eggplant Photo: Courtesy

Do you have strict Passover customs? No problem. We have relied on fresh, non-processed ingredients when creating most of the recipes. A handy replacement index helps you find substitutes for other staples. Bring new, delicious, and exciting dishes to the table this Passover, including one of our favorite mains, which we share with you below.

Eggplant-Wrapped Chicken
4-6 servings

EGGPLANT:
1 tall eggplant
½ cup oil
¼ tsp salt
Pinch coarse black pepper

MEAT MIXTURE:
3 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ lb ground meat
½ tsp salt
½ tsp garlic powder

CHICKEN:
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
¼ tsp salt Pinch course black pepper Instructions

1. Preheat oven to broil. Grease a baking sheet. Cut eggplant lengthwise, to get 6 or 7 slices. Reserve remaining eggplant scraps. Place eggplant slices on prepared baking sheet. Brush slices with oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil 5 minutes per side, until second side is beginning to brown. The slices should appear as if they were fried. Remove and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F.

3. Peel and finely dice remaining eggplant to obtain ½ cup diced eggplant. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and diced eggplant and sauté until soft, about 5-7 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, combine onion mixture with ground meat. Season with salt and garlic powder.

5. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place a tablespoon of the meat mixture into each thigh and roll up to close. Roll an eggplant slice around each stuffed chicken thigh. Place, seam side down and close together, in a baking pan. Cover and bake for 2 hours.

Victoria Dwek is the managing editor of Whisk, a popular kosher food magazine published weekly by Ami Magazine. Her feature articles take readers behind the scenes to learn from chefs and other professionals in the kosher food world. An experienced journalist and avid hostess, Victoria’s work combines her passions for good food and good writing. She lives in Deal, New Jersey with her husband and children

Mh – New York Jewish Guide