Busy in Brooklyn – Modernizing traditional food, one dish at a time.

Celery Tabboule

On August 13, 2026

I bought the most beautiful bunch of celery at the farmers market in Liberty on Friday and, honestly, I had no idea what I was going to do with it. But it had SO many gorgeous celery leaves that I started thinking about tabboule, and suddenly it made perfect sense. I used the celery leaves as the main herb, added the celery stalks for that fresh, crunchy bite, and made it with Boostcous instead of traditional couscous. And let me tell you… this was a VERY good idea. It is SO delicious.

As you know, I’ve also been working in a restaurant all summer, which means I’ve been eating a lot of restaurant food, not always making the healthiest choices, and I am definitely starting to feel it. So I’m taking this as my little jumpstart back into eating food that makes me feel good.

I love that Boostcous gives me 18g of protein and 11g of fiber per serving, but it still feels like I’m just eating a really good couscous salad—not some sad “healthy alternative.” It cooks in minutes, has a great texture, and I honestly love it cold in a salad like this.

I also made it the other week for dinner risotto-style with peas and my kids loved it! It’s definitely going to become a staple around here.

Celery Tabboule

1 box boostcous, cooked according to package directions
3 stalks celery, diced small, leaves reserved
1/2 red onion, diced small
1 heaping cup baby tomatoes, diced small
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced small
2 cups chopped fresh herbs (I used mostly celery leaves, and some parsley, cilantro and dill)

Dressing:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove grated garlic
1 tsp za’atar
1/2 tsp sumac
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Add all your ingredients to a bowl, pour over the dressing, mix it together and get diggin!

VARIATION: if you cant find boostcous, you can sub 1 cup of cooked bulgur, farro, couscous, brown rice or grain of choice.

Related Recipes:

Cauliflower Tabboule

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Busy at the Belvedere: Watermelon Tiradito

On August 7, 2026August 13, 2026

by chanie

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This summer, I’ve been doing something completely outside my comfort zone —working at the Belvedere steakhouse in upstate New York. I knew I would be spending my summer upstate, and I like to keep busy so I decided to look for a summer job in a local kosher restaurant, something I had never done before. I heard about this newly built steakhouse, set up an interview, and the rest is history! I worked with the owner on curating the menu, plated all the dishes for the staff, and tweaked some of the dishes. Every week, I challenge myself to build a new appetizer around a single seasonal ingredient, finding multiple ways to showcase it on one plate. I call it Busy at the Belvedere, my pop-up menu for the season!

It’s been one of the most creatively rewarding experiences I’ve had in years.

Creating recipes for a restaurant is completely different than creating them for my blog or instagram. Every component has to be beautiful, delicious, practical to execute during service, and worthy of taking up real estate on the plate. I’ve learned to edit, rethink, and refine every idea until it earns its place.

The adrenaline of service is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Once tickets start printing and the kitchen comes alive, there’s an energy that’s impossible to describe. I finally understand why chefs love working the line. It’s stressful, exhilarating, and incredibly addictive.

This week’s featured ingredient is watermelon.

Instead of treating watermelon as something sweet, I wanted to explore its versatility. The rind is transformed into crisp, tangy pickles, while the flesh is blended into a vibrant watermelon leche de tigre that brings freshness, acidity, and just enough sweetness to balance the rich tuna.

Working in a professional kitchen for the first time has challenged me creatively every single day. I’m already thinking about next week’s ingredient, and honestly…I may have to open my own restaurant one day. (Only half joking!).

Now, for the dish! Tiradito is a Peruvian-style raw fish dish similar to sashimi or crudo. Thin slices of raw fish are laid out and dressed with a flavorful sauce (often citrus-based) right before serving. Unlike ceviche, the fish is not usually marinated for a long time, so it stays more like fresh sashimi in texture.

Leche de Tigre (“tiger’s milk”) is the bright, spicy, citrusy marinade/sauce used in Peruvian ceviche. It’s traditionally made from lime juice, fish juices, aromatics (like onion, garlic, cilantro), chili, and seasonings. It’s acidic, savory, and slightly creamy/cloudy, and it can be served as a sauce over raw fish.

Alas, here’s the full recipe for my WATERMELON appetizer!

Tuna Tiradito with Pickled Watermelon Rind & Watermelon Leche de Tigre

Tuna Cure

2 parts kosher salt
1 part granulated sugar
1 center-cut tuna loin or toro

Combine the salt and sugar.

Coat the tuna evenly on all sides and refrigerate for 15-25 minutes, depending on thickness.

Rinse thoroughly under cold water, pat completely dry, wrap tightly, and chill before slicing paper-thin.

Pickled Watermelon Rind

Rind from 1 small watermelon, green skin removed and rind cut into thin strips (I like to leave a bit of the pink watermelon at the edge for prettier presentation)
1 cup water
1 cup rice vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Bring the water, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot brine over the watermelon rind. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight before using.

Watermelon Leche de Tigre

2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1 stalk celery or a handful of cilantro stems
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½-inch piece fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove
1/2 seeded jalapeño
kosher salt, to taste
1-2 tbsp honey, to taste

Blend everything until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Chill well.

To Plate:

cured tuna
pickled watermelon rind
small cubes of watermelon
sliced jalapeno
watermelon leche de tigre
lime zest
flaky salt
extra virgin olive oil
cilantro microgreens

Arrange five thin slices of cured tuna on the plate. Place pickled watermelon rind, jalapeno and cubed watermelon around it. Pour the watermelon leche de tigre onto the plate. Finish with flaky sea salt, olive oil, lime zest and microgreens.

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Sweet Heat & Herbs Chicken

On July 30, 2026

by chanie

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It’s been a busy week here so no words of wisdom, just a delicious pan of chicken! Love y’all!

Sweet Heat & Herbs Chicken

6 pieces bone-in chicken
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup honey
2-3 tbsp harissa
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup capers
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Method:

Read the oven to 375°. Place the chicken in a baking dish, Season with salt and pepper. Mix the paste ingredients in a bowl and spread over the chicken. Cover with foil and bake for one hour. Uncover, raise the oven temperature to 425° and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, basting occasionally.

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Fennel Fig & Feta Salad

On July 27, 2026

by chanie

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You know I love me a little alliteration! But seriously that only happened by mistake! This recipe came together in the supermarket aisle – which is really how I like to build my salads – seeing what’s available and springboarding off of that!

The shelves were freshly stocked with beautiful figs, and I can never resist them, so I decided to make a salad for Shabbat to showcases them. I walked down the aisles for inspiration and I first saw the fennel. The licorice flavor would pair wonderfully, I thought, so I grabbed some. Then for some greens, bitter arugula seemed like the perfect pairing, so I added a container to my cart. Next, some alliums, and red onion is always the obvious choice.

I loaded my cart, stocked my fridge, and Shabbos morning, I started to play! I sorted through my pantry, grabbed some sunflower seeds for crunch, and toasted sesame for the nutty flavor. I spotted fig jam in the pantry so I decided to go fully on figgy and add it the salad dressing! The salad was devoured at the table, but as soon as I took a bite, I knew I had to make it again with feta cheese (our Shabbos meal was meat, so adding dairy wasn’t an option!). So I made it again on Sunday for lunch and it was salad perfection!

Fennel Fig & Feta Salad

5 oz. arugula
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
4 figs, sliced
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp fig jam
2 tsp silan
2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

You know what to do!

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Old School Macaroni Salad

On July 23, 2026July 23, 2026

by chanie

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If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know this recipe is completely out of character for me.

I spend so much of my time talking about technique—cook your pasta al dente, never rinse it, balance flavors naturally, and definitely don’t add sugar to everything. Then along comes this old-school macaroni salad that breaks every single one of those rules.

The pasta? I intentionally overcook it until it’s soft. Then I rinse it, which is something I almost never do. And yes, there’s sugar in the dressing. But here’s the thing: not every recipe is meant to be elevated. Some recipes are meant to transport you. They’re the ones that showed up at family barbecues, summer picnics, and Shabbat lunches. They’re familiar, nostalgic, and comforting because they taste exactly the way you remember them.

Could I make a more sophisticated macaroni salad? Of course. But that isn’t the point. This one makes me smile after the very first bite because it tastes like childhood.

So I give you macaroni salad (without the macaroni! I prefer rotini because the sauce and veggies get stuck between the grooves!), unapologetically old-school comfort food. And honestly? Sometimes that’s exactly what belongs on the table.

Old-School Macaroni Salad

1 (16-ounce) box rotini
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stalk celery, finely diced celery
1 carrot, julienned
2 scallions, diced small

Method:

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it’s past al dente and nice and soft, about 2–3 minutes longer than the package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse it well under cold water until completely cooled.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice and kosher salt. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit of water to thin it out. Add the cooled pasta along with the celery, carrot and scallions. Toss until everything is evenly coated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until chilled. Taste before serving and adjust with a little more salt, sugar, or lemon juice if needed.

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