A Passover Dinner To Remember

Chef Josh Eden Takes Our $40 "Shoestring" Challenge

(CBS)  The weeklong Jewish holiday of Passover begins at sundown Saturday night, and calls for some dietary restrictions.

But "restrictions" don't have to mean dull or tasteless, as chef and part-owner Josh Eden of the hit eatery Shorty's.32 in Manhattan proved on The Early Show Saturday.

As the show's "Chef on a Shoestring," he made a three-course Passover meal for four and tried to do it on our $40 budget.

Eden used traditional ingredients for the dinner.

His menu included Matzo Ball Soup, Braised Brisket with Caramelized Onions, and Sponge Cake with Fresh Berries.

FOOD FACTS

Matzo Balls: Matzo or Matzah balls are traditional eastern European Jewish dumplings made from matzah meal. The balls are shaped by hand and dropped into a pot of salted, boiling water or chicken broth. (Keeping one's hands wet is vital when handling the sticky dough) The balls swell during the boiling and come out light or dense, depending on the precise recipe. Matzo balls are roughly spherical and can range anywhere from a couple of centimeters in diameter to the size of a large orange, depending on preference. Matzo balls are usually served with chicken broth, as matzo ball soup.

Matzo Meal: Or ground matzo, is generally available in two textures -- fine and medium. Matzo meal is used in a variety of foods, including gefilte fish, matzo balls and pancakes. It's also used to thicken soups and for breading foods to be fried. Matzo meal is available in Jewish markets and most supermarkets.

Brisket: Brisket is a cut of beef from the breast or lower chest. Most of the tenderness from this normally tougher cut of meat comes from the fat cap often left attached to the brisket. The brisket is almost always placed with the fat on top, so it slowly dissolves down into the meat as it cooks, resulting in a more juicy and tender meat. In traditional Jewish cooking, brisket is most often braised as a pot roast.

Potato Flour: Potato starch flour is obtained by grinding the tubers to a pulp and removing the fiber. The dried product consists chiefly of starch, but also contains some protein. Potato flour is used as a thickening agent. Because the flour is made from neither grain nor legume, it is used as substitute for wheat flour in cooking by Jews during Passover, when grains are not eaten.

Sponge Cake: This light, airy cake gets it delicate texture from beaten egg whites, which are folded into a fluffy mixture of beaten egg yolks and sugar. They get their leavening power entirely from the eggs. Sponge cakes are further characterized by the fact that they do not contain shortening of any kind. The cakes can be flavored with anything from lemon zest to ground almonds.

For Eden's recipes, go to Page 2.

[janrenae]

I can''t believe people are so ignorant to think that Passover is celebrating the death of the first born of Egypt! Passover celebrates the emancipation of the Jewish people from over 400 years of slavery in Egypt. It has been a long time since I had an opportunity to attend a seder, but I believe that one element actually grieves those deaths. The LORD does not delight in the death of anyone, and would never want it celebrated. He does, however delight in freedom and that is what is celebrated.

[marcieli-2009]

No one is celebrating the massacre of the Persians, just the killing of Haman if that is the holiday you are referring. Go visit a synagogue and discuss these points with a person who can give you a knowledgable discussion.

[marcieli-2009]

Passover is celebrated as a remembrance of the Israelites being taken out of bondage. No one is celebrating the death of the Egyptian first born. The story goes that Pharaoh had ordered the Jewish first born killed years before. Moses was saved by Pharoh''s daughter unbeknowst to her. So the point is that the story is recounted and Jews and community celebrate freedom together. Freedom comes at a cost. That is one of the lessons. So grow up, go to a seder and bring up your points for discussion.

[gce65]

sjw1253:
So if the Jews are doing Passover...
And the Muslims are on their way to the Hajj...
Can''t they all just shut up about killing each other? Maybe split a Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza and share a doobie?

[gce65]

Mix up all that meat and cheese together! Yum!

And don''t forget to pray that the Angel of Death (Bush) leaves your house alone.

[gmond]

mmmmmm, brisket.