Category: Appetizer

Pulled Beef Focaccia

We’re coming up on a long holiday with back-to-back meals and I’m about the repurposing! Leftover chicken soup becomes chicken pot pie, leftover meat or poultry gets loaded into a ramen bowl or spread over tacos. I love that it reduces waste and keeps things fun and inventive.

Pulled beef focaccia or flatbread is another favorite way that I love to repurpose pulled beef. Just mix your favorite BBQ sauce into the beef and pile on all the toppings! So pretty and oh. so. good!

Pulled Beef Focaccia

1 ready-to-top focaccia bread, such as Tuscanini
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1.2 lb. leftover pulled beef
1/3-1/2 cup bbq sauce
1 heaping cup arugula
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

Pomegranate Pickled Onions
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup pomegranate juice
¼ cup honey
1 tbsp kosher salt

In a 1-quart pot, bring vinegar, pomegranate juice, honey, and salt to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add onions to an 8oz glass jar and pour the hot brine over them until they are fully submerged. Cool and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Garlic Aioli
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
kosher salt, to taste

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine.

Method:

First things first, you’re going to pickle your onions! Get them in the fridge while you prep the other ingredients.

Add the pulled beef to a skillet and stir in the bbq sauce until fully incorporated and heated through.

Prepare the garlic aioli.

When you’re ready to assemble, drizzle some olive oil on the focaccia and bake until crispy. Top with the pulled beef, arugula, pickled onions, pomegranate seeds and garlic aioli.

Related Recipes:

pulled brisket ramen
instant pot barbacoa beef
pulled beef

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Simanim Ceviche

Believe it or not, I used to be that person who only ordered vegetables rolls at sushi spots, which eventually gave way to tempura rolls, but I was NOT into raw fish. It wasn’t the idea of it, more the texture for me – and I credit ceviche for being my gateway to loving sashimi! The beauty of ceviche is that the fish is “cooked” with acid (usually lime juice), which firms up the fish and changes the texture completely – the longer it sits, the more “cooked” it will be (overnight and it’s flaky!).  Now, I can’t get enough of raw fish – pass me the omakase, and it’s all due to this recipe.

While traditional ceviche uses lime juice, I incorporate all the citrus juices for an unbelievable marinade that’s loosely inspired by Peruvian Tigers Milk. In honor of Rosh Hashanah, I incorporate several simanim or symbolic foods including apple, pomegranate, leek and honey. The resulting dish is a textural dream and flavor explosion.

Wishing you a Happy & Sweet New Year!

Simanim Ceviche
YIELD: 6 appetizer portions

1 lb sushi grade salmon, diced small (may sub tuna or any flaky white fish)
⅓ cup leek, white party only, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, seeds and veins removed, thinly sliced
Handful chopped cilantro
1 small green apple, peeled and diced small
½ cup pomegranate seeds

For marinade:
2” chunk of ginger
1 large clove garlic
Handful cilantro stems
1/4 c lime juice
2 tbsp each lemon, grapefruit and orange juice
1 tsp honey
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

To prepare the ceviche, place the marinade ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and discard the solids.

In a large bowl, combine the salmon, leek, jalapeno, apple, pomegranate and cilantro. Pour the marinade over the mixture 30 minutes – 1 hour before serving and stir to incorporate.

Serving suggestions: dip the rim of a glass in citrus juice and tajin. Fill with ceviche.

PREPARE AHEAD: Prepare the marinade and store in a container in the fridge. Prep the ceviche ingredients and store in separate containers (you might want to dice the apple fresh so it doesn’t brown). Combine the ceviche ingredients into a large bowl, pour the marinade on 30 minutes – 1 hour before serving.

Related Recipes:

apple honey mustard salmon
simanim carpaccio
simanim roundup

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Panko Crusted Salmon with Almond Butter Sauce

Following the popularity of this cucumber salad, I knew I wanted to incorporate the dressing into other dishes, you just want to eat it with a spoon. I added it to broccoli salad, pasta salad, and this salmon – which I topped with nori panko crumbs that really takes it over the top! Perfect for the upcoming holidays, and even better with a side of fresh cucumber salad!

Panko Crusted Salmon with Almond Butter Sauce

1 side of salmon fillet
1/4 cup Liebers creamy almond butter
1 large clove garlic
1” piece of fresh ginger
2 tsp Goldbaum’s coconut aminos (may sub soy sauce)
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp Liebers honey
kosher salt to taste
2 scallions, chopped

Panko:
1/2 cup Liebers plain panko crumbs
2 tbsp toasted black and white sesame seeds
4 sheets toasted salted nori snacks (or 1 sheet regular nori, toasted)
1/8 tsp Liebers red pepper flakes
Kosher salt, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the side of salmon on a parchment lined baking sheet.

In a small bowl, add the almond butter. Using a microplane, grate the garlic and ginger into the bowl. Add the coconut aminos, lime juice, honey and salt and whisk to combine.  Brush the mixture onto the salmon.

In a medium bowl, combine the panko ingredients. Crush with your hands until the nori is incorporated well into the panko crumbs. Sprinkle the mixture generously over the salmon.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easy with a fork.

VARIATION: you may replace the almond butter with peanut butter, miso paste or tahini paste. You may need to add a bit of water if the consistency is too thick.

Related Recipes:

chili lime crispy salmon
sweet chili broccoli salmon
honey sriracha salmon

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Crispy Rice Salad with Harissa & Preserved Lemon Dressing

There’s nothing I love more than to put my own spin on trending recipes and the CRISPY RICE SALAD has gone all out viral on social media. I love me some crispy rice so I HAD to try it – just MY way.

Crispy rice salad is a traditional Loation dish known as Nam Khao, but the variations on the gram are anything but classic. I went Middle Eastern with my version – subbing harissa for the chili paste in the rice – and while most recipes used cucumbers and edamame for the veg, I went in the Moroccan carrot salad direction (hence the harissa!) by using thinly shaved carrots and chickpeas. And of course while everyone was topping their salads in loads of pecans, I used pistachios.

The combo my friends, is a mouthful of textures and flavors that just explode – seriously a must try!

Crispy Rice Salad with Harissa

3 cups pre-cooked rice (I used leftover jasmine rice)
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp harissa
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Preserved Lemon Dressing
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp minced preserved lemon (if you don’t have this, use the zest of 1 full lemon)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp honey
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the rice out on the tray and mix with oil and harissa. Bake until crispy, stirring occasionally, approximately 40 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, thinly slice the carrots and onion on a mandolin. Cut the larger pieces in half. Chop up the cilantro and pistachios. Arrange the vegetables in a large salad bowl. Add the crispy rice (once cooled). Toss in the dressing and serve!

 

Related Recipes:

harissa fried eggs
harissa whipped feta
Tunisian tuna with preserved lemon dressing

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Zucchini Caponata

Caponata is a traditional Sicilian eggplant dish  that is similar to ratatouille, except it that it’s sweeter and more sour (thanks to vinegar and sugar!). I first tried caponata at Ruth’s kosher restaurant in Florence last summer and I fell in love. Here I made a lighter zucchini version with summer squash, to make the most of it as summer comes to an end!

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Zucchini Caponata

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
1 large zucchini, diced
1 plum tomato, diced
8oz tomato sauce
1/4 cup sliced castelveltrano olives
2 tbsp capers
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1-2 tbsp sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pans, Add the onions and celery and sauté until translucent. Add the sliced garlic and stir until fragrant. Stir in the red pepper, squash, zucchini, and tomato. Seasoned with salt and sauté until softened. At the tomato sauce, olives, capers, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste and Simmer over low-medium heat for until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and serve.

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Related Recipes:

Italian Antipasto Salad

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