Ashkenazi alert!

Yes, the only people that would think of making a jam out of a beetroot. One spoon of this sends me right back to my childhood.
My Grandma’s jam was legendary, and she used to make jars and jars. I would have thick layers of it on matza for breakfast and eat it out of the jar when no one was looking. If you haven’t tasted it before I can imagine your hesitation, but it’s amazing. Cinnamon, lemon and ginger give it this fantastic sweet and spicy kick. The secret is to slow cook it until all the redness is gone, and it becomes brown and sweet.
Here’s the recipe, courtesy of Jewish cooking heroine Evelyn Rose. You need to start the preparations a day in advance. Yes, it’s time consuming. And it stains your hands. And your clothes. It’s a labor of love.

Eingemachts
2.25 kg (5 lb) uncooked beetroot (beets)
1.8 kg (4 lb/9 cups) granulated sugar
3 large lemons, peeled and segmented like an orange
175 g (6oz/1.5 cups) split almonds (traditional, but I leave them out)
3- 4 tbsp ground ginger (I add loads more, but I like it SPICY!)
2 tsp cinnamon

This makes 7 jars; I usually halve the amount, because unfortunately my kids just don’t understand this delicacy!

1. Boil the uncooked beetroot in water to cover for 1 hours, then cool and skin.
2. Cut the cooked beetroot into 1 cm (3/8 inch) wide and 2.5 cm (1-2 inch) long, or use the julienne cutter on a food processor)
3. Put into a large bowl with the sugar. Mix well and leave overnight.
4. Next day, put the sugar/beetroot mixture into a very large, heavy pan, together with the lemon segments
5. Bring to the boil, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Then leave to bubble over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for at least 3 hours, until the mixture loses the redness and the beetroot becomes translucent and starts to turn brown.
6. Finally add the almonds and the ginger. Taste and add more ginger if you like.
7. Bubble for another 15 minutes
8. Sterilize 7 jam jars. The easiest way to do this is to run them through the dishwasher on the highest setting.
9. Fill with the jam and screw on the lids

Let me know how you got on!

How is this Seder different from all other Seders?

When I grew up we had a very traditional Seder night. It was the highlight of the year for my Grandpa and he read and sung every word of the Hagada with such intensity and vibrancy, that I’ve been looking for a Seder like it ever since then. Every year my Grandma used to say with a smile on her face, “David, not so loud, you’ll disturb the neighbours”. He also led a Seder night in the barracks during his service in the Second World War. I wish he could have seen my Pesach Seder Plates too.

I’m hosting this year so I asked around to find out how I can make it more interesting for my children. Roni, my creative and talented assistant told me that the highlight of their Seder is the 10 Plagues. Rather than just read them out and dip the finger in the wine, they actually recreate each one.

For example for Dam (blood) the kids squeeze ketchup on their plates, for Barad (hail) Roni throws hundreds of polystyrene balls up in the air. And, my favourite, for Hoshech (darkness) she turns all the lights off and gives all the children stick lights!

I am going to adopt those traditions this year. Not sure what my Grandpa would make of it...If you have any interesting old or new traditions I'd love it hear about them, please comment in the box below.

Wishing you a great holiday whether you celebrate in a traditional or non-traditional manner.

Laura