Category: Recipes

Shaktuna (Tunisian Tuna Shakshuka)

Having recently traveled to Paris, I have a newfound love of tuna – and not the type we mix with mayo and stuff in a bagel. But the kind that’s canned in good quality olive oil and served with sesame bread. Or the kind that’s stuffed into a teeny tiny sandwich with potatoes, eggs, capers and olives: the Tunisian tuna sandwich known as Fricassé.

I made my way to Charles Traiteur, the popular kosher catering/take-out to taste their renowned Tunisian Tuna Sandwich, a soft sesame baguette stuffed with tuna, eggs, harissa, olives and a hint of mustard. It was good, but it didn’t quite live up to the hype, maybe because the bread was soggy.

But then I went back before Shabbos and got their Tunisian Fricaseé sandwich – mini bites of heaven with the same ingredients of the tuna sandwich, only on delicious fried bread and I haven’t stopped dreaming about it since!

Now lets go back a couple of months, when I was introduced to Finer Fin tuna, aptly named because that tuna is FINE!!! I have been hooked on their amazing flavors, including Mexicana, 3-Bean, Zesty Lemon and Spicy Chili. Each filet is hand-sliced and packed in extra virgin olive oil. The tuna is wild caught, a great source of Omega 3, Non-GMO, low in mercury and sustainable caught. It basically sells itself!

So, back to Paris, I came home re-inspired on the tuna front and decided to do a riff on shakshuka and the classic Tunisian Tuna sandwich and let me just say…WOW. Like seriously this makes the perfect breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner. It was just THAT good.

Because Finer Fin’s tuna is already packed with flavor, it needed only a small can of tomato sauce to create a base for shakshuka. I added the other classic elements of olives and capers, but you can easily leave those out if you’re not a fan of briny flavors.

You can also throw in some spinach or kale into the mix if you’d like, which is really what I love about shakshuka – it’s just so versatile! (see the gazillion different combos I linked to below, I can’t get enough!).

So if you’re looking for a taste of Paris, or you just want a quick and easy dinner to get on the table, look no further than SHAKTUNA!

Shaktuna (Tunisian Tuna Shakshuka)

2 pkg Finer Fin spicy chili tuna
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
1 tbsp capers
3 tbsp sliced black olives
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt, to taste
5 eggs
handful of fresh parsley
baguette or pita, for serving

Method:

Add the Finer Fin spicy chili tuna to a large skillet and stir in the tomato sauce. Add capers, olives, lemon and salt, to taste. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Using a spoon, make 5 wells for the eggs and slide them in carefully. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat until the whites have set but the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley.

This post has been sponsored by Finer Fin. All opinions are my own.

Related Recipes:

roasted eggplant shakshuka
Mexican quinoa shakshuka
beet, kale and goat cheese shakshuka
zoodle shakshuka,
garbanzo bean shakshuka with labneh
spaghetti squash shakshuka
stuffed portobello shakshuka

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Roasted Summer Chicken

After weeks of summer prep and camp shopping, I am SO HAPPY that I can officially say welcome the start of summer. The kids are in camp. Everyone is settled in. And I am relishing every moment.

I try to keep dinners simple in the summer, but after a day of running around in the summer heat, and hours spent at the pool, my kids voracious appetites demand more than just frozen pizza. They are HUNGRY! I try to keep the fridge stocked with lots of fruits and veggies, plenty of protein in the freezer and fresh herbs on the window sill.

I think we all associate summer with barbecue but I try to do away with heavy bottled sauces and season food simply instead. Juicy seasonal tomatoes, fresh summer corn and a bunch of fragrant basil are always handy, which is how this delicious light summer dinner came together in no time. My kids literally licked their plates clean!

Now that corn is in season, here’s a great trick for cutting it!!

Israeli couscous is another summer staple – it rounds out the meal, cooks in five minutes, and isn’t as heavy as other starches. But feel free to serve with any starch of your choice!

Roasted Summer Chicken

2 ears fresh corn, shucked
1 heaping cup grape tomatoes
4 chicken legs
1 tsp chili powder
kosher salt, to taste
juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
drizzle of honey

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the corn on the bottom of a 9×13 pan, scatter tomatoes around the pan and top with chicken thighs. Sprinkle the chicken with chili powder and salt and spread the basil on top. Drizzle olive oil and honey and squeeze lime juice over the top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for one hour. Uncover, baste with the sauce and bake at 400 degrees for an additional 20-25 minutes, until chicken is browned.

Serve with couscous, quinoa or rice.

NOTE: if you dont have fresh corn on hand, you can substitute 1 package frozen corn (thawed) or 1 can corn, drained.

Related Recipes:

chimichicken
ratatouille roast chicken
corn and heirloom tomato salad with basil lime vinaigrette 

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Amaretto Affogato

What is Affogato? Italian for “drowned”, an affogato is an is an Italian coffee-based dessert. It usually takes the form of a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream topped or “drowned” with a shot of hot espresso. If you’re a coffee fan like me, it’s basically a small taste of heaven!

I’ve had affogato many times, but on my recent trip to Antwerp, the local Italian restaurant, Confetti, served it with a splash of amaretto and it was literally NEXT LEVEL amazingness. Like you need to make it. Like NOW. (Is it too early for alchohol?)

Start with some good quality gelato. It melts more slowly than ice cream. But ice cream works too. And you can even experiment with different flavors, but I like vanilla here. My little trick it to scoop the ice cream in advance and freeze them so they’re nice and solid when you serve!


Then pour that beautiful nutmeg-colored golden caffeine syrup, also known as espresso, over the ice cream and watch it do it’s beautiful dance down the sides of your cup. Am I being overly dramatic? Maybe a little, but AFFOGATO. IS. EVERYTHING.

If you’re like me, you might even watch to catch it in slow motion!


YASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Caffeine addict much?!)

Then pour a generous glug of amaretto over it and enjoy the best drink of life!! Chag Sameach everyone!!

Amaretto Affogato

2 scoops vanilla gelato or ice cream
1 shot espresso, 3 tbsp strong brewed coffee or 1 tsp instant espresso dissolved in 1 oz. water
splash of amaretto (1-2 tbsp)
crushed amaretti cookies (or Lotus cookies)
chocolate shavings

Method:

Place two small scoops of ice cream in a glass (I prefer to freeze scoops in advance so they are ready to go and melt more slowly!), pour the shot of hot espresso over the ice cream, and then add the amaretto. Top with crushed cookies and chocolate servings and serving immediately.

NOTE: You can also use a double shot of espresso or 2 tsp instant espresso dissolved in 2 oz. of water, depending on what you like.

VARIATION: You can use other types of liquor such as liquor Kahlua or Frangelico or other types of ice cream such as chocolate or coffee.

Related Recipes:

tahini frappuccino 
gelt hot chocolate
donut milkshakes

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Camembert en Croûte Salad

People often ask me if I feel deprived as a serious foodie who keeps kosher, and the answer is “no”. As someone who’s been kosher since birth, I don’t crave “treif” simply because I’ve never tried it. And there is really so much available on the kosher market today, that I don’t really feel like I’m missing out.

BUT… (there’s always a but isn’t there?!), traveling as a kosher keeper is hard stuff. Especially when you go places that don’t have much kosher available, and you’ve got to stuff your bag with cans of tuna and crackers. I have to admit that part isn’t easy, and for that reason, I usually choose to travel to places based on the kosher availability there.

Which totally works for me because eating out, I feel, is part and parcel of a vacation. I’m not the sit-by-the-beach and suntan kinda gal, so I’d rather hit the town and see what it has to offer.


I love exploring different food cultures and traveling really opens your eyes to different ingredients and flavor combinations. On my recent trip to Paris, I ordered the camembert salad, which was served simply over a bed of iceberg lettuce, with a drizzle of balsamic and honey and a sprinkling of pine nuts. It really made me rethink the whole camembert thing (I always just wrap it in puff pastry), and I knew I was going to recreate it when I got home,

I took the best of the salad, and paired it with the “en croute” concept, for a deconstructed cheese salad of your dreams. There’s not much else to say about this other than IT’S AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS.

Camembert, if you’re not familiar, is a soft and creamy, surface-ripened cow’s milk cheese. The white bloomy rind is totally edible, with barely any moldy flavor. As someone who is not a fan of moldy cheese, I absolutely love Camembert (and brie!), so I wouldn’t be scared off by it.


If you’re not quite ready for Camembert on it’s own, I recommend wrapping it in puff pastry with some fig jam and candied nuts and baking until puffed and golden. That’s really what got me into this wheel of wonder to begin with and it’s absolutely amazing!

Camembert En Croûte Salad

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed in the fridge overnight
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
2 bunches cherry tomatoes on the vine
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 wheel Camembert or brie
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 4oz. pkg baby arugula
1 6oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts
raw honey, optional, for serving

For the basil oil:
1/4 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Add to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Strain out the basil leaves if you wish.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week (bring to room temp before using).

NOTE: for bright green oil, blanch the basil leaves first by placing them in boiling water for about 10 seconds and then removing to ice water.

For the balsamic syrup:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey

Combine the balsamic vinegar and honey in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until it is reduced by half and coats the back of a spoon. Cool completely (it will thicken as it cools), then transfer to a jar and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Method:

In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, oregano, garlic powder and salt.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove the puff pastry sheets from the fridge and cut into thirds at the folds. Spread the butter over each piece and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Using a pizza cutter, cut into triangles. Return to the fridge while you prepare the other components.

Place the tomatoes on one side of a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Prepare a small foil packet and place the pine nuts in it. Place in the corner of the same baking sheet. Prepare a second foil packet and place the Camembert inside. Place on the baking sheet, opposite the pine nuts packet.

Place the baking sheet of puff pastry and tomatoes in the oven. After 8-10 minutes, remove the packet of pine nuts. After 15 minutes, remove the brie.  Continue baking the tomatoes and puff pastry for another 10 minutes, until the puff pastry is puffed and golden, and the tomatoes have softened.

To plate: arrange the arugula on a platter. Top with tomatoes, artichokes and pine nuts. Place the Camembert on top with the puff pastry alongside. Right before serving, drizzle basil oil, baslamic syrup and honey over the salad and serve.


halloumi cheese waffles with tomato jam and balsamic syrup
brie marsala pizza
dried fruit brie bites

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Rosewater Crème Brûlée

Bonjour everyone!! I just got back from an unforgettable trip to Paris by way of Antwerp, where they flew me down for an incredible evening for 800 local women! It was my first Yiddish-speaking demo (although I spoke in English) and I was so worried about the culture-clash. What if they didn’t get my humor? What if my food was too modern for their traditional tastes? Alas, the event was a huge success and I am SO relieved!

In preparation for Shavuot, we made sushi nachos from my cookbook, with a tuna tartare variation, my couscous arancini and my frangipane fruit galette with seasonal plums (almond flavored pastries are always a hit in Belgium!). The local butcher (where they sell pink hotdogs colored with beet juice!) prepped all the tasting samples and the room was beautifully set up by the local volunteers, to benefit the Bikur Cholim organization.

The night before the big event, I held a private cooking class for some event sponsors where we made pho and ramen bowls from scratch. It was a super fun evening with the greatest group of ladies and I had a total blast!

But the food! Lets talk about the FOOD! Flemish asparagus is big in Belgium, and since white asparagus are in season, it was on all the menus. Asparagus are covered in a sauce made of hard boiled eggs, which is not very appealing but it tasted alright.


Real Belgian waffles were at every turn, although not a kosher spot to be found. Lots of traditional Jewish bakeries laced every street, but Kleinblatt was the stand out! Their brioche avec creme and cheese danishes melted on my tongue, and the dairy custard cream made me realize why American bakeries will never measure up. I stuffed my suitcase with pearl sugar and chocolate Dutch sprinkles so we can make the real Belgian waffles I kept smelling along the trip!

Onto Paris, I stuffed myself with foie gras (goose liver) and buttery croissants. Lots of Tunisian tuna dishes, and the best latte I’ve ever had. There was gooey camembert salad and fresh homemade pasta, the most amazing Parisian chocolate and crepes with chestnut cream. TAKE ME BACK!!!

No honestly, don’t take me back because I’m still getting over getting stuck there for Shabbos after my Friday morning flight was canceled and there were no other flights to get me home in time. But alas, I am home safe and sound and sharing the recipe for this amazing rosewater crème brûlée with you all because if my travels taught me anything, it’s that dairy desserts are the very best!!

Rosewater Crème Brûlée

2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp rosewater
pinch of sea salt
5 egg yolks
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp sugar, plus more for topping
for topping: rose petals, chopped pistachios

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a saucepan, combine heavy cream and salt and bring it to a simmer. Stir in vanilla and rosewater.

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar together until creamy. Add a ladle of the heated cream into the eggs and stir to combine. Continue adding another few ladles, one at a time, and then slowly stir in the remaining cream.

Divide the custard between four ramekins and place ramekins in a baking dish. Carefully fill the dish with boiling water halfway up the sides of the ramekins, taking care not to splash the custard with water. Bake, uncovered, for approximately 45 minutes, or until centers are barely set. Cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or up to a couple of days.

When ready to serve, remove the custard from the fridge and pat the custard dry if droplets have formed on top. Sprinkle each custard with about a teaspoon of sugar in a thin layer. Using a kitchen torch, heat the sugar until it starts to brown and bubble, or place ramekins in a preheated broiler 2-3 inches from heat source. Broil until sugar melts and browns, 3-5 minutes. Return the crème brûlée to the fridge and serve within an hour or two.

NOTE: if you are not a fan of rosewater, please note that since the crème brûlée is flavored with rosewater and not rose petals, the rosewater flavor is very subtle. You can choose to leave it out and use vanilla bean or increase vanilla extract to 1 1/2 teaspoons.

VARIATION: for a pareve version, check out my friend Mel’s recipe.

Related Recipes:

rosewater cheesecake mousse parfaits
sachlav rosewater pudding

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