The Rest of Passover — Fifth Night [RECIPE]

When you’re searching for how to create dinners during Passover that avoid all the no’s, you can’t go wrong sticking to vegetables, fruit, fish and meat—and that leaves a lot of possibilities.

Today’s menu is as simple as a trip through the Farmer’s Market.  Spring means fresh parsnips, fresh artichokes (our front yard is full of them) and fresh greens.  You can go vegetarian, even vegan, by omitting the grilled chicken.

Roasted Parsnips

Italian Dandelions

Lemon and Olive Oil-Roasted Artichokes

Grilled Chicken Breast

[RECIPES]

Roasted Parsnips

3 pounds super-fresh parsnips, peeled and cut in 1-inch slices

olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Toss parsnips with other ingredients.  Roast until very crisp, turning occasionally.

Italian Dandelion

1 pound Italian dandelion (or other green), very well washed

4 cloves garlic, chopped or sliced

olive oil

salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Boil dandelions until tender.

Drain and squeeze dry in a dish towel.  Chop dandelions.

Heat a skillet.  Add olive oil and garlic, and saute until garlic is golden.  Add chopped dandelion, salt and pepper, and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Lemon and Olive Oil-Roasted Artichokes

▪ 4 medium or large artichokes

▪ Juice from 1 medium-large lemon (about 1/2 cup)

▪ 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

▪ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

▪ Fresh thyme

▪ 3 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Remove tough outer leaves from artichokes. Cut top of remaining leaves at the point where the green and yellow come together. Dip cut end in the lemon juice. Cut off bottom tip of stem, and peel away green layer of stem until white inner layer is exposed. Cut the artichokes in half and remove the inner fuzzy choke and any small prickly leaves. Slice in half again and toss with the lemon juice.

Pour the artichokes and lemon juice in a casserole dish, drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil, season with the salt, pepper and thyme and add the garlic. Stir and place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once during cooking.

Grilled Chicken Breasts

4 chicken breasts

1/4 cup white wine

3 cloves garlic

juice from 1/2 lemon

1 T fresh chopped thyme

1/4 c. olive oil

salt and pepper

In a bowl or Ziploc bag, combine all ingredients.  Let marinade 15 minutes to an hour.  Drain.

Preheat grill.  When hot, spray with olive oil, add chicken and grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.