Category: Lunch

Kani Mock Crab Cakes

Friday’s look very different in my house from week to week. With my kid’s leaving to their dad’s every other weekend, I don’t cook for Shabbat every week, and when I do, I’m not always hosting. I have my busy hosting weeks where I plan my menu on Thursday night, write up a shopping list, and shop early Friday morning. And then I have my lazy Fridays where I pull out whatever I have in the fridge from the week and plan a last-minute meal. I love both styles of cooking – one where I have to be more organized, and the other where I get to be creative and play.

This past weekend was the free kind and I had a package of kani leftover from our build-you-own-sushi-bowls dinner on Monday. I had made flaked salmon, so nobody went for the kani, and I wanted to use it up. Mock crab cakes were the obvious choice, and I had some hearts of palm in the fridge, a bunch of peppers, dill from my soup, and plenty of saltines leftover from my stomach virus (so fun!!!)…. the perfect mix for some patties.

Kani Mock Crab Cakes

16oz. kani (mock crab), diced small
1 red pepper, finely diced
2 hearts of palm, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, chopped
1 cup crushed saltine crackers
3 tbsp chopped dill
1 1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
zest of 1/2 lemon
dash of tajin
1/3 cup mayo
2 eggs + 1 egg white
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tbsp grapeseed oil + 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, for frying

Crumbs:
2 cups panko
1/3 cup toasted black and white sesame seeds
kosher salt, to taste

Spicy Mayo
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp sriracha
2 tsp sesame oil

Method:

In a large bowl, combine the kani, red pepper, hearts of palm, garlic, scallions and seasonings, mix with a spoon until incorporated. Place the crumb ingredients onto a flat plate or small sheet tray and stir to combine.

Press the kani mixture together to form patties and dredge in the crumbs until coated on both sides.

Heat the oils in a frying pan and fry the patties until golden on both sides, adding more oil, if needed.

Serve with spicy mayo.

Related Recipes:

Asian kani bites
kani caesar salad with nori croutons
kani salad

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Ramen Salad

I found these new Ramen toppers at the store and was inspired to create a Ramen Salad using some of my favorite components of ramen soup – namely, soft boiled eggs and shitake mushrooms. I love putting a jammy yolk on just about everything, but it works especially well with kale, and I often top my kale Caesar salad with them too!

This is not your typical salad, but the ingredients come together so well, with the crunchy onion garlic ramen and Asian dressing. Serve with a side of crudo and you’ve got yourself a full meal!

Ramen Salad

3 soft boiled eggs
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 cups chopped kale
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed and rinsed
1 avocado, diced
1 cup Gefen onion garlic ramen toppers

Dressing:
1/3 c grapeseed oil
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp honey
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of 1/2 lime

Method:

For the soft boiled eggs, bring a small saucepan to a boil, reduce to a simmer and lower the eggs into the water with a spoon (I like to pierce them with an egg piercer first to make peeling easier). Simmer for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the eggs to an ice bath.

While the eggs are cooking, trim the shitake mushroom stems and slice them into strips. Saute in the grapeseed + sesame oil until browned and softenened. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk until emulsified.

Thinly slice the kale and add to a large salad bowl. Top with mushrooms, edamame, avocado, ramen and soft boiled eggs. Add the dressing and lightly toss. Enjoy!

Related Recipes:

Kale Crunch Salad
Wilted Kale And Kabocha Squash Salad
Weekend Leftovers Ramen Bowls
Pulled Brisket Ramen

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The Best Tuna Salad

I’ll always be a tuna girl, I can eat it every day of the week (and I would if not for mercury!). I’m always dressing it up different ways – but the key is really to add all the fixings! Too many people just stir in mayo and it needs more! Something crunchy, something oniony, something creamy, something spicy and something sweet!

1 6oz. cans solid albacore tuna, packed in water
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
1/2 rib celery, finely diced
2 tbsp golden raisins
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Drain tuna well and using gloves, “grind” the tuna with your fingers. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Serve in lettuce cups in a bagel!

Related Recipes:

Fricassé Tuna Salad
tuna couscousotto
puttanesca tuna salad

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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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Crispy Rice Paper Dogs

Hi, I’m Chanie and I’ve been trashing up hot dogs for years! I’ve worked as an ambassador for Abeles & Heymann and I love doing fun things with their dogs! (and salami, of course!). My kids are huge fans of franks in blanks (aka moses in a basket aka pigs in a blanket), so I came up with this gluten free and sushi-inspired version using rice paper. You can choose to dip them in sesame seeds, or not (my little ones preferred the plain version and my teens liked the sesame-coated), such a fun recipe!!

To view the reel on Instagram click here.


Crispy Rice Paper Dogs

6 hot dogs, cut in half widthwise
12 sheets rice paper
oil for frying
black and white sesame seeds, optional
toppings: spicy mayo, sweet sauce, nori flakes

Method:

Soak rice paper in water until it’s pliable, about 1 minute. Wrap the hotdogs in rice paper like an eggroll, folding the sides in and wrapping around. Dip in sesame black and white sesame seeds if desired. Fry in a skillet with a little bit of oil, turning until crispy on all sides. Eat immediately.

NOTE: I have tried baking these and do not recommend baking for rice paper.

Related Recipes:

Bunless Fajita Dogs
Hot Dog Egg Rolls
Spiralized Spud Dogs

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