Plague it again, Sam

(This entry is being posted earlier than planned because someone (and I am not naming names) has been pestering me every day for it and will not wait patiently even one more day. So there.)

To remind you, we are still on the "Plagues menu". We have just "cleansed our palate" with a Hail sorbet and we are ready for the last three plagues. Was Pharaoh ready? Apparently not, since it really sounds as if he was caught unprepared, unaware and totally surprised. You'd think with all the warnings (not to mention all the other plagues that came before) he'd be prepared. Or at least know what to expect.

Isn't it often the case? Many times disaster strikes and we are sooo surprised, but looking back we can see that the signs were there all along. We just chose to ignore them, assuming they will go away if we did not acknowledge them.


At the end of last week's parasha, Pharaoh tell Moshe not to bother him again. How's that for "ignoring the problem will make it go away"?

Bet he changed his mind when his own son died. Oh, wait, he did. Don't be a Pharaoh, my people. Do not wait until the problem is so big and irreversible that you cannot ignore it any longer. Act now to fix what need fixing. 

Tikkun Olam, anyone?

Locusts in vinaigrette

Buy thick asparagus (the thin stalks will not look as good), about 3 stalks per person. Trim the woodsy lower third of each stalk. Cook for 6-8 minutes in salted boiling water (if you can figure out how to keep the heads out of the boiling water - more power to you and write to tell me how you did it), drain  and immediately plunge into ice water.

Wrap every 3 stalks in a thin slice of smoked salmon (about the size of your palm) and tie them with a piece of chive. Lay the bundles seam side down and chill until serving (can be made a few hours ahead and stored in fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap). Put one bundle on each plate and pour a tablespoon or two of good vinaigrette all over it. You can sprinkle a few capers on it, if you wish.

If you have people who will not eat fish, serve just the asparagus with the sauce. If they don't eat asparagus, serve just the fish with sauce (won't look like locusts, though). If they don't like either, disown them on the spot. This is a very elegant dish, don't waste it on ingrates.

A vinaigrette is a sauce made with one part vinegar, two parts oil, a little mustard, some crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Adjust everything to your taste - after you shake it all (really well) in a jar with a tightly closed top, dip a lettuce leaf in it and see if you like it and what needs to be changed, if anything. If you made too much, do not despair. It keeps for a few days in the fridge and you can just shake it again before pouring it on a new dish (say, a green salad).

Sweet darkness

No recipe. No cooking. Buy the best dark chocolate truffles you can find and serve them on beautiful dessert plates with mint tea or espresso coffee.

Pesach is notorious for the abundance of chocolate products available. Take your pick. And if you serve only this as a dessert (and believe me, it's quite enough after a heavy Seder meal), you can really go all out and buy the good stuff.

Chopping of the first grown

This salad contains 4 ingredients that are among the first things to come out of the ground in spring and they are all chopped. Hence the name and the connection to "death of the first born". 

4 new potatoes (medium sized)

6 large radishes, cut into 1 inch cubes

4 scallions, sliced

1/2 cup arugula, coarsely chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

Juice of 1 large lemon

2 Tbs olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 Whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.

Scrub potatoes but do not peel. Cut into 1 inch cubes and put in a pot. Cover with water and cook until fork tender. Drain.

Immediately pour dressing over hot potatoes and toss gently.

Add remaining ingredients and toss gently.

This is good warm or cold.

4-6 servings

(Note about the picture: since it is now winter, new potatoes are not available so I used baking potatoes. For this dish, when using any potatoes other than new potatoes, you need to peel them before cooking. On the whole, I do not recommend it. New potatoes hold their shape and texture. Mine got too soft and mealy very quickly. Still, it was yummy.)