Category: Meat & Poultry

Chicken Caesar Wraps

Chicken Caesar wrap

People always ask me if my kids eat my food and the truth is, As they’re getting older, they are definitely more receptive to interesting dishes and flavors. But when they’re young, they are like most kids and they’re pretty picky! Namely, my youngest, a feisty nine-year-old with an intensely savory palette! She loves Nori, soft, boiled eggs, ramen and basil dip with sourdough!

Every time she’s interested in a new food we get really excited, And let me tell you, so does she! She will eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner Until she is sick of it!

Her latest interest comes from a pretty horrible experience that we had at the airport when our flight was delayed for eight hours, and we went shopping for kosher food with our voucher from United Airlines. She tried their chicken Caesar wrap, and she was hooked! (Probably because my kale Caesar salad with smoked paprika Panko crumbs is her favorite!).

Alas, as a good mom, I had to learn to make my own at home, which means I get to share the recipe with you!

She said it’s even better than the one in the airport (And by the way, of course she’s over it entirely!)

Chicken Caesar Wraps

2 large flour tortillas
2 pieces oven grilled chicken , sliced
1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped

Pickle Brine Caesar Dressing:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons pickle brine
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, brine, garlic, Dijon, salt, and pepper until creamy.

Toss the romaine into some of the dressing. Place wrap on a piece of parchment paper and top with salad. Add grilled chicken and drizzle with more dressing. Wrap, slice and serve!

NOTE: depending on the acidity of your pickle brine, you might want to add a bit of sweetener to balance it out.

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Cruciferous Crunch Chicken Salad

Gimme all the cruciferous veg! Maybe it’s the crunch, maybe it’s the color, but I love everything in the cabbage family – kale, cauliflower, kohlrabi – it’s my jam! Mix it all together and you’ve got a party in your mouth. I made this on the last day of the Chag to use up leftover grilled chicken and the bowl was licked clean (mostly by me!!). So I had to make it again for y’all!

Kale Crunch Salad
YIELD: 6 servings

4 cups kale
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 kohlrabi, peeled and julienned
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup roasted & salted sunflower seeds
2 pieces leftover sumac pargiot (or any chicken)

Dressing:

1/3 cup grapeseed or light olive oil
3 tbsp pomegranate concentrate (see note)
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Spread the kale out on a platter or bowl. Mix the cabbage into the kale. Top with pomegranate seeds, kohlrabi, chicken and sunflower seeds.

In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients and whisk until thickened.

When ready to serve, toss the salad with the dressing.

NOTE: I used Sadaf pomegranate concentrate which is like molasses, but it doesn’t have added sugar. If using molasses, reduce honey as needed.

Related Recipes:

Kale Crunch Salad
Grilled Chicken Salad with Basil Dressing
Asian Chicken Salad With Clementines
Green Goddess Bissli Chicken Salad
Curry Chicken Salad
Grilled Chicken Salad with Jalapeno Honey Mustard Dressing
Grilled Chicken Fattoush with Za’atar Ranch 

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Simanim Stuffed Leeks

After the recipe for my haman holipches stuffed leeks went viral on Purim, I decided I had to make a Rosh Hashanah version for y’all! This one is rolled like stuffed cabbage, and ode to the upcoming harvest season. (It also makes it easier to prep because you don’t need to blanch the leek skins, yay!)

Well, the sad thing is that this photo does not do this recipe justice because it is JUST THE THING you need for the High Holidays. The meat filling is loaded with sweet apples and dates, and it all simmers in a delicious sauce of apple cider and silan that complements the flavors beautifully! It hits the spot like a comforting bowl of stuffed cabbage, or my Bubby’s cabbage soup – but in the most fall-forward applelicious kind of way!

The good thing is, you can watch me make it on Instagram and hopefully it’s a wee bit more appetizing than the pic! (which I forgot to take, so I grabbed a quick photo of it when I made it for a recent live cooking demo!).

It’s got so many simanim rolled into one delicious package, so go ahead and give it a try.

Simanim Stuffed Leeks

8 large leeks, divided (see recipe instructions)

Meat filling:
1.25 lbs. ground beef (not lean)
3/4 cup jasmine or basmati rice (raw)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped dried dates (3)
½ cup grated apple
⅓ cup chopped parsley
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp kosher salt

Sauce:
1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 ½ cups apple cider
3 tbsp tomato paste
¼ cup silan
juice of 1/2 lemon
¼ tsp allspice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp pepper

Trim the leeks by removing the root and the dark green tops. Cut along the length of the leeks and peel the first few layers apart until the peels are no longer wide enough to use for filling (depending on the thickness of the leeks, you should be able to use the first 5-6 layers or so).

Wash the leek peels well to remove dirt. Transfer to a paper towel. Finely chop the leftover leek (that was too narrow to use for wrapping) until you have 1/2 cup.

In a large bowl, combine the meat filling with the chopped leek. Fill the leeks skins with the meat filling (leaving some space on the sides because the rice will expand during cooking) and roll up like a cigar. Place each roll into a second leek skin so it has a double layer. Transfer to a 9×13 pan or Pyrex dish.

In a large bowl, combine the sauce ingredients, whisking until smooth. Pour the sauce over the leeks and cover with a layer of parchment paper and foil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the sauce. Uncover and broil for 2 minutes until the leeks caramelize lightly.

FREEZING: While it is best served fresh, you may freeze the stuffed leeks (once cooked). Thaw and add some extra apple cider or stock, cover, and warm at 350 degrees.

Related Recipes

Haman Holipches Stuffed Leeks
lemon grilled leeks
salmon en croute with creamed leeks
Passover stuffed cabbage

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Pomegranate Roast with Roasted Apples & Gremolata

Never been a brisket girl. There I said it. Braised meat just doesn’t do it for me. I’ll eat the brown stuff when I don’t have teeth! In the meantime? I like to chew my food. So red meat is where it’s at for me. Traditional? Not so much. I know, I know. I’m so predictable!

Speaking of predictable, braised meat is always reliable. You cook it low and slow in the oven, and you’ve got yourself a tender cut. Red meat? Not so much. It needs your attention, and a meat thermometer, to cook it to tender perfection. And that might mean medium for some, medium rare for others, and well done for (hopefully) a very small portion of you that like your meat dry and gray (in which case, I suggest going back to braised brisket!).

So if you’re looking to change things up a bit this holiday, give this recipe a try. It’s not your Bubby’s brisket, but it’s absolutely FABULOUS!

Pomegranate Glazed Roast
YIELD: 8-10 servings

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: meat thermometer.

1 (3lb) Delmonico roast (may sub boneless chuck/shoulder/French roast)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cinnamon
3 firm apples, such as Gala or Pink Lady, quartered

Glaze:
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses (see note)
2 Tbsp silan
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Bring the roast to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, paprika, garlic powder and cinnamon. Rub the mixture all over the roast and transfer to a greased baking dish. Place the quartered apples around the dish.

Bake the roast for 20 minutes. Prepare the glaze, mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl to combine.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and brush the roast with the glaze. Return the roast to the oven and continue to cook until a thermometer reads 130 degrees (about 20 minutes), basting every 10 minutes with more glaze. (see NOTE)

Rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with roasted apples and garnish with pomegranate gremolata.

Pomegranate Gremolata

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Zest of 1 clementine
½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1 small garlic clove, very finely grated or minced
1–2 Tbsp good olive oil
Pinch of flaky salt

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

NOTES: I use Sadaf pomegranate concentrate. Depending on the brand of molasses (some are more sour than others), you may want to add more silan. Taste and adjust to desired sweetness level.

I prefer my roasts medium rare, at about 135-140 degrees. The temperature of your roast will continue to rise by about 10 degrees when you remove it from the oven, so I take it out at 130. If you prefer your roast more rare, remove at 120 for rare, and for more well done, remove at 140 for medium.

For most tender results, do not use imported/grass fed meat for this recipe.

You cannot warm this meat as it needs to be served room temperature. If you want to repare it in advance, I recommend doing the initial sear ahead of time and finishing the cooking close to serving time (this can be done at pretty much any temperature, so long as you monitor the cooking using a thermometer). If you want to cook it on the holiday,  you can purchase a non-digital thermometer that you can use.

It is not recommended to freeze this meat as it cannot be rewarmed.

Related Recipes:

hot honey French roast
savory pomegranate braised roast

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Shnitzel Sammies!

Shnitzel sammies, aka challah shnitzel are having a moment at food markets in Israel these days – the loaded sandwiches are all the rage, especially on Friday afternoons. They are equally as good on Sunday nights, when you can load up your leftover challah with all the Shabbos salatim and extra shnitzel (or any protein!) you have left over from the weekend.

There are so many variations of this sandwich, depending on your favorite dips or what you’ve got on hand – almost as many as the types of shnitzel you can make (I’m a panko girl myself!). I’m sharing some of my favorite salatim here but feel free to make it your own – or even better – just buy the dips and it comes together in 1-2-3!

SHNITZEL SAMMIES!

challah rolls
shnitzel
tahini or hummus
schug or harissa
fried eggplant slices and/or eggplant dip or matbucha
Israeli pickles
red cabbage slaw

SHNITZELIM SHEL DVIR

5 chicken breasts, split and pounded thin
Oil for frying

Eggs
3 eggs
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
3 tbsp mayonnaise
Pinch of salt

Crumbs
9 oz. plain Panko crumbs
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Stir the egg mixture until creamy and place in a shallow bowl or sheet pan. Mix the crumbs and place in a shallow bowl or sheet pan.

Dip the chicken in the eggs and then into the crumbs, pressing down to fully coat. Fry until golden on both sides and transfer to a rack set over a baking sheet to cool.

SWEET CHILI ROASTED EGGPLANT

1 large eggplant, cubed
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
½ cup sweet chili sauce
4 small Israeli pickles, diced
2 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 scallion, chopped

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place eggplant on a baking sheet; toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer eggplant to a large bowl. Mix with tomato paste, sweet chili sauce, pickles, lemon juice, honey, garlic, and scallions.

RED CABBAGE SLAW

10 oz. shredded fresh red cabbage
2 Tbsp olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
kosher salt, to taste

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

SCHUG

3 jalapeno peppers, seeds and veins removed
1 lg bunch fresh parsley and or/cilantro (2-3 cups packed)
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Kosher salt, to taste

Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor with the S blade attached and pulse until finely chopped.

TAHINI

½ cup tahini paste
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of ½ lemon
¼ tsp cumin
⅓ cup ice water
kosher salt, to taste

Stir tahini paste thoroughly, as oil and solids tend to separate.
In a bowl, mix tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, and cumin. Add ice water; whisk until emulsified. Season with salt, to taste.

Related Recipes:

shnitzel strips
tortilla shnitzel
the best meat sandwich
challah recipe

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