passoveRA meat menu to commemorate the story of Exodus, when the Israelites were freed from slavery in ancient Egypt.

salad of Roasted HeiRlooM Beets witH CapeRs and pistaCHios 240

not exaCtly aunt lil’s Matzo Ball soup (omit the noodles) 95

Baked Gefilte fisH 85

todd’s ModeRn day BRisket 122

quinoa salad witH fiGs and Mint 171

wilted spinaCH witH sesaMe seeds 195

ManGo, pineapple, and poMeGRanate salad 205

apRiCot HaMantasCHen (pAssover version) 214

spr ing 171

parve

Soak the figs. Place the figs in a medium heatproof bowl. Add

boiling water to cover; set aside until plump.

Cook the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa in water and drain. Combine

the quinoa and stock in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling over

high heat; lower the heat to low, cover and simmer until the liquid is

absorbed—about 30 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and fluff with

a fork.

Mix the salad. Drain the figs in a colander; transfer to a cutting board

and cut into quarters. Pour ½ cup of the Red Wine Vinaigrette over

the quinoa and toss to mix. Add the figs, pine nuts, scallions, mint,

lemon zest, salt, and pepper; toss to mix. Taste the salad and add

more salt or pepper if you wish.

rEd WInE vInaIgrETTEPlace ¾ cup reduced red wine (see Chef ’s Appendix), ¼ cup red

wine vinegar, 1 large egg yolk, 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard,

and 1½ teaspoons honey in a blender. Pulse to combine and then

slowly drizzle in 1 cup canola oil and 1 cup olive oil, pulsing every so

often to combine; run the blender for 30 seconds to fully emulsify.

Transfer to a storage jar; season with salt and pepper to taste. (This

vinaigrette will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator.)

12 dried figs

2 cups quinoa

4 cups vegetable stock (recipe in Chef’s appendix)

½ cup red Wine vinaigrette (recipe follows)

¼ cup toasted pine nuts (see Chef’s appendix)

2 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise including part of the green (2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

¾ teaspoon salt

Sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper

Quinoa Salad with figS and MintMakeS 4 CuPS

Todd: even though quinoa is a South american grain, we love to use it as you would Mediterannean grains, like farro or couscous. it’s a grain that you don’t see enough of on menus and tables in my opinion. it has a wonderful, nutty taste and it is gluten-free, which is something for which we are getting more and more requests at our restaurants. the red wine vinaigrette (store any extra in the fridge; it will last for weeks and is good to have on hand for quick salads) complements the sweetness of the figs, a favorite fruit of mine from my italian cooking background.