Apple condiment is standard Passover fare

Think of haroset as a cousin to sangria. It’s made with fruit and wine, after all.

One difference, however, is that it’s also made with nuts. And unlike sangria, it is eaten instead of sipped.

But perhaps the most important difference is that haroset is a symbolic dish that is traditionally served at a seder, or Jewish Passover meal.

Haroset represents the mortar that the Hebrews used to make the pyramids, said Carol Hoffman, a member of Congregation Beth Ha Midbar in Yuma. As part of the Jewish Passover ceremony, haroset is served as a condiment on a seder plate, along with other symbolic foods, such as a boiled egg and horseradish, Hoffman said.

As Jews take part in a Passover meal, they have the opportunity to teach or learn about their deepest religious traditions, she said. At the table, for example, is a special place for Elijah, a prophet foretelling the Messiah.

“At the start of the seder, the door is opened to welcome him. Since we do not know who the prophet will be, it’s customary to welcome the stranger into your home for dinner.”

Following the tradition to share food with others, Hoffman’s family has always made donations to the local food bank, other charities or to Jewish people in different parts of the world during Passover time.

“While the main meaning of the seder varies from family to family, there are several specific ingredients to a seder that are part of every celebration, whether held in Jerusalem, New York or Yuma, Ariz.”

Besides the seder plate, standard Jewish foods are typically served for Passover meals, she said. One is roast lamb, a traditional main meal that symbolizes the offering of a lamb, whose blood was used to mark the doors of the Hebrews so the angel of death would pass over those homes when it took the firstborn child of every Egyptian, she said.

“Frankly, we never had a lamb,” she said. But her grandmother usually made a delicious roast chicken, which is standard fare for any Jewish meal, especially the Sabbath, she said.

Hoffman shared her roast chicken and haroset recipes, which are included with this article. The roast chicken recipe calls for specific herbs, but not specific amounts. That’s because her grandmother used to say, “Just use a hoyfen,” which is Yiddish for “handful,” she said, laughing at the memory.

The annual community seder will be held Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Hampton Inn. For more information, call 210-8368.

Charoset (Haroset)
This should be chunky and mixed well. Recipe can be increased.

2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/4 inch cubes (Macintosh recommended but any sweet apple will do)
1/2 to 3/4 cups chopped walnuts (cashews, almonds or mixed nuts will also work)
Passover wine, enough to moisten everything
Cinnamon to taste
Optional: chopped dates, apricots or figs (other fruits or nuts are used in different parts of the world).

Combine all ingredients so the wine gets absorbed but does not make the mixture soupy or runny. Haroset is used in the seder (Passover dinner), usually on top of matzoh with a bit of bitter herb (horseradish) on top.

Bubbe's (Grandma’s) Roast Chicken
1 large chicken (kosher, if possible)
Kosher salt
Pepper
Herbs (to taste) — sage, thyme, seasoned salt, paprika, dill weed, poultry seasoning
3 to 4 large cloves of garlic, mashed or finely minced
1/2 each: orange, medium onion, apple (peel the onion and orange, but not the apple)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove giblets from chicken for use in the future in dishes such as chopped liver and chicken soup. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper inside and out. Rub the garlic all over the chicken, inside and out. Put any extra in the cavity of the bird. Sprinkle liberal amounts of herbs, inside and outside the chicken. If you can, run your finger between the skin and the meat on the breast, to loosen the skin a little and rub the herbs under the skin as well.

Next, place the orange, apple and onion into the cavity. Tip: Place the chicken on a rack in the roasting pan with the breast side down. Roast uncovered for about an hour. Turn the chicken over (use pot holders) and finish roasting another one to one and a half hours, until the legs move freely and the juices run clear and not pink. You can also use a meat thermometer to the directions on the chicken's wrapper. Discard fruit and onion. Let roast chicken rest a few minutes before carving.