Ezme

Adapted from an Ottolenghi recipe. 

Ingredients

2 shallots

6 garlic cloves

5 red chiles (I used Fresnos)

6 plum tomatoes

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. tomato paste

2 1/2 tbsp. pomegranate molasses

20 g. walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

1 c. fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

1 c. fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

1/2 c. Greek style yogurt (I used Kite Hill) 

Directions

Heat up the grill. In a large bowl, mix the shallots, garlic, chiles, tomatoes and a tablespoon of the oil. Once the grill is hot, grill the vegetables, using tongs to turn them as necessary: give the shallots about two minutes on each side, until softened and charred; grill the chiles and garlic for about five minutes, turning often, until the skins are blistered and blackened all over; and grill the tomatoes for about 10 minutes, until softened and blistered. Once cooked, lift the vegetables on to a board and leave to cool.

Once the grilled vegetables are cool, peel off and discard the chiles, garlic and tomato skins, then finely chop all the vegetables and put in a medium bowl. Stir in a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and all the remaining ingredients for the ezme, except the yogurt, then set aside.

To serve, spoon the yogurt over a large platter, spread it out evenly with the back of the spoon, then make a well in the center. Spoon the ezme on top and serve.

Basmati & Wild Rice with Chickpeas, Currants & Herbs

Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi. 

Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. basmati rice
scant 1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tbsp. curry powder or garam masala
1 1/2 c. drained chickpeas
1 lb. extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
1 medium onion, diced
1 c. dried currents
1 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 c. cilantro, chopped
1 c. chopped dill, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

To cook the basmati rice, pour a tablespoon of the olive oil into a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and heat on high. Add the rice and 1/4 tsp of salt and stir to combine the rice and oil. Carefully add in the boiling water, lower heat to very low, cover, and let cook for 25 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the heat, remove the cover, lay a clean towel over the pan, re-cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large, deep saucepan over high heat. Add the onion, cumin seeds and the curry and cook until fragrant. Then, add the chickpeas and tofu, as well as about a teaspoon of salt. Stir fry the chickpeas and tofu for a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat. 

Add the rice, currants and herbs to the chickpea-tofu mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature, over greens with fresh cucumber and tomatoes. 

Makes 6 servings; keeps well for over a week.

Calories = 350

Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients
1 large Italian eggplant
Salt, to taste
1/4 c. Simple Tahini Sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for garnish

Garnish
cherry tomatoes, halved
Toasted pine nuts
Ground sumac
Chopped parsley

Directions
Place eggplant directly on a gas burner and roast over medium-low heat. Turn until charred and blistered all over, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat, place in a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let cool for 10 minutes. (If you don't have a gas burner, the grill will work. But, try to connect the eggplant with open flame, if possible.)

When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, remove to a cutting board, make a cross-cut to open, and scoop out 1 cup of the flesh into another bowl. Add a pinch of salt and ¼ cup Simple Tahini Sauce and mix. Grate in about ¼ teaspoon garlic, followed by the olive oil, and mix again. Garnish with more tahini sauce, pine nuts, cherry tomatoes, salt, sumac, parsley, and more olive oil, and serve. 

Makes about 2 cups.

1 cup = 325 calories (without garnish)

Simple Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

2 c. high quality tahini

3/4 c. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 head of garlic

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. ice water

Directions

Break apart the garlic cloves, putting the cloves into a high powered blender, including paper skins. Add lemon juice and blend for a few minutes until you have a coarse paste. Let sit for 10 minutes so the garlic can mellow a bit. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a large mixing bowl and press the mixture into the sieve until you've extracted as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Add cumin and salt. Whisk in the tahini until smooth; the sauce will lighten in color. Whenever the tahini seizes up or tightens, add ice water bit by bit, whisking energetically until you have a perfectly smooth, creamy, thick sauce.

Makes 2 1/2 cups of tahini sauce to be used as an ingredient in hummus or baba ghanoush. 

1 cup = 724 calories

Cauliflower Shawarma

Ingredients
6 oz. cauliflower florets
Handful of grape tomatoes, sliced
1 shallot or red onion
2 tsp baharat spice blend
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp. vegan mayo
1 lemon
1 tbsp. harissa paste
1 tbsp. tahini
2 oz. shredded red beets
4 oz. mixed greens
2 multigrain flatbreads
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Chop the cauliflower florets into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the tomatoes. Peel and thinly slice the shallot.

Transfer the cauliflower florets to a baking sheet and toss with 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil, the baharat spice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until tender and browned in places, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Peel and mince the garlic. Add minced garlic, vegan mayo and a pinch of salt to a small bowl. Mix garlic aioli well. Whisk together harissa paste, tahini, just 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a separate medium bowl. Add shredded beets and toss until harissa beet slaw is evenly coated.

Combine the greens, remaining apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Gently toss the salad. Place the multigrain flatbreads in the oven or toaster to warm for 1 minute.

Spread the garlic aioli on the flatbreads. Top half of each with the roasted cauliflower, sliced tomatoes, sliced shallot, harissa beet slaw, and greens. Fold in half to make two sandwiches and serve with the remaining green salad.

Quinoa Tabouli with Roasted Vegetables & Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas

2 tsp. sumac

4 radishes

4 oz. green beans or broccoli

4 oz. cherry tomatoes

1/4 oz. fresh parsley or other herb

1 scallion

1 cucumber

2 garlic cloves

1 lemon

6 oz. cooked quinoa

1/4 c. vegan mayo

2 tsp. dried dill

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drain, rinse, and pat the chickpeas dry with paper towels. Add to baking sheet and toss with sumac, 1 tbsp. olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast the chickpeas until crispy, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Quarter the radishes. Add the radishes and green beans to a new baking sheet and toss with 2 tsp. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. 

Quarter the cherry tomatoes. Roughly chop the parsley leaves. Thinly slice the scallion. Small dice just half the cucumber, and with the large side of a box grater, grate the remaining half. Peel and mince the garlic. Halve the lemon. 

In a large bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, parsley, scallion, the diced cucumber, half the minced garlic, half the lemon juice, quinoa, 2 tsp. olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. 

In a medium bowl, combine the grated cucumber, remaining minced garlic, remaining lemon juice, vegan mayo, dill, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix the tzatziki sauce well. 

Divide the quinoa tabouli between bowls. Top with sumac roasted chickpeas and vegetables. Drizzle with tzatziki sauce. 

Serves 2

Roasted Red Pepper Shakshuka

Ingredients
1 lb. extra firm tofu
1 shallot
3 garlic cloves
4 oz. roasted red peppers, chopped
1/4 oz. fresh mint
1 tbsp. za'atar
2 tsp. cumin seeds
14.5 oz. crushed tomatoes
2 oz. soft herbed nut cheese (i.e. Treeline Scallion)
1/4 c. crispy shallots
multigrain flatbread

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Hand tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Peel and mince the shallot and garlic. Drain the red peppers. Pick the mint leaves from the stems.

Add the tofu to a baking sheet and toss with za'atar, 2 tsp. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 3 tbsp. olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the minced shallot, garlic, and cumin seeds. Cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the roasted red peppers, crushed tomatoes, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Place the flatbread directly on the oven rack and bake until hot, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the baked za'atar tofu to the sauce and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shakshuka from the heat and dollop with nut cheese. Sprinkle with mint leaves and crispy shallots. Serve family style with hand torn flatbread.

Serves 2.

Radio Social's Hummus

Ingredients
1 c. dried chickpeas
2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. tahini - use Soom!
1 c. lemon juice
2 heads of garlic, chopped with the skins on
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 c. ice water, a few tablespoons at a time

Instructions
Put chickpeas in a container with baking soda and cover with water. Soak for 24 hours.

While your chickpeas are soaking, make your "mother sauce" base. Start by making garlic-infused lemon juice by combining lemon juice with garlic cloves (with the skins on) and let sit for 10 minutes. Then, strain out the garlic. Use a food processor to blend the tahini paste, salt, and cumin with ice water, a few tablespoons at a time. You will be left with your tahini mother sauce, a puree that resembles a light hummus.

After the chickpeas have soaked for 24 hours, simmer them over gentle heat for 90 minutes to two hours, stirring often. You can leave the pot on the stove and "let them go until they're gone." The chickpeas will double in volume in the cooking process, so be sure to use more water than you think you need. You should be able to mash the peas between your fingers without resistance.

Strain the peas until most of the moisture is removed. Set aside some of the water. Puree 1.5 cups of tahini mother sauce and the chickpeas together. Add both elements to the food processor and puree. A good rule of thumb: when you think you're done pureeing, keep going for 3 to 5 more minutes. This incorporates air into the puree and further breaks down the chickpeas.

Plate your hummus into a dish and top with a garnish of your choice! Serve immediately for best results, with dipping breads or veggies. The hummus will keep in the fridge for several days.

Burnt Eggplant with Tahini

Ingredients
1 large eggplant
1/3 c. tahini paste
1/4 c. water
2 tsp. pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp. parsley, chopped
salt and black pepper
3 mini cucumbers (6 to 7 oz.)
3/4 c. cherry tomatoes
seeds from 1/2 large pomegranate
a little olive oil to finish

Directions
First, burn the eggplant. To cook the eggplants on a gas stovetop, which is the most effective way, start by lining the area around the burners with foil to protect them. Put the eggplants directly on two moderate flames and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, turning frequently with metal tongs, until the flesh is soft and smoky and the skin is burnt all over. Keep an eye on them the whole time so they don't catch fire. For an oven, pierce the eggplants with a sharp knife in a few places. Put them on a foil-lined tray and place directly under a hot broiler for 1 hour, turning them a few times. The eggplants need to deflate completely and their skin should burn and break.

When cool enough to handle scoop out the flesh into a colander, avoiding the blackened skin. Leave to drain for at least 30 minutes.

Chop the eggplant flesh roughly and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add the tahini, water, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, garlic, parsley and some salt and pepper; mix well with a whisk. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more garlic, lemon juice or molasses if needed. You want the salad to have a robust sour, slightly sweet flavor.

Cut the cucumbers lengthways in half and then each half lengthways in two. Cut each quarter into 3/8-inch-long pieces. Halve the tomatoes. Stir them and the cucumber into the eggplant mix.

To serve, spread over a shallow dish, scatter the pomegranate seeds on top and drizzle with oil.

Serves 2 to 4.

Harissa Eggs In Purgatory

Ingredients
1/2 tsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. red onion, minced
2 tbsp. red bell pepper, minced
1-15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
4 tbsp. prepared harissa
1 tbsp. parsley, chopped
4 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add the oil then the onion and saute until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, harissa, salt and pepper and increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until the liquid reduces a bit, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, carefully add the eggs, salt and pepper and cover. Cook until the top of the eggs set, about 4 to 5 minutes, or to your liking. Top with chopped fresh parsley or chives and serve. Serves 2. 

Harissa Spaghettini

Ingredients
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
a big pinch of fine grain sea salt
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. harissa (paste)
8 oz. (1/2 lb.) whole wheat spaghettini1 small bunch kale, well-washed and deveined
½ c. oil-cured black olives, pitted
½ c. pine nuts, toasted (or pistachios)zest of 1 lemon
pecorino or parmesan, freshly grated

Ingredients
Bring a big pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, place the cloves of garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle then with a big pinch of salt. Crush with the flat side of a knife. Now crush and chop, crush and chop until you have a garlic paste. Alternately, you can use a mortar and pestle. In a small bowl whisk together the garlic paste, harissa, and olive oil. Set aside. 

Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook per package instructions. Just before the pasta is done add the kale to the pasta water, count to six, drain, and set aside.

Heat half of the harissa dressing in the now empty pasta pot Add the pasta and kale, black olives, pine nuts, and lemon zest. Stir over the heat for a minute or so, then turn everything out onto a platter and drizzle with the remaining harissa olive oil. Serves 3 to 4 as an entrée. 

Greek Couscous with Fennel & Tomatoes

My sister-in-law discovered this recipe, made with shrimp (Food Network magazine 3/2013). I omitted the shrimp for a fast, filling, veggie lunch!

Ingredients
1 c. whole-wheat couscous
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 pt. grape tomatoes, quartered
1 small bulb fennel, halved, cored & sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. dry white wine or vermouth
1-15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 scallions, sliced
2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
1/2 c. Israeli feta, crumbled

Directions
Prepare couscous by boiling 1 cup of water, adding couscous, turning off the heat, and covering. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel, cook for a few minutes, then add red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook until slightly more tender, then add tomatoes. Once the veggies are tender, add the wine, bring to a simmer, then add chickpeas and another 1/3 cup of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are slightly softened. Turn off the heat, add scallions and dill.

Fluff couscous with a fork. Layer couscous and veggie mixture into a casserole dish. Top with the feta and transfer to the broiler and broil until golden.

Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main dish.

Shakshuka

This is a traditional Israeli breakfast, best served with warmed pita.

Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 medium brown or white onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium green or red bell pepper, chopped
4 c. ripe diced tomatoes, or 2 cans (14 oz. each) diced tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. chili powder (mild)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
Pinch of sugar (optional, to taste)
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 to 6 eggs
1/2 tbsp. parsley, freshly chopped
1/3 c. Israeli feta

Directions
Heat a deep, large skillet or sauté pan on medium. Slowly warm olive oil in the pan. Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté till mixture is fragrant. Add the bell pepper, sauté for 5 to 7 minutes over medium, until softened.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir till blended. Add spices and sugar, stir well, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes till it starts to reduce. At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it according to your preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste, more sugar for a sweeter sauce, or more cayenne pepper for a spicier shakshuka.

Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. The eggs will cook "over easy" style on top of the tomato sauce. Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the eggs are just cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. To make sure the eggs stay over easy, serve as soon as any clear whites or yolk is gone.

Garnish with the chopped parsley and feta.

Herb & Pistachio Falafel

Falafel

Ingredients

8 sprigs of fresh mint
8 sprigs of fresh parsley
200 g pistachio nuts
2 c. garbanzo beans/chickpeas (we used canned)
2 cloves garlic
½ small onion
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. flour (we used buckwheat flour)
1 tsp. baking powder

Directions

Start by blending the herbs in a mixer for about 30 seconds. Add pistachio nuts and pulse until well combined. Rinse the garbanzo beans. Add them and the rest of the ingredients into the mixer and blend for about a minute. Youmight have to stir around with a spoon occasionally. Try to keep the texture of the falafel dough a little rough. Make 24 small round falafels, place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes on 375°F/200°C, turn every 5 minutes to get an even brown color.

Cashew Nut Dressing-- Whisk ingredients until combined.

6 tbsp. cashew butter (look for it in health stores or make it yourself)
6 tbsp. canola or rapeseed oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice
a pinch of salt

Tomato Chili Salsa – Combine ingredients.
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 red chili, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
fresh oregano
salt & pepper

Tzatziki – See recipe.