RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Lita Lotzkar Haroset, Sephardic Style Date - pareve
Authors note: This type of haroset is used by many different groups of Sephardim -- North Africans, Iraqis, Iranians, and Afghans, among others. It is always based on a paste made from cooked dates, sometimes with raisins. Chopped walnuts and/or almonds are also often included, either mixed into the paste or spinkled on top. Some Sephardim thin out the date paste with red wine, and flavor it with cinnamon. Others make the paste thick enough to be formed into small balls. Occasionally, the balls are coated with edible, dried rose petals. Iraqi Jews ofen use more water and no additional ingredients, to produce a thin, date syrup, rather than a paste. Title: Sephardic-Style Date Haroset Yield: 2 cups 1 lb Pitted dates, chopped 1/2 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 1/2 c Warm water 1/2 - 1 cup finely chopped walnuts and/or almonds 2 - 4 Tbsp sweet red Pesach .wine (optional) If desired you can substitute dark raised for up to half the dates. Put the dates and water into a medium sized saucepan and let them soak for 1 hour. Then bring them to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 30-60 minutes, or until they are very soft and form a paste. During the cooking period, stir the dates often, and mash then with a spoon to help break them down. To smooth out the paste, press it through a sieve, colander, or food mill, or puree it in a food processor. If the puree is too thin and does not have a rich date taste, return it to the saucepan and simmer it down to the desired consistency, keeping in mnd that it will thicken slightly more as it cools. Let the date paste cool to room temperature. Stir in the desired amounts of wine and cinnamon. Stir in the nuts and/or sprinkle them on top. Sotre the paste in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 weeks. For the best flavor, let it come to room temperature before serving. Source: The Jewish Holiday Cookbook, Gloria Kaufer Greene, author
