How to celebrate Pesach with less kitchen slavery

I may still make one (shorter) trip to browse the aisles at the kosher supermarket for new products; but the bulk of our weekly  shop will be shlepped to me straight from Sabeny.com.

They’ll be bringing me the matzah; ground nuts and demerara sugar for my favourite fruity nut crumble recipe; oils and vinegar for salad dressings; crisps – because I’m obsessed with this recipe for a crisp-coated schnitzel and I’ve treated myself to a fudge brownie cake mix that I’m planning to zhuzh up by chucking in some berries.

They’ve even supplied a shank bone, which is one thing I always end up forgetting and panicking over at the last minute.    

Ready-to eat meals:
For the odd kitchen break, I’ve got my eye on several caterers who are offering kosher for Pesach ready meals and to cater for Seders:

Goldstein's
Their website is offering a range of heimish staples including salt beef; gefilte fish (white or salmon); fish goujons; potato or vegetable kugel; cholent; chicken soup with lokshen and matzah balls. There’s also plenty of other comfort foods including Shepherd’s pie; roast beef; roast chicken and a spread of veggie dishes like ratatouille; tzimmes, red cabbage, roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes. Dessert include chocolate souffle, chocolate mousse and apple and pear compote. They’ll also sort the Seder plate out.

yomtov

Kosher Deli
The north London and Manchester-based chain of butchers is also offering a range of cooked foods to heat and eat at home. Their menu includes a rib roast with Chimichurri; traditional salt beef and lemon rosemary ‘roaster legs’. Sides include broccoli and zucchini kugel and caramelised sweet potato batons. There are also soups and Moroccan salmon and if you order the full menu they’ll kindly supply your Seder plate too.

kosherdeli

Blue Smoke's meat platter would make huge Pesach treat Photo: Victoria Prever[Missing Credit]

Blue Smoke

For something special I’ve been eyeing up Blue Smoke — not normally available over Pesach but (due to popular demand) gourmet meat and fish smoker, Andrew Krauz has opted to open this year.
He will be offering an abbreviated menu including smoked brisket; smoked ‘Dino Ribs’; smoked lamb breast; lacon; smoked chicken and duck breast; his super more-ish crispy burnt ends and for fish lovers, Loch Duart salmon gravadlax. There are also grazing boards

For full details and ordering information head to his Facebook page. Orders will need to be collected from Hendon on April 11 and 18 (8.30am – 12.30pm).

Eating out:
There’s not normally much choice over Passover as it’s when most kosher caterers and restaurateurs take the opportunity for some well-deserved downtime. 

Who can blame them when it’s also not always worth kashering for Pesach? They may only have a day or two to trade between Yom Tov days, Shabbat and weekends.

With Pesach falling as Shabbat goes out this year, chol hamoed runs from Tuesday April 15 to Friday April 18 giving the enterprising caterer some extra trading time.

So, we may even treat ourselves to a meal out. The restaurants opening are: 

Kasa at JW3

The excellent Middle Eastern meaty menu is transferring to Finchley Road’s JW3 in London NW3 for a seasonal pop up.

The team have created a menu of meaty treats that will keep everyone happy. A range of starter salads as well as dishes like chopped liver; beef carpaccio; salmon tartare and burnt aubergine plus meat or potato and onion latkes.

Main courses include their ‘Caveman burger’ — which can be topped with pulled asado beef; fried aubergines or onions or a fried egg; there’s chicken schnitzel, chicken salad or their signature short ribs (with mash) and a range of steaks which come with a side of your choice which include chips, roasted baby potatoes and Israeli salad. There’s even a Pesach-friendly apple crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Novellino Brighton

If this sunny snap holds into Pesach, a day trip to the coast might be on the cards. Matzah picnics are all very well, but if you plan ahead, you could book lunch or dinner at the restaurant in Brighton’s gorgeous community centre. As well as being a short stroll from the sea there’s a gorgeous courtyard to sit outside as well as the regular dining room.

The restaurant is open throughout the chag, with two Seder nights and three meals a day as they’ll have guests booked in for a fuss-free Passover break. There’s no room at the inn to stay over, but still space for both Seder nights and for lunches and dinners throughout the week.

Locals might want to book in for Friday night dinner Erev Pesach to avoid the ‘do we eat chometz at home’ dilemma. And there’s a meaty barbecue dinner on Tuesday April 15 that carnivores will adore. Expect lamb chops and kofta, beef sausages, chicken wings or thighs and veggie kebabs plus chips and salad. Lunches during chol hamoed are three courses as are the dinners which differ daily. Visit their website for more details and availability and if you do decide to go you’ll need to book ahead for all Yom Tov and Seder meals. More info here.
To book, call 01273750334 or email novellino@bnjc.co.uk.

Sami's (Glatt Meat)

The popular casual meaty venue serving kebabs, burgers and shawarma will also be open. Contact them for opening times and menu details.
157 Brent Street
Hendon NW4 4DJ
Tel: 020 8203 8088