Recipes

Sides & Salads

Southern Italian Kale Salad

This salad is so delicious and sophisticated; add it to any dinner, casual or elegant. Just make sure your shred the kale and massage it before you dress it, it makes it much more palatable and easier to digest.

June 6, 2021

Chicken & Turkey

Spanish Spiced Grilled Chicken

This is my summer go-to tapas style chicken – hopefully a recreation of that wonderful Spanish dinner I had all those years ago.  You can either serve this chicken piping hot off the grill and let everyone spoon their own generous serving of the salsa verde, or serve the chicken on a communal plate with the gorgeous green salsa drizzled over the centre of the beautifully sliced and fanned out chicken breast.Enjoy!

June 4, 2021

Sweet and Spicy Kale Chips

These are perfect for those times when you are craving chips and other savoury or sweet crunchy things. Even the kids seem to love them. The trick is not to overload the baking trays, the kale cooks a lot better when each leaf has a little space. Use the convection setting on your oven and you can put 2-3 cookie sheets in the oven at once. Just remember to rotate the sheets halfway.

June 4, 2021

Jerusalem Mixed Grill - at Home

The infamous Jerusalem mixed grill is super easy to make right in a large fry pan, preferably cast iron. It is delicious served with tahini, pita and sloppy cooked tomatoes. Most recipes for Jerusalem mixed grill include a mix of chicken thighs, livers and hearts (the offals), but feel free to use only the parts you like.

June 2, 2021

Sides & Salads

Preserved Lemons

To use preserved lemons, you need to slice a piece of lemon and remove the flesh from the skin. It is the skin that you want to use, not the flesh. Dice or julienne the skin and add it to your recipes. It’s a delicious addition to pestos, soups, hummus and tahini.

June 1, 2021

Jerusalem Bagels with Za’atar

I consider myself somewhat of a bagel aficionado, chuckle chuckle. Not just because I grew up in the bagel mecca— Montreal—but also because I love exploring bagels around the world and their interesting heritage and stories. The Jerusalem bagel comes from the Middle East, unlike its Eastern European cousin, the bagelach. This Jerusalem bagel is very similar to other bagel-like breads such as simit in Turkey or ka'ak in Arabic countries. It is sesame laden, long, oval and skinny. You will find these bagels staked high on the street corners of Jerusalem; if you get a chance, it is something you must buy on your way through the Jaffa Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem. I could go on, but let’s get baking! This recipe was inspired by two recipes I love—one from Israeli baker Uri Scheft and one from Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi. 1. In a small bowl, whisk together 120 ml (½ cup) of the lukewarm water, the yeast and the sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes and while you carry on with Step 2. 2. In the bowl of your stand mixer (you will need the dough hook to knead the dough) or in a large bowl if you are working by hand, mix together (do this with a whisk or fingers) both flours, milk powder, baking powder and fine sea salt. 3. Once the yeast mixture has come alive (it will foam a little), add it to the flour mixture along with the 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil and the remaining 150 ml (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons) of the lukewarm water. Set the speed on the stand mixer to medium (3 or 4), and mix and knead the dough (using the dough hook) for 5 minutes; the dough will come together and form a smooth ball. If you are kneading by hand, knead for 10 minutes. 4. Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and knead it on the counter a little. Then (whether you used a mixer or kneaded by hand) lightly oil the bowl and the dough and place the dough back in the bowl. Now you have two choices: a) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in the fridge overnight. The next morning, remove the dough from the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes and carry on with step 5. OR, b) Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise at room temperature or in a proofer (some ovens have this setting) for one hour or until the dough has doubled in size. 5. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a very lightly floured work surface. Cut it into 6 even pieces (about 140 g each) and gently roll each piece into a ball. Cover with a towel and let it sit for 20 minutes or so. Working with one ball at a time, roll each ball out into a rope (even in diameter) about 45-50 cm / 16-17 inches long. The dough may be stubborn and may not roll out as long as you want it; if that is the case, let the rope rest, carry on with the other ropes and then return to the stubborn rope for a second (or third) rolling out. Squeeze the two ends of the rope together and gently roll the seam on the counter to seal it. Then gently stretch out the bagel a little, making it into a long oval, and set it on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining 5 ropes. Put 3 bagels on a single cookie sheet. Cover with a towel and set it aside for an hour or so until the bagels have risen and are puffy to the touch. 6. Make the egg wash: Beat together the egg, water or milk and salt. Preheat the oven to 325°F CONVECTION and set 2 oven racks evenly spaced in the oven.

May 31, 2021

Mains

Japchae - Korean Sweet Potato or Glass Noodles

Japchae is a Korean stir-fry made up of beautiful glass sweet potato noodles. It can be served hot or at room temperature. The flavours get better as it sits.

May 29, 2021

Dessert

Strawberry Bites - Honeyed Ricotta

If you are anything like me, you LOVE to entertain but HATE the fuss. Actually, my favourite dinner parties are those that are completely impromptu with only an hour or two to think about what to make and to prep.  The expectations of “perfection” are gone and the casualness factor is increased.This delicious strawberry and cream recipe fits the bill - easy to prepare and delicious after a big meal.  If you make some extra brittle in Step 1, you will have also a few extra treats to spread out in little candy dishes.  Yum!

May 28, 2021

Sides & Salads

Jamaican “Rice and Peas” with Quinoa and Beans

This is my cleaned up version of the traditional and delicious Jamaican Rice and Peas. I am using quinoa and black beans. All the incredible Jamaican flavours are still here plus the quinoa adds a delicious nutty taste that you just don’t get with rice. I’ll take quinoa over rice any day!

May 27, 2021

Sides & Salads

Classic Israeli Salad

This simple salad is fabulous with almost anything. I will make a big batch. Leave it undressed in the fridge and dress it as needed.

May 23, 2021

Dessert

Banana Chocolate Chunk Tahini Ice Cream

If you are craving something sweet but want to stay off the rich stuff, this is your recipe. It is simple, delicious and it will definitely hit the spot! It is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and calcium. The cinnamon will help keep your blood sugar stable.

May 21, 2021

Condiments and Dressings

All Purpose Dry Rub

This All-Purpose Dry Rub is my go-to summer ammunition. I make a big batch and use it on everything. It can be used as a base for chicken before you brush on the BBQ sauce or even on ribs that you slow cook before slathering on that tangy sauce that you love. I’ve been known to put this on tofu and fish as well. But remember, it has sugar in it, so it’s best used when cooking something under 400˚F. Don’t be sprinkling this on that super high flame you’re going to use for that big, thick rib steak - stick to a simple salt, pepper rub for that. Happy grilling!!

May 20, 2021