Name: Tropical Charoset
Yield: Makes 5 to 6 cups
Ingredients: 1 pear, peeled, cored, and chopped; 3 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped; 3 bananas, peeled and mashed; 2 cups pitted dates (about 1 lb); 2 cups sliced or slivered almonds (about 8 oz); 2 tablespoons ground canela (see Tips, below); 1 cup sweet red wine, such as Manischewitz Extra Heavy Malaga, plus additional if needed; Matzoh or corn tortillas

Charoset, a traditional Passover condiment, represents the mortar used by Israelite slaves in Egypt. In this contemporary Mexican version, bananas and other fruit are puréed and cooked down to a sweet spread.

"Some people say that the banana was the original 'apple' of the Garden of Eden," says Mexican-Jewish food writer Lila Louli, who collaborated with chef Roberto Santibañez on his Passover recipes. "It's also a very common ingredient in Mexican cooking."

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