Category: Appetizer

Bubby’s Green Bean Salad

There are some recipes that live on not just because they taste good, but because they carry stories, memories, and a little bit of magic. Bubby’s green bean salad is one of those. It’s simple, sure, but it showed up at every family gathering — bright, crisp, and always disappearing far too fast.

Bubby’s secret? A pinch of dried oregano and just a touch of sugar — two ingredients that quietly transform this humble salad into something unforgettable.

A little disclaimer though – this salad is only as good as your blanching technique! Overcook the beans and you’ve got a mushy diaster. Blanch them just enough to keep them tender-crisp, and you’ve got the crunchiest bite! The addition of bright and crunchy cherry tomatoes, red onion, that slightly pickle in the dressing, takes it over the top.

 

Bubby’s Green Bean Salad

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1 pint grape tomatoes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sugar
kosher salt, to taste

Method:

Blanch the green beans: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, salt generously. Add the green beans and cook for about 2–3 minutes, just until bright green and crisp-tender. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.

In a large bowl, combine the green beans, red onion and tomatoes. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, sugar and salt. Taste and adjust — it should be tangy with a hint of sweetness.

Best served chilled or at room temperature, perfect for summer BBQs!

VARIATION: top with crumbled feta or goat cheese for dairy meals!

 

Related Recipes:

tempura green beans
lemon mustard green beans
cranberry sriracha green beans

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Honey Harissa Corn Ribs with Preserved Lemon Labneh

Let’s talk about corn ribs: smoky, sweet, spicy, and utterly addictive. These Honey Harissa Corn Ribs with Preserved Lemon Labneh hit every flavor note and are so much fun to eat. They curl into rib-like shapes as they roast, making them the perfect finger food for Shavuot, summer gatherings, game day or just because.

But I’ll be real with you: cutting corn ribs is not for the faint of heart. The struggle is real, but worth it.

Here are some hard-earned tricks that actually help:

Use a heavy, very sharp chef’s knife. Serrated blades tend to slip and bind.

Microwave the corn for 2–3 minutes first to slightly soften the cob, or blanch in boiling water.

Place the corn on a cutting board and cut with your knife, rocking gently back and forth instead of trying to muscle straight through. If you’re really struggling, halve the cob crosswise first to shorten it—then quarter each half vertically.

You can use a meat mallet or rolling pin to bang on the knife. If it’s not working and all else fails, borrow a saw lol

Once they’re broken down, it’s a breeze from there. Mix up your sweet-spicy-smoky sauce and brush liberally. The harissa gives you heat and depth; the honey brings balance and stickiness, making every bite feel indulgent.

But what really elevates it is the preserved lemon labneh on the side. Cool, creamy, citrusy labneh with tiny pops of briny, fermented lemon? Absolute magic against the sweet-spicy corn. You can dunk, smear, or swipe!

4 ears of corn
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp honey
1/4 cup harissa
1 tsp smoked paprika
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt,to taste
2 t

Preserved Lemon Labneh
1/2 cup greek yogurt
pinch of kosher salt
1 tbsp minced preserved lemon peel
1 tsp honey, optional
2 tsp za’atar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped parsley, for garnish

Method:

Blanch the corn in salted boiling water for 3 minutes or microwave for 2 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut the corn into quarters lengthwise, using a rolling pin or meat mallet to help cut through the cob.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, honey, harissa, smoked paprika, lemon zest and juice and salt. Brush the mixture generously over the corn ribs and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until the corn is lightly charred and caramelized around the edges.

To make the labneh dip, line a colander for cheese cloth or a kitchen towel and place into the kitchen sink. Mix the yogurt with a pinch of salt and transfer it to the lined colander. Wrap the cloth over the yogurt and place something heavy on top. Let it drain for as long as you have, one hour mimimum, up to overnight (transfer to the fridge for overnight straining).

Transfer the strained yogurt to a bowl and mix with preserved lemon and honey. Sprinkle with za’atar and drizzle with olive oil.

Place the ribs on a serving platter and garnish with parsley. Serve with labneh dip.

Related Recipes:

roasted baby elote
summer corn and peach salad
corn goat cheese salad

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Spring Eggplant Carpaccio

As the days grow longer and the world outside comes back to life, spring brings a welcome shift in the kitchen. Gone are the heavy stews of winter—in their place, we crave something lighter, fresher, and full of color. Enter: Eggplant Carpaccio.

This dish is a celebration of simplicity and the joy of fresh produce. Roasted eggplant flesh becomes the silky foundation for a cascade of crisp radishes and juicy spring tomatoes. It’s clean, bright, and surprisingly satisfying.

Traditionally, carpaccio is a dish of raw meat or fish sliced thin. But in this vegetarian-friendly version, eggplant is roasted or grilled until tender, bringing a subtle smokiness that pairs beautifully with the crunch of raw radishes, the sweetness of tomatoes and the spiciness of schug.

What makes this dish really special is the chance it gives you to play. Think of the plate as your canvas. There are no rules—just colors, textures, and flavors. Each plate becomes a personal expression of what spring looks and feels like to you.

Spring Eggplant Carpaccio

Flesh of 2 roasted eggplants (see method here)
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt, to taste
1/4 cup schug (add a garlic scape for spring!)
1 tomato on the vine, grated
2 breakfast radishes, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
2 tbsp tahini paste
1/4 cup cumbled feta
2 tbsp good quality olive oil
1 tsp sumac
fresh parsley, for garnish
smoked salt, for finishing

Method:

Mash up the eggplant flesh and season with lemon juice and salt, spread out on a round platter. Top the eggplant with dollops of grated tomato and schug, then sprinkle on some feta crumbles and top with sliced jalapeno and radishes. Drizzle with olive oil, tahini, and finish with parsley and some smoked salt.

 

Related Recipes:

tomato carpaccio
simanim carpaccio
Melon Carpaccio

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Beet & Chickpea Salad


I had some leftover pickles and chickpeas from yesterday’s post, plus some beets in the fridge, so I made one of my Shabbos staples – this beet and chickpea salad that’s super easy to put together, budget friendly and oh. so. good. Perfect for your mezze spread, or just because!

 

Beet & Chickpea Salad
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
8 mini Israeli pickles, sliced in half lengthwise and chopped
2 large pre-cooked beets, diced small
1 small red onion, diced small
small bunch of parsley, chopped
1/3 cup prepared tahini
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Chop and mix! It’s as easy as that!

Related Recipes:

roasted beet salsa

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Fully Loaded Stuffed Eggplants

I’m celebrating Yom Haatzmaut and my favorite place in the world today with one of my tried and true favorite recipes – fully loaded stufffed eggplants. I love them so much I put them in my first cookbook, Millennial Kosher, and it’s the dish I make the most often when I’m looking to fill up on something light and healthy!

Fully Loaded Stuffed Eggplant

1 eggplant
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
fresh squeezed lemon juice, to taste
Israeli salad (recipe follows)
red cabbage salad
roasted chickpeas
sumac onions
8 mini Israeli pickles, sliced
1/4 cup store-bought or homemade hummus
1/4 cup prepared tahini
1 tbsp harissa
fresh parsley or cilantro, for finishing
optional additions: falafel, shawarma

For the eggplants:

For optimum flavor, you can fire-roast the eggplants over an open flame on your stovetop. Because this is messy and time consuming, I prefer to broil them. To do this, cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and place flesh-side down on a greased baking sheet. Brush the skin with olive oil and and sprinkle with salt and broil on high on the top rack for 20-25 minutes, until skin is charred and the flesh is soft.

Lighty break up the eggplant flesh and season with lemon and salt, mix gently.

To plate, place 1/2 eggplant on a dish, spread hummus over the eggplant. Top with red cabbage slaw, Israeli salad, onions, pickles, and roasted chickpeas. Garnish with parsley and drizzle generously with tahini.

For Israeli salad:

2 plum tomatoes
1 Persian cucumbers
fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Finely dice tomatoes and cucumbers. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley or chop finely and add to salad.

Related Recipes:

roasted eggplant shakshuka
eggplant chips with whipped feta

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