Category: Appetizer

Harissa Whipped Feta w/ Za’atar Eggplant Chips

I recently did a spice roundup of some of my favorite spices and seasoning blends on Instagram. I love cooking with spices because I can pack on the flavor without piling on the extra sugar and additives that are found in sauces and marinades. Spices keep things clean and healthy, without sacrificing on flavor.

If I had to choose a favorite spice, it would probably have to be za’atar. Za’atar is a spice blend that is native to the Middle East. It includes sumac, oregano, thyme and sesame seeds – a bright combination that’s great with just about everything. I love it on pita chips, chickpeas, chicken, fish, eggplant, cauliflower…like I said, everything!

Another one of my favorite spice blends is harissa. Harissa is a North African chili paste that adds amazing depth of flavor to fish, meat, poultry, veggies and sauces. I love to mix it into my shakshuka, tahini, Moroccan fish, sour cream and even nacho cheese! There’s a reason that Time Magazine called harissa the “new sriracha” of 2015. And as a MAJOR sriracha fan, let me assure you that it’s quite the compliment!

The crazy thing about za’atar and harissa is that, while they are both good on their own, they are amazing together! I never realized just how well these spices complemented each other until I developed this recipe. And I. am. obsessed!!

So first, the chips, because I am a chip fanatic. I love that these eggplant chips are baked and not fried – but they are still perfectly crispy. The za’atar adds such an amazing unexpected punch of flavor to the breading that you can literally go through an entire tray in one sitting.

And the feta? Oh. Em. Gee. If you’ve never whipped feta before then GET ON IT! Most people don’t think of feta as a creamy cheese, but when you whiz this stuff up with a little Greek yogurt – it’s like a silky smooth dip that’s perfectly salty. Dunk those za’atar chips in and it’s a full on an explosion in your mouth.

What are some of your favorite spices and seasonings? Share them with me in the comments below!

Harissa Whipped Feta

1 7 oz. block of feta (not crumbles)
3 oz. Greek yogurt
1 tsp harissa, or, to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
olive oil and harissa, for garnish

Method:

Place the feta cheese, yogurt, harissa and lemon in a food processor or blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Place the creamed feta in a serving dish and garnish with olive oil and harissa. Serve with za’atar eggplant chips.

Crispy Baked Za’atar Eggplant Chips

1 large eggplant, sliced in half lengthwise, cut into 1/4″ thick slices
2 cups panko bread crumbs
3 tbsp zaatar
salt and pepper, to taste
2 eggs, beaten

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the eggplant slices in half to create triangular wedges and set aside. Beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk the panko bread crumbs with za’atar, salt and pepper. Set up a dredging station with the eggplant wedges on one tray, the eggs in another and the za’atar panko crumbs in another.

Dip the eggplant wedges into into egg, shake off the excess, and dredge in the seasoned panko crumbs. Spread eggplant out on two well-greased cookie sheets (make sure not to overcrowd them) and spray with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes until browned and crispy.

Related Recipes:

za’atar roasted chickpeas
malawach cheese pastries with za’atar
confetti latkes with harissa sour cream
cauliflower nachos with harissa cheddar sauce

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Corn, Heirloom Tomato & Goat Cheese Salad
with Basil Lime Vinagrette

I don’t think we New Yorkers can complain about the summer this year, it’s been relatively mild (poo poo poo!). I mean, I don’t want to jinx anything (watch it be mind-numbingly hot next week), but I haven’t had to shower three times a day and jump into whatever sprinklers I can find…like last year.


You know how they say, “If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen!”, well what if you can’t handle the heat in your state? Do you just move to a colder climate, like Antarctica?

I am seriously not one for hot weather, which is why I would never move to Florida. My husband, on the other hand, wants to move to the Sunny State, and I always remind him that while he may get the sun, he’s not gonna have much sunshine in his life with his overheated wife! That kind of weather just turns me into some sort of heatwave-monster and you DON’T want to be around me when that happens. Which is why I’m going to stay right here, in perfectly mild Brooklyn, thank you very much. And when perfectly mild Brooklyn turns into overly humid Brooklyn, I’ll just stay inside with my air conditioning and a cup of iced coffee, all calm, cool and collected.

Now when perfectly mild Brooklyn turns into muggy and raining Brooklyn (like it did this week), I turn to my perfectly colorful summer salad so I can at least imagine green pastures and bright summer days. It just doesn’t get brighter than this salad! With fresh arugula, heirloom tomatoes, perfectly crisp-tender corn and creamy goat cheese, you just can’t go wrong. Even if it is muggy outside. Smother it all in a light and refreshing basil lime vinaigrette and you’ll be OK wherever you are…even the Sunny State.

What summer salad gives you an instant pick-me-up regardless of the weather? Share it with me in the comments below!

Summer Corn & Heirloom Tomato Salad with Herbed Goat Cheese

1 pkg arugula
2 ears corn
10 oz. baby heirloom tomatoes
1 log Natural & Kosher fine herbs chevre goat cheese
2 tbsp pine nuts, optional

Method:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the corn. Cook for 3 minutes, until tender. Remove the corn from the pot and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

Spread arugula out on a platter and top with tomatoes, corn and slices of goat cheese. Sprinkle pine nuts over the salad and drizzle with basil lime vinaigrette.

VARIATION: Bread and fry the goat cheese for crispy goat cheese croutons, or use crumbled feta instead.

Basil Lime Vinaigrette
1/3 cup light olive oil
3 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp honey
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup packed fresh basil
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth and creamy.



This post was sponsored by Natural & Kosher Cheese. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, or via their Blog

Related Recipes:

summer tomato feta salad
watermelon corn salsa
pesto and goat cheese crostini

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Grilled Radicchio with Black Sesame Dressing

I used to be afraid of trying new things. I’d turn my nose up on offal and cilantro and I swore off gamey meats like lamb and duck. But boy was I losing out. Trying new things allows you to expand your culinary horizons. It opens your palate to new flavors, and if you try things enough times, sometimes you realize that you don’t hate them as much as you think you did.

Case in point: radicchio. It’s bitter. Yes, bitter. And who would want to eat bitter lettuce, right?! That’s what I thought until I tried it a few times. First, I put it a handful in a big salad for a hint of bitterness and crunch. Then I shredded some into a slaw. And finally, I decided to go all out and grill it. Grilling lettuce is a must for summer and if you haven’t tried it yet – put it on your to do list! You can start with romaine for a grilled Caesar salad, and then move on to the more adventurous radicchio. Grilling the radicchio gives it a delicious smoky flavor, and topping it with sweet pomegranate seeds offsets the bitterness. Be sure to check out my tip for mellowing radicchio’s hard bite in the recipe below!

When De La Rosa sent me over some black sesame tahini, it was another lesson in trying new things. Black tahini is a lot more pungent than the traditional stuff and I’d never tried it before. The full-on sesame flavor really hits you, so you’ve got to go easy on the stuff. It’s also so incredibly black, you feel like you’re working with tar, or black paint. I bet it would make such a fun garnish painted on a plate, or better yet, made into savory ice cream (with a side of tuna tartare). I can’t wait to play around with it more, but for now, I started with a simple salad dressing that’s packed full of bright flavors like fresh ginger and lime. It’s so refreshing and unique, perfect for my grilled radicchio salad.

Aside for tahini, De La Rosa also carries a full line of oils, balsamic vinegar and wines. They believe in producing “Real Foods for Real People,” a philosophy that I strongly endorse. Their kosher, organic and GMO free products are made with the highest standards of quality and purity so be sure to check out their site for more of their products!

I’d love to hear about how you’re learning to try new foods this summer. Whether it’s radicchio, black sesame tahini, or that ingredient that you’ve always been to afraid to eat – brave it up (even if it means you have to spit it out!) and let me now how it goes!

Grilled Radicchio Salad

1 head of radicchio, cut into wedges
1/2 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (how to deseed)
2 tbsp chopped parsley
black sesame salad dressing, to taste (recipe follows)

Method:

Heat up your grill over high heat. Cut the radicchio into wedges and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the radicchio for a few minutes on each side, until charred and tender.

Place the charred radicchio on a platter and top with chickpeas, pomegranate seeds and parsley. Drizzle with black sesame salad dressing, as desired, and serve.

VARIATION: consider roasting the chickpeas with za’atar or spices of your choice. Recipe here. You can also mix the radicchio with other greens, such as arugula.

TIP: To remove some of the bitterness from the radicchio, soak it in ice water for 1 hour. Drain well and and pat dry before grilling.

Black Sesame Salad Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp De La Rosa black tahini (Purchase here)
2 1/2 tbsp lime juice
1 heaping tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until emulsified.

Yield: 1/3 cup dressing


This post has been sponsored by De La Rosa. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

Related Recipes:

Pomegranate coleslaw
Ricotta and tahini stuffed figs
Fish with green tahini

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Beer & Franks Baked Beans

With Father’s Day soon approaching, I was wracking my brain trying to think of the most serious guy food I could come up with. It’s BBQ season after all, and there’s nothing that guys like more than to sit back with an ice cold beer and some hot dogs, am I right? A side of baked beans or chili doesn’t hurt either, so I decided to mix it all together for some serious guy grub – beer and franks baked beans, can I get an Amen?!

To really up the ante on this beer-franks-beans mashup, I used beer infused hot dogs from my favorite brand, Abeles & Heymann. They also make whiskey infused dogs, so if you want to try for a bourbon version, go right ahead!

The thing about these baked beans, is that they’re not really baked, in fact, they come together quickly on the stovetop. And they really do taste like beer. So if you don’t like thick creamy stout as much as I do, go ahead and use stock instead. The brown sugar and molasses add such great flavor, you won’t even miss the beer! (Although if you’re serving this up for dad, he might!)

Now honestly this was first try at making baked beans from scratch (well semi-scratch if you count the fact that I used canned beans instead of dried). I usually just buy a can of baked beans and heat it up on the stovetop, straight from the can. That’s the way my mom always did it, campfire-style, and that’s the way I do it too!

Making from-scratch beans wasn’t hard at all, it came together in no time! I love how the franks turn it into an all out meal, and I served it over mashed potatoes for some serious comfort food. My kids gobbled up their beer-infused-dinner, none-the-wiser, but I wondered if they were a wee bit tipsy, or if it was all the candy they had consumed from their last-day-of-school-parties (what’s up with that, by the way?!). If you’re worried about all that alcohol (as not all of it will burn off during cooking), you can make these adult-only. Don’t you just love the idea of spiked beans?

Now that I’ve made beer infused baked beans, I’ve got all sorts of spiked foods up my blogger sleeve! Considering how viral my drunken hasselback salami went, I’m pretty sure you’re all liking it too!

Happy Father’s Day ya’ll! Have fun, stay safe, and don’t get too drunk on these boozy beans!

Beer & Franks Baked Beans

1 small onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 15oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 12oz. pkg Abeles & Heymann beer flavored hot dogs
1 1/2 bottles beer (from 12oz. bottles, use the leftovers for drinking!)
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch of cayenne, optional

Method:

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add the tomato paste and saute for a few minutes to caramelize. Add the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Allow it to boil for a few minutes so some of the alcohol cooks out. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the mixture thickens to a saucy consistency.

ALCOHOL-FREE-OPTION: Use 2 1/2 cups of stock instead of beer. Simmer until the mixture thickens to a saucy consistency.

VARIATION: Use Abeles & Heymann’s no-nitrate hot dogs for a healthier alternative.

NOTE: This recipe is on the sweet side. If desired, saute a chopped jalapeno with the onion/garlic for added heat.


This post is sponsored by Abeles & Heymann. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! 

Other Hot Dog Recipes:

hot dog eggrolls
bunless fajita dogs
spiralized spud dogs
kid-friendly dirty rice
fire roasted tomato rice stoup with franks

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Blueberry Sweet Potato Granola Salad

I gave you a sneak peek at this light summer salad a few weeks ago, and I’m so excited to finally share it here for keeps! Credit for this awesome combination actually goes to a restaurant named “BLUEBERRY” on Avenue M in Brooklyn. It’s a family-friendly place with fluorescent green walls (not their finest choice) and some great outdoor seating. I love to take my kids there because they’ve got great kid food and a frozen yogurt bar to boot! They’ve also got some really great salads on the menu, like a version of this blueberry salad (you’ve got to make a mean salad if it’s literally got your NAME written all over it, right?), and a delicious haloumi salad with grilled veggies and a sesame teriyaki dressing. I must reinvent that one next! They’ve also got an assortment of malawach and shakshuka, and you all know how I love me some Israeli food.

Thanks to Blueberry for giving me the awesome idea of putting granola on a salad, it’s such a fun way to add crunch, especially during the summer months. Enjoy!

Blueberry Sweet Potato Granola Salad

1 large sweet potato, cut into bite size pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
mixed greens
1 pkg blueberries
1/2 cup granola (make your own)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the sweet potato out on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes until tender and crisped around the edges.

Place greens in a large bowl and top with sweet potato and blueberries. Sprinkle with granola and drizzle with yogurt dressing.

Strawberry Yogurt Dressing

6oz. plain Greek yogurt
4 large strawberries
1 heaping tbsp honey
drop of vanilla extract

Puree the dressing ingredients in the blender until smooth.