Ever since Ana Bensadon moved to Madrid from her native Tangier in the 1950s, she has been writing to Sephardic Jews all over the world asking for recipes. “My idea is to leave a legacy for the young women,” she told me, while visiting her daughter in Florida. “It is very important to maintain fidelity to our traditions and to transmit them to the new generation.” Many recipes, like fijuelas (see page 360) and flan, are commonly known, but others, like this chocolate mousse using olive oil instead of cream, is a fascinating adaptation of a local French delicacy to comply with the laws of kashrut.

　　

Ingredients

8 to 10 servings

　　11 ounces 60-percent-cacao bittersweet chocolate

　　8 large eggs, separated

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　2 tablespoons kosher-for-Passover brandy

　　

Step 1

Melt the chocolate over low heat in the top of a double boiler. Cool slightly.

　　

Step 2

Beat the egg yolks in an electric mixer with 1/2 cup of the sugar until light. Whisk in the olive oil, brandy, and melted chocolate.

　　

Step 3

Beat the egg whites in the clean bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Then beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, continuing until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture, gently continuing to fold until no streaks of white remain. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

　　Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous