Category: Recipes

Halloumi Cheese Waffles with
Tomato Jam & Balsamic Syrup

I am UBER excited about today’s post, I’m even using the word uber! You see, I dreamed up these halloumi waffles a couple of weeks ago and I wasn’t quite sure how they would turn out. Sometimes when I think up something really outside the box, it can be a bit much, but this, this just worked so harmoniously, I am still dreaming about it!

If you’ve never heard of halloumi before, it’s a semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese that’s like a cross between feta and mozzarella. Because of it’s high melting point, it’s one of the few cheeses that you can actually grill (or in this case, waffle iron). And I don’t mean grill between two slices of bread. You can grill this cheese on it’s own and it retains it’s shape and texture!

Many people don’t know this about halloumi. In fact, I decided to do a little Instagram contest to see who could guess what kind of waffle this was (using the picture below). There were 57 guesses and only one person guessed haloumi (chanazweiss won a copy of my ebook!). Some of the others were really intriguing (like fluffernutter, tofu, tahini, coconut flour, cottage cheese, cauliflower….). I guess I’ve got my fill of waffle ideas for a while.

You can find halloumi in the cheese section of most supermarkets nowadays, but it is most popular in Israeli cuisine. I’ve seen it grilled and fried, but my favorite preparation is the halloumi salad at Blueberry Cafe in Brooklyn. It’s got grilled peppers, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and onions with crispy breaded cubes of fried halloumi and a sesame teriyaki dressing. They call it a salad, so I convince myself that it’s healthy, because it’s JUST. THAT. GOOD.

In keeping with the Middle Eastern spirit of halloumi cheese, I created a silan-sweetened tomato jam as well as a balsamic syrup that’s kissed with the amazing flavor of date honey. Silan is one of my favorite Middle Eastern ingredients and it works so well in these condiments (well in anything, really).

I know this is one of those recipes where you roll your eyes and think, “Looks good but it’s too much of a patchke“, but do yourself a favor and go for it anyway. Once you plate this baby up, the marriage of salty cheese with a crispy exterior, sweet tomato jam, acidic balsamic and bitter arugula will dance on your palate and hit every note!

With Nine Days of dairy coming up soon, we can all use a little something different, so get outside your comfort zone and grill up some halloumi. You can thank me later.

Halloumi Waffles

1 14oz. pkg halloumi cheese
olive oil
arugula
tomato jam (recipe follows)
balsamic syrup (recipe follows)

Method:

Remove the halloumi from the package and pat dry. If the cheese is thick (this depends on the brand you purchase), divide it in half. Brush the halloumi with olive oil and heat up your waffle iron. Grease your waffle iron well and add the cheese. Cook until the the cheese has developed a brown crust (resist the urge to open your waffle iron too early or the cheese will fall apart).

Serve immediately with arugula, tomato jam, balsamic syrup and a drizzle of good quality olive oil.

VARIATION: If you don’t have a waffle iron, you can also grill the halloumi or pan-fry until crispy.


Tomato Jam

1.5 lbs. ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp silan
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Roughly chop your tomatoes and place them in a saucepan with silan and spices. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the tomatoes until they begin to fall apart and break them up with a fork. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens, about 45 minutes total.

NOTE: if desired, you may strain the jam through a fine mesh sieve to remove the skins.

Balsamic Syrup

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp silan

Pour the vinegar and silan into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until reduced by half (or more, for a thicker syrup).

Related Recipes:

summer tomato feta salad
roasted eggplant parmesan with feta

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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.

Grilled Chicken Shawarma Salad

This past Friday, Food52 posted a happiness experiment on Instagram, challenging their followers to write a list of things that make them happy and tag it #happylist. Of course, it got me thinking about what makes me happy and I put together my happy list.

Happiness Is…

– bike riding with my kids
– apricot season
– sunglasses
– Masterchef (who am I kidding? Gordon Ramsay)
– ice coffee
– fresh corn on the cob
– blogging
– circus arts at the gym
– saltwater sandals
– harissa
– anything Ottolenghi
– homemade popsicles
– the weekend

When I wrote that “anything Ottolenghi” makes me happy, I meant it! I am a true Israeli at heart, and I love digging in to Israeli food – from homemade falafel, to shawarma, shakshuka, hummus, za’atar, roasted eggplants, halva, krembo’s….I think you get the point. With summer (finally!!!) here, It’s time to lighten things up, and this amazing grilled chicken shawarma salad is my go-to. For lunch or dinner, it’s so light and filling, you’ll want to eat it all summer long!

Now since my talented friend Miriam Pascal of OvertimeCook is busy putting finishing touches on her new cookbook, I’m only too happy to fill in with this guest post, so head on over to her blog for the recipe!

B’tayavon!