I've been told that eating what our Russian ancestors ate is preferred and also recipes and foods served generations before. Chocolate, potatoes & turkey a big yes. Peanuts, vanilla and tomatoes dont come to mind in any of our tradional dishes. I'e been tasked to make a flourless chocolate cake & vegetarian mock chopped liver. There will be brisket, turley, sweet kugels, carrots matzah ball soup. I may bring a savory potato kugel as well. My Aunt, needless to say, aint budging. I'm the next generation that will host so I would incorporate some new dishes.
You are indded correct by saying that quinoa is Kosher for Passover. A fellow food52er shared a link from about.com . I stand corrected, thank you. However, when I brought this great news (big quinoa lover here) to the host of our seder, she said that "we", the family follow food traditions like our ancestors and they didnt serve this. Ugh!
sLx, has your seder host also banned tomatoes, chocolate, vanilla, peanuts, turkey, potatoes? Surely our ancestors didn't hop over the Atlantic for them... Our more recent ancestors were not afraid of new foods, as long as they followed the rules.
The latest I read on the quinoa question is this: In itself quinoa can be eaten for Passover, but some quinoa is contaminated with wheat. My source listed some brands that are approved. Probably the O-U website or some similar authority can clarify. (Quinoa is a seed of the amaranth family, and is not considered a grain.)
Next, the question asks for a 'veg-friendly' main dish. You need to know if the vegetarians who are coming can eat dairy or eggs (lacto-ovo vegetarians). Fish is not a vegetarian food -- fish are animals. You have endless good choices, but since not all vegetarians define their limitations the same way, ask!
Here is the information about quinoa for Passover, updated for 2012,with information from the Chicago Rabbinic Council --
http://www.kashrut.com/Passover/QuonfusedAboutQuinoa/
quinoa is definitely kosher for passover, and I agree with drbabs that it's a great idea. There are many wonderful recipes for it on this site. Any type of fish or egg dish would work. How about a fritata? I love this one: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/smoked-salmon-frittata-recipe/index.html
Alternatively, I was served the other day a stack of roasted vegetables interspersed with rounds of goat cheese. It was delicious and satisfying, and easily replicable at home: just roast red and yellow pepper quarters and portobello mushrooms (roast peppers and mushrooms separately, and use goat cheese or fresh mozzarella. Drizzle with basil oil. I was served this over a round of polenta, but if the person you are cooking for does not eat corn on passover, you can serve this without the polenta.
I beg to differ. Ashkenazi Jews observcing Passover do NOT eat lugumes or grains! Here's an overview of food restrictions in layman terms http://theshiksa.com/what-foods-are-kosher-for-passover/ that cover Sphardic and Ashkenazi. Of course, to each is own that celebrate their own ways. It's not so much that its Kosher, its KITNIYOT.
si found the spinach matzo pie recipe that was given to me by my son at the following web site
http://greek.food.com/recipe/spinach-and-matzoh-pie-passover-365736
hope this helps
Our seder is generally meat-based (so no dairy allowed) but we have vegetarians, too. This makes it complicated. And do you follow Ashkenazi kosher rules or Sephardic kosher rules? Since we are in New Mexico, we have decided that Sephardic rules (you can use rice!) makes things spicier and more exciting. This way, you can make a rice and veggie dish with nuts in it or a nut-based sauce that includes coconut milk. Yum! I love the ratatouille suggestion, too. Maybe I'll do both.
i have a wonderful recipe for spinach matzo pie which my son sent to me. i has lots of spinach, feta cheese, cottage cheese, eggs and of course matzos. if you would like to see it i could email it to you it really is a winner
I'm making a hearty ratatouille for a veg option at my seder -- adding butternut squash and potatoes to my normal tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant mixture.
You could serve quinoa and vegetables--quinoa has a lot of protein and is kosher for Passover.
Here's a tried and true one--you can leave out the cheese and pine nuts if you like.
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Next, the question asks for a 'veg-friendly' main dish. You need to know if the vegetarians who are coming can eat dairy or eggs (lacto-ovo vegetarians). Fish is not a vegetarian food -- fish are animals. You have endless good choices, but since not all vegetarians define their limitations the same way, ask!
http://www.kashrut.com/Passover/QuonfusedAboutQuinoa/
http://www.food52.com/recipes/14244_quinoa_and_kale_crustless_quiche
Alternatively, I was served the other day a stack of roasted vegetables interspersed with rounds of goat cheese. It was delicious and satisfying, and easily replicable at home: just roast red and yellow pepper quarters and portobello mushrooms (roast peppers and mushrooms separately, and use goat cheese or fresh mozzarella. Drizzle with basil oil. I was served this over a round of polenta, but if the person you are cooking for does not eat corn on passover, you can serve this without the polenta.
http://greek.food.com/recipe/spinach-and-matzoh-pie-passover-365736
hope this helps
Here's a tried and true one--you can leave out the cheese and pine nuts if you like.
http://www.food52.com/recipes/2434_one_pot_kale_and_quinoa_pilaf
http://www.publicradio.org/columns/splendid-table/recipes/greek-style_green_beans.html
Serious Eats has a similar post. http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2012/03/passover-side-dish----veggies-quinoa.html