What would Pesach be without chicken? Although the humble fowl played no notable role in the Exodus, it has starred at center stage in Pesach meals for over two millenium. Empire means kosher-for-Pesach poultry rated by testers as "good as organic."

• 1 large chicken cut into pieces
• 5 oz apricot jam (or other jam)
• 1/2 packet onion soup mix (- check no wheat )
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/3 c Italian dressing (or to taste)( - use special kosher for Passover label)

Stuffing is usually made with bread, so here's your chance to enjoy our Pesach alternative, enough for a 5lb chicken!

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion
• 1 medium green pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 a cup of oil
• 1 cup of matzah meal
• 1-2 grated carrots
• one half of a cup of sliced mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• 2 stalks of diced celery
• 2 eggs
• 1 small zucchini, diced

For Mushroom Stuffing:

1. Leave out the carrots in the original mixture.
2. Add one cup of mushrooms and stir-fry with onion, green pepper and garlic.

For Prune and Apple Stuffing:

1. Leave out carrots and mushrooms in the original mixture.
2. Add 1 cup of pitted prunes, soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes, and cut into quarters or cubes.
3. Add 1 large peeled and diced apple.
4. Add 1/8 a teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg.
5. Add 1/2 a cup of raisins, and 3 tablespoons of honey.

If you have leftover stuffing, simply add 2 more eggs and 2-3 tablespoons of oil to it and bake it as a delicious side dish.

• 2 chickens, whole or cut into serving pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1/4 cup honey

Heat oil over a medium flame. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons oil
• 2-3lb duck, cut into quarters
• 1 onion
• 4 large tomatoes
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon cinammon
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 cup water

Cover duck with sauce and serve on a bed of rice.

For those of you who prefer to avoid red meat, here's a delicious alternative!

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons oil
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 large sliced onion
• 2 lbs boneless dark turkey, cut into small cubes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• a quarter of a lb of mushrooms
• 2 medium carrots cut into chunks
• 2 stalks of sliced celery
• 3 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1 and a half cups water
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons potato starch

Another idea: Add one can of whole cranberries and 1-2 squeezed lemons. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes.

This dish is both sweet and tart. As a bonus, if you remove the skin and fat from the chicken, and exclude the almonds, it's low-fat.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 chicken, quartered
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup apricot jam
• 1 cup orange juice
• juice of one lemon
• 2 cups chicken broth or water
• 1 cup prunes, pitted
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1 cup roasted, unsalted almonds (1/2 cup chopped coarsely; 1/2 cup whole)
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop the onion. Saute in large pot with oil until soft, but not browned.
2. Remove skin and fat from chicken. While onion is cooking, mix ginger and cinnamon and sprinkle on chicken pieces.
3. When onion is finished, place chicken in the pot, and brown on all sides.
4. Add all other ingredients, but reserve the 1/2 cup whole almonds for a garnish.
5. Cook over a low flame for at least 40 minutes, keeping an eye open to make sure there is enough liquid. Add more broth if necessary.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve with rice and garnish with remaining almonds.

Variation: Skip the almonds and add different dried fruit, such as pears, cherries, or currants. Also works well with dried apples, if you also substitute the orange juice for apple juice. This also works well with beef. Just cook longer, and don't brown the meat in the beginning.

1 large chicken, cut into pieces 3 quarts cold water 2 medium onions, quartered 2 carrots, julienned 2 stalks celery, julienned 1-2 medium zucchini, julienned pinch of white pepper salt, to taste ½-1 cup chopped fresh mint and cilantro. For a variation in flavor, you could use other herbs, such as chopped fresh parsley, dill, and celery leaves 2-3 sticks lemon grass, slightly pounded 1 cup coconut milk

NOTE: Suprise - Insects are not kosher! Part of observing the laws of kashrut includes avoiding the ingesting of insects. Since fresh herbs are often infested, kosher cooks soak them before use in either vinegar, salt water or a soapy solution to loosen the bugs' hold. Rinse well before use.

Place chicken in a large soup pot. You can remove the skin and fat for a lighter broth. Add cold water and bring close to boil. Skin froth from top before soup actually boils. Add remaining ingredients, except fresh herbs and coconut milk. Cover and simmer for 1 ½ hours or until chicken is tender. Add fresh herbs and coconut milk and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat. If desired, remove chicken and reserve meat for another purpose. After soup is cool, refrigerate.

How to Make Coconut Milk: Grind the white flesh of one coconut in a food processor. Add 1-2 cups boiling water (the less water, the richer the cream). Process for 5 minutes, then let stand until cool. Strain through a cheesecloth.

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 6 tbs. seltzer or club soda
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup matzah meal
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbs. Finely chopped fresh mint
• 2 tbs. Finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 tsp. Ground ginger powder

1. Mix eggs, seltzer, oil, salt and pepper.
2. Stir in matzah meal and herbs.
3. Refrigerate 2 hours. With wet hands, shape matzah balls.
4. Add to boiling hot soup or water. Simmer matzah balls for about 15 minutes in soup.

Ingredients:

• 6 apples, peeled and sliced
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1- 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup oil
• 2 cups Pesach cake meal
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• salt, nutmeg

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts

1. Toss apples with lemon juice. Add cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg.
2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until fluffy, slowly adding sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Stir in oil, cake meal, potato starch and salt. Pour half the batter into a greased baking pan.
4. Spread apple mixture on top. Pour on the rest of the batter.
5. Combine streusel ingredients and sprinkle on top.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for one hour.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 tbsp. orange juice
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 cup Pesach cake meal
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Beat eggs and slowly add the sugar until fluffy.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Pour into a greased baking pan.
4. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 4 matzas, broken
• warm water
• 4 eggs
• oil for frying
• salt and pepper

1. Pour warm water over matzas.
2. Drain, squeezing out water.
3. Beat eggs and seasonings, and combine with the matzas.
4. Heat oil in frying pan and fry matza mixture on both sides until golden.
5. Serve sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar or jelly.