Tag: appetizer

Harissa Whipped Feta w/ Za’atar Eggplant Chips

I recently did a spice roundup of some of my favorite spices and seasoning blends on Instagram. I love cooking with spices because I can pack on the flavor without piling on the extra sugar and additives that are found in sauces and marinades. Spices keep things clean and healthy, without sacrificing on flavor.

If I had to choose a favorite spice, it would probably have to be za’atar. Za’atar is a spice blend that is native to the Middle East. It includes sumac, oregano, thyme and sesame seeds – a bright combination that’s great with just about everything. I love it on pita chips, chickpeas, chicken, fish, eggplant, cauliflower…like I said, everything!

Another one of my favorite spice blends is harissa. Harissa is a North African chili paste that adds amazing depth of flavor to fish, meat, poultry, veggies and sauces. I love to mix it into my shakshuka, tahini, Moroccan fish, sour cream and even nacho cheese! There’s a reason that Time Magazine called harissa the “new sriracha” of 2015. And as a MAJOR sriracha fan, let me assure you that it’s quite the compliment!

The crazy thing about za’atar and harissa is that, while they are both good on their own, they are amazing together! I never realized just how well these spices complemented each other until I developed this recipe. And I. am. obsessed!!

So first, the chips, because I am a chip fanatic. I love that these eggplant chips are baked and not fried – but they are still perfectly crispy. The za’atar adds such an amazing unexpected punch of flavor to the breading that you can literally go through an entire tray in one sitting.

And the feta? Oh. Em. Gee. If you’ve never whipped feta before then GET ON IT! Most people don’t think of feta as a creamy cheese, but when you whiz this stuff up with a little Greek yogurt – it’s like a silky smooth dip that’s perfectly salty. Dunk those za’atar chips in and it’s a full on an explosion in your mouth.

What are some of your favorite spices and seasonings? Share them with me in the comments below!

Harissa Whipped Feta

1 7 oz. block of feta (not crumbles)
3 oz. Greek yogurt
1 tsp harissa, or, to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
olive oil and harissa, for garnish

Method:

Place the feta cheese, yogurt, harissa and lemon in a food processor or blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Place the creamed feta in a serving dish and garnish with olive oil and harissa. Serve with za’atar eggplant chips.

Crispy Baked Za’atar Eggplant Chips

1 large eggplant, sliced in half lengthwise, cut into 1/4″ thick slices
2 cups panko bread crumbs
3 tbsp zaatar
salt and pepper, to taste
2 eggs, beaten

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the eggplant slices in half to create triangular wedges and set aside. Beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk the panko bread crumbs with za’atar, salt and pepper. Set up a dredging station with the eggplant wedges on one tray, the eggs in another and the za’atar panko crumbs in another.

Dip the eggplant wedges into into egg, shake off the excess, and dredge in the seasoned panko crumbs. Spread eggplant out on two well-greased cookie sheets (make sure not to overcrowd them) and spray with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes until browned and crispy.

Related Recipes:

za’atar roasted chickpeas
malawach cheese pastries with za’atar
confetti latkes with harissa sour cream
cauliflower nachos with harissa cheddar sauce

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Broccoli Parmesan Poppers (Gluten Free!)

We’re gonna keep things short and sweet today since I know you’re all so busy prepping for Shavuot! I’m gonna let the photos do the talking.


I think you’re getting the picture (pun intended). I took some good old broccoli trees and made ’em kid friendly! And they’re even gluten free. Because I love you. (And because I’m on South Beach).


Do yourself a favor and bookmark this flaxseed crumb recipe because if you’re gluten free, you’re going to want to put it on everything. Especially homemade chicken nuggets. Trust me.


Did I mention they are baked too? You’re welcome.


I love how much goodness is packed into these little balls. Broccoli, flaxseeds, almond meal, and I even made a Greek yogurt ranch dip. Betchya never knew that healthy food could taste/look this good!


And you know what else? these little magic balls are easily adaptable too! If you want a more cheesy bite, add some shredded cheddar. Or your favorite cheese. And you can easily swap in some panko or breadcrumbs if you don’t have gluten free ingredients on hand like I do. Told you they were magic balls.


You’ve got the recipe, now get into the kitchen and make them already! Happy dipping!

Gluten Free Broccoli Parmesan Poppers

32oz. bag frozen brocolli
2 eggs
1/2 cup Natural & Kosher grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup flaxseed meal
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Marinara sauce or Greek yogurt ranch dip (recipe follows), for dipping

Method:

Add broccoli to a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Drain well, pushing down on the broccoli to remove moisture. Pulse the broccoli in the food processor until finely chopped, but not ground. Place the chopped broccoli in a mixing bowl and add eggs, Parmesan, almond meal, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the flaxseed meal and spices. Roll 2 tablespoons of broccoli batter into balls and dip into the flaxseed mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

Yield: 27 poppers

VARIATION: For more cheesy goodness, use Natural & Kosher cheese shredded cheddar instead of the parmesan.

NON GLUTEN FREE OPTION: roll the broccoli balls in flavored panko bread crumbs.

NUT FREE OPTION: use bread crumbs instead of almond meal.


Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip

6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp minced onion flakes
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
pinch of black pepper

Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.


This post was sponsored by Natural & Kosher Cheese. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, or via their Blog

Related Recipes:

3-cheese broccoli pull-apart buns
sweet sand savory cheese balls
zucchini parmesan chips
gluten free pesto zucchini fries

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Moroccan Fish Balls

If there is one store I wish every Jewish community around the world would have, it would be Benz’s Gourmet. The local gourmet kosher shop is celebrating it’s 12th anniversary and we’re feasting on a special gefilte fish recipe in their honor!

Benz’s carries everything from artisan cholov yisroel cheese (imported from France!), smoked fish, caviar, beer, as well as specialty baking and gluten free products. They boast a huge olive bar and a whopping 27 varieties of herring. Whether I’m looking for a gourmet kosher product (like truffle oil), or I’m in the mood for fresh fish, I head on over to Benz’s. Thankfully, it’s just a few blocks away!

What I love about the store is that they are constantly on the lookout for new kosher products. If there is ever an item that I can’t find locally, I ask Benz’s to order it for me, and they do! Recently, I needed rosewater for an upcoming Shavuot recipe, and I couldn’t find it anywhere. I gave them a call and it was in the store just a few days later. Now that’s what I call good service!

Besides for Benz’s gourmet selection, they also carry traditional gefilte fish, a family recipe that they’ve been perfecting for over 30 years. I’m always looking to change up traditional gefilte (‘cuz reinventing traditional food is what I do best!) and Benz’s gefilte fish offers me the perfect canvas to build my hybrid recipe.

I don’t know about you, but the more I cook, the more I appreciate savory food. And the more I experiment, the more I realize that you don’t need to use a lot of sweetener in your cooking. My mom doesn’t agree, and neither does my Bubby. They’re ashkenazi food is loaded with sugar, the more the merrier.

If you ask me, sugar is just a fill-in for the absence of flavor. If you build layers of flavor and spice, there’s no need to load sugar into savory food. Look at gefilte fish – most Jewish Bubby’s cook it up in stock made of onions, carrots and celery (the good stuff!), they season to taste with salt and pepper and then they go ahead and pour a boatload of sugar into the pot. I grew up on that stuff, so I know. And don’t get me wrong, it even tastes good. So does candy.

I don’t want to carry on the sugar torch, so I’m trying to condition my kids to like savory foods. I don’t overload my salad’s with sugar, and I make spicy roasted chickpeas as a snack instead of cake. That’s not to say that my kids don’t get to pick their favorite sugary cereal as a Shabbat treat. Believe me, they have their fill of sugar. But I try. And all Bubby’s everywhere are questioning my better judgement!

Sephardic Bubby’s have been serving chraime for years. it’s a popular Moroccan dish of fish cooked in a spicy tomato sauce, and it’s usually made with white fish or salmon. I decided to shake things up by using prepared gefilte fish, ‘cuz that’s the way I roll (pun intended). I incorporated all the traditional elements of Moroccan fish here – including colored peppers, lots of garlic, parsley, lemon, and of course, harissa – a hot pepper paste that’s often used in North African cuisine. I’ve made variations of this recipe for a fish loaf as well as fried patties, but I love how these fish balls can stretch a roll of gefilte fish into so many portions. The fish balls become nice and fluffy, almost the texture of a matza balls, but with lots of spice from cumin, turmeric and fresh garlic.

As good as it is, I’m not sure my fusion cooking would win my husband’s Sephardic family over (although it did win him over, he asked for triples!). Sephardim are not fond of gefilte fish (understatement). On the flip side, try asking my Ashkenazi Bubby to eat spicy gefilte fish, I can just hear her already. Spicy gefilte fish? With harissa? What’s that? Could you pass the sugar please?! So here I am, mixing up the cultures with another one of my hybrid recipes, and I hope ya’ll will enjoy it, Ashkenazim and Sephardim alike.

1 pkg Benz’s gefilte fish, defrosted (I used no-sugar-added)
3-4 tbsp matzo meal
1 egg
3 tbsp chopped parsley
heaping 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1⁄4 tsp ground turmeric
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 15oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15oz. can tomato sauce
1 tbsp harissa (or, to taste)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 cups fish or vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

In a bowl, mix the fish, matzo meal, parsley, cumin, turmeric, garlic, and egg. Place in the frige while you prepare the sauce.

Heat oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic, carrots and peppers and sauté until softened. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add chickpeas, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, harissa, lemon, stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Form the gefilte fish mixture into small balls and slowly add to the sauce. Don’t overcrowd the sauce, if there isn’t a lot of room, wait for the fish balls to set before moving them around to make more space for additional balls. Reduce heat and simmer until balls are cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serve hot with additional parsley for garnish.

NOTE: You may add a pinch of sugar or a drizzle of honey to the sauce if you wish.

VARIATION: Fish balls have more of a fluffy matza ball texture. If you want something more dense, you may fry up the gefilte fish into patties instead. Make the sauce without the stock, adding only as needed and serve over the patties.


This post is sponsored by Benz’s Fish. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram or at BenzsFish.com. And don’t forget to visit Benz’s Gourmet at 332 Albany Ave in Brooklyn. 

Related Recipes:

gefilte fish patties in tomato sauce
breaded gefilte fish patties
gefilte fish, three ways

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Hot Dog Eggrolls

I don’t know about you, but as we inch our way towards the end of Chanukah, I’m slowly getting bored of all the dairy dishes I’ve been having. I’ve had my fill of donuts and latkes and I need something a little different! We still have a few more days to indulge in fried foods and I’ve got you covered. These hot dog eggrolls are just the thing!

Now, I know what you’re thinking. 6 days of loading up on trash and she’s trying to get me to eat hot dogs now?!  YES! You see, I had a huge misconception about hot dogs until I stepped into the Abeles & Heymann factory. Seth Leavitt, the company’s owner, took me behind the scenes for some hot dog education.

Before I even stepped foot in the factory, I had to stand in a box of cleaning solution, to clean my shoes before heading in. This level of hygiene continued throughout my tour, with every step of the process being meticulously clean. I even had to wear a hairnet and labcoat! (check out my Instagram feed for pics!)

Abeles & Heymann hot dogs can be found in stadiums around the country. And for good reason. They start with a REAL cut of meat. I always thought that hot dogs were made from complete junk but I was shocked to see the quality of the meat that’s used in it’s production. It looked just like any large roast you’d purchase at the butcher. From there, Abeles & Heymann uses old world recipes with quality ingredients to produce premium hot dogs that are slow cooked to perfection. Their franks contain no fillers, and their new reduced fat and sodium line has no added nitrates or nitrites!

Abeles & Heymann is at the forefront of an innovative campaign to create healthier alternatives to chemical and artificial nitrates. They have pioneered the use of natural nitrates, celery and cherry, to create a fully-cooked uncured collection of no-nitrate-added hot dogs. When Seth gave me a few packages to try, I turned to my most opinionated taste testers – my kids! My pickiest daughter, who can barely finish a single hot dog in one seating, asked for seconds. And I didn’t have to feel guilty about giving it to her! I would call that a winner!

Now that we don’t have to feel guilty about eating hot dogs, we can go ahead with our hot dog eggrolls! These crispy, dippable appetizers make the perfect addition to your Chanukah party, Superbowl bash, or New Years event! You can even bake them for a reduced fat version.

I filled the hot dog eggrolls with traditional frank condiments like sauerkraut and pickle relish. You can feel free to get creative with fillings like sauteed onions, facon, coleslaw or even chili! The dipping sauce combines sweet apricot jam with Abeles & Heymann’s sweet and tangy mustard for the perfect bite!

If you’re wondering where to pick up some Abeles & Heymann bounty, their amazing collection of hot dogs and salami’s can be found in stores throughout the U.S. Alternatively, you can purchase them online at the Abeles & Heymann store. And for a limited time, enjoy 15% off your order, using coupon code BUSY!


Don’t forget to check out the Abeles & Heymann blog and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Hot Dog Eggrolls

1 1lb. pkg. eggroll wrappers
1 12oz. pkg. Abeles & Heymann no-nitrate-added hot dogs, cut in half widthwise
1 14oz. can sauerkraut
1 10oz. jar sweet pickle relish
canola oil, for frying
3/4 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup Abeles & Heymann Sweet & Tangy mustard

Method:

Lay the egg roll wrappers flat on your work surface, with the corner pointed towards you. Working one at a time, place 2 heaping tbsp of sauerkraut in the center and top with a tbsp of pickle relish and a half of a hot dog. Using your fingers, spread a bit of water on the corner closest to you, and fold over the filling, pressing down to seal. Fold the sides in and spread some water around the top corner. Roll tightly and press to seal.

Heat oil in a skillet and fry eggrolls until crisp and golden, turning to brown all sides. Drain on paper towels.

Heat apricot jam in a microwave or pot until melted and stir in mustard. Serve alongside eggrolls.

VARIATON: To bake, brush the eggrolls with oil and bake at 400 degrees until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes.

OPTIONAL FILLINGS: sauteed onions, chili, coleslaw, facon, onion rings, jalapeno, avocado, salsa

FOR A LIMITED TIME, GET 15% OFF YOUR ABELES & HEYMANN ONLINE ORDER USING COUPON CODE “BUSY”!

This post was sponsored by Abeles & Heymann

Other hot dog recipes:

spiralized spud dogs
kid-friendly dirty rice
fire-roasted tomato rice stoup

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Winter Caprese Salad

Growing up, my mom always taught me that you don’t wear white after labor day. But as I grew older, I learned that there are certain types of white that are acceptable in the winter – Winter Whites. Now I can’t say I ever really pulled off the trend, since I tend towards the slimming black clothes (especially in the winter!). But one thing I could do, is bring the trend into my kitchen.

When Natural & Kosher Cheese came out with their prepackaged sliced fresh mozzarella, I was so excited to work with it! It takes all the work out of dishes like caprese salad, gourmet pizza and paninis. And while it’s fresh and healthy, it doesn’t have to be just for light summer dishes. Winter Whites belong in the kitchen too!

Now if you’re winterizing a caprese salad, you have to do it right! You can’t just use out-of-season tomatoes and basil. You’ve got to find the right in-season produce to complement the cheese.

I was walking through the produce section this week thinking about what to use when I spotted my favorite winter fruit – persimmon! I’ve talked about my love of persimmon a lot on my blog. I’m just doing my part to get the word out about this often-overlooked fruit. They are just too delicious to pass up! Persimmon almost make the brutal New York winter worth it. Almost.

So when I spotted the fuyu persimmon (there are 2 types of persimmon, you can read about them here), it struck me just how much it resembles a tomato. They’re crispy, with a sweet canteloupe and sugarcane flavor. Fruits work so wonderfully with cheese – so I decided to incorporate them into  my kitchen version of Winter Whites! I rounded out the dish with some delicous sweet roasted beets and added another seasonal fruit, pomegranates, for some crunch. Bitter arugula helps to balance out all the sweetness, and thick pomegranate molasses (inspired by Caprese’s classic reduced balsamic vinegar) just seemed like the perfect finish.

And there you have it – a stylish salad that makes a statement. That my friends – is MY VERSION of winter whites ;)

Winter Caprese Salad

1 medium purple beet
1 fuyu persimmon
4 slices Natural & Kosher Cheese fresh sliced mozzarella
2 cups loosely packed arugula
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
pomegranate molasses
good quality olive oil
sea salt, to taste

Method:

Wash the beet well and pat dry. Wrap in foil and roast at 400 degrees until fork-tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside to cool (leave it wrapped).

Peel and slice the persimmon the same thickness as the cheese. Unwrap the beet, and remove the peel by pushing it off with your hands. It should slide off easily. Slice the beet the same thickness as the cheese and persimmon.

Layer the stacks by placing slicing of beet, persimmon and mozzarella on top of each other. Top with some arugula, and repeat. Sprinkle the stacks with pomegranate seeds and drizzle with pomegranate molasses and olive oil. Finish with a touch of sea salt.

Makes 2 caprese salad stacks.

NOTE: for the prettiest presentation, look for beets and persimmon that are roughly the same width as the sliced cheese.

VARIATION: For a large party, create a caprese salad platter instead of stacks (double the recipe if necessary). Place the arugula on the platter and layer the beets, persimmon and cheese so that they overlap all around the platter. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and drizzle with olive oil and pomegranate molasses. Finish with sea salt.

OFF SEASON VARIATION: If you want to make these when persimmon are not in season, you can use golden beets, mangos or canteloupe instead.


This post was sponsored by Natural & Kosher Cheese. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, or via their Blog

Related Recipes:

passion for persimmon; salad and sorbet
persimmon coconut ice cream
persimmon guacamole
roasted beet salsa
summer tomato feta salad

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