We got invited to a passover seder at a friend’s house this week. I’ve never celebrated passover before and this was a really great and special experience for me.

Our friend set the table so beautifully:

The aim our friends had for the food was to try and mix ashkenazi and sephardic traditions.

Evidently, eggplant plays a big part in sephardic seders so avoiding all bread, leavened goods and grains (aside from magical quinoa, which is not actually a grain!) I set about finding something to fit the bill and came up with this, which to me seemed just right:

Mediterranean Eggplant and Quinoa Salad
adapted from smitten kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 lb zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup chopped green onion (from 1 bunch)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 1/4 cups quinoa (8 oz)
• 1 (14-oz) can vegetable broth/stock (1 3/4 cups)
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Directions

1. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, then spread in 2 oiled large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pans. Roast vegetables in oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes total. Combine vegetables into 1 pan and cool. Put other pan aside for cooling quinoa.
3. Cook quinoa: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook scallion, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add quinoa and cook, stirring until well coated with oil, 2 minutes more. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all of liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to reserved shallow baking pan and spread to quickly cool, uncovered, to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
4. For the dressing: Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl.
5. Combine salad: Addquinoa , roasted vegetables, and remaining ingredients to bowl with dressing and toss until combined well.

Washing our hands before eating:

Gorgeous flourless chocolate cake:

It was a night to remember for sure. I wish I had more pictures of all the lovely food but candlelight does not make for good pictures…

We definitely enjoyed fresh garden peas, roasted squash and sweet potatoes, and red cabbage salad amongst other things:

1. Peas, 2. Roasted Acorn Squash, 3. Le red cabbage

Looking for more Passover recipes? The New York Times has a great article with a ton of recipes.

I don’t know about you, but for me, the weekend is often the time when I get to enjoy all the gastronomical delights that just don’t fit into a five day work week.

Time simply does not allow for all the food adventures that I often want to squeeze in. This weekend, I more than made up for a lacklustre week in food by fitting in a ten hour (round) road trip, a harvest dinner, and having 12 friends over for brunch. It’s been a blast but by 5.00pm on Sunday I was a little ‘fooded out’.

So, what better way to cap off a three day eating extravaganza than with a light and delightful salad? Just what the doctor ordered:

Israeli Salad

It’s not really worth posting ingredients and directions to this most simple of salads – simply chop some cucumber, fresh tomatoes, and parsley; slice some red onion (I only had white to hand); add some fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper….and call it done. Serve with crunchy pita chips.

I added olives and some of their juices for a kick along with some chopped bell pepper. You could also add feta cheese, or chick peas to really kick this up a notch. Perfect sunny sunday munching.

What do you enjoy eating at the weekend that the weekdays don’t leave time for?
Long breakfasts are my favourite. Preferably involving eggs, bacon, lots of coffee and the crossword.

I am obviously dreaming of sunnier climes and egging on summer to just hurry up and arrive. Everything getting dreamed up in my kitchen at the moment is from somewhere exotic or full of spicy exotic ingredients.

No surprise then that when the husband and I were standing at the deli counter, looking longingly at sausages (what, you don’t do that?), it was not bratwurst nor chicken sausage, Polish nor Italian that caught my eye and took my fancy, but these:

Yes, indeed, that is Vietnamese sausage. Don’t think you’ve seen it at your grocery store before? Look closer. It’s there, nestled away amongst the usual contenders. And I hugely recommend picking some up and making yourself a simple, easy sandwich that immediately transports you to Hanoi.

I never made it to Vietnam during my travels through south-east Asia, since I was knocked out of the game by sickness and headed home two months early instead. I still have the Vietnamese visa in my passport: blank, unstamped, laughing at me. Well, at least now I have this:


The Vietnamese Sub (Banh Mi)

Ingredients

• 1 French baguette, sliced lengthwise but not totally in half
• 1 Vietnamese sausage
• black bean sauce (check out your local Asian market or store for good options)
• 1/2 carrot, grated
• 1/4 jalapeno pepper, diced
• 1/2 shallot, diced
• cilantro

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F
2. Bake sausage in oven for 25 minutes, turning once
3. Meanwhile, saute the shallots for a few minutes on medium heat.
4. Add the jalapeno pepper and saute gently for a couple more minutes.
5. Spread a thin amount of black bean sauce on one side of your baguette (about a teaspoon)
6. Once the sausage is cooked through, remove from the oven. Cut it in half, lengthwise and place on the baguette.
7. Sprinkle shallot/jalapenos and add grated carrot and cilantro.
8. Chomp!

You can read more about traditional Banh Mi and its usual fillings here.