Equipment
Ingredients
Pickled Apple
- 10 g granulated sugar
- 30 ml water, boiling
- 30 ml cider vinegar
- 6 g fresh dill, chopped
- ½ apple, thinly sliced into half-moons
Haroset
- 50 g almonds, skin on
- 1 g cumin seeds
- 25 g fresh horseradish, peeled and grated
- 100 g beet, roughly chopped
- 10 g fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 20 ml pickle
- 30 ml fresh lemon juice
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- g sea salt, to taste
- g white pepper, to taste
Mackerel & Matzo
- 2 matzo
- 100 ml vegetable oil
- 2 smoked mackerel fillets
To Serve
- fresh dill, sprigs
- g fresh horseradish, freshly grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 753 kcal
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbohydrates
- 52 g
- Fat
- 45 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 18 g
- Sodium
- 1118 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 25 mg
- Potassium
- 942 mg
- Calcium
- 145 mg
- Iron
- 4.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 135 mg
- Phosphorus
- 524 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 110 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin E
- 7.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.33 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.54 mg
- Niacin
- 2.8 mg
- Folate
- 92 mcg
- Water
- 144 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the pickled apple: In a small mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and boiling water, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the cider vinegar and chopped dill, then gently mix in the apple slices. Set aside to pickle for at least 15 minutes.
Prepare the haroset: In a food processor, pulse the almonds and cumin seeds until they form a coarse crumb. Add the remaining haroset ingredients (grated horseradish, chopped beets and dill, pickle juice, lemon juice, and olive oil) and pulse briefly until just combined, retaining some texture. Season with sea salt and white pepper to taste, adjusting the lemon juice and horseradish for balance.
Prepare the matzo tostadas: Break the matzo sheets into large, irregular shards. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the matzo shards in batches, about 30 seconds per side, until golden brown and crispy. Drain the fried matzo on kitchen paper.
Cook the mackerel: Drain most of the oil from the frying pan. Gently fry the smoked mackerel fillets for about 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat, until warmed through and lightly crisped. Remove from the pan and cut into pieces slightly smaller than the matzo shards.
Assemble the tostadas: Spread a generous tablespoon of the prepared haroset onto each fried matzo shard. Top with a pickled apple slice, then a piece of the warmed mackerel. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill and a grating of fresh horseradish.
Chef's Notes
- Use good quality smoked mackerel for the best flavor.
- Adjust the amount of horseradish to your preference.
- For extra flavor, toast the almonds before adding them to the haroset.
- When frying, make sure the oil is hot and the matzo is dry to achieve a crisp texture.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Tostadas best eaten immediately, store haroset and pickled apple separately.
Troubleshooting
Haroset is too dry
Cause: Insufficient liquid or too many almonds
Fix: Add a little more olive oil or pickle juice to adjust the consistency
Prevention: Measure ingredients carefully and pulse until just combined
Matzo tostadas are soggy
Cause: Matzo wasn't fried until crispy or the components were too wet before assembly.
Fix: Re-crisp in a dry frying pan or oven for a few minutes.
Prevention: Ensure matzo is fried until crisp and drain the mackerel before assembling.
Cultural Context
This recipe creatively combines the traditional flavors of a Jewish holiday, Passover, with modern culinary techniques. It is a fusion of flavors and textures.
