Seder menu ideas | Imamother

costanza

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 2:00 pm

I think I will be hosting company this year for the seder. I usually keep it low key for my immediate family, but circumstances have changed. I always make the same thing - soup to start then meatballs for the main course with some salad and potatoes. We keep it simple since we eat late and after the wine/juice, matzo and marror we all feel a little bit gross.
But for company I need more. What meat ideas do you have, keeping in mind no roasting.

MiracleMama

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 2:04 pm

To be honest, I think almost everyone feels the way you do -- it's late, and there is so much matzo to eat, and all that wine.... really, I understand the desire to do more for guests, but I doubt your guests will even appreciate it. I have learned over the years that everyone is happier when I keep it basic. This is the one yom tov that I don't go overboard just because guests are coming.

Cheiny

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 3:10 pm

costanza wrote:

Boil a pickled corned beef, slice it...people love that.

amother

Purple

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 3:18 pm

I understand your desire to make the guests happy but tehy most robably will not appreciate more complex or a larger variety of food.

instead I learned that making some nice salads and a very refreshingh light desert (like lemon sorbet served in ooched pear halves and baiser) are aprpreciated. it kind of lifts the mood and the refresh the digesting stomach at 3 am Smile

)

make it fancy by having nice napkins or a pretty flower decoration if you feel like it Smile

Chayalle

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 3:32 pm

I'm with you OP. By the time we are done with all the matza, marror, and wine, appetites are at a simple level. Not to mention that most of us are rather sleepy....

I'm planning on serving chicken soup, and I make a veal roast that is baked with potato kugel - kind of like a veal yapchik - as the main course, with some salads. Dessert is a compote (applesauce with strawberries.)

Cheiny

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 3:46 pm

MiracleMama wrote:

I don’t agree, I believe people would rather have more of a variety, a couple of extra choices, in case they don’t like or eat the one main that’s offered. I’d make at least 2 mains...

amother

Orchid

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 3:47 pm

Chayalle wrote:

Did u check with a rabbi if u can make that meat that way? It could be considered roasting

Rutabaga

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 3:56 pm

Chayalle wrote:

Can you please post the recipe for the veal with potato kugel? It sounds delicious!

tichellady

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 4:02 pm

amother wrote:

Did u check with a rabbi if u can make that meat that way? It could be considered roasting

How could meat cooked over kugel be considering roasting???

dankbar

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 6:28 pm

I do fish, chicken soup, coated fried cutlets or chicken/veggie patties, potato kugel, apple kugel, compote. Salads we have homemade mayo, homemade chrein, homemade cucumber salad, beet salad, coleslaw made from kohlrabi.

amother

Babypink

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 6:35 pm

Have some dessert for me! DH has afikomen for dessert only. I try to serve a dessert-ish side so there's something sweet with which to end the meal.

SixOfWands

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 6:58 pm

amother wrote:

)

make it fancy by having nice napkins or a pretty flower decoration if you feel like it Smile

You don't get to the meal until 3 am?? And we thought we were slow!

I'll be the dissenting vote. Everyone at my seders, and at the seders I've attended over the years, has no problem eating.

I usually do hard boiled eggs, brisket, veggies and potatoes. We're having guests this year, so I'll add chicken soup, matzo balls and gefilte fish to that, as I know that's what my guests want.

amother

Black

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 7:02 pm

My mother barely served anything at the seder because she said no one's hungry.

Except I always was! I couldn't wait to have my own seder where I can serve FOOD! Matzah and romaine don't fill me and I usually barely eat anything all day. So there may be some guests who really do want food...

watergirl

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 7:11 pm

My family looked at me like I have three heads when I used to bring out more than the bare basics for the seder meal. I was literally putting away full platters of food. All that matza, marror, and wine combined with the late hour... we “just” do soup, fish for those who want but usually just DH wants, “egg in salt water soup” for those who want(I’m a BT, its a big thing for my family) which is usually just my inlaws, and then one simple chicken dish and a cauliflower mushroom kugel thats super light, digests easily at that late hour, and really delicious. I bring out those “after seder mints” for dessert, my mother in law usually brings those.

I buy MAYBE one red meat item for pesach aside from a few pounds of ground beef. I’m not wasting the one roast or brisket on seder night when no one really appreciates it. I save it for the second says of YT and make them more special.

Last edited by watergirl on Mon, Mar 11 2019, 7:32 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Lime

Mon, Mar 11 2019, 7:19 pm

amother wrote:

My husband complained like this. He said growing up, there would be chicken soup (just the broth) and potato kugel, and he was always hungry.
Our compromise is that we serve 1 course but generous. I'll serve duck sauce chicken (chicken baked in a whole jar or duck sauce), or fried schnitzel, potato kugel, tzimmes, cucumber salad, Israeli salad, and then sorbet for dessert