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​After the Last Supper, Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested. This is a very important part of Holy Thursday Mass. The ritual of the Altar of Repose represents this moment. To clarify this event even more, it is the altar in which the holy Eucharist is placed in "reserved". In repose or to the side, in a special tabernacle which is decorated with flowers reminding one that Jesus was in a time of prayer in the garden (which is referred to as the Agony in the Garden).

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At the Altar of Repose, parishioners keep vigil in silent prayer and adoration, recalling our Lord’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and his rebuke to his disciples: (Matthew chapter 26) “What? Could you not watch one hour with me?” (Matthew 26:40) Those keeping vigil at the Altar of Repose further recall and respond to Jesus’ admonition to his disciples to stay awake to pray with him until the Roman soldiers come to arrest and imprison him. The vigil usually concludes at Midnight. Since Jesus was among the dead on Good Friday, there is no celebration of the Mass. The Presanctified Sacrament is brought, once again in a solemn procession, to the main altar of the church, where it is distributed among the faithful who have gathered to keep a holy observance of Good Friday.
 

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Homemade Matzos (Matzah)

Servings: 6

 

Homemade matzos are so much better than the store-bought kind. Have everything ready before you begin, you have just 18 minutes to make the dough and get it into the oven before fermentation takes place, to be truly unleavened (as tradition requires).

 

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 3/4 cup cold water

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour (kosher for Passover)

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500°F. Put the salt and flour into the bowl of a standing mixer. Using the dough hook attachment, with the mixer set on medium speed, slowly add 3/4 cup cold water and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl and forms a ball. Continue to work the dough with the dough hook for another 5 minutes.

2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, cut into 4 pieces, and flatten the pieces slightly. Roll the dough through a pasta machine, changing the settings on each pass and gradually rolling the dough thinner and thinner until it’s as thin as possible without breaking.

3. Cut the rolled-out dough into smaller sheets; it will be easier to handle. Dock the dough by pricking it all over with either a fork or a pastry docker. Lay the sheets on nonstick cookie sheets and bake (in batches if necessary) until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool, and serve with pride at the Seder table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-Cooked Hard-Boiled Eggs with Spinach

Ingredients

• 12 large eggs

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups red onion, peeled and chopped coarsely

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 pounds spinach, fresh or frozen (thawed and drained if frozen)
  
  Directions

1. Put the eggs in a cooking pot and add water to cover by about 2 inches. Then add the olive oil, onions, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool and remove the eggs with a slotted spoon. Tap the eggs gently against the counter and peel under cold running water, keeping them as whole as possible.

2. Return the peeled eggs to the pot with the seasoned water and simmer very slowly uncovered for at least 2 hours, or until the water is almost evaporated and the onions almost dissolved. The eggs will become dark and creamy as the cooking water evaporates and they absorb all the flavoring.

3. Remove the eggs carefully to a bowl, rubbing into the cooking liquid any of the cream that forms on the outside. Heat the remaining cooking liquid over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and add the spinach. Cook the spinach until most of the liquid is reduced, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 30 minutes, or until the spinach is creamy and well cooked. Serve a dollop of spinach with a hard-boiled egg on top as the first part of the Seder meal.
    

Fig Charoses

Classic sweet apple-and-nut mixture with figs that symbolizes mortar

for the bricks the Jewish people made in Egypt. (Charoset)

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup white wine

• 1/4 cup diced onion

• 1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced

• 1 cup diced dried figs

• 1/2 cup diced pitted dates

• 1/4 cup chopped roasted pistachios

• 1 pinch ground allspice

• 1 pinch ground cardamom

• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Put the vinegar, sugar, and wine into a small saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the onions and apples and cook until the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes.

2. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the figs, dates, pistachios, and ground spices. Set aside to let cool before serving.
    

 

Chilled Beet Soup with Horseradish Sour Cream

Servings: four cups of soup

If you find golden beets, by all means use them and don’t worry about draining

the horseradish; the water in it will help thin the sour cream.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds small or medium beets

• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

• 3 strips (3 inches long) orange zest

• 3 sprigs fresh thyme

• Kosher salt and freshly ground white or black pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth or water

• 2 teaspoons honey

• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice

• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1 tablespoons prepared horseradish

• A few teaspoons cream or water as needed

• Fresh dill sprigs for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Put the beets and garlic on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Scatter on the orange zest and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with the olive oil. Fold up the sides of the foil and crimp to make a tight packet. Slide the foil packet onto a baking sheet and into the oven. Bake for 1 hour. Open the packet carefully (to avoid the steam) and check that the beets are tender by piercing one with the tip of a sharp knife. The knife should slide in easily; if it doesn’t, reseal the package and continue baking. Set aside to cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Using paper towels, rub the skins off the beets and cut the beets into chunks. Peel the garlic cloves. Discard the thyme and orange zest, saving any juices collected in the foil.

2. Drop about one-third of the beet chunks, the garlic, and any collected juices into a blender. Add some of the chicken broth and the honey. Before turning on the blender vent the lid by removing the pop-out center if there is one, or just open the lid a bit, and drape a clean dishtowel over the vented lid. Blend to a smooth purée and transfer to a bowl. Continue in batches, puréeing all the beets. Stir in the orange juice and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate to chill the soup thoroughly. Meanwhile, stir the horseradish into the sour cream. If the sour cream is too stiff (it should be the consistency of lightly whipped cream), stir in a few teaspoons of cream or water to loosen it. Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, ladle the soup into cups or bowls and spoon a bit of the horseradish sour cream onto each serving. Garnish with fresh dill, if you like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pot-Roasted Lemon Chicken

This amazing dish’s bright flavors comes from preserved lemons, which are fresh lemons that have been cured in salt. We like to serve this with couscous mixed with garlic and parsley.

 

Ingredients

• 4 pound whole chicken

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 2 sprigs fresh marjoram, 10 inches each, leaves stripped

• 7 sprigs fresh thyme, 4 inches each, leaves stripped

• 6 medium cloves garlic

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons ras el hanout spice

• ½ teaspoon turmeric

• 2 tablespoons parsley, minced

• 1 preserved lemon (or 1 fresh lemon), sliced 1/8-inch thick
  (preserved lemons are very strong so use a regular lemon if this is too much)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 large onion, minced

• 1 cup parsley, minced

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• large pinch of saffron threads, bloomed in hot water)

• 2 oz olive oil

• 2 oz water or chicken stock

• 1 tablespoon melted butter

• ½ teaspoon harissa (chili powder) (optional)  

• ½ teaspoon of paprika

• 7 oz. pitted olives

 

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Using a mini food processor or a knife, mash together the marjoram, thyme, 2 tablespoons parsley, garlic, ras el hanout, turmeric, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to form a rough paste.

2. Slide your fingers between the chicken’s skin and flesh to loosen the skin on the breast, thigh, and leg areas. Rub the herb paste onto the flesh under the skin so it’s distributed as evenly as possible. Cut the breast, on both sides, at the top of the bird and add the paste inside the breast (above the skin area, near the neck).

3. Rub the bird completely covering with the paste inside and out.

4. Let the chicken rest for two hours.

5. Place the chicken, back side down, on the stove with 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the pot and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken on to its breast and cook for another 5 minutes. Make sure to move the chicken around so it does not stick.

6. Add the minced onions, parsley, black pepper, the bloomed saffron, and water to the pot, flip the chicken again.

7. Once the chicken reaches 165°F remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a sheet pan. Brush the chicken with the melted butter, harissa, and paprika which has been mixed together. Cook until golden brown.

8. After the chicken has been removed from the onions, add the olives, lemon peel, olive oil to the onion mixture and cook the onions down until they become thick and preserve like. Serve over a bed of couscous.
   Note: Cilantro or parsley may be used in this dish but they do have extremely different flavors.