Do Your Own Dance

So it's Pesach ("Passover," in English), and that means letting go of the usual food. For those of us who start our days with hot cereal, half the time (steel cut oats, for me; look for my favorite version at "It's All About Ed and Mollie" on this very blog), it's quite a ride. It really is something to see how you feel when your favorite foods are suddenly gone. It can throw you a bit, but it's also very freeing.

More good news. There is something called charoset that was apparently invented not just to symbolize the bricks and mortar from way back when we were in the construction business, but also to help people today get through this particular week.

Here's a version of charoset I came up with in my kitchen. Try this once, and then do your own dance. Maybe you'll use apricots instead of the persimmons, almonds or pistachios instead of the hazelnuts. Whatever you do, make it delicious, and make it yours.

Cinnamon Orange Persimmon Charoset:

2 dried whole persimmons
2 Medjool or 4 Derrie dates
1 navel orange*
¼ cup walnuts
¼ cup hazelnuts
1 lime
½ teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon**
Cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place walnuts and hazelnuts on cookie sheet and toast (or dry roast them in a cast iron skillet), then chop them. Chop persimmons and dates. Slice orange in half; remove white pith and membrane, so you have sections.

Now cut those orange sections into little, tiny pieces, squeezing them a little as you go, so they dissolve a bit. Place oranges in bowl with persimmons and dates. Using a microplane or a zester (or you could always use a grater; just keep those Band-Aids handy), remove outer peel (called zest) from orange and lime, and add to the oranges, persimmons, and dates. Add the chopped nuts, Vietnamese cinnamon, and a pinch of cocoa powder. Juice the lime, add to the charoset, toss and serve.

*If the navel orange is dry, just add a bit of fresh orange juice or red wine to the charoset at the end. You could also use a Murcott or even a Minneola.

**If you don't have Vietnamese cinnamon, use either really fresh cinnamon or heat the one that's been sitting in the cupboard in a dry skillet for a few minutes to add more flavor.

©2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Laynie Tzena.