Sephardic Eggplant and Tomato Relish

The following tasty eggplant-tomato relish, or side dish – called “alburnia” in Ladino – comes from the Sephardic cuisine, which I’ve mentioned here quite a few times.

High Protein Israeli Couscous Salad with Asparagus and Cherry tomatoes

Israeli couscous is actually a type of toasted pasta, and can be used in different ways, besides the most obvious one, which is to serve it as a starchy side dish. In the following recipe, I’ve used it as a base for a high protein colorful salad. The protein in the salad comes from the mix of tofu, chickpeas and Lupini beans. This combination of legumes and grain is highly nutritious, yet fairly light, compared to other proteins.

Turkey, Mushroom Duxelles and Chestnut Meatloaf

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and I was set on making a turkey meatloaf that can be served instead, or along with, the traditional roasted whole turkey.

Cannellini beans, Tuna and Pasta Salad

The tasty pairing of tuna and beans in a salad is known in the Italian kitchen, and it is one of my favorites. As I’m also a fan of tuna-pasta salad, I’ve decided to combine both, as you can see in the following version.

Chicken Salad with Grapes, Tarragon, Mint and Walnuts

Chicken salad is a great dish for buffet-style relaxed entertaining. It can be prepared ahead of time, and tastes even better after chilling. It is easy to serve, and it pairs well with different dishes and salads.

Beef Kebabs with Zhoug and Harissa Raw Onion Relish

Zhoug is an aromatic Yemenite hot pepper and cilantro paste, which is known all over the Middle East and the Mediterranean. It is mostly used as a condiment, but it is also added to soups and other dishes. In the dish here, I’ve decided to use it to flavor a raw onion relish, along with sweet Harrisa, a spiced North African hot peppers paste, which was served with broiled beef kebabs.

A Few Dishes with Dandelion Greens

Dandelion is known mostly as a seasonal plant, of which all its parts have been used in cooking and traditional medicine from ancient times. To many who are unfamiliar with the plant, the greens are many times considered an invasive weed in fields and gardens, but they are in fact edible and highly nutritious. As I’m not a gardener myself, nor a forager of wild greens, I’ve never tried them, until I recently found them at the store, and decided to buy a bunch.

Artichoke Hearts with Shrimp Saffron Salad

Artichoke season is here, and as I’m a big fan of this unique vegetable (actually, an edible flower bud from the thistle family), I always try to find new ways to serve it. This time I’ve decided to use the artichoke hearts as a bed for serving a tasty shrimps salad.

Pan Fried Turkey Cutlets with Israeli Couscous-Lentil Salad and Roasted Okra

The following dishes can be made and served on their own, or, as I have done here, served together as a quick summer dinner.

Vegetables Loaded Tuna Salad and Open Face Tuna Melt

Tuna salad is too often a boring and heavy blend of canned tuna, mixed with too much mayonnaise, a bit of celery and not much else.
The version I have for you here is tastier and healthier:

Five Marinated Salads

When we think about the term “salad”, we usually think about a dish that is prepared soon before serving and and is eaten as fresh as can be. However, it’s always good to remember that not all salads were created equal, and that many of them taste even better after marinating for a few hours, or even days.