tablespoon red wine plus 1 tablespoon grenadine)

*1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

*1/4 teaspoon cayenne

*1/8 teaspoon ginger

1.) In a food processor, pulse figs, apricots, and dates until finely chopped and paste-like.  Transfer to a bowl and reserve.

2.) Roughly chop walnuts and toast until slightly golden brown (about 3-5 minutes).  Cool and add to fruit paste.

3.) Add last four ingredients to fruit and nuts and mix well to combine.  Plate with dried fruit, crackers, and red wine.  Makes 3 cups.

 

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Haroseth, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating
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