Herby Green Salad with Matzo Croutons
Plus: A Mexican Jewish cookbook + a Passover discount for The Jewish Table
Hello!
Next week’s newsletter and recipe will go out to all subscribers of The Jewish Table. This week’s recipe (+ the Passover recipe archive) is just for paid subscribers. But in the lead up to the holiday, I am offering a special subscription discount. Use this link by April 22 to get 20% off a paid annual subscription. If you have been meaning to upgrade to paid, now is the perfect time. Thank you for being a part of The Jewish Table.
Hello The Jewish Table readers,
And welcome to the other side of the eclipse. If you are lucky enough to live in the path of totality (or fortunate enough to have traveled to it), I would love to hear about your experience in the comments.
Here in NYC it ended up being a magical day, even beyond the partial eclipse itself. New Yorkers tend to come together for monocultural moments pretty well. But in recent memory, too many of those moments have been centered on tragedy. (9/11, Hurricane Sandy, the pandemic…)
What a joy it was, then, to see the city out in full force on Monday afternoon, crowding into the parks, gathering on stoops and street corners, and sharing eclipse glasses and exclamations of wonder with neighbors and total strangers alike. I mean, how often do you get the majority of people—especially harried New Yorkers—looking in *same direction* and focused together on a shared experience?
More than the eclipse itself, it was this sense of common humanity and collective wonder—brief as it was—that filled me with emotion. Here are a few photos of the thin, mystical afternoon light in Brooklyn and Bea getting a glimpse of the eclipse after school:
If you are in the mood for a feel-good cry, check out this Washington Post article about a science teacher in upstate New York who promised his students in 1978 that he’d host an eclipse party for them in 2024…and then on Monday did exactly that.
A New Mexican Jewish Cookbook!
Last year I had the good fortune of helping to create Sabor Judío: The Jewish Mexican Cookbook. The authors, Professors Margaret Boyle and Ilan Stavans—both Mexican Jews themselves—gathered more than 100 recipes and family histories from Mexico’s Jewish community to write the book. But since they are not recipe developers, they hired me to test and streamline the dishes they’d gathered. (Dream job!)
Now I’m thrilled to announce that Sabor Judío is available for pre-order. It’s a really special book that, like Portico, shines a light on a lesser-known and wildly delicious corner of Jewish cuisine. If you love Mexican food, Jewish food, or Jewish history, it definitely deserves a spot on your bookshelf.
Herby Green Salad with Matzo Croutons
I have rather strong opinions about salads at the seder. First, I believe they are non-negotiable. Passover seders tend to be big, lavish affairs filled with comfort foods and starchy matzo repurposed in a million ways. Green salads help cut through all the heaviness and offer a bit of brightness that many seder meals are lacking.
Second, I believe that seder salads should be dead simple to make but special to eat. You want something you can throw together with minimal fuss just before serving. You want something that comes to the table crisp and fresh. You want something that, despite the simplicity, still wows your seder guests.
Well, have I got a seder salad for you. The ingredient list is minimal and delightfully monochromatic. (I love a green-on-green-on-green salad.) It includes heaps of fresh basil and mint that you roughly tear rather than chop, cutting down on prep time and boosting the spring-y flavor. The garlicky, lime juice-based dressing gets whisked together right in the serving bowl, saving you an extra dish to wash. And best yet, the salad features herbed matzo croutons.
These croutons, which are made by flash-frying matzo pieces in a little oil and dusting them with dried onion and oregano, come together start-to-finish in 5 minutes (yes, literally) and can be made ahead so they are ready when you need them. Frying the matzo turns it airy and crisp with a toasty flavor that perfectly complements the pile of citrusy herbs and greens.
This salad doesn’t need anything else—it is zingy and refreshing all on its own. But feel free to zhush it up with one or more of the following additions: cubed avocado, a handful of chopped fresh chives, dill, or cilantro, a bit of crumbled feta cheese or shaved parmesan, or a scattering toasted almonds or pine nuts.
However you serve it, I hope it brings lightness and joy to your seder or springtime table.
Serves 6, can easily be doubled
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