CHAROSET

GREEK CHAROSET (ZAKYNTHOS)

Source: The Cookbook of the Jews of Greece by Nicholas Stavroulakis

Yield: 1/2 cup

• 1/4 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 cup raisins, mashed in vinegar
• good pinch pepper
• good pinch finely ground brick

Mix all the ingredients together and serve.

CENTRAL EUROPEAN CHAROSET

Source: "The Jewish Gourmet Cook" by by Judy Zeidler

• 2 apples unpeeled but cored and finely chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins or dates, chopped
• 2 Tsb honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sweet Passover wine

Combine the apples, walnuts, honey and cinnamon in a bowl and mix well. Add enough wine to bind the mixture. Serve in a bowl or roll into 1-inch balls and arrange on a serving plate. Makes about 2+1/2 cups.

CALIFORNIA CHAROSET

Source: Joan Nathan's "Jewish Holiday Kitchen"

• 1 whole orange
• 1 large avacado, peeled and diced
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 4 seedless dates
• 2 figs or prunes
• 2 Tbs apple juice
• 2 Tbs matzoh meal

Peel and section the orange; reserve the peel and the sections. Toss the avocado and lemon juice in a bowl. Set aside. In a processor or blender, place the almonds, raisins, dates, and figs. Process until coarsely chopped. Add the orange peel and sections and process briefly to combine. Add the avocado and process 1 or 2 seconds more. Transfer the mixture to a glass bowl and gently fold in the apple juice and matzoh meal. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

CANADIAN CHAROSET

Source: "Canadian Living"

Yield: 2 cups

• 1 1/4 Cups Raisins
• 1/2 Cup Chopped pitted dates
• 1/2 Cup Chopped figs
• 1 Cup Boiling water
• 1 Teaspoon Grated lemon rind
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice, (approx)
• 1/4 Cup Chopped pecans

In bowl, combine raisins, dates and figs. Pour in water; let stand for 1 hour or until softened. In food processor or blender, and in batches, chop coarsely. In small heavy saucepan, combine chopped fruit mixture with lemon rind and juice. Simmer over low heat, uncovered, stirring often, until charoset tastes rich and fruity, about 15 minutes. Add more lemon juice if desired. Let cool; sprinkle pecans on top.

NOTE: Here is a traditional accompaniment to matzo. The lemony flavor is balanced by the sweetness of the dried fruit.

CHAROSET FROM SURINAM

Yield: 5 cups

• 8 ozs unsweetened coconut
• 8 ozs dried apples
• 8 ozs chopped walnuts or almonds
• 8 ozs dried prunes
• 8 ozs dried apricots
• 8 ozs dried pears
• 8 ozs raisins
• 4 ozs cherry jam (KFP)
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 tblsp cinnamon
• Sweet red wine (KFP)

Combine everything except the jam and wine in a large heavy pot. Add water to cover. Simmer over low fire, stirring occasionally. Add small amounts of water periodically, so that the mixture does not stick to the pot. Continue stirring. Cook for at least 90 minutes. When mixture is cohesive, stir in the cherry jam. Let stand until cool. Add enough sweet wine to be absorbed by the horoset mixture. Refrigerate.

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SYRIAN HAROSET

Source: Washington Post Food Section, Wednesday, April 8, 1998.

Yield: 1 cup

• 10 large pitted dates
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 orange, zest and juice
• 1/2 cup sweet Passover wine
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine all the ingredients except the nuts in a saucepan and heat until the dates absorb the liquid and begin to get mushy, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in nuts. Let cool for several hours to absorb liquid and ripen flavor. Mash with a fork until the mixture resembles a thick paste. Spread on matzoh and enjoy.

TURKISH CHAROSET

Yield: 10 servings

• 1 cup seedless raisins
• 1 pound pitted dates
• 1 orange, peeled, sliced and pitted
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and sliced
• 2 tablespoons sweet wine

1. Soak raisins 30 minutes in hot water to cover. Drain.
2. Grind raisins, dates, orange, and apple together. Add sweet wine to make a thick paste.
3. Cover and refrigerate until 1 hour before serving

PEAR AND MANGO CHAROSET

Yield: about 2-3 cups, 12 servings

• 2 medium sized pears, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh mango, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon sweet Passover wine

Place pears in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Place all the ingredients except for the wine in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse once or twice. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in wine. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

PEAR AND RAISIN CHAROSET

Source: Weight Watchers' Magazine, April 1992.

Yield: 12 servings

• 2 small pears; cored and coarsely chopped
• 12 dried apricot halves; chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 oz. (2 tablespoons) sweet red wine

In medium bowl, combine pears, apricots raisins, honey, lemon juice and cinnamon; mix well. Stir in wine Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

SEPHARDIC CHAROSET II

Yield: 1 pint

• 1/2 pound each plump, moist dried figs; dates, dried apricots
• 1/4 cup each white raisins, pine nuts
• 1 or 2 tablespoons lemon juice, dash of cinnamon

Soak raisins and apricots together overnight or cook them in water to cover until the apricots are tender but not mushy. Grind pine nuts in food processor till fine but not pureed. Add remaining ingredients, processing after each addition, till desired consistency is reached. If too stiff, add apricot-cooking water or plain water.

NOTE: One year I decided I would make Sephardic charoset. I found a number of enticing recipes, couldn't decide among them, so I made a combination. I have served it for 2 or 3 years to a wide variety of people, of all backgrounds except Sephardic, to considerable aclaim. I should warn that it is an ugly color, though delicious.

THE NORTH AFRICA'S CHAROSET

Source: The Folklore Cook Book by Molly Bar David (First edition) 1964

• 60 Grams Pine nuts
• 1 Cooked Egg yolk
• 1 Apple - Grated
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Almonds - Grounded
• 1/2 Cup Walnuts - Grounded
• 1 Lemon Juice and Zest
• Cinnamon and Ginger (to your own taste)

Mix together all ingredients

ORANGE CHAROSET

• 2/3 cup raisins
• 2 cups pitted dates
• grated peel and juice of 2 oranges
• 1/3 cup sweet wine

Process all together to either a smooth or slightly chunky paste (your preference).

VENETIAN CHAROSET

• 1+1/2 cups chestnut paste
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 10 ounces dates, chopped
• Grated rind of one orange
• 12 ounces figs, chopped
• 1/2 cup white raisins
• 2 Tbs poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• honey to bind

Combine all ingredients, gradually adding just enough brandy and honey to make the mixture bind. Other Italian Haroset recipes include mashed up bananas, apples, hard-boiled eggs, crushed matzah, pears, and lemon.

YEMENITE CHAROSET

• 1 cup pitted, chopped dates
• 1/2 cup chopped dried figs
• 1/3 cup sweet Passover wine
• 3 Tbs sesame seeds
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• pinch of coriander
• 1 small red chili pepper, seeded and minced, or a
• pinch of cayenne
• 2 Tbs matzoh meal

In a large bowl, combine the dates, figs, and wine. Add the sesame seeds, ginger, coriander, chili pepper, and matzoh meal and blend thoroughly. Roll into 1-inch balls or serve in a bowl. Makes about 1+1/2 cups.

YEMENITE HAROSET II

Source: Peninsula Daily News, 3/31/93

Yield: 8 servings

• 1/2 lb. pitted dates
• 1/4 lb. raisins
• 4 dried figs
• 1 1/2 c. Sweet wine
• 1/4 lb. walnuts
• 1/4 lb. almonds
• 2 Tbsp. Sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cardomom

Place fruits in food processor or blender. Finely chop. Add 1/2 cup of the wine. Mix again, at low speed. Add remaining ingredients and mix at low speed until nearly smooth. Refrigerate.

YEMENITE CHAROSET III

Yield: 24 Servings

• 1/2 c Almonds; Slivered
• 1/2 c Dried apricots
• 8 Dried figs; quartered
• 2 ts Ground coriander
• 2 ts Lime; or lemon rind, finely grated
• 1 tb Honey
• 3 tb Passover sweet white Wine; (or 4 T.)
• 2 tb Sesame seeds; toas\\

Process almonds and apricots coarsely in food processor. Transfer to small bowl. Process figs to fine consistency. Stir into almond apricot mixture. Add coriander, rind, honey and enough white wine to bind ingredients. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll into balls, 1" in diameter, roll in the sesame seeds and place each in miniature paper cups, or shape into a pyramid and press sesame seeds into sides.

YEMEN0ITE CHAROSET IV

Yield: 7 Cups

• 1 lb Fresh dates
• 1 lb Raisins
• 3/4 lb Almonds
• 1/2 lb Walnuts
• 3 Pomegranates; peeled and seeded
• 1 tb Mixed spices (equal parts cinnamon and pepper
• Cumin, cardamom, cloves & ginger)

In a food processor, chop all the fruits, including the pomegranate seeds and then moisten with liquids.

SEVEN-FRUIT HAROSET FROM SURINAM

Source: "The Jewish Holday Kitchen" by Joan Nathan 1988

Yield: 5 cups

• 8 oz unsweetened coconut
• 8 oz chopped walnuts or:
• 8 oz grated almonds
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 8 oz raisins
• 8 oz dried apples
• 8 oz dried prunes
• 8 oz dried apricots
• 8 oz dried pears
• 4 oz cherry jam
• sweet red wine

Combine everything except the jam and wine in a pot. Cover with water and simmer over low heat. Periodically, add small amounts of water to prevent sticking. Cook at least 90 minutes. When it is cohesive, stir in the jam and let stand until cool. Add enough sweet wine to be absorbed by the haroset and chill.

Makes 5 cups.