Remembering a Tunisian Matriarch at an Argentine Seder Table

Shared by Jessica Solnicki 
Recipe Roots: Livorno, Italy > Tunis, Tunisia > Paris, France > Buenos Aires, Argentina and Thessaloniki, Greece > Grodno, Poland > Argentina 

Aline in Tunis in 1960.

Each year as Passover approaches Jessica Solnicki takes out her Passover dishes to prepare for Seder in her home in Argentina. “I put out [everything] I inherited from my mother-in-law. Silver from Tunisia, dishes, plates, glasses, everything that looks really different from the rest of the year; that’s the idea,” she explains. Those plates traveled thousands of miles with Jessica’s late mother-in-law Aline Dora Darmon from Tunisia to France, and finally to Argentina in 2012. 

They’re used to set an elaborate table where each Seder guest is given a small silver plate for charoset, made from dates, pistachios, almonds, cinnamon, and rosewater. Tall stalks of celery stand upright in glasses with salt water for karpas, and a silver basket of eggs is placed on a large seder plate. The eggs are hard boiled for a long time, Jessica says, to “show the toughness of our people.”  

Aline passed away two years ago, but her recipes are still served on her Passover plates and Jessica even cooks with spices from Aline’s kitchen. Her menu starts with a course of salads, collectively called kemias that are served with matzo. There are cooked carrots with paprika and harissa, beets with cumin, and crunchy cucumbers with mint. For a main course, there’s msoki, a dish of lamb braised with an abundance of vegetables and spiced with harissa, cinnamon, and orange blossom water, served with rice. All of the recipes are from La Tunisie d’Aline, a cookbook Jessica wrote to honor Aline’s memory and preserve her recipes.

Aline with her son Arthur in Paris in 1984.

Growing up in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires, the food on Jessica’s family Seder table looked nothing like Aline’s recipes. Her grandmother Pola, who left Poland for Prague and finally for Argentina after the Holocaust, hosted busy Seders with her grandchildren running about. True to her roots, Pola made Ashkenazi staples for the holiday. There was gefilte fish, classic matzo ball soup, latkes, pickled herring, and more. “I will never forget the image of arriving at my grandmother’s for the Seder,” she says. Pola would stand over two industrial size pots ensuring everyone was served the right amount of matzo ball soup. 

Today, there are small nods to Pola on Jessica’s table like farfalej, a Passover side dish, and matzo ball soup. “In memory of my grandmother from Poland we do the matzo balls with the Sepharadic touch: a lot of pepper and cumin and a great soup,” she adds. 

Aline celebrating Jessica and Arthur’s henna engagement party in Buenos Aires in 2010.

When she met her husband Arthur, Jessica already had an affinity for Sephardic and Middle Eastern flavors that she knew from Pola’s sister who married a Syrian man. On visits to Paris to see Arthur and for her work in fashion, Jessica and Aline would spend time together eating and talking about food. Aline would speak to her in French, Arabic, and Italian, none of which Jessica spoke. But, as a Spanish speaker, she could understand Aline’s Italian and started to write down her recipes in a notebook they bought together in Le Marais. 

Aline would give Jessica two weeks worth of menus to make. As she learned the dishes, she felt more confident experimenting with them. “She taught me something very important: The base of the kitchen is the same always and that you just need to learn the base and then you can mix and create and do your creations yourself,” Jessica says. 

Aline preparing food in her home kitchen in Buenos Aires in the 2016.

When Aline’s parents passed away, she moved to Buenos Aires to be closer to Arthur and Jessica. Finally living in the same city, the two women could host Passover Seder together and recipes continued to pass from Aline to Jessica. 

This year, Jessica is preparing for a very different Seder at their family’s home outside of Buenos Aires where they are taking shelter during the Coronavirus epidemic. She’s still hoping to get back into Buenos Aires briefly to pick up Aline’s plates. Even if she can’t, she says, Aline’s recipes will be on the family Seder table as they always have been. 

“You know how Jewish people are,” Jessica says. “We keep going and fighting and trying to keep the traditions alive…. We always find the strength and the joy to keep all this alive.” 

Jessica’s Solnicki’s Passover Menu
Aline’s Charoset
Kemia de Zanahorias (Carrot Salad with Harissa)
Kemia de Pepinos (Cucumber Salad with Fresh Mint)
Kemia de Remolachas (Beet Salad with Cumin)
Cneidalaj (Matzo Balls with Cumin, Pepper, and Parsley)
Msoki de Pesaj (Braised Vegetables and Lamb)
Chocolate Mousse

Aline's Charoset

Makes: 6 servings
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 ½ cups pitted dried dates
¼ cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped
¼ cup roasted pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon rosewater
¼ cup grape juice

Preparation
1. Place the dates into a pot over high heat and add water to just cover the dates. Bring the pot to a boil and reduce the heat to cook the dates on a gentle simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the dates and discard the water.

2. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor for about 3 minutes until a smooth and paste-like consistency is formed. Transfer to a serving bowl.

3. Refrigerate the charoset for about 1 hour before serving.

4. To make the charoset balls: roll the mixture into golf-sized spheres and transfer to a serving plate.

5. Serve at room temperature with matzo or a piece of lettuce. 

Make Ahead: Charoset can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Kemia de Zanahorias (Carrot Salad with Harissa)

Makes: 6 servings
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 carrots, cut into ¼ inch rounds
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon harissa
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the carrots into the boiling water and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes until fork tender.

2. Add the oil to a skillet, once the oil is hot add the garlic and saute until golden. Add the boiled carrots, harissa and paprika and sauté for 3 minutes until the carrots are coated.

3. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the caraway seeds, vinegar and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well.

4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Kemia de Pepinos (Cucumber Salad with Fresh Mint)

Makes: 6 servings
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
6 cucumbers, cut into thin rounds
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup mint leaves, chopped

Preparation
1. Mix the cucumbers, lemon juice, salt, pepper and mint in a bowl to combine.

2. Serve cold.

Kemia de Remolachas (Beet Salad with Cumin)

Makes: 6 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
3 beets
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation
1. Place the beets in a pot and submerge completely with cold water and a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 minutes until fork tender. 

2. Drain the beets. Let cool for 10 minutes and peel and cut the beets into ¼ inch cubes. 

3. Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add the beets, cumin, remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper and sauté until coated, about 3 minutes. 

4. Transfer to a bowl and serve warm or at room tempurature.

Cneidalaj (Matzo Ball Soup with Cumin, Pepper and Parsley)

Makes: 6 servings
Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients
For the chicken stock:
6 chicken legs or thighs, bone-in and skin-on
1 bunch of parsley, tied with butcher's twine
2 teaspoons salt

For the matzo balls:
1 cup matzo meal
3 to 4 eggs
3 tablespoons chicken fat (schmaltz) or olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
 ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼  cup sparkling water

Preparation
1. Make the chicken stock: Place the chicken, parsley and salt in a pot and cover the pot ¾ the way with water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and continue cooking the broth for 1 ½ to 2 hours, skimming any impurities that reach the surface occasionally. Strain the broth through a sieve and transfer it into a clean pot. Keep the broth warm over low heat. Set the chicken aside and discard the parsley. 

2. Place 4 quarts of water into a seperate large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the temperature to keep a simmer and cover with a lid.

3. Make the matzo balls: Mix the matzo meal, eggs, chicken fat, salt, pepper, parsley, cumin and sparkling water in a bowl until combined well. Cover the mix with plastic wrap and set it aside for 30 minutes.

4. Scoop a generous tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a golf size ball between the palm of your hands and place into the simmering water. Continue shaping the matzo balls and placing them into the water. If the matzo mix sticks to your hands, dip your hands into water to prevent sticking. Once all the matzo balls are in the simmering water, place a lid on the pot and cook for about 45 minutes until the matzo balls are cooked through and fluffy. 

5. For each serving place 2 matzo balls in a bowl with a few ladles of chicken stock and serve hot.

Msoki de Pesaj (Braised Vegetables and Lamb)

Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients
2 ½  pounds lamb shoulder meat, chopped into 2 - 3 inch cubes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
2 carrots, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
1 turnip, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons harissa
2 pounds spinach leaves, finely chopped
2 leeks, finely chopped
1 zucchini, chopped into ¼ pieces
1 fennel, chopped into ¼ pieces
3 celery sticks, chopped into ¼ pieces
Half of 1 romaine lettuce heart, finely chopped
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen fava beans, defrosted
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas, defrosted
4 fresh or frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted and cut into wedges lengthwise
¼ bunch parsley, finely chopped
¼ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
¼ bunch mint leaves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons orange blossom water

Preparation
1. Season the lamb with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Place the lamb into the pot and sear until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. 

3. Add the onions, carrots, turnips and garlic into the pot. Saute until soft and cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the cinnamon stick and harissa and cook for about 5 more minutes. 

4. Add the spinach, leeks, zucchini, fennel, celery, romaine lettuce and continue sauteeing for another 15 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked.

5. Add the fava beans, peas, artichoke hearts, parsley, cilantro, mint and orange blossom water. Add enough water to reach ¾ the way up vegetables. Cook on a gentle simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to ¼ the original amount. 

6. Serve hot with matzo or rice.

Chocolate Mousse

Makes: 6 servings
Total time: 30 minutes active + 2 hours inactive

Ingredients
6 eggs, egg yolks and egg whites separated
⅔ cup granulated sugar, divided
1 ½ cups bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation
1. Make the chocolate mixture: Combine the egg yolks and ⅓ cup of sugar in a large heatproof bowl set over a small pot with gently simmering water that is a few inches deep. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water. Cook, whisking constantly until the mixture is pale yellow in color and almost doubled in volume, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and add the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Whisk until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside. 

2. Make the meringue: Using a stand mixer, beat the 6 egg whites on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. With the mixture running, gradually add in the remaining ⅓ cup of sugar into the egg whites. Increase the speed of the mixer to high and beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Form the chocolate mousse: Gently fold half of the meringue into the chocolate mixture to combine. Add the remaining half of the meringue into the bowl and fold until the mouse is smooth with no streaks of chocolate.

4. Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

5. Serve cold with a side of berries.