Vegan Passover

[noya]

Putting together our menu--any suggestions?

[Science Chick]

We had an early seder last night:
Appetizers: Vegetarian chopped liver (as described in previous post above) and sherried stilton with green peppercorns (ok, not vegan, but we are ovo-lacto vegetarians) served with WW matzohs

Usual Seder stuff then:
Quinoa-stuffed zucchinis/summer squashes - Qunioa stuffing had onion,celery, chopped tomato pulp, lemon zest, herb de provence, basil and pine nuts
Roasted sweet potato chunks - roasted in a dressing of apricot preserves, fresh orange juice, orange zest, onion slices, olive oil, tamari
Steamed Artichokes - (was going to make braised with lemon/dill, but just got TOO TIRED)

Dessert: Flourless mocha chocolate cake from 2010 Vegetarian Times:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe...
served with strawberries (spiked with kirsch) and whipped cream

[magiesmom]

a friend swears by these vegan matza balls .
http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/...

[blinknoodle]

The NY Times just posted an article for a vegan passover. With most of my vegan proteins disallowed, it would be tough to eat for passover.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/22/a-vegan-passover/

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http://tastespace.wordpress.com

[noya]

A wonderful article--thank you so much! Will be using it this Pesach!

About your other comment: it's just 8 days. Not as hard as you might think.

[weinstein5]

for the seder plate I have replaced the roasted shank bone with a roasted beet -

[cresyd]

On the kosher board, there's this thread http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/893639

One of the good suggestions is to look through various raw cookbooks that probably have a lot of crossover with Passover.

[mrsleny]

I love this mock chopped liver recipe and have made it many times. It is similar to the one posted by Science Chick.

http://www.vegparadise.com/cookingwit...
(1/3 of the way down the page)

[Science Chick]

Wow, that *is* similar. I have to say, though, that the umeboshi really adds that special umami-ness!

[cresyd]

Depending on the kind and/or level of observance, lentils may or may not be acceptable during Passover.

[Science Chick]

True for Ashkenazi followers. But most vegetarians follow the Sephardic dogma that permits legumes. If not, it is almost impossible for a vegan to be observant during Pesach.

[noya]

I think more correct is that most follow to their level of observance, regardless of their diet.

[westsidegal]

it'smade with lentils, something that some jews eschew during passover.
me, personally, i eat all the legumes, passover or no passover.
instead of matzo ball soup, everyone in my house gets lentil soup.

[Science Chick]

Again, it is only Ashkenazi Jews that consider legumes forbidden. Sephardics do eat them as part of their Passover diet. Growing up Ashkenazi, I was thrilled to learn this, and adopted the Sephardic rituals to complement my vegetarian diet!

[Science Chick]

This is the absolute best vegan chopped liver I have ever had. Been making it for a couple of years now and even the meat-eaters in the family love it:
http://www.bojongourmet.com/2011/04/l...

Note that no salt is called for..this isn't a mistake! Between the miso and umeboshi plum paste, it is PLENTY salty enough.

[noya]

wow, thank you so much! this looks wonderful! definitely going to make it. just a note, though: the lentils make it not suitable for Passover for Jewish people of Eastern European descent

[Maxinella]

And the miso is fermented - also a no-no at Passover.

Try Joan Nathan's instead

oan Nathan's Mock Chopped Liver (Especially for Vegetarians) recipe
Appetizer to be served with matzah.
Recipe taken from JEWISH COOKING IN AMERICA (Alfred A. Knopf, 1998).
Ingredients

One-half pound mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped walnuts
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon water
1. Sauté the mushrooms and onion in the vegetable oil over a medium heat until the onion is clear.

2. Turn into a blender or food processor, add the walnuts, salt and pepper, and the water. Process until blended but not too smooth. Serve as a spread with matzah.

Yield: about 1 cup

[ferret]

My mom used to make this every Pesach but it's mock chopped liver in appearance only. It's more of a tapenade and if you're going to do this then you can also serve an olive or tomato tapenade as a complementary flavor profile.

[magiesmom]

I like this a lot and have made it often. It is much improved by toasting the walnuts.

[Maxinella]

I second the walnut toasting. Also, make sure you saute the onion for a long time, until it's really caramelized.

[noya]

thank you for this helpful addition

[Science Chick]

I believe the rules of fermentation are directed at grains, so as to prevent any leavening. Even ultra orthodox will eat Risel Borscht at Passover, a type of fermented beet soup. Miso is made from soybeans, not grain. If you follow the Ashkenazi doctrines, it would not be allowed anyway since it is from soybeans. But I'm not so sure that it would be excluded if you follow the Sefardic traditions that allow legumes.

[magiesmom]

All my sephardic friends use miso to make faux chicken soup for Passover.

[CloggieGirl]

Fermentation isn't the issue. It's the problem of barley, soy or chickpeas. Barley is a no-no for everyone and causes possible cross-contamination problems for Sephardim who would otherwise eat the other miso.

[alc]

I have prepared vegan seders over the years. Among the menu items have been:

appetizers: tapenede, guacamole, veg. "chopped liver", babaganough

salads

soup (veg "chicken broth"; veg soup thickened wtih potatos or cashew cream) (Nava Atlas has a nice recipe for matzo balls made with quinoa)

mains: stuffed cabbage, stuffed eggplant, roasted portobella mushrooms, nut loaves, mixed veg. stews

sides: other salads, steamed vegs (often marinated), beets, nut or herb sauces for the sides

[magiesmom]

cabbage stuffed with what? quinoa?

[alc]

Over the years, I have used stuffings with quinoa, farfel, ground nuts, and just mixed vegetables. I think the "standard" vegetarian stuffed cabbage is a farfel stuffing, but the others work too

[magiesmom]

That's interesting. Thanks. I realized as I read your answer that I have never considered stuffed cabbage for Passover because I think if it as a fall or winter food and I am looking always for Spring things for Seder.
But I will now.

[alc]

I like it because it makes for a substantial and festive main course and takes well to being prepared in advance and being re-heated. This year, at least where I live, we are having a wintery Pesah! But stuffed cabbage can be a lighter, spring-time dish if you use a vegetable-only stuffing. With no starch or beans it doesn't hold together as well but it works if you serve carefully or use some mashed potato or squash. I happen to like a stuffing of chopped mushrooms and cabbage mixed with shredded baking potato.

[magiesmom]

That sounds good.