Persian Charoses

Persian Charoses

This is another sephardic charoses (characterized by nuts and dried fruit).

Yield: 5 cups

25 (=1.25 c) dates, pitted and diced
1/2 c unsalted pistachios
1/2 c almonds
1/2 c walnuts
1 c golden and/or black raisins
1 1/2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 large pear, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 c pomegranate juice
1 orange, peeled and diced
1 banana, sliced
1/2 c sweet red wine
2 T cider vinegar
1 t ground cloves
1 T ground cardamon
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground nutmeg
4 T brown sugar

Combine nuts, dried fruit, & spices in food processor & pulse until nuts are coarsly chopped.
Add wet fruit and pulse until they are coarsely chopped.
Add the liquids and pulse again just to mix. Do not puree.

Mom's Famous Charoset

Making this in the Cuisinart gives it the authentic "Mom" texture.

Mom's Regular Old Charoset

*4 apples, peeled and cored
*2/3 c. almonds or walnuts (or pecans….) - you can toast them a little beforehand if you like
*¼ c. +/- of brown or white sugar
*1 T. cinnamon
*4T sweet wine and or/ grape juice
*raisins, currants, craisins, or other dried fruit (these taste best if you soften them first – put in a mug and cover with grape juice and heat in microwave to boiling point, and then let them sit for a bit to absorb the liquid)

Chop all the ingredients in a CUISINART to taste! Add the apples closer to the end or else they will be chopped into mush! Change quantities and ingredients however you like!

Sephardic Charoset from Surinam

* ½ - 1 cup unsweetened coconut
* ½ - 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds
* ¼ c. sugar
* 1 T cinnamon
* a few cups of assorted dried fruit: raisins, apple, prunes, apricots, pears, craisins, dates, currants, etc.
* 4 oz. cherry jam
* sweet red wine or grape juice (or other juices I used some mango & orange juice too!)

1. Combine everything except jam & wine in saucepan.
2. Cover with juice(s)
3. Heat to boiling and simmer for at least 90 minutes -- periodically add small amounts of juice to prevent sticking
4. When cohesive , stir in jam, and cook for another 15 minutes or so
5. I put about 2/3 of the mixture in the Cuisinart to make it smoother and stirred it all back together