Easter Feasts

Holding a Passover Remembrance Dinner on the Thursday night of Easter Week, or on Easter Sunday, can become a treasured family tradition. Your family might be interested in learning about the Jewish Seder, or you may prefer to do a simpler meal, reading the account of the first Passover in Exodus 12: 1-42 (see Post 2) and the scriptures relating to the Last Supper in Luke  22:7-20 (see Post ?). This emphasizes the transition from the celebration of the Passover to the institution of the Sacrament. 

Other scriptures used in a modern Seder include the Hallal – Psalms 113-118 (See Post 1).

Passover Remembrance Dinner:

Suggested Menu:

Roast Lamb

Unleavened Bread (Use matzos, make flat bread - (see the recipe below)  - or simplify by using whole wheat tortillas, though they are not really Kosher)

Bitter Herbs: Horseradish, Onions, Cilantro, Fresh Ginger, Watercress, or Romaine Lettuce

(These foods were part of the first Passover meal.)

Grape Juice

(Wine was included in the Last Supper.)

Lentils, or Split Peas

(Probably the “sop” mentioned in the account of the Last Supper. Our recipes include tomatoes, which would not have been available at that time but make things taste better.)

Karpas (Parsley)

Bowls of Salt Water for Dipping Parsley (Represents the tears shed by the slaves in Egypt)

Haroseth

Hard Boiled Eggs

Halva

            (These foods are part of the meal associated with a modern Jewish Seder.)

Yogurt Cheese, Goat Cheese or other Soft Cheese

Bulgar Pilaf or Couscous

Cucumber and Yogurt Salad

Olives

Mellon, Grapes, Figs, Dates, Pomegranates, Raisins, Nuts

(These foods are authentic to the time of Christ and may be an appropriate addition to a Passover Remembrance Dinner.)

Easter Day Dinner:

Suggested Menu:

Broiled Fish

Honeycomb

            (Eaten by the Savior after His resurrection.)

Whatever other foods your family enjoys

Recipes:

(Each recipe serves 12 so divide to fit your needs.)

Flat Bread

2 cups whole wheat flour

½ tsp salt (Omit for this use. There is no salt in true unleavened bread.)

¼ cup melted butter or oil (may omit)

Mix together flour and salt. Add the butter or oil to the flour mixture, rub well between your fingers to make little balls. Add enough water to make a soft, pliable dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for about one hour. Knead well until elastic. Break off golf ball size pieces of dough and roll them into very thin circles. Bake on a moderately hot, dry or lightly greased griddle, pressing dough down flat against griddle until it is lightly browned. Turn once and press down on other side until bread is done and “puffed”(like a tortilla.) Brush with melted butter. Serve hot and fresh.

 Bulgur Pilaf

2 cups uncooked bulgur (coarsely cracked wheat)

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 stalks celery, sliced

3 Tbs. butter

1 cup beef broth or chicken broth (or water and bouillon)

1 1/3 cups water

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook bulgur, onion and celery in margarine over medium heat, stirring frequently until onion is tender and bulgur is brown, about 5 minutes.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Heat to boiling, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 17 minutes.

Spiced Lentils

2 Tbsp. olive oil (or other vegetable oil)

2 onions chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

2 ¼ quarts chicken or vegetable stock (or use water and bouillon)

3 cups dried red lentils

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. turmeric

½ tsp. paprika

½ Tbs. coriander

½ Tbs. cumin

½ tsp. ground ginger or chopped fresh ginger

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Juice from ½ - 1 lemon

Sauté onions and garlic in oil.  Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil stirring frequently.  Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender (about 1 hour).  Add a little more water as you go along if necessary.

Split Peas

1 lb. yellow split peas.

1Tbs. sugar

¼ tsp. each: turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

salt and pepper to taste

Juice of ½ lemon

Wager (Made by popping 1/8 tsp. yellow or black mustard seeds and 1/8 tsp. cumin seeds in a little hot oil.)

Cut up green pepper, tomato and cilantro to taste.

Rinse split peas. Put them in a pot and add enough water to cover them by several inches. Boil until soft. Blend them. Add sugar, seasonings, lemon juice and wager. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Add green pepper, tomato and cilantro and heat through. Serve warm.

Haroseth

This fruit salad represents the mortar the Israelite slaves used to build for the pharaohs

6 apples peeled, cored and finely chopped (They should turn brown.)

½ cup almonds or walnuts, coarsely chopped

½ - 1 tsp. cinnamon

3 Tbs. grape juice, or enough to moisten completely

1 Tbs. sugar

Toss all ingredients together

 Cucumber and Yogurt Salad

3 large cucumbers peeled and grated

salt and pepper to taste

2-3 cloves garlic crushed

1 lb. plain whole-milk yogurt

2 Tbs. dried mint   (may be omitted)                                               

Combine all ingredients. Chill for at least an hour.

 Halva (Honey Cake)

½ cup butter softened

1/3 cup honey, warmed

2 eggs

1 cup uncooked farina  (regular Cream of Wheat)

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ cup finely chopped almonds

¼ cup honey

¼ cup water

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter a 9 by 9 inch cake pan.  Cream butter.  Add warmed honey and mix well.  Beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually fold in farina, cinnamon and almonds.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for thirty minutes.  Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes.  Simmer honey and water for 10 minutes and pour over halva.  Cool.