Lecture 4: Ancient Judea—From Eden to Kosher Laws
Passover Seder
Passover, or Pesach, is the most ritualized meal in the Jewish faith. Readings
from the book of Exodus dominate, along with Talmudic commentary, but
certain foods are also part of the liturgy. Matzo, or unleavened bread, is
absolutely essential and replaces risen bread entirely for the entire seven-
or eight-day festival. The Seder is the traditional meal, during which four
glasses of wine are consumed; people eat reclining, dip bitter herbs in salt
water, and eat only unleavened bread. These peculiarities are recorded in
the “Four Questions,” which are sung or read by the youngest member of
the family. The exact order of the Seder is prescribed in the Haggadah, a
small book used through the service. Apart from foods that are eaten merely
traditionally, such as matzo ball soup or gefi lte fi sh, a Seder plate contains
these ritually prescribed foods, each of which commemorates the story of
being freed from bondage in Egypt. The maror are bitter herbs, such as
horseradish; charoset is a thick paste of fruits and nuts to recall the mortar
used by slaves; karpas is another vegetable, usually parsley dipped into salt
water to commemorate tears; z’roa is a roasted lamb bone commemorating
ritual sacrifi ce in the Temple; and beitzah is a roasted egg, a symbol of
mourning. If you are lucky enough to be invited to a Passover dinner, this
may help to make sense of the ritual. Otherwise, try making your own
gefi lte fi sh. The stuff that is sold in jars is pretty vile, so it’s worth making
it yourself.Gefi lte Fish
Use freshwater white fi sh, such as pike or carp—but any white fi sh will do.
Remove the fi llets, and save the bones and heads. Discard innards and gills
if the fi sh hasn’t been cleaned. Put the bones and head into a pot, cover with
water, and add chopped carrot, celery, onion, fresh dill and parsley, and a
little salt. Simmer gently for 30 minutes and strain, pressing on solids. Return
strained liquid to the pot. This is your poaching liquid, or court bouillon.Next, pound or process the fi llets into a fi ne paste. Add a little salt and matzo
meal as a binder and an egg. With two spoons, form large torpedo shapes,
or quenelles, and drop gently into the simmering poaching liquid. Repeat
until all of the fi sh is used, removing the fi sh quenelles after about fi ve toCulinary Activity