Passover hostess

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Elaine Grossinger Etess knows a thing or two about maintaining Passover tradition.

As the granddaughter of the founders of Grossinger's, the famed Catskill Mountains resort that she sold in 1985, she grew up in the hospitality business.

Along with generations of Jewish families looking to escape the heat of New York City summers, Grossinger's hosted some of the most important people of the 20th century.

Etess may be one of the few people who can say she met first lady Eleanor Roosevelt; the first president of Israel, Chaim Weizmann; and one of TV's first stars, Milton Berle.

So perhaps it's no wonder that Etess still has a big hand in keeping people happy.

As director of hospitality at Forest Trace, a mostly Jewish retirement community in Lauderhill, Fla., she gives the final OK to everything from who will entertain the residents to what will be served in the on-site restaurant.

"I feel like I'm at home," says Etess, who was the first female president of the American Hotel-Motel Association. "I feel like I'm in my element."

Grossinger's was known just as much for its all-you-can-eat meal plans as its borscht belt comedians.

The resort also was the inspiration for the movie "Dirty Dancing."

Food becomes even more important at this time of year with the eight-day Passover holiday that begins Tuesday. It starts with a Seder dinner, and Etess and the residents of Forest Trace look to traditional dishes from their childhood: brisket and matzo ball soup.

They're the kind of foods found in "The Art of Jewish Cooking," a cookbook written by Etess' mother, Jennie Grossinger, and first published in 1958.

For generations of young Jewish couples, the cookbook was a go-to guide for such traditional staples as chopped liver and chicken soup, brisket and matzo brei.

Etess, who lives in Boca Raton, Fla., says Passover was a big deal at Grossinger's, with more than 1,200 people spending the entire holiday there each year.

"It was my favorite time of the year up there," says Etess. "I like the message of Passover and the fact that it brings families together for meals, even people who are not all that observant.

"There's a feeling of family and tradition. And it's one of the holidays that really hasn't been modernized," she says.

Recipes

Chef Greg Bainbridge of Forest Trace shares a Kugel recipe for Passover, which will be a colorful addition to any Seder table.

Passover Vegetable Kugel

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) margarine

2 red peppers, chopped

2 cups sweet onion, chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

3 cups carrots, chopped fine

3 cups tightly packed chopped fresh spinach

5 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups matzo meal

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt margarine in an extra-large skillet over medium heat. Saute peppers, onion, celery and carrots until tender, but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted. Place vegetable mixture in a large bowl to cool.

Add eggs, matzo meal, salt, pepper and garlic powder to vegetables. Stir until just combined.

Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish and cover. Bake 35 minutes or until firm.

Remove cover and bake 10 more minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Braised Holiday Citrus Chicken

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

3 large sweet onions, cut into thick slices, divided

3 seedless whole oranges, unpeeled and cut into thick slices, divided

1 (3 1/2-4 pound) roasting chicken, cut into 4 to 6 pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 cup white wine

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

Directions

Preheat oven 350 degrees. In a large roasting pan, arrange half of the onion slices in a single layer. Place half of the orange slices on top of onions in a single layer. Arrange chicken in a single layer in the pan on top of onion and orange slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roast uncovered 35 minutes or until chicken is brown.

Meanwhile, stir together orange juice, wine, honey and ginger in a small bowl to make braising liquid. Set aside.

Remove chicken from oven and top with remaining onion and orange slices. Pour braising liquid over chicken. Cover tightly with foil and return to the oven for an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Arrange chicken on serving platter; top with the roasted oranges and onions.