Five tasty Passover meal ideas

The Seder, the traditional Jewish ritual feast, is celebrated at Passover  and requires a specific number of foods to be eaten in a certain order.

However the week-long Passover holiday allows for a bit more freedom with meal choices. Why not try some new kosher recipes or variations on old favourites this Passover, especially if you're going to be in the company of friends and family?

Here are are five tasty Passover meal ideas.

• A firm Passover favourite, brisket of beef is easy to prepare.
• Just braise your joint of beef in red wine. Half of a bottle of red wine is usually enough.
• Also add finely chopped onion, thyme, beef stock and a tin of tomatoes to your braising liquid.
• For greater flavour intensity, reduce the wine over heat by a third before adding it to the brisket.
• Reducing your wine like this will create a stickier and stronger sauce which really complements the beef.

• Candied carrots are a great accompaniment to any meal, but are a special treat at Passover.
• Slice the carrots into circles to make chips and parboil them in water for about 10 minutes.
• Then, drain the carrots and lightly fry them on low heat in butter.
• For flavour add kosher seasoning and a tablespoon or two of brown sugar, depending on how sweet you like your carrots.

• Traditional matzoh ball soup should taste like the version that older generations enjoy.
• Prepare the chicken broth that is the base of the soup in advance so that its flavour can set and intensify before the matzoh balls are added.
• When it comes to making the matzoh balls themselves, don't use too much matzoh meal.
• Matzoh balls with too much meal won't float pleasingly on the top of the soup when it's served.
• And, if you want to add a little extra colour and variety, use red onions instead of white or yellow when making your broth.

• Melt butter with a clove or two of finely diced garlic and a good pinch of pepper and kosher salt to make a base for the chicken seasoning.
• Remove the base from the heat and add two teaspoons of paprika to create a smoky and tangy flavour.
• Cover the entire skin of a whole chicken with the paprika marinade and roast in a preheated oven.
• Baste the chicken several times with a mixture of honey and lemon juice, which will complement the spiciness of the paprika.

• Many consider quinoa to be kosher at Passover because it is a seed and not a grain.
• The popular Middle Eastern dish tabbouleh is a good Passover meal choice, especially if a vegetarian dish is required.
• Make the salad with well-rinsed quinoa and a pinch of kosher salt.
• Add tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions and garlic.
• Freshly chopped mint and parsley are the best herbs to use for this salad.
• And add fresh lemon juice for a tangy flavour.

If you're looking for fresh meal ideas for the week of Passover, then give some of these tasty Passover meal ideas a try.