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The Best Julia Child Recipes

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Happy Birthday Julia Child!

Julia Child's birthday is on August 15th and every year I like to make a different Julia Child recipe to celebrate. Over the years, I have learned some of the best cooking techniques including whipping egg whites for a mile high souffle and creating the most luxurious and rich red wine sauce for beef bourguignon.

In honor of her birthday celebration, here is a list of some of the the best Julia Child recipes!

What would you like to make to celebrate?

The Best Julia Child Recipes

Julia Child's Salad Nicoise

Julia Child Salad Nicoise recipe is filled with the classic components, including olives, capers, and fresh vegetables all tossed with a simple vinaigrette.

Julia Child's Ratatouille

Julia Child’s classic ratatouille recipe is the perfect recipe to with peak summers produce. Ratatouille is a colorful and robust vegetable stew with layers of tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and finished with fresh herbs and garlic.

Julia Child's Cheese Souffle

Julia Child's cheese souffle is the epitome of a French cuisine. The gruyere cheese souffle is tall and light as can be, thanks to Julia's step by step instructions.

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon

Julia Child’s beef bourguignon recipe is a rich beef stew with a reduced red wine sauce and and buttery herbed mushrooms and pearl onions.

Julia Child's Coq Au Vin Recipe

Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin recipe showcases stewed chicken in a rich and buttery red wine sauce with sauteed mushrooms and pearl onions.

Julia Child's Mussels Mariniere

Julia Child’s classic recipe for mussels mariniere couldn’t be any easier. Steamed mussels are tossed with shallots, butter and fresh herbs, creating a fantastic dipping sauce.

Julia's Chicken with Herbes de Provence

Julia Child's chicken with herbes de Provence, also called Poulet Saute aux Herbes de Provence, is sauteed chicken that is basted in a rich hollandaise sauce that is seasoned with herbes de provence.

Julia Child's Sole Meuniere

The unforgettable and classic recipe for Julia Child Sole Meuniere, simply made with lightly breaded fillets of sole that is served with a lemony caper butter sauce.

Julia Child's Lobster Thermidor Recipe

Julia Child’s Lobster Thermidor recipe is a feat to make but worth the labor at least once in a lifetime. Lobster thermidor is a creamy and decadent lobster dish that is flavored with white wine, mushrooms and splash of cognac.

Photo Credit: thiswifecooks.com

Julia Child’s Cream of Spinach Soup

Julia describes this cream of spinach soup as "a lovely soup, and perfect for an important dinner.” 

Julia Child's Scallops Gratineed

Leave it to Julia Child to pair cheese with fish and turn it into something extravagant. Julia Child’s scallops gratineed is an elegant dish of gratineed scallops with shallots, white wine and broiled Gruyere cheese. You'll want to grab the crusty bread for this one, because the sauce is amazing!

Julia Child's Vichysoisse

Julia Child's vichyssoise is a simple and classic soup with leeks and potatoes. The soup is blended to incredibly smooth and chilled, making this a perfect recipe to make during the summer.

Photo Credit: www.christinascucina.com

French Onion Soup ~ the way Julia made it, sort of...

Julia Child's recipe for French onion soup with sweet caramelized onions and topped with copious amounts of shredded Gruyere.

Photo Credit: noshingwiththenolands.com

Julia Child's Charlotte Chantilly, Aux Framboises Noshing With the Nolands

This is a bright and sunny dessert that is light as a cloud. Homemade lady fingers are layered with light and creamy chantilly and fresh raspberries. Perfect for a summer day!! 

Photo Credit: ramshacklepantry.com

Garlic Soup - Julia Childs Aigo Bouido Recipe

This garlic soup is very hardy, comforting, and delicious. Also called, Aigo Bouido which translates to "boiled water", Julia Child's garlic soup is flavored with copious amounts of fresh garlic and herbs.

Photo Credit: noshingwiththenolands.com

Julia Child's Reine De Saba or Queen of Sheba Cake for JC 100

Julia Child’s Reine De Saba or Queen of Sheba Cake is so good you will never make another chocolate cake again. Amazing!!

Honey Harissa Cauliflower

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This harissa cauliflower is for the spice lovers! A flavorful honey harissa mixture is coated onto cauliflower and then roasted until perfectly caramelized. The harissa roasted cauliflower is served on top of creamy harissa tahini and finished with a bright cilantro vinaigrette. If you are looking for a flavor explosion of a recipe, this is the one to make!

Honey harissa roasted cauliflower is layered on top of creamy harissa tahini and finished with a bright cilantro vinaigrette and sweet pomegranate seeds.

Why you'll Love this Harissa Roasted Cauliflower

This may be one of the most delicious recipes I have created lately! And let me tell you, this one is for the spice lovers!

Cauliflower florets are roasted with a flavorful mixture of spicy harissa paste, honey and a touch of warm spices and roasted until tender and caramelized.

The harissa tahini is a play off of my tahini sauce with a touch of harissa added to the mix.

The spicy harissa tahini sauce is smooth, creamy, savory with a perfect hint of spice and would be fantastic served drizzled on top of chicken shawarma kabobs or served with a Mediterranean falafel bowl.

Ingredients

  • Cauliflower: Cut into ½ inch florets.
  • Harissa Paste: A spicy pepper paste with North African origins. Harissa can often be found in grocery stores and online. and my personal favorite is made by Mina. If you don't like spicy, try the mild harissa paste which has the same great flavor but no heat.
  • Honey: Mixed with the harissa for a sweet and spicy flavor combination.
  • Spices: Turmeric and cumin for color and warmth are mixed in with the harissa and honey mixture that goes on the cauliflower.
  • Cilantro: For the cilantro vinaigrette. If you don't like cilantro, substitute fresh mint or basil.
  • Shallot: Blended into the vinaigrette. If you don't have shallot, a small chunk of red onion is a great substitute.
  • Garlic: Added to both the vinaigrette and harissa tahini.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: Just a touch is added for acidity to the cilantro vinaigrette. Lemon juice is another great option.
  • Olive Oil: Used for the roasted harissa cauliflower, the vinaigrette and a touch in the tahini. If you are looking to try a new olive oil, I am really loving this organic olive oil.
  • Tahini: Is a sesame paste that can easily be found in most grocery stores, usually by the nut butters.
Honey harissa roasted cauliflower is layered on top of creamy harissa tahini and finished with a bright cilantro vinaigrette and sweet pomegranate seeds.

What to Use if you Don't have Harissa

If you don't have harissa, you could substitute sriracha or other chili paste. Another option is to blend roasted red peppers and add a bit of cumin to achieve a similar flavor.

Gochujang is a Korean chili paste that would be delicious as well.

Putting the Recipe Together

  1. Make the harissa roasted cauliflower. Mix the harissa, honey and spices together and toss with cauliflower florets. Roast the harissa cauliflower at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes until cauliflower is caramelized.
  2. While the cauliflower is roasting, make the cilantro vinaigrette and harissa tahini.
  3. For the cilantro vinaigrette, add the cilantro, shallot, garlic, olive oil and vinegar to a food processor and blend until well incorporated. Pour into a container or bowl and set aside.
  4. Make the harissa tahini. To a food processor, add the tahini, harissa, warm water, olive oil, garlic and salt and blend until smooth. Add more water to thin out consistency, if necessary. Tahini should be thick and pourable.
  5. Assemble everything. On a platter, spread a thin layer of harissa tahini and top with harissa cauliflower. Drizzle the cilantro vinaigrette around the cauliflower and garnish with pomegranate seeds and cilantro leaves.
Honey harissa roasted cauliflower is layered on top of creamy harissa tahini and finished with a bright cilantro vinaigrette and sweet pomegranate seeds.
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Honey Harissa Cauliflower

Honey harissa roasted cauliflower is layered on top of creamy harissa tahini and finished with a bright cilantro vinaigrette.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Mezze, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: harissa cauliflower, harissa roasted cauliflower
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 508kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Harissa Cauliflower

Harissa Tahini

Cilantro Vinaigrette

Garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and place cauliflower florets on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • In a bowl, whisk the harissa paste, honey, cumin, turmeric and Kosher salt together until well combined and pour mixture over cauliflower.
  • Toss cauliflower with the harissa mixture so it's evenly coated on all sides, then spread the cauliflower out evenly onto the baking sheet.
  • Bake cauliflower for 30-35 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.
  • Make the harissa tahini by adding all of the ingredient to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more water to thin out consistency, if necessary and set aside.
  • For the cilantro vinaigrette, add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until well combined. Add more olive oil to thin out consistency if needed.
  • Assemble by spreading a layer of harissa tahini ona. platter and topping with roasted harissa cauliflower and drizzling with cilantro vinaigrette. Garnish with an extra drizzle of honey, olive oil, pomegranate seeds and fresh cilantro leaves.

Video

Notes

All components can be made ahead of time, up to 3 days in advance. 
If you don't like spice, substitute mild harissa. 

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Sodium: 986mg | Potassium: 682mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 261IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3mg

Hoisin Pulled Pork Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls

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Channeling the flavors of the islands with these pulled pork sliders on Hawaiian rolls. Hoisin pork is slow cooked for hours until fall apart and incredibly tender and then layered on top of sweet Hawaiian rolls with sharp kimchi. Add an extra drizzle of sriracha for a bit more of a kick is highly encouraged.

Hoisin pork is slow cooked for hours until fall apart and incredibly tender and then layered on top of sweet Hawaiian rolls with sharp kimchi. And an extra drizzle of sriracha for a bit more of a kick is highly encouraged.

Hawaiian Pulled Pork

When you go to Hawaii, pulled pork is traditionally done as kalua pig, and cooked in an "imu", where the pig is cooked underground for hours, allowing amazing smokey flavor to penetrate and moisten the meat.

You've probably seen this done if you have ever been to a luau and it is definitely something to see in your lifetime!

However, because I don't have the means to bury a boar underground at this humble facility, (though, wouldn't that be a fun backyard project?), my trusty slow cooker will suffice and will give you amazing fall apart meat.

Hoisin Pulled Pork

Hoisin sauce is a flavorful sweet and savory Asian condiment that is used in many local Hawaiian recipes. The sauce is thick with a bit of sweetness and works great as a glaze on cooked meats and especially when slow cooked with a robust pork shoulder.

A few pours of hoisin sauce is mixed with honey, sesame oil, fresh ginger and a bit of ketchup for body. The flavorful sauce is added to the slow cooker with the pork shoulder and everything slow cooks for hours until the meat easily falls apart and is incredibly tender.

Hoisin pork is slow cooked for hours until fall apart and incredibly tender and then layered on top of sweet Hawaiian rolls with sharp kimchi. And an extra drizzle of sriracha for a bit more of a kick is highly encouraged.

Make Pulled Pork Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls

Once the pork is shredded, layer a heaping pile of shredded hoisin pork onto sweet Hawaiian rolls with kimchi.

The sweet savory pork works so well with the sharp and funky crunch that kimchi offers. Add another drizzle of sriracha and chopped green onions to finish.

Hoisin Pulled Pork Ingredients

  • Pork Shoulder: Also called a pork butt, about 3-4 pounds.
  • Hoisin Sauce: Easily found in most grocery stores with other condiments. A fantastic addition to grilled meats such as ribs or drizzled on top of chicken pho to add another depth of flavor.
  • Shoyu: A Japanese style of soy sauce that is a bit more sweeter and mild than other soy sauce. Aloha Shoyu is a popular brand used in Hawaii.Ketchup
  • Honey: Adds a bit more sweetness and caramelization to the meat.
  • Fresh Ginger: Peeled and grated right into the marinade. I like using a microplane to grate the ginger into the sauce.
  • Fresh Garlic: A few cloves finely grated and added to the sauce. I also like using a microplane to grate in the garlic.
  • Sesame Oil: If you can find toasted sesame oil, that gives great flavor!
  • Chinese Five Spice Powder: Is a single spice with notes of allspice and cinnamon and adds warmth and depth to the sauce.
  • Hawaiian Sweet Rolls: Soft and pillowy and found in most grocery stores with the other bread. Hawaiian sweet rolls are a classic addition and the slight sweetness works so well with the hoisin pork and sharp kimchi.
  • Cabbage Kimchi: Store bought or homemade and roughly chopped. Layer a heaping spoonful on top of the shredded pork and sandwich Hawaiian rolls together.
  • Sriracha: Optional and if you like a bit more spice like I do, add a drizzle of sriracha before sandwiching the slider.
Hoisin pork is slow cooked for hours until fall apart and incredibly tender and then layered on top of sweet Hawaiian rolls with sharp kimchi. And an extra drizzle of sriracha for a bit more of a kick is highly encouraged.

Serve Pulled Pork Sliders with These Additions:

Print Recipe
5 from 10 votes

Hoisin Pulled Pork Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls

Hoisin pork is slow cooked for hours until fall apart and incredibly tender and then layered on top of sweet Hawaiian rolls with sharp kimchi. And an extra drizzle of sriracha for a bit more of a kick is highly encouraged.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 10 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Hawaiian
Keyword: pulled pork sliders on Hawaiian rolls, slwo cooker hoisin pulled pork
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 308kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $15

Equipment

Ingredients

Slow Cooker Hoisin Pork Marinade

Sliders

  • 8 Hawaiian sweet rolls mini or regular size
  • Kimchi
  • Sriracha for garnish
  • Green onions chopped for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Dry the pork shoulder with paper towels and place in the slow cooker.
  • Mix marinade ingredients together and pour over pork.
  • Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours or until pork is incredibly tender and falls apart easily.
  • When pork is done, remove from slow cooker and shred with 2 forks.
  • Reserve leftover sauce and put shredded meat back in the sauce so it can soak it all up.
  • To assemble, layer a heaping spoonful of shredded pork onto half of the Hawaiian roll and top with kimchi, a drizzle of sriracha and chopped green onions. Place the top of the Hawaiian roll on to form a slider and serve.

Notes

To add extra caramelization to the pork, add shredded pork to a skillet  and cook on high heat to add a bit more of a crust to the meat. 
Pulled pork works great to make ahead up to 3 days in advance. 
Pulled pork can also be frozen easily. To reheat, add to a skillet with a bit of water or stock and cook until warmed through. 

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 812mg | Potassium: 465mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 334IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

Poke Nachos

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Poke nachos is a fun twist of cultural fusion. Seasoned ahi poke is generously topped onto baked wonton chips and garnished with all the fun toppings, including Japanese mayo, spicy sriracha, savory furikake and creamy avocado to bring it all together.

Poke nachos is a fun twist of cultural flavors. Seasoned Ahi poke is layered onto of baked wonton chips and garnished with a drizzle of sriracha, Japanese mayo, cubed avocado, fresh cilantro leaves and thinly sliced jalapeno.

Ahi Poke Nachos

Growing up in Hawaii, I ate my weight in poke. The first thing I go when I go back home, is run to the seafood department of any grocery store and order all the different kinds of poke.

You'll often find shoyu poke, which is ahi (tuna) that is seasoned with shoyu (Japanese soy sauce), sesame oil and seaweed.

Ahi poke nachos is a fun cultural fusion recipe that you would find in some restaurants in Hawaii and is easy enough to make at home and perfect to make for a fun party appetizer!

Shoyu poke is topped onto baked wonton chips (taro chips would be fantastic too!) and garnished with all sorts of flavorful toppings, including creamy avocado, drizzles of sriracha and Japanese mayo, sesame seeds for crunch and fresh jalapeno for a bit of a kick.

Poke nachos is a fun twist of cultural flavors. Seasoned Ahi poke is layered onto of baked wonton chips and garnished with a drizzle of sriracha, Japanese mayo, cubed avocado, fresh cilantro leaves and thinly sliced jalapeno.

Ingredients for Tuna Poke Nachos

There are a good amount of ingredients for poke nachos, but once you make the poke, the toppings are easy.

  • Wonton Wrappers: Often found in Asian and international stores and most mainland stores too, wonton wrappers are cut into triangles and seasoned with furikake, which are then baked until crisp.
  • Furikake: A rice seasoning that often has sesame seeds and nori mixed in, though there are all sorts of different flavor variations. I love using furikake to season rice and popcorn and when making seared furikake ahi.
  • Ahi (raw tuna): Yellowfin tuna that has been immediately frozen is safe to eat. Look for good quality tuna that does not have any added dyes.
  • Shoyu: A Japanese style of soy sauce that is a bit sweeter and mild than other soy sauce. Aloha Shoyu is a popular brand used in Hawaii.
  • Sesame Oil: If you can find toasted sesame oil, that gives great flavor!
  • Sesame Seeds: Black or white sesame seeds, added for texture, flavor and crunch.
  • Ogo Seaweed: This is the brand used in this recipe. It’s chopped and dried and re-hydrates as the poke sits.
  • Hawaiian Salt: Highly recommend always having Hawaiian salt on hand. The grains are coarse and a little goes a long way. You can use Hawaiian salt on poke or when making kalua pork and lomi salmon.
  • Sriracha: A flavorful hot sauce that is mild-spicy. If you prefer more mild, omit or mix some sriaracha with the mayo to mellow out the heat a bit.
  • Kewpie Mayo: A thick Japanese style mayonnaise that has tons of savory, rich flavor. Kewpie mayo is drizzled on top as a garnish, but mixed in with sriracha would be a delicious addition as well.
  • Jalapeño: Sliced paper thin and added as a garnish for added heat.
  • Cilantro: A few leaves added for garnish. If you don't like cilantro, omit and garnish with chopped green onion.

Wonton Chips

The base of poke nachos is wonton chips, which are very easy to make. There are 2 ways to make wonton chips.

  1. Baked Wonton Chips. Cut wonton wrappers into triangles (if using a square shape) and lay wrappers onto an oiled baking sheet. Lightly spray the wonton wrappers with avocado oil and evenly season with furikake or sesame seeds. Bake wonton wrappers at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-7 minutes until lightly golden and crisp.
  2. Fried Wonton Chips. Pour a few inches of vegetable oil into a pot and heat oil to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut wontons into triangles and places 3-4 at a time into the hot oil and fry until crisp. Continue frying in batches and then place the freshly fried wonton chips on a wire rack to drain excess oil. Season with furikake seasoning as soon as they are fried.
Poke nachos is a fun twist of cultural flavors. Seasoned Ahi poke is layered onto of baked wonton chips and garnished with a drizzle of sriracha, Japanese mayo, cubed avocado, fresh cilantro leaves and thinly sliced jalapeno.

What to Serve with Poke Nachos

Poke nachos is a fun twist of cultural flavors. Seasoned Ahi poke is layered onto of baked wonton chips and garnished with a drizzle of sriracha, Japanese mayo, cubed avocado, fresh cilantro leaves and thinly sliced jalapeno.
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Poke Nachos

Poke nachos is a fun twist of cultural flavors. Ahi poke is layered onto wonton chips with sriracha and Japanese mayo and avocado.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Asian, Hawaiian
Keyword: ahi poke nachos, poke nachos
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 352kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Ingredients

Shoyu Poke

Toppings and Layers

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Make the poke. Mix all of the poke ingredients together and chill while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
  • Bake the wonton chips. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place cut wonton wrappers onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly spray with oil and generously season with furikake seasoning.
  • Bake wontons wrappers for 6-8 minutes until crisp and lightly golden brown.
  • Layer the poke nachos. Place wonton chips onto a platter and evenly spoon poke on top of the wonton chips.
  • Garnish poke with a drizzle of sriracha and kewpie mayo, diced avocado, sliced jalapeno, green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds and more furikake.

Video

Notes

Poke lasts in the fridge for up to 2 days and is best enjoyed fresh. 
To make poke nachos ahead of time, bake the wontons but keep seperate until you are ready to serve with the poke.
I would not recommend freezing poke after it has been seasoned.

Nutrition

Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 1193mg | Potassium: 644mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2960IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg

Loaded Hummus

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Grab the pita bread because this loaded hummus is a true showstopper of flavors! Creamy homemade hummus is generously garnished with all the fresh and flavorful toppings including chopped salad, creamy feta cheese, olive oil and bold spices. For another wonderful dip, try my Bread Dipping Oil with Fresh Herbs.

This loaded hummus is generously garnished with all the toppings including chopped salad, crumbled feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, olive oil, olives and bold spices.

I made a double batch of this loaded hummus a few weeks ago for a friends party and everyone loved it!

When it comes to hummus, I have a base recipe I have been using for years with a few tweaks here and there.

The Best Loaded Hummus

This loaded hummus is topped with all the fresh toppings, including my crunchy flavor packed Israeli chopped salad, toasted pine nuts, crumbled feta cheese, chopped olives, fresh herbs and bold spices. For a fiery addition, you can also add a drizzle of fresh and spicy zhoug sauce.

Once you make the hummus, have fun with all the toppings! You can also make this into a spin on traditional hummus, roasted beet hummus or avocado hummus which will be your go to favorite with all the same toppings that would be absolutely gorgeous!

Tips for a Creamy Hummus

  1. Use canned beans but add them to a pot of boiling water for 20 minutes to soften the beans even more.
  2. Take the time to remove the outside chickpea peel, I promise this ensures a smooth hummus.
  3. Add a few ice cubes while mixing the hummus in a food processor. The ice makes the tahini ordered from amazon in the hummus so incredibly smooth.
This loaded hummus is generously garnished with all the toppings including chopped salad, crumbled feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, olive oil, olives and bold spices.

Hummus Dip Ingredients

Make Ahead Tips

  • Hummus can easily be made ahead up to a week in advance.
  • Add the fresh toppings the same day you're planning to serve.
  • To make the loaded hummus ahead of time, keep the toppings and hummus seperate until you're ready to garnish and serve.
  • The fresh herbs and chopped salad are the most delicate toppings in this recipe, so keep seperate until the day you're plating and serving.

What to Dip in (and serve with)Hummus

The best part of hummus is what to dip into it! Here are a few favorites.

More Mediterranean favorites

Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Loaded Hummus

This loaded hummus is generously garnished with all the toppings including chopped salad, crumbled feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, olive oil, olives and bold spices.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Mezze
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword: loaded hummus
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 292kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Hummus

Toppings

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • If you have the time, add chickpeas to a pot of boiling water and boil for 20 minutes to soften the chickpeas even further.
  • Drain and rinse chickpeas and remove the outer chickpea peel.
  • To a food processor, add the chickpeas, tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, cumin and salt and blend together.
  • Add ice cold water a little bit at a time until desired consistency. You may use less than ¼ cup.
  • Blend until smooth and taste for seasoning.
  • Spread hummus onto a wide bowl and use the back of a spoon to create a well in the center.
  • Top hummus with all the toppings, chopped salad, crumbled feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, a good drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of sumac and fresh mint.

Notes

Hummus can easily be made ahead up to a week in advance.
Add the fresh toppings the same day you're planning to serve.
To make the loaded hummus ahead of time, keep the toppings and hummus seperate until you're ready to garnish and serve.
The fresh herbs and chopped salad are the most delicate toppings in this recipe, so keep seperate until the day you're plating and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 714mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 3mg

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta with Labneh

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This heirloom tomato bruschetta has a bit of a Middle Eastern twist. Colorful heirloom tomatoes are tossed with balsamic, Aleppo pepper and fresh mint and generously topped onto crostini that is spread with creamy labneh cheese. The combination of sweet tomatoes, fresh mint and tangy labneh cheese works so well! I made this recipe for my first TV appearance During my first cookbook tour.

This heirloom tomato bruschetta has a bit of a Middle Eastern twist. Colorful heirloom tomatoes are tossed with balsamic, Aleppo pepper and fresh mint and generously topped onto crostini that is spread with creamy labneh cheese.

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

Coming right from my cookbook, The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen, is one of my favorite tomato recipes from the book, heirloom tomato bruschetta

This is an easy recipe, made in nearly 10 minutes with a bit of a Middle Eastern twist compared to it's Italian version.

Colorful heirloom tomatoes are chopped and tossed with olive oil, balsamic and fresh mint.

Toasted crostini is spread with a generous layer of tangy labneh cheese and then topped with the fresh tomato mixture.

The combination of juicy tomatoes, fruity olive oil and tangy labneh cheese is out of this world!

Labneh Cheese

Labneh cheese is a strained yogurt cheese that is very popular in Mediterranean cuisine. It is one of my favorite ingredients and I use it in both sweet and savory recipes, such as beet chips with labneh and charred peaches with honey labneh.

Labneh is incredibly creamy, thick and slightly tangy.

Labneh is harder to find in traditional grocery stores and most often found in specialty Mediterranean stores.

Ingredients

  • Heirloom Tomatoes: Use a variety of colors and chop tomatoes into ¼ inch dice.
  • Olive Oil: A nice fruity or peppery olive oil works well since this is an uncooked dish, we want the olive oil to shine!
  • Aged Balsamic: A thicker and sweeter balsamic works well with the heirloom tomatoes. If you have a more sharp and acidic balsamic, add a teaspoon of honey to counter the sharpness.
  • Fresh Mint: Both used in the bruschetta and a few leaves for garnish.
  • Aleppo Pepper: A bit softer than traditional Italian red pepper flakes.
  • Labneh Cheese: The creamy labneh cheese paired with the fresh tomatoes works so well. If you can't find labneh cheese, a thick Greek yogurt would work.
  • Crostini: Cut 1-inch slices from a baguette and toast until dried and lightly golden.
This heirloom tomato bruschetta has a bit of a Middle Eastern twist. Colorful heirloom tomatoes are tossed with balsamic, Aleppo pepper and fresh mint and generously topped onto crostini that is spread with creamy labneh cheese.

More Heirloom Tomato Recipes

Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta with Labneh

This heirloom tomato bruschetta has a bit of a Middle Eastern twist. Colorful heirloom tomatoes are tossed with balsamic, Aleppo pepper and fresh mint and generously topped onto crostini that is spread with creamy labneh cheese.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Mezze, Snack
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword: heirloom tomato bruschetta
Servings: 8 crostini
Calories: 144kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, grated garlic, mint, olive oil, vinegar and spices and toss well to combine.
  • Spread about 1-2 tablespoons of labneh onto each baguette slice.
  • Top each crostini with a heaping tablespoon of bruschetta.
  • Garnish bruschetta with an extra drizzle of olive oil, fresh mint leaves and Aleppo pepper.

Notes

Tomato mixture can be made up to a day in advance. If making ahead, do not salt tomatoes until before serving. 
For best tasting tomatoes, store fresh tomatoes on the counter at room temperature. 
A good substitute for labneh cheese is thick full-fat greek yogurt.

Nutrition

Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 205mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 482IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg

Greek Tomato Fritters

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Greek tomato fritters are savory pancakes that are full of sweet tomatoes, fresh mint, dill and creamy feta cheese. The tomato fritters is fried until perfectly golden brown on both sides and served with a bright and lemony yogurt dill sauce.

Greek tomato fritters are savory pancakes that are full of sweet tomatoes, fresh mint, dill and creamy feta cheese. The tomato fritters is fried until perfectly golden brown on both sides and served with a bright and lemony yogurt dill sauce.

Greek Tomato Fritters

If you are looking for a true taste of the islands, these Greek tomato fritters is exactly what you need!

Also called domatokeftedes is Greek, these simple tomato fritters originated in Santorini and are loaded with fresh ingredients, including chopped tomatoes, loads of fresh herbs and crumbled feta cheese.

Once the tomato fritters are fried to perfectly golden brown, they can be served with a side of cool Greek yogurt flavored with lemon and dill.

Speaking of Fritters, here are two more wonderful Fritter recipes. My Zucchini Flower Fritters and my Pear Fritters with Orange Glaze and my will hit the spot. And if you're looking for another quick appetizer, try my Pan Con Tomate with Jamón.

Ingredients

  • Tomatoes: Use low moisture tomatoes such as roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or vine tomatoes.
  • Red Onion: About ¼ of a medium sized red onion chopped into a small dice. If you don't like red onion, chop 2-3 green onions and add that.
  • Fresh Mint: This is the perfect recipe to use up fresh mint! Take the leaves off the stem and give the herbs a good chop so there are no large pieces left.
  • Fresh Dill: Remove the dill from thick stems and give it a good chop. Save some dill for ganrish and to use in the yogurt sauce.
  • Fresh Parsley: Optional but offers another layer of fresh herbs.
  • Feta Cheese: A good Greek sheeps milk feta cheese in brine. The pre-crumbled options tend to be drier than a block of feta in brine.
  • Dried Oregano: You could use fresh oregano as well.
  • Flour: This recipe works with all purpose flour or a gluten free flour mix.
  • Baking Powder: Just a touch to give the fritters a nice texture.
  • Neutral Oil: A high smoke point oil that is neutral in flavor, such as avocado oil or vegetable oil.
  • Greek Yogurt: Mixed with a bit of fresh dill to serve alongside the tomato fritters.
  • Lemon: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the fritters and mixed into the yogurt sauce.

How to Make Greek Tomato Fritters

  1. To a large bowl, add chopped tomatoes, herbs, red onion, feta cheese, flour, baking powder and salt and pepper.
  2. Give everything a good mix until a thick batter is made. It should look like a very thick pancake batter. If mixture is too dry and not binding, add a tablespoon or two of water.
  3. Pour oil in a wide skillet and bring up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a tablespoon to scoop tomato mixture into the hot oil, gently pressing down to flatten.
  4. Fry 4-5 tomato fritters until golden brown on both sides.
  5. Once done, place fritters onto a paper towel lined plate
  6. For the yogurt sauce, mix Greek yogurt with dill and lemon juice and serve Greek tomato fritters with a dollop of yogurt sauce.
Greek tomato fritters with feta, herbs and lemon.

Serve Tomato Fritters with Other Mezze

Santorini tomato fritters are often served as part of a mezze or appetizer. Here are a few other recipes that would be fantastic and fun to serve alongside.

More Tomato inspiration

Greek tomato fritters are savory pancakes that are full of sweet tomatoes, fresh mint, dill and creamy feta cheese.
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Greek Tomato Fritters

Greek tomato fritters are savory pancakes that are full of sweet tomatoes, fresh mint, dill and creamy feta cheese. The tomato fritters is fried until perfectly golden brown on both sides and served with a bright and lemony yogurt dill sauce.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Mezze
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Keyword: Greek tomato fritters, Santorini tomato fritters
Servings: 10 fritters
Calories: 59kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Tomato Fritters

Yogurt Sauce

  • ½ cup greek yogurt
  • Few sprigs of fresh dill finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • To a large bowl, add chopped tomatoes, herbs, red onion, feta cheese, flour, baking powder and salt and pepper.
  • Give everything a good mix until a thick batter is made. It should look like a very thick pancake batter.
  • Pour oil in a wide skillet and bring up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a tablespoon to scoop tomato mixture into the hot oil, gently pressing down to flatten.
  • Fry 4-5 tomato fritters until golden brown on both sides.
  • Once done, place fritters onto a paper towel lined plate.
  • For the yogurt sauce, mix Greek yogurt with dill and lemon juice and serve Greek tomato fritters with a dollop of yogurt sauce.

Video

Notes

Mixture can be made up to a dan in advance. 
Tomato fritters can be made, fried, chilled and frozen for later use. After freezing, place fritters on a wire lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through. 
These Greek tomato fritters are great served immediately after frying and also at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 597IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1mg

Heirloom Tomato Fattoush Salad

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Heirloom tomato fattoush salad is a gorgeous and robust Mediterranean salad that is full of colorful heirloom tomatoes, crispy pita chips and dressed with a tangy pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. And for another layer of flavor, topped with a creamy lemon dill yogurt sauce.

tomato fattoush salad is a gorgeous and robust Mediterranean salad that is full of colorful heirloom tomatoes, crispy pita chips and dressed with a tangy pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. And for another layer of flavor, topped with a creamy lemon dill yogurt sauce.

Fattoush Salad

Hearty, full of textures and flavors, fattoush salad is one of my absolute favorite salads! Think of fattoush salad as a distant cousin of the Italian panzanella salad.

Fattoush salad is a Middle Eastern salad that is commonly made with leafy greens and snappy vegetables. And what makes fattoush salad so delicious is the crispy pita chips.

You can fry or bake the pita chips or to keep it even easier (and I won't tell), buy store bought pita chips and crush those into the fattoush salad.

Heirloom Tomato Fattoush Salad

For this fattoush salad, I took inspiration from my favorite summer ingredient, heirloom tomatoes! This flavorful salad is loaded with colorful heirloom tomatoes, fresh cucumbers and seasoned with za'atar and loads of fresh mint and dill.

There is so much flavor in this fresh fattoush salad! In addition to the marinated tomatoes, a tangy pomegranate vingrette dresses the entire salad.

And for another layer of texture and flavo, a simple fresh creamy yogurt sauce is dolloped on top.

Fresh, snappy, tangy, crunchy and creamy, the perfect descriptions of a really good salad.

Tomato Fattoush Salad Ingredients

  • Heirloom Tomatoes: Use a variety of color and sizes, cut into 1 inch chunks.
  • Cucumber: Persian cucumbers have a thinner peel and less seeds.
  • Za'atar: Za'atar is a Middle Eastern blend of dried herbs including dried thyme, sesame seeds and sumac. One of my favorite flavors, you can sprinkle zaatar onto anything including halloumi fries or onto roasted vegetables.
  • Aleppo Pepper: A slightly hot dried pepper from Syria that has more sweetness than traditional Italian red pepper flakes.
  • Fresh Herbs: Fresh mint and dill.
  • Pomegranate Molasses: Tangy and thick like honey, pomegranate molasses is reduced pomegranate juice. It is very tangy and great on top of tahini, drizzled over roasted vegetables and added to vinaigrettes.
  • Balsamic Vinegar: A sweeter, aged balsamic works well with the tangy pomegranate molasses. This Argentinian aged balsamic offers just the right amount of sweetness.
  • Olive Oil: For the vinaigrette and for an extra drizzle on top.
  • Greek Yogurt: Mixed with lemon juice and fresh herbs, the added creaminess is dolloped on top of the salad.
  • Pita Chips: You can make your own pita chips by cutting pita bread into triangles and baking for 15 minutes until crisp. Or use store bought pita chips and crush those into the fattoush salad.
tomato fattoush salad is a gorgeous and robust Mediterranean salad that is full of colorful heirloom tomatoes, crispy pita chips and dressed with a tangy pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. And for another layer of flavor, topped with a creamy lemon dill yogurt sauce.

How to Make Heirloom Tomato Fattoush

  1. Make the Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Whisk pomegranate molasses, honey, balsamic, olive oil and lemon juice together until emulsified and season with salt and pepper. You can also add everything to a small mason jar and shake until combined. Set aside.
  2. Make the Yogurt Sauce. In a small bowl, add Greek yogurt, lemon juice and dill and mix to combine and set aside.
  3. Make the Fattoush Salad. In a large bowl, add chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber and season with salt, Aleppo pepper, zaatar, and fresh mint and dill.
  4. Drizzle vinaigrette onto the salad and toss to combine. Add pita chips and give one more toss.
  5. Plate tomato fattoush salad into a wide bowl and garnish with dollops of yogurt sauce and an extra sprinkling of fresh herbs and drizzle of olive oil.

More Tomato Recipes to Try

Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Heirloom Tomato Fattoush Salad

Heirloom tomato fattoush salad is a gorgeous and robust Mediterranean salad that is full of colorful heirloom tomatoes, crispy pita chips and dressed with a tangy pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. And for another layer of flavor, topped with a creamy lemon dill yogurt sauce.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword: fattoush salad with salmon, tomato fattoush salad
Servings: 2 salads
Calories: 692kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Fattoush Salad

  • 2-3 heirlooms tomatoes cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 Persian cucumber chopped into ½ inch pieces
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves roughly chopped
  • ½ cup Fresh dill roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon za'atar
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 cup pita chips roughly crushed

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Yogurt Sauce

  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Few sprigs of fresh dill or mint finely chopped

Instructions

  • Make the Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Whisk pomegranate molasses, honey, balsamic, olive oil and lemon juice together until emulsified and season with salt and pepper. You can also add everything to a small mason jar and shake until combined. Set aside.
  • Make the Yogurt Sauce. In a small bowl, add Greek yogurt, lemon juice and dill and mix to combine and set aside.
  • Make the Fattoush Salad. In a large bowl, add chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber and season with salt, Aleppo pepper, zaatar, and fresh mint and dill.
  • Drizzle vinaigrette onto the salad and toss to combine. Add pita chips and give one more toss.
  • Plate tomato fattoush salad into a wide bowl and garnish with dollops of yogurt sauce and an extra sprinkling of fresh herbs and drizzle of olive oil.

Video

Notes

To make fresh pita chips, brush olive oil onto 1 pita bread and cut into 8 triangles. Bake pita bread for 15 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Then roughly crush up and add to fattoush salad.
If making the salad ahead of time, add pita chips and yogurt right before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 692kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 42g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 1963mg | Potassium: 629mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 2814IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 6mg

This recipe was originally published in July, 2014 and updated July 2022 with added nutritional information and updated recipe.

Silky Smooth Tomato Gazpacho

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Silky smooth tomato gazpacho made the traditional Spanish way with loads of summers best produce and a few extra additions to really make this chilled soup pop with flavor!

Silky smooth tomato gazpacho made the traditional Spanish way with loads of summers best produce and a few extra additions to really make this chilled soup pop with flavor! The soup is garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and topped with minced tomatoes, peppers and onions.

Traditional Gazpacho

There is nothing better on a hot day, than an ice cold bowl of chilled smooth tomato gazpacho.

Gazpacho is a traditional Spanish soup is made with copious amounts of produce, including tomatoes, onions and garlic and thickened with stale bread.

The stale bread addition is an Andaluz tradition and gives the gazpacho body and texture. The bounty of summers produce provide enough liquid to blend the gazpacho to be a smooth and satisfying soup

Other Varieties of Traditional Gazpacho

There are so many different versions of traditional gazpacho, such as yellow tomato gazpacho that is just as delicious and bright as it looks.

Another traditional Spanish gazpacho is a white gazpacho, also called ajo blanco in Spanish.

If you don't prefer tomatoes, this Spanish white gazpacho recipe is flavored with soaked almonds and sweet grapes.

Gazpacho Ingredients

This is the time of year to use the best that summers produce has to offer. Because gazpacho is a raw chilled soup, flavorful, in season tomatoes are crucial.

  • Tomatoes: A really good gazpacho deserves the best tomatoes! Heirloom tomatoes, roma tomatoes or sweet cherry tomatoes.
  • Red Onion: A little sweeter than white onion, though if sweet onions are in season, use that.
  • Cucumber: Persian cucumbers have a thinner peel than traditional cucumbers and less seeds. If you are making a smooth gazpacho, the peels will be left behind. If you are leaving the gazpacho chunky, I recommend peeling the cucumber for a better texture.
  • Bell Peppers: Sweet red, orange or yellow bell peppers are ideas to add more sweetness to the gazpacho.
  • Jalapeño: Added with seeds for a bit of heat, If you don't prefer spicy, omit all together. If you like a small amount of heat, remove some of the seeds.
  • Garlic: Just a few cloves to that added bite.
  • Stale Bread: Traditional gazpacho uses stale bread that is soaked in a bit of water and then marinated with the other produce. Stale bread is ideal to achieve the perfect gazpacho texture.
  • Olive Oil: Because this is a raw soup, a really flavorful extra virgin olive oil is essential. Some personal favorites is this organic Argentinian olive oil. and this Italian olive oil that I use just as a finishing oil to garnish on top of the gazpacho.
  • Red Wine Vinegar: A few dashes of sharp red wine vinegar take the gazpacho from 'oh that's good', to 'WOW!' The acidity immediately punches up all of the other flavors!

Variety of vegetables to make Spanish gazpacho, including tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, cucumber and garlic.

How to Make Smooth Tomato Gazpacho

  1. In a medium sized bowl, roughly tear up bread and add enough water to soak all the bread for 10 minutes.
In a medium sized bowl, roughly tear up bread and add enough water to soak all the bread for 10 minutes.


2. Squeeze out any excess water from the bread and add all the chopped vegetables, garlic and drizzle everything with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Give everything a good mix so all the flavors are combined and let mixture sit for at least 20 minutes.

Next step for gazpacho, squeeze out any excess water from the bread and add all the chopped vegetables, garlic and drizzle everything with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Give everything a good mix so all the flavors are combined and let mixture sit for at least 20 minut

3. Add mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until pureed well and there are no large pieces left over.

Add a few dashes of red wine vinegar, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Add gazpacho mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until pureed well and there are no large pieces left over. Add a few dashes of red wine vinegar, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

4. Pour the gazpacho through a fine mesh strainer and use a spoon to press onto the pulp to get as much liquid out as possible.

Pour the gazpacho through a fine mesh strainer and use a spoon to press onto the pulp to get as much liquid out as possible.

5. Chill gazpacho for at least 1 hour. Then pour smooth gazpacho into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and finely chopped tomatoes, peppers and onion.

Chill gazpacho for at least 1 hour. Then pour smooth gazpacho into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and finely chopped tomatoes, peppers and onion.

Can you Make Gazpacho Ahead of Time?

Gazpacho is a perfect recipe to make ahead of time. You can make gazpacho for up to 3 days in advance. This gives the gazpacho time to chill and for all the flavors to blend together.

Can you Freeze Gazpacho?

Gazpacho freezes very well. Once thawed. there may be residual water and that's ok, just give the gazpacho a good mix or pulse in the blender a few times and it's good as new.

How to Serve Gazpacho?

You can serve gazpacho as a main course or appetizer. For an appetizer, pour gazpacho into shot glasses with a drizzle of olive oil and flakey sea salt.

To serve gazpacho as a main, pour chilled gazpacho into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and top with minced onion, bell pepper and tomato.

Print Recipe
5 from 17 votes

Smooth Tomato Gazpacho

Silky smooth tomato gazpacho made the traditional Spanish way with loads of summers best produce and a few extra additions to really make this chilled soup pop with flavor!
Prep Time20 minutes
Chilling1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Spanish
Keyword: smooth gazpacho, traditional gazpacho, yellow tomato gazpacho
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 302kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Toppings

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium sized bowl, roughly tear up bread and add enough water to soak all the bread for 10 minutes.
  • Squeeze out any excess water from the bread and add all the chopped vegetables, garlic and drizzle everything with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Give everything a good mix so all the flavors are combined and let mixture sit for at least 20 minutes.
  • Add mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until pureed well and there are no large pieces left over.
  • Add a few dashes of red wine vinegar, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
  • Pour the gazpacho through a fine mesh strainer and use a spoon to press onto the pulp to get as much liquid out as possible.
  • Chill gazpacho for at least 1 hour. Then pour smooth gazpacho into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and finely chopped tomatoes, peppers and onion.

Video

Notes

Gazpacho can be made ahead of time up to 3 days in advance. 
You can freeze gazpacho easily. When ready to thaw and serve, it may contain a bit more water, so just pulse through a food processor a few times before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 906mg | Potassium: 1309mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 6075IU | Vitamin C: 162mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

Pesto Broccolini

· 14 Comments

Pesto broccolini is the ultimate side dish! Though, I will happily enjoy this as a main course too! Roasted broccolini is tossed with an herbaceous homemade pesto and garnished with toasted almonds, fresh lemon zest and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.

Roasted broccolini is tossed with an herbaceous pesto and garnished with toasted almonds, fresh lemon zest and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.

Pesto Broccolini

For years I thought I didn't like pesto. I always found it too salty and not the bursting with the fresh basil flavors that I craved.

Not until I started making my own pesto years ago. Pesto is all about balancing layers into a bright, slightly spicy and herbaceous spread.

My basil almond pesto is heavy on the basil and lighter on the Parmesan. Tender broccolini is roasted until just tender and tossed with a few spoonfuls of pesto until evenly coated.

Roasted broccolini with pesto is an easy vegetable dish that is done in under 30 minutes and is bursting with fresh flavors and textures.

Ingredients

  • Broccolini: Smaller than broccoli, broccolini is more tender with thinner leaves and a slimmer stalk. The only prepping you need to do to broccolini is to trim ¼ inch off the ends and cut larger stalks in half, lengthwise.
  • Toasted Almonds: Lightly toasted sliced or slivered almonds are used in the pesto and as garnish.
  • Fresh Basil: The main component in a classic pesto. Other options are arugula and spinach for a more mild pesto.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Grated for the pest and you could save some to garnish as well.
  • Olive Oil: A good amount is used in the pesto and for a final drizzle as garnish. Some of my favorites are this organic Argentinian olive oil and this Italian Laudemio olive oil that I only use as a finishing oil.
  • Garlic: Just 1 clove to not overpower the pesto.
  • Fresh Lemon: Lemon juice and broccolini go so well together. Right before serving, grate a bit of lemon zest over the roasted broccolini and a squeeze of lemon juice to wake up all the flavors.
  • Aleppo Pepper or Red Pepper: Optional for added heat and right at the end as a garnish. Aleppo pepper is a bit softer than traditional red pepper.

How to Make Roasted Broccolini with Pesto

  1. Make the pesto by adding toasted almonds and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is ground well.
  2. Add the fresh basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper and pulse until well incorporated and there are no large pieces of basil or almonds. Taste pesto for seasoning and adjust as needed.
  3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and trim ¼ inch off the broccolini ends. If there are any large stalks, cut those in half, lengthwise.
  4. Place broccolini on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Roast broccolini for 10-15 minutes until just tender and cooked through.
  6. Toss broccolini with 2-3 tablespoons of pesto and arrange on a serving platter. Garnish pesto broccolini with lemon zest and juice red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper, toasted sliced almonds and a drizzle of olive oil.
Roasted broccolini is tossed with an herbaceous pesto and garnished with toasted almonds, fresh lemon zest and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.

Helpful Tips and Substitutions

  • Broccolini only takes 10-15 minutes to cook, so roast at a higher eat to caramelize the vegetable and still keep it tender and snappy.
  • This recipe makes more pesto than you need for the broccolini. You can store leftover pesto for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and add to pastas, pizzas and tarts.
  • When roasting broccolini on a baking sheet, spread them out so there is even roasting all around the vegetables.
  • Other ways to cook broccolini: Blanching, which is boiling the broccolini for a few minutes until it turns bright green, then immediately shocking the broccolini by placing the vegetables in a bowl filled with ice cold water to keep the color in tact and stop the cooking.
  • If fresh basil is not available for the pesto, substitute peppery arugula or mild spinach.
  • Pesto broccolini can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Serve Pesto Broccolini with These Recipes

Pesto broccolini is full of flavor and made in under 30 minutes! Roasted broccolini is tossed with fresh pesto and finished with bright lemon zest.
Print Recipe
5 from 15 votes

Pesto Broccolini

Roasted broccolini is tossed with an herbaceous pesto and garnished with toasted almonds, fresh lemon zest and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword: broccolini with pesto, pesto broccolini, roasted broccolini with pesto
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 626kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Basil Almond Pesto

Broccolini

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Make the pesto by adding toasted almonds and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is ground well.
  • Add the fresh basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper and pulse until well incorporated and there are no large pieces of basil or almonds. Taste pesto for seasoning and adjust as needed. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and place broccolini on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Roast broccolini for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are just tender and cooked through.
  • Toss cooked broccolini with 2-3 tablespoons of pesto and arrange on a serving platter.
  • Garnish pesto broccolini with lemon zest, Aleppo pepper, toasted sliced almonds, drizzle of olive oil and lemon wedges.

Video

Notes

  • Broccolini only takes 10-15 minutes to cook, so roast at a higher eat to caramelize the vegetable and still keep it tender and snappy.and tarts.
  • This recipe makes more pesto then you need for the broccolini. You can store leftover pesto for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and add to pastas, pizzas.
  • When roasting broccolini on a baking sheet, spread them out so there is even roasting all around the vegetables.
  • Other ways to cook broccolini: Blanching, which is boiling the broccolini for a few minutes until it turns bright green then immediately shocking them by placing the vegetables in a bowl filled with ice cold water.
  • If fresh basil is not available for the pesto, substitute peppery arugula or mild spinach.
  • Pesto broccolini can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 42g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 730mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2764IU | Vitamin C: 107mg | Calcium: 220mg | Iron: 3mg

Passion Fruit Margarita with Li Hing Mui

· 32 Comments

Passion fruit margarita is a true sip of the tropics! Inspired from the flavors of Hawaii, tropical passion fruit puree is shaken with the classic flavors of a margarita. And the best part is the sweet and tart li hing mui rim.

Passion fruit margarita is a true sip of the tropics! Inspired from the flavors of Hawaii, tropical passion fruit juice is shaken with the classic flavors of a margarita. And the best part is the sweet and tart li hing mui rim.
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Growing up in Hawaii, I was lucky to be surrounded by big, juicy and aromatic passion fruit. There is a farm stand up the mountain in Captain Cook on the Big Island that will sell just the passion fruit juice or passion fruit butter. It's worth seeking it out.

Passion fruit is called lilikoi in Hawaiian and is fantastic in all sorts of recipes and cocktails, such as passion fruit mojito and passion fruit bars

Passion Fruit Margarita

The flavor of passion fruit is robust, slightly tart and tropical. Passion fruit is perfumed and works so well with other tropical flavors, such as orange and lime.

This passion fruit margarita has the classic margarita ingredients, including triple sec, grand marnier, a bit of simple syrup and of course, passion fruit juice.

The best part of this margarita is the li hing mui rim. I'll chat more about what li hing mui is, but it offers a stunning tart puckery flavor that works so well with the passion fruit cocktail.

What is Li Hing Mui?

Li hing mui is dried plum and is very popular in Hawaii.

You can buy li hing mui as seeds in a bag that is coated with salt, sugar and sometimes food coloring. Li hing mui also comes as a powder, which is what I used to rim the passion fruit margarita with.

The flavor of li hing mui is salty, sweet, tangy and tart. Often, you'll find dried mango and other dried fruit coated with li hing mui that are sold as snacks and one of my personal favorite treats.

Passion fruit margarita is a true sip of the tropics! Inspired from the flavors of Hawaii, tropical passion fruit juice is shaken with the classic flavors of a margarita. And the best part is the sweet and tart li hing mui rim.

Ingredients

Passion Fruit Puree or Juice: Fresh passion fruit is hard to find on the mainland, so I recommend using passion fruit juice or the Goya brand frozen passion fruit puree. You can often find frozen passion fruit juice in Latin or Asian markets.

Fresh passion Fruit: If using fresh passion fruit, scoop out the pulp from 1-2 passion fruits and use that in the margarita. You can also scoop out the passion fruit to use as garnish, as the seeds have a lovely contrast in flavor and texture.

Tequila: When making a margarita, a light tequila is prefered.

Grand Marnier: This is an orange liqueur and a home bar must have. You can substitute cointreau instead.

Triple Sec: Another citrus liqueur that has more sweetness.

Simply Syrup or Agave: You can make your own simple syrup by gently boiling equal parts sugar and water. Once the sugar dissolves, let cool and pour into a mason jar and keep in the fridge for cocktails.

Li Hing Mui Powder: Found all over Hawaii, li hing mui is dried plum that is ground into a fine powder. The flavor is salty and sour and pairs very well with the sweetness of the margarita. Instead of traditional salt, li hing mui powder is rimmed onto the glass.

Make a Frozen Passion Fruit Margarita

Instead of having a margarita on the rocks, make a frozen passion fruit margarita.

Add all of the margarita ingredients to a blender with ice and blend until smooth and thickened.

If you have frozen passion fruit puree, keep it frozen and add that into the blender.

Rim your glass with li hing mui powder, pour the lilikoi margarita in and enjoy!

Passion fruit margarita is a true sip of the tropics! Inspired from the flavors of Hawaii, tropical passion fruit juice is shaken with the classic flavors of a margarita. And the best part is the sweet and tart li hing mui rim.

More Hawaiian Recipes

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

Hawaiian Style Shoyu Chicken

Passion fruit margarita is a true sip of the tropics! Inspired from the flavors of Hawaii, tropical passion fruit juice is shaken with the classic flavors of a margarita. And the best part is the sweet and tart li hing mui rim.
Print Recipe
5 from 22 votes

Passion Fruit Margarita with Li Hing Mui

Passion fruit margarita is a true sip of the tropics! Inspired from the flavors of Hawaii, tropical passion fruit juice is shaken with the classic flavors of a margarita. And the best part is the sweet and tart li hing mui rim.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Cocktail
Cuisine: Asian, Hawaiian, Latin, Mexican
Keyword: passion fruit margarita
Servings: 1 Margarita
Calories: 253kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 ouces passion fruit purée
  • 1.5 ounce Tequila
  • 1 ounce Triple sec
  • ¾ oz Grand Marnier
  • ½ ouce simple syrup or agave
  • Ice
  • Li hing mui powder for rim
  • Orange and lime slices/wedges for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Run an orange wedge or lime wedge around the rim of your glass and dip into li hing mui powder. Fill with ice.
  • In a shaker, add passion fruit puree, tequila, triple sex, Grand marnier and simple syrup and shake for at least 10 seconds.
  • Strain margarita into glass and garnish with more passion fruit pulp, if desired and orange and lime slices.

Notes

If using fresh passion fruit, scoop out the pulp from 1-2 passion fruit for the margarita.
You can find passion fruit puree in the frozen section of Latin and Asian markets. I recommend the Goya brand. 

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 22mg | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Lemon Orzo Salad with Corn and Basil

· 47 Comments

This light lemon orzo salad comes together in a breeze! Cooked orzo is tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette, grilled corn, creamy feta and lots of fresh basil. Easy, quick, light and fresh is what I look for in the perfect pasta salad.

This easy lemon orzo salad comes together quickly! Orzo is tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette, grilled corn, creamy feta and lots of fresh basil.

Easy Lemon Orzo Salad

Today, I am whipping up an easy and light lemon orzo salad with grilled corn, fresh basil and creamy feta. This simple pasta salad is fantastic alongside grilled chicken shawarma skewers and grilled salmon or tossed with a few spoonfuls of basil almond pesto.

This recipe comes together in a breeze. Orzo cooks incredibly fast and once that's done, all you have to do is mix everything together and done, you have a light and fresh orzo pasta salad to enjoy all summer long!

And what ties the orzo salad together is the quick lemon vinaigrette. At the bottom of your mixing bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and then toss everything else in.

This easy lemon orzo salad comes together quickly! Orzo is tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette, grilled corn, creamy feta and lots of fresh basil.

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil: Because this is a main part in the dressing, use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. I am loving this Organic Argentinian olive oil.
  • Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is ideal.
  • Cooked Orzo: Found in the pasta aisle of grocery stores. or any other small shaped pasta.
  • Grilled Corn: If you don't have whole ears of corn to grill, you can use 1 cup of frozen corn kernels and saute in a skillet with a bit of olive oil until caramelized.
  • Fresh Basil: And a good amount of it, roughly torn or sliced into thin ribbons.
  • Feta Cheese: Buy a whole block of feta in the brine if you can and crumble the feta yourself. Blocks of feta are much creamier than the pre crumbled options.

How to Make this Easy Orzo Salad

  1. Grill ears of corn until charred on all sides. Use a sharp knife to cut kernels off and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
  3. Add cooked orzo, grilled corn kernels, a handful of shredded fresh basil and crumbled feta cheese and stir everything to combine so the dressing coats everything.
  4. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Some Tips and Substitutions

  • If you don't' have whole ears of corn, you can substitute frozen corn kernels.Defrost corn kernels (I like to run it under warm water) and dry well. Then add corn to a skillet with olive oil and saute until caramelized.
  • Instead of crumbled feta cheese, creamy goat cheese would be delicious as well as small mozzarella balls.
  • This lemon orzo salad stores very well and can be made ahead up to 2 days in advance. If making ahead, add basil right before serving.
  • Other mix-in options: chopped castelveltrano olives, sun dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or grilled zucchini.

Recipes to Serve with Lemon Orzo Salad

This easy lemon orzo salad comes together quickly! Orzo is tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette, grilled corn, creamy feta and lots of fresh basil.

More Great Salads to Try

Easy lemon orzo salad is tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette, grilled corn, creamy feta and lots of fresh basil.
Print Recipe
5 from 41 votes

Lemon Orzo Salad with Corn and Basil

A simple and flavorful lemon orzo salad with grilled corn, fresh basil and creamy feta cheese.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Keyword: lemon orzo salad
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 403kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cook orzo according to package directions and run under cold water once cooked. Set aside.
  • Grill ears of corn until charred on all sides. Use a sharp knife to cut kernels off and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, the grated garlic, add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
  • Add cooked orzo, grilled corn kernels, a handful of shredded fresh basil and crumbled feta cheese and stir everything to combine so the dressing coats everything.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Video

Notes

  • If you don't' have whole ears of corn, you can substitute frozen corn kernels.Defrost corn kernels (I like to run it under warm water) and dry well. Then add corn to a skillet with olive oil and saute until caramelized.
  • Instead of crumbled feta cheese, creamy goat cheese would be delicious as well as small mozzarella balls.
  • This lemon orzo salad stores very well and can be made ahead up to 2 days in advance. If making ahead, add basil right before serving.
  • Other mix-in options: chopped castelveltrano olives, sun dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or grilled zucchini.

Nutrition

Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 621mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 599IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 1mg

Hawaiian Style Shoyu Poke

· 3 Comments

Shoyu poke is a popular poke style that you'll find all over the Hawaiian islands. This version of ahi tuna poke has cubed ahi (tuna) that is seasoned with shoyu (soy sauce), sesame oil and sliced sweet onions.

Shoyu poke is a popular poke style that you'll find all over the Hawaiian islands. This version is ahi shoyu poke with cubed ahi (tuna) that's seasoned with shoyu (soy sauce), sesame oil and sliced sweet onions.

As I looked back on the recipes that I've shared, I can't believe I never shared a Hawaii classic, ahi shoyu poke! I grew up on various types of poke in Hawaii, ahi tuna poke and and octopus (tako poke) are some of my favorites.

Speaking of Favorites, my Seared Furikake Ahi brings this wonderful fish to a new level.

Ahi Tuna Poke

Tuna poke has become incredibly popular on the mainland over the last few years, with all kinds of different variations, poke bowls and flavorings. I've even had fun playing with cultural twists and during Hanukkah, made a "Hawaiian Latke" where I made Taro Latkes with Poke. And during the summer, I love making tuna poke nachos!

When I was growing up in Kona, I don't remember there ever being different poke bowls, we would just order ahi tuna poke from the deli at the grocery store and eat it right out of the container.

This shoyu poke recipe is possibly the most popular style. Cubes of tuna are seasoned with shoyu, sliced sweet onion, sesame oil and sesame seeds, Hawaiian salt and a touch of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.

Shoyu Poke vs. Hawaiian Poke

Most people may call shoyu poke, Hawaiian poke, but they are actually different.

Hawaiian poke is tossed Hawaiian salt and onion as well, but the difference is added roasted kukui nut, which is harder to find on the mainland.

Shoyu poke is a popular poke style that you'll find all over the Hawaiian islands. This version is ahi shoyu poke with cubed ahi (tuna) that's seasoned with shoyu (soy sauce), sesame oil and sliced sweet onions.

Shoyu vs. Soy Sauce

Shoyu is a Japanese style of soy sauce and is the popular soy sauce that is used in Hawaii. You'll find shoyu in every home and at most restaurant tables.

Aloha shoyu is a popular brand used in Hawaii and personally, I find this shoyu a bit sweeter and more mild than traditional soy sauce.

Shoyu Poke Ingredients

Poke is really a "to your own taste buds and preference" recipe. I've made tuna poke recipes with red onion or with avocado and different types of seaweed and ginger. But really, use what you have on hand.

My only suggestion is to not let the flavorings overpower the already beautiful fish, add just enhance the ahi.

  • Ahi (Tuna): Yellowfin tuna that has been immediately frozen is safe to eat. Look for good quality tuna that does not have any added dyes. And instead of cubing, keep the steaks whole for furikake crusted ahi.
  • Shoyu: A Japanese style of soy sauce that is a bit more sweeter and mild than other soy sauce. Aloha Shoyu is a popular brand used in Hawaii.
  • Sesame Oil: If you can find toasted sesame oil, that gives great flavor!
  • Sesame Seeds: Black or white sesame seeds work here.
  • Ogo Seaweed: This is the brand used in this recipe. It's chopped and dried and re-hydrates as the poke sits.
  • Sweet Onion: If you're in Hawaii and can get your hands on sweet Maui onion, that is ideal, but if you're on the mainland, sweet vidalia onion work well.
  • Hawaiian Salt: Highly recommend always having Hawaiian salt on hand. The grains are coarse and a little goes a long way. You can use Hawaiian salt on poke or when making kalua pork and lomi salmon.
Bag of Hawaiian salt that is used in making poke and kalua pork.

What to Look For When Shopping for Ahi (Tuna)

  • If buying fresh (in Hawaii), find out how long ago the fish was caught, the fresher, the better.
  • Ahi should have a deep color and look plump.
  • Don't buy fish with added colorings or dyes.
  • Outside of Hawaii, ahi should be frozen immediately after being caught and prepped and will stay frozen until the customer purchases.
  • Fish should never smell or taste "fishy", as I like to say, "the nose, knows!"

More great Hawaiian inspiration

Shoyu poke is a popular poke style that you'll find all over the Hawaiian islands. This version is ahi shoyu poke with cubed ahi (tuna) that's seasoned with shoyu (soy sauce), sesame oil and sliced sweet onions.
Print Recipe
5 from 8 votes

Shoyu Poke

Shoyu poke is a popular Hawaiian poke recipe with cubes of ahi mixed with seaweed, sesame oil, slices of sweet onion and Hawaiian salt.
Prep Time10 minutes
Thawing2 hours
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Asian, Hawaiian
Keyword: ahi shoyu poke, Hawaiian poke, shoyu poke
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 228kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $15

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • If using dried seaweed, make sure to reconstitute it in warm water before adding into dish.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Video

Notes

Poke is one of those recipes that doesn't need exact measurements, taste and adjust as you go. 
Poke lasts in the fridge for up to 2 days and is best enjoyed fresh. 
I would not recommend freezing poke after it has been seasoned.

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 1083mg | Potassium: 408mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2687IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg

Tilapia Ceviche

· 2 Comments

There is no better way to celebrate summer than with a pile of ice cold ceviche, crisp tortilla chips, extra hot sauce and perhaps a cold drink in hand to wash it all down. This Tilapia ceviche is bright, crisp and so refreshing. Marinated with fresh lime juice and tossed with cucumbers, jalapenos and cubes of avocado, just at the finish.

Tilapia Ceviche full of bright citrus juice and cool flavors of avocado, tomato and cucumber. The perfect summer bite! via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

I have been lucky to always live by a body of water and with that, have grown up with all sorts of seafood dishes. I'll take a bowl of steamed clams any day, thank you!

And with summer at its peak, there is nothing better than a bowl of ice cold tilapia ceviche with extra hot sauce, maybe some spicy pineapple pico de gallo and chilled micheladas. Or maybe a passion fruit mojito in one hand and ceviche in the other. Sounds glorious, doesn't it?

Tilapia Ceviche

Ceviche is a dish where raw fish is marinated with fresh citrus juice, in this case, lemon and lime juice. The acidic citrus gently "cooks" the fish and provides great bright flavor too.

Finely chopped jalapeno, fresh herbs and cubed avocado and cucumber are mixed in right before serving. If those ingredients were added at the beginning of the marinating process, the lime juice would break it down too much, creating. a mushy consistency.

Ceviche Ingredients

  • Tilapia Filets: This is a mild white fish that works very well for ceviche. When buying filets, the fish should look fresh, opaque and not have a "fishy" odor.
  • Fresh Citrus Juice: it's worth it to squeeze fresh limes. A simple citrus squeezer makes this prep a breeze!
  • Tomato: If heirloom tomatoes are in season, use that or a nice deep red roma tomato.
  • Sweet Onion: If you can't find sweet onions, which are much more mild than other yellow onions, red onion is a nice option.
  • Cucumber: Thin skinned Persian cucumbers have less seeds and stay crisp in the ceviche.
  • Avocado: Diced and added right before serving to keep its creamy texture. Adding too early on can make the avocado turn into mush.
  • Jalapeño: Minced and if you like the heat, keep the seeds in. Serrano pepper is a nice option as well.
  • Fresh cilantro: Is an absolute must in ceviche and also added right before serving.

Tilapia Ceviche full of bright citrus juice and cool flavors of avocado, tomato and cucumber. The perfect summer bite! via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

A Few Tips and Substitutions

  • Buy good quality fish that is fresh and has some firmness to it.
  • Other fish options for ceviche are sea bass, shrimp and rockfish. All of those options are mild and when cut to the same ½ inch cubes, will marinate and cook in the citrus juice.
  • Ceviche can over cook in the lime juice, so will not work well for overnight marinating. Stick to the 2 hour mark so you don't risk "overcooking" the ceviche.
  • Add the vegetables and herbs after the marinating has completed so the texture of the vegetables is not altered by the citrus juice.
  • Use a glass bowl or other non-reactive bowl for the marinating. The strong citrus juice could react to other metal bowls.

How to Make Tilapia Ceviche

  1. Prep the Tilapia. Cut out the bloodline and remove any bones, if there are any. Cut tilapia into small bite sized pieces, about ½ inch cubes.
Prep the Tilapia for ceviche. Cut out the bloodline and remove any bones, if there are any. Cut tilapia into small bite sized pieces, about ½ inch cubes.

2. Add fish to a glass bowl (I wouldn't recommend using metal because it may react to the citrus) and pour in citrus juice and zest. Make sure that the juice covers all the fish. Then cover the fish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to let it marinate for 2 hours. Every half hour or so, use a spoon to toss it around.

Add fish to a glass bowl (I wouldn't recommend using metal because it may react to the citrus) and pour in citrus juice and zest. Make sure that the juice covers all the fish. Then cover the fish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to let it marinate for 2 hours. Every half hour or so, use a spoon to toss it around.


3. While fish is marinating, chop up the tomato, cucumber, jalapeno and herbs to about the same size as the fish. Add these ingredients right before serving.

While fish is marinating for ceviche, chop up the tomato, cucumber, jalapeno and herbs to about the same size as the fish. Add these ingredients right before serving.

4. When the fish is done, it should look opaque and white. Discard most of citrus marinade, leaving about a tablespoon.

When the fish is done, it should look opaque and white. Discard most of citrus marinade, leaving about a tablespoon.

5. Stir in all of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh cilantro and avocado and give the ceviche one final stir and taste.

Serve tilapia ceviche with extra lime sedges and hot sauce.

Stir in all of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh cilantro and avocado and give the ceviche one final stir and taste. Serve tilapia ceviche with extra lime sedges and hot sauce.

More seafood recipes

Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Tilapia Ceviche

Tilapia Ceviche is full of bright citrus juice and cool flavors of avocado, tomato and cucumber. The perfect summer bite!
Prep Time15 minutes
Marinate2 hours
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Lunch
Cuisine: Latin, Mexican
Keyword: ceviche recipe, tilapia ceviche
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 163kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ¾ pound tilapia filets cut into ½ inch cubes
  • 2 lemons juiced and zest
  • 2 limes juiced and zest (total of ¾ cup of juice)
  • 1 medium sized tomato seeded and diced
  • 1 small jalapeño minced
  • ¼ medium sweet onion diced
  • 1 Persian cucumber diced (peeled, is optional)
  • ½ avocado diced
  • Small bunch of cilantro leaves roughly chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Hot sauce as needed
  • Tortilla chips for serving
  • Lime wedges for serving
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prep the Tilapia. Cut out the bloodline and remove any bones, if there are any. Cut tilapia into small bite sized pieces, about ½ inch cubes.
  • Add fish to a glass bowl (I wouldn't recommend using metal because it may react to the citrus) and pour in citrus juice and zest. Make sure that the juice covers all the fish. Then cover the fish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to let it marinate for 2 hours. Every half hour or so, use a spoon to toss it around.
  • While fish is marinating, chop up the tomato, cucumber, jalapeno and herbs to about the same size as the fish. Add these ingredients right before serving.
  • Stir in all of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh cilantro and avocado and give the ceviche one final stir and taste.
  • Serve tilapia ceviche with extra lime sedges and hot sauce.

Notes

  • Buy good quality fish that is fresh and has some firmness to it.
  • Other fish options for ceviche are sea bass, shrimp and rockfishAdd the vegetables and herbs . All of those options are mild and when cut to the same ½ inch cubes, will marinate and cook in the citrus juice.
  • Ceviche can over cook in the lime juice, so will not work well for overnight marinating. Stick to the 2 hour mark so you don't risk "overcooking" the ceviche.
  • Add the vegetables and herbs after the marinating has completed so the texture of the vegetables is not altered by the citrus juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 614mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 374IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg

Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms

· 18 Comments

As soon as it's zucchini season, ricotta stuffed squash blossoms are always on the menu! Creamy ricotta seasoned with herbs and lemon zest is gently piped into delicate zucchini flowers and then dipped in a light batter and fried to a golden perfection. We like to serve them with lemon wedges on the side.

Ricotta stuffed squash blossoms are a summer staple. Seasoned with herbs, lemon zest and gently fried to perfectly golden brown.

Squash Blossoms

It's not summer until fried squash blossoms are on the menu! As the summer peaks and zucchini and squash begin to fruit, we're lucky enough to be gifted with their delicate and delicious flowers as well.

I love cooking with zucchini, making zucchini baba ghanoush or this Turkish zucchini pie, but there is nothing like the light, airy and crispy feel of a perfect fried squash flower.

The zucchini flowers is what turns into the fruit, if it is the female plant. The male flowers will grow with just a single stem and are also edible. These are the ones I will harvest so the female plant can grow into zucchini. However, if you have an abundance of zucchini, harvest any of the flowers.

How to Clean Squash Blossoms

The first time I made stuffed zucchini flowers, I washed the flowers, making the delicate petals incredibly hard to work with.

Because the petals are so thin and fragile, handling them less is preferred. You most likely won't see any dirt on the flowers, but if you do, use a damp cloth to gently wipe any away.

Before stuffing, gently open up the flower and remove the inside stem. This will give more room for the stuffing.

Fresh zucchini flowers before stuffing with chese.

Ingredients

  • Zucchini Flowers
  • Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
  • Egg
  • Fresh Herbs: Any combination of mint, parsley, basil or oregano
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Lemon Zest
  • Flour
  • Sparkling Water or Beer
  • Vegetable Oil

How to Make Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms

  1. Make the filling. In a bowl, add ricotta, egg, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, chopped herb, salt and pepper. Mix everything together.
Filling for stuffed squash blossoms. Make the filling. In a bowl, add ricotta, egg, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, chopped herb, salt and pepper. Mix everything together.

2. Use a resealable bag and open it up into a cup. This will help keep the filling in place. Spoon filling into the bag, making sure it's not too full. Close the bag, squeezing out as much air as you can and set aside.

Use a resealable bag and open it up into a cup. This will help keep the filling in place. Spoon filling into the bag, making sure it's not too full. Close the bag, squeezing out as much air as you can and set aside.

3. Gently open up the squash blossom and remove the small stem from inside the flower, being careful not to tear the delicate petals. Leave the large stem intact, this will help when dipping the stuffed flower into the batter.

Gently open up the squash blossom and remove the small stem from inside the flower, being careful not to tear the delicate petals. Leave the large stem intact, this will help when dipping the stuffed flower into the batter.

4. Fill the blossoms. Snip a small corner off the resealable bag and twist the large opening of the bag closed, creating a piping bag.

5. Open the squash flower and pipe the ricotta mixture into the flower opening, but not too much that it overflows. Gently twist the petals together and set aside. Repeat with the rest.

Open the squash flower and pipe the ricotta mixture into the flower opening, but not too much that it overflows. Gently twist the petals together and set aside. Repeat with the rest.

6. Heat a wide skillet with a ½ inch of vegetable oil (or any high-heat oil you like) to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oil is heating up, make the coating.

7. In another bowl, add flour, salt and pepper and sparkling water. Whisk together until it looks like a pancake batter consistency.

8. Dredge the stuffed blossoms. Use the stem to dip the blossom into the batter. Allow excess batter to drip off. Gently drop the stuffed squash blossom into the hot oil. It should sizzle right away.

9. Fry the squash flowers on the first side for about 2-3 minutes until lightly golden brown and carefully flip to other side and fry for another 1-2 minutes until puffed up and lightly golden brown.

Dredge the stuffed blossoms and gently drop the stuffed squash blossom into the hot oil. Fry the squash flowers on the first side for about 2-3 minutes until lightly golden brown and carefully flip to other side and fry for another 1-2 minutes until puffed up and lightly golden brown.


10. Place fried squash blossoms onto paper towel lined plate and immediately season with flaky salt on top. Serve immediately with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Ricotta stuffed squash blossoms are a summer staple. Seasoned with herbs, lemon zest and gently fried to perfectly golden brown.

More Summer recipes

Print Recipe
4.91 from 11 votes

Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Ricotta stuffed squash blossoms are a summer staple. Seasoned with herbs, lemon zest and gently fried to perfectly golden brown.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Mezze
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword: ricotta stuffed squash blossoms, stuffed squash blossoms
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 211kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Ricotta Filling

Coating

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Make the filling. In a bowl, add ricotta, egg, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, chopped herb, salt and pepper. Mix everything together.
  • Use a resealable bag and open it up into a cup. This will help keep the filling in place. Spoon filling into the bag, making sure it's not too full. Close the bag, squeezing out as much air as you can and set aside.
  • Gently open up the squash blossom and remove the small stem from inside the flower, being careful not to tear the delicate petals. Leave the large stem intact, this will help when dipping the stuffed flower into the batter.
  • Fill the blossoms. Snip a small corner off the resealable bag and twist the large opening of the bag closed, creating a piping bag.
  • Open the squash flower and pipe the ricotta mixture into the flower opening, but not too much that it overflows. Gently twist the petals together and set aside. Repeat with the rest.
  • Heat a wide skillet with a ½ inch of vegetable oil (or any high-heat oil you like) to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oil is heating up, make the coating.
  • In another bowl, add flour, salt and pepper and sparkling water. Whisk together until it looks like a pancake batter consistency.
  • Dredge the stuffed blossoms. Use the stem to dip the blossom into the batter. Allow excess batter to drip off. Gently drop the stuffed squash blossom into the hot oil. It should sizzle right away.
  • Fry the squash flowers on the first side for about 2-3 minutes until lightly golden brown and carefully flip to other side and fry for another 1-2 minutes until puffed up and lightly golden brown.
  • Place fried squash blossoms onto paper towel lined plate and immediately season with flaky salt on top. Serve immediately with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Video

Notes

Other filling options are mozzarella and prosciutto or other cheeses. If using a harder cheese, cut cheese into a ½ inch stick. 
Squash blossoms do not last long. If you are harvesting or buying them, I recommended planning to cook with them that same day. 
If the ricotta mixture is too wet, place in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer to thicken up, Another recommendation is to drain any excess moisture from the ricotta or buy a thicker quality ricotta cheese. 

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 1043mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 350IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 2mg

Passion Fruit Mojito

· 4 Comments

Sweet and tart, light and refreshing, this passion fruit mojito is a breeze to make and will instantly transport you to warm sand beaches and cool waters. Muddled with classic flavors of mint and lime and finished with fragrant passion fruit pulp, you'll be craving this tropical drink all season long!

This passion fruit mojito is a muddled with classic flavors of mint and lime and finished with fragrant passion fruit pulp and garnished with more fresh mint.

Passion Fruit Mojito

We are taking the classic flavors of a mojito and adding more of a tropical spin to the refreshing cocktail. This mojito starts with the common ingredients of mint, lime and light rum with fresh passion fruit pulp added.

The aromas and flavors are intoxicating and will instantly transport you at the first sip.

If you can't find fresh passion fruit, 2 ounces of passion fruit juice can be added to the mojito.

A Little About Passion Fruit

Growing up in Hawaii, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by passion fruit. The smell is intoxicating and there is nothing like it! Passion fruit in Hawaiian is called "Lilikoi", pronounced like "li-lee-koy".

I've had fun creating recipes with passion fruit, such as my passion fruit bars and passion fruit margarita.

What is Passion Fruit?

If you're not familiar, passion fruit is a round tropical fruit coming from the passion flower. The exterior is hard but is easy to cut into with a knife and when you pick it up, will feel very light in weight.

Once you cut into the passion fruit, it looks hollow on the inside with deep yellow pulp and black seeds and is easy to scoop out with a spoon.

In Hawaii, passion fruit is yellow on the outside and purple in other tropical areas.

This passion fruit mojito is a muddled with classic flavors of mint and lime and finished with fragrant passion fruit pulp and garnished with more fresh mint.

What does Passion Fruit Taste Like?

Passion fruit is very aromatic with a slightly sweet and tart flavor. There really isn't much else to compare it to as the flavor is very unique.

You can enjoy passion fruit on it's own, but can be a bit sour for some tastes and works well by adding a little sweetness to it.

The entire inside of the fruit edible, pulp and seeds. But sometimes I prefer a smooth consistency and will remove the seeds.

Ingredients

  • Fresh Mint Leaves
  • Lime Wedges
  • Simple Syrup: You can make this at home by simmering equal parts sugar and water. Bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves and syrup slightly thickens. Then pour into a glass mason jar to cool and use in cocktails or mocktails.
  • Passion Fruit Pulp or Juice: Fresh passion fruit pulp will be more tart than the store bought pulp or juice.
  • Light Rum
  • Sparkling Water

How to Make Passion Fruit Puree or Juice

When making recipes that use a good amount of passion fruit, making passion fruit juice or puree is ideal because 1 passion fruit does not yield much liquid.

You can buy passion fruit juice frozen or in cartons at international and Latin stores. The Goya brand makes frozen passion fruit puree that I've used a few times and does very well in baking recipes and drinks.

  1. Cut passion fruit in half and use a spoon to scoop out the pulp and seeds.
  2. Place pulp in a small food processor or blend and pulse a few times to loosen up pulp.
  3. Strain the passion fruit pulp through a fine mesh sieve, separating the seeds and keeping the juice.
  4. From here, you can freeze the juice in a resealable freezer bag or keep in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.

Make it a Mocktail

To make the passion fruit mojito into a mocktail, omit the light rum and add 2 ounces of fresh orange juice, guava juice or pineapple juice.

This passion fruit mojito is a muddled with classic flavors of mint and lime and finished with fragrant passion fruit pulp and garnished with more fresh mint.
This passion fruit mojito is a muddled with classic flavors of mint and lime and finished with fragrant passion fruit pulp and garnished with more fresh mint.
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Passion Fruit Mojito

This passion fruit mojito is a muddled with classic flavors of mint and lime and finished with fragrant passion fruit pulp and garnished with more fresh mint.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Cocktail
Cuisine: Hawaiian, Latin
Keyword: passion fruit mojito, passion fruit mojito recipe
Servings: 1 cocktail
Calories: 202kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $5

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6-8 Fresh mint leaves + more for garnish
  • ½ lime cut into small wedges
  • ¾ ounce simple syrup
  • Pulp from 1 passion fruit
  • 2 ounces light rum
  • Ice
  • Sparkling Water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a tall glass, add mint leaves and ¼ of the lime wedges and muddle to release the lime juice and herb aromas.
  • Add simple syrup, half of the passion fruit pulp, rum and ice and give everything a good stir.
  • Top with sparkling water and garnish with more fresh mint, lime and the other half of passion fruit pulp.

Video

Notes

If you can't find fresh passion fruit, substitute 2 ounce of passion fruit juice.
To make this a mocktail, omit the rum and add 2 ounces of fresh orange juice, guava juice or pineapple juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 272IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

Chicken Shawarma Skewers

· 9 Comments

Chicken shawarma skewers will be your absolute favorite dinner to grill all summer long! Chicken thighs are generously seasoned with a stunning mix of bold spices, fresh lemon juice and a good amount of garlic! The chicken skewers are grilled to absolute perfection, charred on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.

Chicken shawarma skewers are served on top of creamy homemade hummus and saffron rice.
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🌶️ Chicken Shawarma Skewers

Oh do I have a fantastic dinner recipe for you! These chicken shawarma kebabs are full of so many flavors with a bold spice mixture including paprika and cumin, lots of fresh garlic, fresh lemon zest and rich olive oil. For another wonderful Chicken meal, try my One Pot Chicken Provencal.

Once you have the base marinade down, you can add the shawarma marinade to just about anything, including salmon shawarma, lamb shawarma or marinate roasted vegetables too.

And once the chicken shawarma is grilled, there are so many variations you can do! Make chicken shawarma bowls with cucumber tzatziki or make a chicken shawarma platter like I did here, and serve with classic hummus and saffron rice.

Serve alongside creamy hummus, saffron rice or on top of your favorite crisp salad or my Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce.

🍡 Shawarma Marinade Ingredients

  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic: chopped finely or grated using a microplane.
  • Fresh Lemon Juice
  • Cumin: This adds warmth and great flavor.
  • Turmeric: Adds bright color and an earthy layer of flavor.
  • Paprika: I love the deep flavor of smoked paprika but if you don't like smoky flavors, sweet paprika is a great substitute. Also offers color and great rich flavor to the shawarma marinade.
  • Sumac: One of my favorite spices, sumac is tangy and bright. If you can't find sumac, you can omit since lemon is a good substitute in a pinch.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🍋 Substitutions and Variations

  • Instead of chicken breast, substitute with boneless and skinless chicken thighs.
  • Instead of classic hummus, serve on top of avocado hummus or drizzle with tahini sauce.
  • For a spicier addition, add 1/2 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper or harissa sauce.

⏲️ Instructions

  1. Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour over cubed chicken breast.
  2. If you have the time, marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
  3. Skewer cubed chicken breast, lemon slices and red onion wedges onto skewers and place on a hot grill.
  4. Grill chicken shawarma kebabs until charred on all sides, turning as needed and cooked through in the center.
  5. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Chicken is recommended to be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  6. Make a chicken shawarma platter. Serve chicken shawarma skewers with pita bread, homemade hummus, chopped salad or my Mediterranean rice.

📍 Recipe Tips

  • If using wooden skewers, soak skewers in water for at least 1 hour before grilling. 
  • Marinate for as long as you have, even 10 minutes before grilling. 
  • Grilled chicken shawarma lasts for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 
Chicken shawarma kebabs served with lemon, hummus and saffron rice.

Recipe FAQs

What's the difference between shawarma and kebab?

Shawarma and kebab are slightly different where kebab is usually made up of ground meat and shawarma uses cubes of meat. Both are generosity seasoned and grilled over charcoal.

What is chicken shawarma made of?

Chicken shawarma uses pieces of chicken that are generously marinated with a mixture of bold spices, including paprika, cumin, cinnamon and turmeric along with garlic and fresh lemon. Once the chicken shawarma is marinaded, it is cooked over an open fire until charred on the outside and juice on the inside.

Is chicken shawarma healthy?

Chicken shawarma can certainly be considered healthy because it uses lean proteins that are marinated with spices, herbs and citrus.

What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Shawarma

Here are a few delicious side dishes to serve with chicken shawarma and if you need more inspiration, check out all these side dishes to serve with kebabs. You can put any skewer over my wonderful Mediterranean rice and you will not be sorry.

Print Recipe
5 from 18 votes

Chicken Shawarma Skewers

Grilled chicken shawarma skewers are seasoned with a stunning mix of Mediterranean spices, garlic, lemon and grilled to perfection.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinate30 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword: chicken shawarma kebobs, chicken shawarma skewers, grilled chicken shawarma
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 833kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Marinade

Chicken Skewers

  • Avocado oil for wiping on grill
  • 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 lemon sliced thin
  • 1 red onion cut into 1 inch chunks

Saffron Rice

To Serve and Garnish

  • Hummus homemade or store bought
  • Olive oil for drizzling on hummus
  • Parsley or cilantro chopped, for garnish
  • Lemon wedges
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Mix marinade ingredients together in a large bowl and add cubed chicken. Toss to coat so all the chicken is coated evenly. Cover bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
  • Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat and skewer chicken cubes onto skewers, alternating every few with lemon slices and onion wedges.
  • Grill shawarma skewers for 4-5 minutes per side or until a deep char is formed and chicken is cooked through.
  • Once done, remove skewers and let chicken rest for a few minutes.
  • For the saffron rice, add broth, rice and pinch of saffron to a small pot and place the lid on. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until rice is cooked and liquid has absorbed, about 20 minutes.
  • Once done, fluff rice with a fork.
  • To serve, line a platter with saffron rice and hummus and top with chicken shawarma skewers. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped herbs and lemon wedges.

Notes

If using wooden skewers, soak skewers in water for at least 1 hour before grilling. 
Marinate for as long as you have, even 10 minutes before grilling. 
Grilled chicken shawarma lasts for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 833kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 596mg | Potassium: 1120mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 328IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 3mg

Burrata Caprese with Herb Oil

· 2 Comments

Summer at it's finest! A slight twist on the classic salad, this burrata caprese salad boasts colorful wedges of heirloom tomatoes, creamy burrata cheese and a fresh and bright herb oil drizzled on top.

A slight twist on the classic salad, this Burrata Caprese boasts colorful wedges of heirloom tomatoes, creamy burrata cheese and a fresh and bright herb oil drizzled on top.

What would a summer be without showcasing these alluring heirloom tomatoes? A platter full of colorful tomatoes of all different shapes and sizes, I just can't help myself!

As soon as peak summer hits and tomatoes are at their ripest, I run home to make as many recipes as I can. This heirloom tomato galette is always on the list, as well as refreshing gazpacho.

Burrata Caprese Salad with Herb Oil

When summer tomatoes are this perfect, there's not much you need to do to make them shine.

Creamy burrata cheese is mild and pairs beautifully with the sweet tomatoes. And if you have leftover burrata, I highly recommend adding some to zucchini flower pizza for the perfect summer bite!

Basil is the third main ingredient in caprese salad, but instead of tearing up leaves of fresh basil (which is absolutely delicious as well), instead a simple herb oil is made to drizzle on top of the salad.

To Make the Herb Oil

  • Add fresh basil,mint leaves, garlic, lemon zest and juice to a food processor and pulse until mixture is chopped finely.
  • Slowly stream in olive oil while food processor is running. Use a spatula every so often to make sure everything is mixed together well and becomes a smooth, pourable consistency.
  • Season herb oil with salt and pepper and drizzle on top of caprese salad.

What is Burrata?

Burrata is a ball of mozzarella with soft cream or stracciatella on the inside. The creamy center makes burrata irresistible. When you buy burrata, the ball of cheese sits in whey, keeping it soft and fresh.

The ball of burrata will feel heavy, from the creamy center. When you begin to tear open the burrata, the mozzarella exterior will break apart easily and the creamy center oozes out.

To serve burrata, I like to gently tear it apart and place pieces of the cheese on top of cooked pizzas or alongside roasted tomatoes or keep it simple like this burrata caprese.

A slight twist on the classic salad, this Burrata Caprese boasts colorful wedges of heirloom tomatoes, creamy burrata cheese and a fresh and bright herb oil drizzled on top.

Whenever I make this caprese burrata, I'm usually cooking outside during the summer.

Because heirloom tomatoes are at their peak in late summer, which is usually when the temperature is at its warmest, use that to your advantage and keep summer dinners light, fresh and grilled.

What To Serve with Burrata Caprese Salad

A slight twist on the classic salad, this Burrata Caprese boasts colorful wedges of heirloom tomatoes, creamy burrata cheese and a fresh and bright herb oil drizzled on top.

More great salads

Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Burrata Caprese

A slight twist on the classic salad, this Burrata Caprese boasts colorful wedges of heirloom tomatoes, creamy burrata cheese and a fresh and bright herb oil drizzled on top.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: burrata caprese, burrata caprese salad, caprese burrata
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 375kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Herb Oil

Salad

  • 2 pounds Various heirloom tomatoes cut in half or quarters
  • 12 ounces burrata cheese
  • Fresh basil for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Make the herb oil. Add herbs, garlic, lemon zest and juice to a food processor and pulse until mixture is chopped finely.
  • Slowly add the olive oil while food processor is running. Use a spatula every so often to make sure everything is mixed together well. Add more or less olive oil until it becomes a smooth pourable consistency. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  • Arrange tomatoes on platter and top with roughly torn burrata cheese. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper.
  • Drizzle herb oil over salad and garnish with more fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Notes

The herb oil is versatile and can be made with any combination of tender herbs, such as basil, mint, cilantro or parsley.
Store any leftover herb oil in a sealed container or mason jar for up to 3 days. 
For the best tasting tomatoes, store stem side down at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 546mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2490IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 476mg | Iron: 1mg

Heirloom Tomato and Garlic Focaccia

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Heirloom tomato and garlic focaccia is the perfect addition for your summer dinner plans. Sweet heirloom tomatoes are nestled into a pillow of delicious carbs and garnished with freshly torn basil leaves and a healthy drizzle of olive oil, fresh herbs and flakey sea salt.

Heirloom tomato and garlic focaccia has slices of tomatoes and garlic nestled into savory focaccia bread with loads of fresh herbs.

Keeping it classic and seasonal, this tomato focaccia recipe couldn't be simpler and thanks to some inspiration from seasonal ingredients, this Italian flatbread was a delightful addition to dip into some steamed clams with white wine and garlic and roasted tomatoes with burrata.

I imagine all sorts of focaccia toppings, such as preserved lemons and chopped Castelvetrano olives? Or capers and eggplant? I'll let your taste buds decide, but really the toppings and creativity are endless.

What is Focaccia?

Focaccia is an Italian flatbread, with similar ingredients to pizza dough. Focaccia is often made with a healthy amount of olive oil and herbs and can be topped with all sorts of different toppings.

Ingredients:

The base of focaccia welcomes creativity and seasonal ingredients. Roasted garlic and herb focaccia is another classic flavor combination and I have plans on making focaccia with different toppings such a olives, preserved lemons, zucchini and sundried tomatoes.

  • Active Dry Yeast: I often buy these in the ¼ ounce packet size and this recipe calls for 2 packets. I have also made this with rapid rise yeast, which works great.
  • All Purpose Flour: We like King Arthur flour and have never had any problems with texture or quality.
  • Salt: Both Kosher salt and a flakey sea salt such as Fleur de Sel are used in this focaccia recipe. The Kosher salt is added as the dough is being made and the flakey salt is reserved for garnishing and texture.
  • Heirloom Tomatoes: Heirloom tomatoes are often sweeter and less acidic than other varieties. Have fun with the shapes, color prep the tomatoes and sizes to add a visual and flavor contrast. Be sure to prep the tomatoes before topping the focaccia, by blotting anh excess moisture to present a soggy bread.
  • Garlic: Slices of fresh garlic are nestled onto the focaccia along with the tomatoes. You could also roast the garlic as well.
  • Fresh Herbs: Thyme, rosemary and basil are added before baking. Fresh basil leaves are added after the bread is baked.
Heirloom tomato and garlic focaccia has slices of tomatoes and garlic nestled into savory focaccia bread with loads of fresh herbs.

A Few Tips about Tomato Focaccia

  • The dough can be made ahead of time and proofed in the refrigerator for up to a day in advance.
  • Blot any excess moisture on the tomatoes before topping, to prevent a soggy dough.
  • Focaccia keeps well for up to 3 days, but would not recommend any longer as it will begin to dry out.
Heirloom tomato and garlic focaccia has slices of tomatoes and garlic nestled into savory focaccia bread with loads of fresh herbs.

Recipes to Enjoy with Focaccia

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5 from 6 votes

Heirloom Tomato and Garlic Focaccia

Heirloom tomato and garlic focaccia has slices of tomatoes and garlic nestled into savory focaccia bread with loads of fresh herbs.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Proofing2 hours
Total Time3 hours
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: heirloom tomato focaccia, tomato and garlic focaccia, tomato focaccia
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 326kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Ingredients

Dough

Tomato Toppings

  • 2-3 Heirloom tomatoes various sizes and colors, sliced into ¼ inch slices
  • 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 1-2 stems Fresh rosemary and thyme leaves removed and finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Flaky sea salt
  • Basil leaves for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Make the Dough: Add warm water and to a large mixing bowl (or your stand mixer bowl) along with yeast and sugar. Use a fork to mix, then rest for about 10-15 minutes so the yeast can activate. It should look foamy with little bubbles.
  • Attach a dough hook onto electric mixer and slowly add in the flour, salt and olive oil. Continue mixing until just combined and a ball of dough forms. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until dough is smooth.
    To make by hand, add flour to yeast mixture in batches and mix with a spatula, then knead with your hands to form a cohesive mass, this could take up to 10 minutes.
  • Let Dough Rise: Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turning so all sides are lightly covered with oil. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
  • Prep the Tomatoes: While dough proofs, place sliced tomatoes on a paper towel lined plate and lightly sprinkle with salt to help draw out excess moisture. Use another sheet of paper towel to blot as needed.
  • Turn Dough onto Baking Sheet: Once focaccia has doubled in size, remove plastic wrap and gently punch down the dough to deflate. Oil a cookie sheet with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and turn the dough onto the sheet.
  • With oiled hands, gently stretch the dough so it reaches the edges of the cookie sheet. Use your fingers to press in deep dimples into the dough.
  • Garnish Dough: Add sliced tomatoes and garlic all over the top of the dough, gently pressing down into the dough. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and season with salt and remaining olive oil.
  • Let Dough Rise Again: Cover dough with plastic wrap and rise for another about 30 minutes.
  • Pre-Heat Oven: While dough proofs for a second time, pre-heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Bake: Bake focaccia for about 35-40 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
  • Once done baking, remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Notes

The size of cookie sheet used in this recipe is 9 x13. 
You can make the dough ahead of time and let it proof overnight or all day in the refrigerator.
Dough Recipe adapted from Lidia Bastianich 

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 780mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 173IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 3mg

Heirloom Tomato Galette with Arugula Pesto

· 4 Comments

Would it even be summer if you didn't make an heirloom tomato galette? This rustic tart features summers sweet heirloom tomatoes that are layered on top of spicy arugula pesto. A perfect addition for an al fresco brunch or light dinner.

This rustic heirloom tomato galette features summers sweet heirloom tomatoes that are layered on top of spicy arugula pesto.

It is no surprise how much I adore tomatoes, especially heirlooms (give me an heirloom tomato salad any day!) This is my favorite season for food because heirlooms are beginning to peek out, with their fun stripes and crazy shapes. Today I am sharing a simple, gorgeous and rustic heirloom tomato galette. For more heirloom inspiration try my Heirloom Tomato Pomodoro with Whole Wheat Pasta.

What is a galette exactly?

A galette is a rustic, free form tart. You don't need any special tart dishes or crimping expertise. The more rustic and natural, the more appetizing in my opinion.

I use the same dough recipe for all my galettes and it never fails me. I've used the same galette dough for my potato leek tart and made a few modifications to create a sweet fruit tart as well.

Once the dough is rolled out, add the filling in the center and fold up the edges. It doesn't have to be perfect and once baked, the rustic tart looks and tastes fantastic.

This rustic heirloom tomato galette features summers sweet heirloom tomatoes that are layered on top of spicy arugula pesto.

A Bit More About this Galette Dough

The dough to this recipe couldn't be simpler! It was inspired from my zucchini galette I made, which was formerly inspired from Smitten Kitchen zucchini galette.

The dough calls for simple ingredients such as flour, butter, cold water and sour cream, but instead I added Greek yogurt which made for an incredible savory crust.

I have made this dough so many times with so many variations and it's always a winner.

Arugula Pesto

This recipe came up on a whim when I didn't have basil on hand but had an abundance of peppery arugula. The results were delicious and if you like a more peppery bite, like I do, you will love this arugula pesto.

Of course if arugula is too spicy or not to your liking, stay with classic basil or even spinach for a sweeter and more mild pesto

How to Make Heirloom Tomato Galette

  1. Start with the Arugula Pesto. In a food processor add hazelnuts and pulse until finely ground. Add arugula, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice and salt and pepper.

2. Continue to pulse and as the pesto is blending, slowly drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency. When done, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Spoon pesto into sealed jar and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Make the galette dough. To a clean food processor, add flour, salt and cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like small peas.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt, lemon juice and water and add to the flour mixture and pulse until blended together. You can test the dough by squeezing a small piece of dough with your hands and f it sticks together easily, it's ready.

Make the galette dough. To a clean food processor, add flour, salt and cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like small peas. In a small bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt, lemon juice and water and add to the flour mixture and pulse until blended together. You can test the dough by squeezing a small piece of dough with your hands and f it sticks together easily, it's ready.

5. Using very floured hands, form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

6. Prep the Tomatoes. Meanwhile, slice your tomatoes thin and place them on double lined paper towels. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and cover with another sheet of paper towel. This will allows the tomatoes to release moisture so your tart won't get soggy.

7. Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out dough to about a 10-12 inch circle.
Heirloom Tomato Galette with Arugula Pesto via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

8. Once dough is rolled out, transfer it to a non-stick baking sheet. The dough is fragile so it needs to be on the baking sheet before toppings are added. Spread a thin layer of pesto onto the dough leaving a 1 inch border around.

Once dough is rolled out, transfer it to a non-stick baking sheet. The dough is fragile so it needs to be on the baking sheet before toppings are added. Spread a thin layer of pesto onto the dough leaving a 1 inch border around.

9. Layer tomato slices over the pesto, overlapping if needed.

Layer tomato slices over the pesto, overlapping if needed. Fold edges over forming a tart.

10. Fold the border over and brush the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle everything with flakey salt and drizzle the tomatoes with a bit of olive oil.

11. Bake the tomato galette at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

12. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This rustic heirloom tomato galette features summers sweet heirloom tomatoes that are layered on top of spicy arugula pesto.
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Heirloom Tomato Galette with Arugula Pesto

This rustic heirloom tomato galette features summers sweet heirloom tomatoes that are layered on top of spicy arugula pesto.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Resting Time20 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Brunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, French, Italian
Keyword: heirloom tomato galette
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 484kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Arugula Hazelnut Pesto

Dough

  • 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cold cut into small cubes
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup ice cold water

Tomato Filling

  • 2-3 medium heirloom tomatoes sliced thin
  • Olive oil for drizzling
  • Egg wash 1 egg + splash of water
  • Flakey salt for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Start with the Arugula Pesto. In a food processor add hazelnuts and pulse until finely ground. Add arugula, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice and salt and pepper.
  • Continue to pulse and as the pesto is blending, slowly drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency. When done, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Spoon pesto into sealed jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Make the galette dough. To a clean food processor, add flour, salt and cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like small peas.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt, lemon juice and water and add to the flour mixture and pulse until blended together. You can test the dough by squeezing a small piece of dough with your hands and f it sticks together easily, it's ready.
  • Using very floured hands, form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Prep the Tomatoes. Meanwhile, slice your tomatoes thin and place them on double lined paper towels. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and cover with another sheet of paper towel. This will allows the tomatoes to release moisture so your tart won't get soggy.
  • Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out dough to about a 10-12 inch circle.
  • Once dough is rolled out, transfer it to a non-stick baking sheet. The dough is fragile so it needs to be on the baking sheet before toppings are added. Spread a thin layer of pesto onto the dough leaving a 1 inch border around.
  • Layer tomato slices over the pesto, overlapping if needed.
  • Fold the border over and brush the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle everything with flakey salt and drizzle the tomatoes with a bit of olive oil.
  • Bake the tomato galette at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

The pesto recipes makes enough for 2 cups, so there will be extra.
If you don't have or like hazelnuts, substitute almonds or pine nuts.
Serve the galette warm or at room temperature. 
You can make the dough ahead of time and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in advance. You can also freeze the dough: wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in resealable plastic bag for up to a month in the freezer. 
Recipe adapted from my zucchini galette which was formerly adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1085IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg

Basil Almond Pesto

· 6 Comments

I have a beautiful and simple pesto recipe for you. Full of almonds, fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, I could slather this basil almond pesto on anything!

Basil Almond Pesto via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

Summer is here and so is our abundance of fresh basil. And yes, it is easier to buy pesto from the store but there is nothing like the bright flavors of homemade pesto.

I love having different dips, salsas, and sauces to serve alongside summer dinners and I have plans to slather my grilled branzino with a good amount of almond pesto. How good does that sound?

Instead of using traditional pine nuts, toasted almonds are substituted offering a nuttier and heartier texture.

Basil Almond Pesto Variations

Pesto is one of those recipes where you can have fun with variations and substitutions. Here are a few suggestions.

  • Substitute arugula for basil for a spicier flavor and make arugula pesto.
  • Swap or add spinach to the pesto.
  • Substitute Pecorino cheese for Parmesan for a slightly saltier and sharper flavor.

Slather this Pesto on Anything

I could slather this almond pesto on absolutely anything and everything.

Basil Almond Pesto via LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Print Recipe
5 from 8 votes

Basil Almond Pesto

I have a beautiful and simple pesto recipe for you. Full of almonds, fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, I could slather this basil almond pesto on anything!
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: almond pesto, basil almond pesto
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 440kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a food processor, pulse the whole almonds and 1 garlic clove until all are ground well.
  • Add basil, parmesan cheese and olive oil and pulse together until well incorporated, but don't over mix.
  • Taste for seasoning. Add additional olive oil if needed.

Notes

Pesto will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 33g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 687IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1mg

Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

· 22 Comments

There is nothing better than a classic, homemade caesar salad dressing. This caesar dressing is thickened with an egg yolk, anchovies and freshly grated Parmesan cheese (no mayo here!) And has the perfect balance of creamy, savory, cheesy and spicy.

There is nothing better than a classic, homemade caesar salad dressing. This caesar dressing is thickened with an egg yolk, anchovies and freshly grated Parmesan cheese (no mayo here!) And has the perfect balance of creamy, savory, cheesy and spicy.

The BEST Caesar Dressing is made the Classic Way

I've said it before and I'll say it again, my husband Joe makes the absolute best homemade caesar dressing. Keeping it classic and old school with a fresh raw egg yolk and oily anchovy filets, but after years of making and adapting to what we have, there are a few modifications you can do.

Traditionally, Caesar dressing is made table-side in a large wooden bowl. The wood helps emulsify and break down the anchovy and garlic which turns into a gorgeous paste. However, we get great results using a small food professor too.

Serve homemade caesar salad alongside prosciutto pear pizza or with pasta with clams and tomatoes for a delicious pairing!

Tips and Modifications

  • A pasteurized raw egg yolk is used and makes the caesar dressing incredibly creamy. Use the freshest eggs you can find.
  • To check how fresh your eggs are, place one in a cup of water. If it sinks, it's fresh and if it floats, try and eat it within the next day.
  • If you can't find anchovy fillets, anchovy paste is a great substitute. It comes in a tube similar to tomato paste and keeps easily in the fridge. And I promise, the dressing won't taste "fishy".
  • If using a wooden bowl, work in sets of 3's
    • Pepper, anchovy, egg yolk
    • Garlic, Dijon mustard and lemon juice
    • Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, olive oil
    • Add Parmesan cheese at the very end
  • If using a food processor, add the garlic and anchovy first and blend to break it up before adding other ingredients.

Homemade Caesar Dressing Ingredients (No Mayo!)

  • Garlic cloves
  • Anchovy fillets or anchovy paste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Raw egg yolk
  • Tabasco or other favorite hot sauce, optional
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Lemon Juice
  • Olive Oil
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

How to Make Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

1) In a large bowl (a real wooden bowl is traditional), grind pepper (As much as you like, we did about 10-15 turns).

Start making Caesar dressing in a large bowl (a real wooden bowl is traditional), grind pepper (As much as you like, we did about 10-15 turns).

2) Add 3 anchovy fillets. And please don't skip this step, they are delicious once the filets are broken down. You can also use a good squeeze of anchovy paste.

Add 3 anchovy fillets. And please don't skip this step, they are delicious once the filets are broken down.

3) Add 1 egg yolk and using a wooden spoon, break up the egg and mix well.

Add 1 egg yolk and using a wooden spoon, break up the egg and mix well.

4) Once the egg and anchovy are broken down and mixed well, add grated or finely chopped garlic and Dijon mustard and mix everything well.

Once the egg and anchovy are broken down and mixed well, add grated or finely chopped garlic and Dijon mustard and mix everything well.

5) And lemon juice and continue breaking up the garlic and anchovies until thickened.

And lemon juice and continue breaking up the garlic and anchovies until thickened.

6) Add Worcestershire, Tabasco and stream in olive oil and continue mixing until blended. You can also use anchovy oil for added flavor. Use the back of your spoon to continue breaking up the anchovies and garlic.

7) Towards the end, add freshly grated Parmesan. This can be to your preference, but roughly about ¼ cup -½ cup. And save some for garnish when serving the salad.

8) Chill the dressing for at least 15 minutes if you have the time. This is also a great time to chill your salad bowls too.

9) When ready to serve, gently toss romaine and croutons with Caesar dressing and serve.

There is nothing better than a classic, homemade caesar salad dressing. This caesar dressing is thickened with an egg yolk, anchovies and freshly grated Parmesan cheese (no mayo here!) And has the perfect balance of creamy, savory, cheesy and spicy.

More great salads:

Julia Child Salad Nicoise

Lemon orzo salad with corn and basil

Israeli chopped salad

Greek quinoa salad with chickpeas

Arugula Pear Salad with Parmesan

Print Recipe
5 from 26 votes

Homemade Caesar Salad

There is nothing better than a classic, homemade caesar salad dressing. This caesar dressing is thickened with an egg yolk, anchovies and freshly grated Parmesan cheese (no mayo here!) And has the perfect balance of creamy, savory, cheesy and spicy.
Prep Time15 minutes
Chilling15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine: Italian, Mexican
Keyword: caesar salad dressiing, homemade caesar dressing
Servings: 2 salads
Calories: 348kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Caesar Dressing

Salad

  • 1 head of romaine lettuce cleaned and cut into large pieces
  • Croutons
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large wooden bowl, grind pepper (As much as you like, we did about 10-15 turns), anchovy fillets and egg yolk and use a wooden spoon to break down anchovies.
  • Add minced or grated garlic, Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Use a wooden spoon to break up the garlic and anchovy. Continue mixing until thick and almost paste like.
  • Add Worcestershire, Tabasco and stream in olive oil and continue mixing until blended.
  • Towards the end, add freshly grated Parmesan and stir in. You may want to add up to ½ cup.
  • At this point, chill the dressing for at least 15 minutes so the flavors can marry. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
  • When ready to serve, gently toss dressing with romaine lettuce and croutons and serve on chilled bowls. Add an extra grating of Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

Caesar dressing can be made up to a day in advance and will keep for 2 days in the fridge.
If using a food processor, add the anchovies and garlic first to break down easily.
Adjust to your taste, for instance, if you like it spicy or mild or more or less cheesy.
If using a large bowl, you can place the dressing at the bottom of the bowl and then the lettuce on top. When ready to serve, toss together and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1474IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 1mg

This post was originally published in December, 2013 and updated May, 2022 with retested recipe, added nutritional information and updated photos.

Lemony Couscous Salad with Chickpeas and Asparagus

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This simple and bright lemon couscous salad is the perfect light and bright side dish. Lemony couscous is tossed with tender asparagus, savory chickpeas, lots of fresh herbs and a bright and citrusy vinaigrette.

This simple and bright lemon couscous salad is tossed with tender asparagus, savory chickpeas, fresh herbs and a bright and lemony vinaigrette.

Lemon Couscous Salad

This is one of those salads that is simple and full of fresh flavor. Couscous cooks up in minutes and takes on any flavors you add to it. For this recipe, spring flavors were inspired with snappy asparagus, fresh herbs and a bright citrus vinaigrette.

This salad is great for lunches as well as a side dish for Grilled Sockeye Salmon with Mediterranean Glaze, roasted citrus salmon or roasted lemon chicken.

Couscous Ratio

For every 1 cup of dried couscous, you need 1 ¼ cup of liquid. Because couscous takes on flavors well, use a low sodium vegetable or chicken stock for added flavor.

Ingredients

Couscous: Is a small form of pasta made of durum wheat. Couscous cooks up incredibly quick and is a great side dish, such as in this simple lemon herb couscous.

Asparagus: Simply steamed, blanched or grilled until just tender.

Chickpeas: Adds more substance and texture to the salad. You can also substitute white beans or cannellini beans for a creamier texture.

Fresh Herbs: Fresh mint, parsley and green onions.

Lemons: Both the juice and zest are used in the vinaigrette.

Couscous Salad Variations

  • Add crumbled feta or goat cheese.
  • Toss in other vegetables, such as peas, wilted spinach or arugula.
  • Add thinly shaved brussels sprouts
  • Mix in slivered toasted almonds or toasted pine nuts for crunch.
This simple and bright lemon couscous salad is tossed with tender asparagus, savory chickpeas, fresh herbs and a bright and lemony vinaigrette.
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Lemony Couscous Salad with Chickpeas and Asparagus

This simple and bright lemon couscous salad is the perfect light and bright side dish. Lemony couscous is tossed with tender asparagus, savory chickpeas, lots of fresh herbs and a bright and lemony vinaigrette.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Lunch, Main, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Keyword: couscous with asparagus, spring couscous salad
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 330kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Citrus Vinaigrette

Couscous Salad

Instructions

  • Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl and taste for seasoning. You can also add all the ingredients to a mason jar and shake until well combined.
  • Boil the water or vegetable stock in a small pot and once boiling, pour in couscous and stir once. Turn off the heat and cover the pot and allow couscous to steam for 5-7 minutes. The couscous will be done when all the liquid has been absorbed. Use a fork and fluff the couscous. Let couscous cool for a few minutes.
  • Assemble salad by adding cooked couscous in a large bowl along with asparagus, chickpeas, green onions and fresh herbs.
  • Add a few tablespoons of vinaigrette and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more vinaigrette if desired.

Notes

Asparagus cooks very quickly and you can either grill or steam asparagus for this recipe. 
To grill asparagus: place asparagus on lightly oiled grill and cook until lightly charred, about 2-3 minutes. 
To blanch asparagus: Boil asparagus in water until just bright green, then transfer to a bowl filled with ice cold water to stop the cooking and keep the color.
This recipe can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 184mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg

Sazon Spiced Salmon Tacos with Mango Corn Salsa

· 3 Comments

Get the grill going with sazon spiced salmon tacos, topped with a sweet and spicy bright mango corn salsa making this the perfect weeknight dinner.

Get the grill going with sazon spiced salmon tacos, topped with a sweet and spicy colorful mango corn salsa for the perfect summer dinner.

Quick and Easy Salmon Tacos

We're kicking off the spring, summer and Cinco de Mayo season with these incredibly flavorful salmon tacos.

I'm using our favorite wild-caught Alaskan salmon from Alaska Gold Seafood. This is not a sponsored post, but I've worked with them for years and their seafood is of the highest quality.

Because we're using such flavorful salmon, there's not much that needs to be done. A quick seasoning with my favorite blend of Homemade Sazon Seasoning and topped with a bright and spicy mango salsa. And serve the salmon with a side of these easy refried beans for a delicious meal!

Season Salmon with Sazon

Sazon is a gorgeous mix of achiote, garlic and oregano to name a fee, it is often used in Puerto Rican and Cuban dishes and is one of my favorite flavorings.

The spice blend permeates whatever is touches with a gorgeous deep Latin aroma and an intense golden red hue. You can often find sazon at international stores and online and I have a recipe to make your own batch.

I highly recommend doubling the recipe because you'll want to put sazon on everything, such as this one pot sazon chicken with black beans that would be fantastic with fried plantains on the side.

What's in Sazon:

  • Achiote
  • Dried Oregano
  • Cumin
  • Coriander
  • Onion Powder
  • Garlic Powder
Get the grill going with sazon spiced salmon tacos, topped with a sweet and spicy colorful mango corn salsa for the perfect summer dinner.

What to Serve with Grilled Salmon Tacos

There is nothing more I enjoy then a good grilled fish tacos. The fried are OK, a bit heavy but I crave the smoky flavor the grill offers.

Serve salmon tacos with a sweet and crunchy mango salsa and of course, some homemade tortillas.

Here we mixed up corn kernels, diced sweet mango, fresh cilantro, purple cabbage for crunch and color and for added heat, finely chopped jalapenos.

Oh, and dare I forget, washing it all down with a mango margarita  a citrus mezcal cocktail.

Get the grill going with sazon spiced salmon tacos, topped with a sweet and spicy colorful mango corn salsa for the perfect summer dinner.

More Latin Inspiration

A bright and colorful salsa, filled with sweet corn, fruity mango and spicy jalapenos is the perfect addition to fish tacos.
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Sazon Spiced Salmon Tacos with Mango Corn Salsa

Get the grill going with sazon spiced salmon tacos, topped with a sweet and spicy bright mango corn salsa making this the perfect weeknight dinner.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Latin, Mexican
Keyword: grilled salmon tacos, salmon tacos, grilled salmon tacos, charred salmon tacos, fish tacos, salmon tacos with mango salsa, spiced salmon tacos
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 197kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $15

Equipment

Ingredients

Salmon

Mango Corn Salsa

  • 2 ears of grilled corn
  • 1 mango peeled and diced
  • 1 jalapeno chopped finely (seeds removed for less heat, optional)
  • ½ cup red cabbage chopped finely
  • Small bunch of cilantro leaves removed and roughly chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Additions

  • Cotija cheese
  • Avocado or guacamole
  • Tomato salsa
  • Tortillas slightly charred and warmed
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Start with making the mango salsa. Cut off corn kernels with a knife and add to a bowl along with mango, jalapeno, cabbage, lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and taste for seasoning. Let salsa sit while you cook the salmon.
  • Get a grill pan or outdoor grill hot and brush oil on the grill. Use a paper towel to pat the salmon filets dry and generously season with sazon mix and salt on both sides.
  • Grill salmon for about 3 minutes per side (depending on thickness) and once done, reserve to a plate.
  • Use a fork to flake pieces of salmon and serve in charred tortillas, along with mango salsa and cotija cheese.

Notes

Use the same seasoning on other fish, such as cod, flounder and rock fish. 
The salsa will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 524mg | Potassium: 679mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 768IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup

· 17 Comments

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup is a vibrant and bright spin on the traditional matzo ball soup. Matzo balls are flavored with saffron, turmeric and lemon zest before being simmered in a lemony chicken soup.

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

Combining Cultures and Flavors into Matzo Ball Soup

For this lemon saffron matzo ball soup, I am combining both my Sephardic and Ashkenazi sides together.

If you're not familiar with what that means, it basically means  that my background is Jewish, but from different parts of the world. My mom's side is Sephardic where her side is from Turkey and ancestors from Spain.

Sephardic cuisine has a lot of Mediterranean flavors, such as lemons, olives and saffron.

On the other hand, my father's side is Ashkenazi which means that my Jewish family on his side comes from Eastern Europe, such as Poland, Austria, Russia, etc. Ashkenazi Jewish food is probably more commonly recognized, such as matzo ball soup, slow cooker brisket, and Mom's crispy potato latkes.

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup

This version is bright and fresh, thanks to one of my favorite ingredients, Persian dried lime (I also call it dried lemon).

The matzo balls are flavored with turmeric, fresh herbs and a touch of saffron. Once mixed, the matzo balls are a beautiful deep golden color.

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

Persian Dried Lime

The secret ingredient that makes the soup pop is Persian dried lime. You can find them online or in Middle Eastern/International grocery stores.

Persian dried lime are small hard limes are that dried and hollow on the inside. They give great bright citrus flavor to soups, such as in my Persian lemon chicken soup.

If you can't find Persian dried lime, you can substitute with a few peels of lemon zest and let that steep in the broth.

How to Make Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup

1) Begin by making your chicken stock. In a large pot, add water, 4 whole carrots, 1 onion, 1 garlic bulb, 2 stalks of celery, chicken, 4 Persian dried limes and season with salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on medium heat until chicken is cooked through, about an 1-½ hours.

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

2) As the soup cooks, check it every so often and use a ladle to skim the fat from the top. It will be white and look frothy. You may also need to add more liquid if you see it reducing.

3) While soup is cooking, make your matzo balls. In a bowl add matzo meal, eggs, sparkling water, olive oil, cayenne, saffron, turmeric, lemon zest, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix everything together and place in fridge to set for at least 20 minutes.

4) When matzo mixture is ready, it will not be as "lose" as when you first mixed, but will be a little firmer. With wet hands, roll the matzo balls lightly between your palms, about the size of a golf ball. Place them on a plate until ready.

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

5) When chicken is done, remove it to a cutting board. When it is cool enough to handle, chop or shred the chicken, discarding bones and skin. Set aside.

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

6) Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve and discard aromatics. (*Note: I left the dried lemon in because I just love the flavor). Return soup base to your pot. Taste for seasoning.

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

7) Bring soup back to a simmer. Add chopped carrots, celery and matzo balls. The soup should be at a constant simmer but not overly-boiling. Cover pot and cook matzo balls for 35 minutes. When ready, the matzo balls should be floating.

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

8) Once matzo balls are done, add the shredded chicken and garnish with chopped parsley, dill and sliced lemon.

9) Ladle soup in bowls with matzo balls and chicken and then pour in soup. Add additional lemon slices and herbs.

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

More Jewish recipes

More soup inspiration

Print Recipe
5 from 14 votes

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup is a vibrant and bright spin on the traditional matzo ball soup. Matzo balls are flavored with saffron, turmeric and lemon zest before being simmered in a lemony chicken soup.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Jewish, Mediterranean
Keyword: lemon matzo ball soup, saffron matzo ball soup
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 466kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $15

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken Soup

  • 5-7 cups water
  • 6 carrots divided. 4 for stock, 2 peeled and chopped
  • 1 yellow onion cut in half
  • 1 garlic bulb cut in half
  • 4 stalks of celery divided, 2 for stock and 2 chopped
  • 4 pounds bone in chicken parts thighs, breast or whatever you have
  • 4 dried Persian limes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Matzo Balls

Garnish

  • Chopped dill
  • Chopped parsley
  • Lemon slices

Instructions

  • Begin by making your chicken stock. In a large pot, add water and stock, 4 whole carrots, 1 onion, 1 garlic bulb, 2 stalks of celery, chicken, 4 dried lemons and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium until chicken is cooked through, about an 1-½ hours.
  • As the soup cooks, check it every so often and use a ladle to skim the fat from the top. It will be white and look frothy. You may also need to add more liquid if you see it reducing.
  • While soup is cooking, make your matzo balls. In a bowl add matzo meal, eggs, sparkling water, olive oil, cayenne, saffron, turmeric, lemon zest, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix everything together and place in fridge to set for at least 20 minutes.
  • Using wet hands, roll the matzo balls lightly between your palms, about the size of a golf ball. Place them on a plate until ready.
  • Once chicken is done and cool enough to handle, chop or shred the chicken, discarding bones and skin. Set aside.
  • Next, strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve and discard aromatics. Return soup base to your pot. Taste for seasoning.
  • Bring soup back to a strong simmer and add chopped carrots, celery and matzo balls. Cover pot and cook matzo balls for 35 minutes. When ready, the matzo balls should be floating.
  • When soup is, add chicken and garnish with chopped parsley, dill and sliced lemon.
  • Ladle soup into bowls with matzo balls and chicken. Garnish with lemon slices and additional herbs, if prefered.

Video

Notes

If you can't find Persian dried lime, use a vegetable peeler to peel a few strips of lemon zest and steep that ionto the broth. 
Matzo balls can be made ahead of time and kept frozen for a week ahead or in the fridge for 3 days ahead. 
If making matzo balls ahead, keep seperate from soup until ready to serve, to keep it's integrity and shape. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 7944IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg

This post was originally published in April, 2014 and updated April, 2022 with added nutritional information, retested recipe and helpful notes.

Matzo Toppings From Around the World!

· 2 Comments

Why stop at one matzo pizza, when you can have 6 different matzo toppings inspired from around the world! Including flavor inspiration from Thailand, France, Hawaii and more!

Why stop at one matzo pizza, when you can have 6 different matzo toppings inspired from around the world! Including flavor inspiration from Thailand, France and Hawaii and more!

Matzo Pizza

Passover is around the corner and savory matzo pizza is always on the must make list. Sure, you can go traditional with a good marinara and mozzarella, but I like to switch things up a bit with cultural and seasonal inspiration.

These matzo toppings are inspired by some of my favofrite flavors around the world. Scroll through to check out all the different matzo pizzas and matzo toppings. I had so much fun with these and hope you can find some inspiration to top your matzo this year.

Six Different Matzo Toppings Inspired from Around the World

Why stop at one matzo pizza, when you can have 6 different matzo toppings inspired from around the world! Including flavor inspiration from Thailand, France and Hawaii and more!

Italian Matzo Topping

This matzo pizza is inspired by my favorite Italian pasta dish, puttanesca and is for the salt lovers at heart. Puttanesca is usually served with pasta with a simple tomato sauce including olives and capers.

A thin layer of marinara is spread over the matzo and then topped with chopped olives, briny capers and shredded mozzarella. After baked, garnish with a few leaves of fresh basil to brighten up all the savory flavors.

A thin layer of marinara is spread over the matzo and then topped with chopped olives, briny capers and shredded mozzarella. After baked, garnish with a few leaves of fresh basil to brighten up all the savory flavors.

French Matzo Topping

Fig and brie are a match made in flavor heaven. Spread a thin layer of fig jam onto the matzo and top with slices of brie.

After matzo pizza is baked, finish with a bright salad of spicy arugula that is simply dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

French inspired matzo topping with fig jam, crie cheese and topped with arugula that is dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

Thai Inspired Matzo Topping

This Thai matzo pizza may have been my favorite pairing of this set. Mix almond butter, curry paste and a bit of coconut milk together until smooth.

Spread a thin layer onto the matzo and top with thinly sliced purple cabbage and carrots, fresh cilantro and toasted almonds. And for even more spicy kick, a drizzle of sriracha.

Thai inspired matzo pizza. Spread a thin layer of coconut curry onto the matzo and top with cabbage, carrots, cilantro and toasted almonds.

Mexican Inspired Matzo Topping

This Mexican inspired matzo pizza is a play on huevos rancheros, one of our all time favorite breakfasts! Roasted tomatillo salsa is spread onto the matzo and topped with a perfectly fried egg, cilantro and of course, extra hot sauce.

This would also be great with a layer of vegetarian refried beans for extra creaminess.

Mexican inspired matzo pizza is a play on huevos rancheros, one of our all time favorite breakfasts! Roasted tomatillo salsa is spread onto the matzo and topped with a perfectly fried egg, cilantro and of course, extra hot sauce.

Mediterranean Matzo Topping

Of course I had to create a Mediterranean matzo pizza! These toppings are a play off of Sabich, which is an Israeli pita sandwich, filled with fried eggplant, eggs and chopped salad.

Instead, for this matzo version, a thin layer of baba ghanoush is spread onto the matzo and topped with a fresh and crunchy chopped salad, a healthy drizzle of tahini sauce, boiled egg and pickled jalapenos for that added heat.

Mediterranean matzo pizza inspired by sabich. The matzo is spread with a layer of baba ghanoush and topped with chopped salad, hard boiled egg and pickled jalapenos/

Hawaiian Inspired Matzo Topping

For a sweet matzo topping, I was inspired by growing up on the islands. Growing up in Hawaii, I was introduced to some of my favorite tropical flavors, including purple swweet potato and macadamia nut.

For this topping, add coconut milk to boiled sweet purple potato and mash together until creamy. Spread a layer onto the matzo and top with chopped macadamia nuts and shredded coconut.

For the Hawaiian inspired matzo toppings, add coconut milk to boiled sweet purple potato and mash together until creamy. Spread a layer onto the matzo and top with chopped macadamia nuts and shredded coconut.

What will you be topping your matzo with?

Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

6 Matzo Toppings from Around the World

Why stop at one matzo pizza, when you can have 6 different matzo toppings inspired from around the world! Including flavor inspiration from Thailand, France, Hawaii and more!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer, Main
Cuisine: French, Hawaiian, Italian, Jewish, Mediterranean, Mexican, Thai
Keyword: matzo toppings, savory matzo pizza
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 447kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Matzo

  • 6 matzo crackers

Italian Matzo Topping

French Matzo Topping

Thai Matzo Topping

  • ¼ cup coconut milk
  • ¼ cup almond butter
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • ¼ cup shredded carrots
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
  • 1 green onions sliced
  • 2-3 tablespoons chopped roasted almonds
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Sriracha
  • Lime cut into wedges

Mexican Matzo Topping

  • 2 tablespoons roasted tomato salsa + more for garnish
  • 1 fried or over easy egg
  • ¼ avocado sliced
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Hot sauce as needed

Mediterranean Matzo Topping

Hawaiian Matzo Topping

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Before topping matzo, place matzo in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-12 minutes, to get it a bit more crispy and dry so it can hold the toppings well.
  • To make the Italian Matzo: spread matzo with a thin layer of marinara, ¼ cup chopped olives and 1 Tb capers and ¼ cup of shredded mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Top with freshly torn basil.
  • To make the French Matzo: Spread matzo with a thin layer of fig jam and top with sliced brie (about 3-4 pieces). Bake at 350 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted. In a separate bowl, toss together arugula and add a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper and top salad onto matzo.
  • To make the Thai Matzo: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of red curry paste and ¼ cup almond butter and spread a thin layer onto matzo (you may have extra sauce). Then top with shredded carrots, sliced cabbage, green onions, cilantro, chopped roasted almonds, drizzle of sriracha and lime wedges.
  • To make the Huevos Rancheros Matzo: Spread a thin layer of roasted tomato salsa on the matzo and top with an over easy egg or fried egg. Add a dollop of tomatillo salsa, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado and hot sauce, if desired.
  • To make the Sabich Matzo: Spread a thin layer of baba ghanoush and top with a sliced hard boiled egg, sliced pickled jalapeños, chopped salad and a good drizzle of tahini sauce.
  • To make the Hawaiian Matzo: Peel and boil 1 purple sweet potato until fork tender. Once done, mash it well and add ¼ cup coconut milk and 1 teaspoon of sugar and mix well until creamy. Spread mashed potato on matzo and top with chopped macadamia nuts and shredded coconut.

Notes

Pre-heat matzo in a warm oven so the crackers stay crisp.
These toppings serve as inspiration, so have fun mixing and matching or adding more or less depending on your taste. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 478mg | Potassium: 514mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 7561IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 3mg

This post was originally published in April, 2016 for The Nosher and updated on this site, with permission in April, 2022 with added recipes and nutritional information.

Matzo Brei Eggs Benedict with Lox

· 2 Comments

Matzo brei eggs benedict is Passover breakfast at it's finest! With asparagus matzo brei topped with poached eggs, lox and creamy hollandaise sauce.

Matzo brei eggs benedict is Passover breakfast at it's finest! With asparagus matzo brei topped with poached eggs, lox and creamy hollandaise sauce.

A Savory Spin on Matzo Brei

Passover is officially upon us and I am making all the matzo things! And when I say all the matzo, I particularly am talking about my absolute favorite breakfast of all time, matzo brei!

My grandfather made the BEST matzo brei ever! Slightly crisped edges and drizzled with maple syrup on top. The salty and sweet combo is just perfect.

For this savory matzo brei twist, I combined my other favorite breakfast, eggs benedict with matzo brei. No sweet syrup here, just tender spring asparagus matzo brei that is topped with a perfectly poached egg, a few slices of lox and creamy hollandaise sauce. How good does that sound?

Matzo brei eggs benedict is Passover breakfast at it's finest! With asparagus matzo brei topped with poached eggs, lox and creamy hollandaise sauce.

A Few Notes on Making Matzo Eggs Benedict

  • This recipe uses a lot of eggs. Between the matzo brei, hollandaise and poached eggs.
  • You can poach eggs ahead of time. To re-heat, dunk poached eggs in warm water for a few seconds just to warm through.
  • Hollandaise sauce can also be made ahead of time and reheated gently in a pot over low heat, until just warmed through.
  • Other mix-ins for the matzo brei: caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed zucchini, wilted spinach.

More Matzo Recipes to Try

Matzo Brei Eggs Beneduct with Lox
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Matzo Brei Eggs Benedict with Lox

Passover breakfast at it's finest with crispy asparagus matzo brei topped with poached eggs, lox and creamy hollondaise sauce.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American, French, Jewish
Keyword: matzo brei eggs benedict, matzo eggs benedict
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 906kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $20

Equipment

Ingredients

Matzah Brei

  • 3-4 asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 matzah sheets roughly broken up
  • 3 eggs whisked
  • 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter or oil
  • 2-3 slices of lox or smoked salmon
  • Fresh chopped parsley or chives for garnish
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 poached eggs directions below

Hollandaise Sauce

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Pinch of cayenne or paprika + more for garnish
  • ½ cup butter melted and still hot
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Hollandaise

  • For the hollandaise, Add eggs yolks, lemon juice and paprika or cayenne and blend together in a blender. While the blender is still running, slowly pour in melted butter until hollandaise forms. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Poached Eggs

  • To make poached eggs, bring a pot with at least 2 inches of water to a gentle boil.
  • Crack eggs, one at a time into a separate small bowl and gently pour eggs in, making sure they don’t touch each other or hit the bottom of the pot.
  • Turn off the heat and cover the pot for 4 minutes. Once done, use a slotted spoon and place eggs on a plate lined with paper towel and set aside.

Matzo Brei

  • Next, sauté asparagus with butter or olive oil over medium heat until just tender, about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and set pan aside. Alternatively, you can also steam or boil the asparagus until tender.
  • Add matzo to a bowl and cover with water. Let matzo sit for a few minutes to soften, then squeeze excess water. Add 3 whisked eggs and season with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
  • In the same skillet with the asparagus, add more butter or oil if needed and bring to medium heat. Add matzah mixture and scramble matzah brei until edges are slightly crispy and eggs are just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.

Assemble

  • To assemble, divide matzo brei between two plates and top with lox and one poached egg for each plate. Generously spoon hollandaise sauce on top and garnish with herbs and an extra pinch of cayenne or paprika.

Notes

  • his recipe uses a lot of eggs. Between the matzo brei, hollandaise and poached eggs.
  • You can poach eggs ahead of time. To re-heat, dunk poached eggs in warm water for a few seconds just to warm through.
  • Hollandaise sauce can also be made ahead of time and reheat gently ina. pot over low heat, until just warmed through.
  • Other mix-ins for the matzo brei: caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed zucchini, wilted spinach.

Nutrition

Calories: 906kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 864mg | Sodium: 778mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2807IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 5mg

This post was originally published in April, 2017 on The Nosher and republished here in March, 2022 with the full recipe, nutritional information and added recipe notes.

Baklava Bimuelos: Passover Donuts with Pistachios and Rose Water Syrup

· 9 Comments

Baklava Bimuelos are Sephardic Matzo Donuts that are served during Passover. The bimuelos are gently fried and then doused in a thick rose water syrup and garnished with pistachios, resembling the flavors from baklava.

Baklava Bimuelos are a Sephardic Matzo Donuts that are gently fried and doused in a rose water syrup and garnished with pistachios.

What are Bimuelos?

One of my fondest childhood food memories is making bimuelos with my mom when I was little. I've seen them being made for Hanukkah, since they are technically a fried donut, but mom and I always made them for Passover with matzo.

So lets chat bimuelos. Traditionally a Sephardic donut served during Hanukkah, many make them with a yeasted dough that's fried and dusted with either powdered sugar or  drizzled with syrup.

How to Make Bimuelos?

For the Passover version, we make them with matzo. Similar to matzo brei, soak the matzo and squeeze out moisture. Then add to whisked egg and mix together.

Form mixture into balls and fry in vegetable oil. Because these are inspired by the classic flavors of baklava, the matzo donuts are tossed in a gorgeous, thick rose water syrup and garnished with chopped pistachios.

A Word on Texture

If you have ever had my classic bimuelos, you notice that the matzo mixture almost acts as a sponge, soaking up anything its covered in. The same with these bimuelos. Even though they are fried, they hold out their shape and have a spongy texture that is able to soak up the thick sweet baklava style syrup nicely.

Baklava Bimuelos are a Sephardic Matzo Donuts that are gently fried and doused in a rose water syrup and garnished with pistachios.

More sweet treats

Baklava Bimuelos: Sephardic Passover Matzo Donuts Fried and Doused in a Thick Rose Water Syrup with Pistachios.
Print Recipe
5 from 10 votes

Baklava Bimuelos

Sephardic Passover Donuts made with Matzo and Doused in a Thick Rose Syrup and Pistachios.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: Jewish, Mediterranean
Keyword: baklava donuts, bimuelos recipe, Passover bimuelos
Servings: 10 bimuelos (donuts)
Calories: 240kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Ingredients

Rose Water Syrup

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Grind matzo crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs, then in a large bowl, add ground matzo and pour in enough water to just cover matzo.
  • Add whisked eggs, cinnamon, cardamom, sugar and salt and mix to combine. Set aside.
  • Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a pot until oil is to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. You can test the oil by placing a piece of the mixture in the oil, if it sizzles, it's ready.
  • Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to round a ball shape and place in hot oil, about 3-4 at a time. Fry donuts on both sides for about 4-5 minutes. When done, reserve to a paper towel lined baking sheet.
  • To make the syrup, add the sugar, water, rose water and lemon juice to a small pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook until sugar has dissolved and syrup has thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Once syrup is done, you can either add both to a large bowl and toss donuts with syrup, or you can dip the bimuelos in the syrup. Garnish with chopped pistachios.

Notes

These donuts can be served warm or cold.
The longer they sit in the syrup, the more syrup the donuts soak up. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

Julia Child's Scallops Gratineed

· 23 Comments

Leave it to Julia Child to pair cheese with fish and turn it into something extravagant. Julia Child's scallops gratineed is an elegant dish of gratineed scallops with shallots, white wine and broiled Gruyere cheese.

Julia Child's scallops gratineed is an elegant dish of gratineed scallops with shallots, white wine and broiled Gruyere cheese.

Cheese with Fish, Would You Try It?

It is not every day that I say something like "I think this is the best thing I have ever had", maybe once in a while or when I make Boeuf Bourguignon, but it's rare. This glorious dish is also known as Coquilles St. Jacques à la Provençale, doesn't that sound beautiful?

We all know that gratineed means cheese and to be quite frank, I was skeptical to make this in the beginning. I have a very distinct rule about putting seafood with cheese and often forbid it.

When I go out to a restaurant and order frutti di mare and the server asks if I would like Parmesan cheese on top, I squeal a quick "NO!" thinking hell may freeze over. Maybe a slight overreaction?

What I Thought About Julia Child's Scallop Recipe: A Total Flavor Explosion

Most of the ingredients for this dish may be kitchen staples that you already have on hand and I promise, the combination is magnificent.

The white wine was pungent and cuts through the richness from the butter and cheese. The Gruyere cheese was not nearly as overpowering as I originally thought and married with the other flavors beautifully. The sauteed shallots took the sauce over the top and brought the entire dish together.

I sopped up the wine buttered broth with some French bread and licked my fingers clean with happiness. This is one of the best things I have ever had.

Ingredients for Julia Child's Scallops Gratineed

  • Scallops: Larger scallops preferrably and dried very well.
  • Shallots: Or diced sweet onion is a good substitute.
  • White Wine: A dryer white wine is recommended, such as Pinot Gris.
  • Butter: Unsalted since seafood tends to be salty.
  • Gruyere Cheese: If you can't find Gruyere, a good substitute is Swiss cheese or Comte.
  • Thyme and Bay Leaf: Aromatics that add an herbaceous layer of flavor.

How to Make Scallops Gratineed

  1. In a skillet, saute shallots in olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter until they begin to be translucent but not browned. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Set aside.
For Julia Child's scallops gratineed, In a skillet, saute shallots in olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter until they begin to be translucent but not browned. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Set aside.

2. Dry scallops with a paper towel and slice them in half, horizontally. Season scallops with salt and pepper and lightly dust in flour, removing any excess.

Dry scallops with a paper towel and slice them in half. Season with salt and pepper and right before you're ready to saute, dust in flour, removing any excess.

3. In another skillet (or you can use the same one after removing sauteed shallots), drizzle a bit more oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Sear scallops for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown.

In another skillet (or you can use the same one after removing sauteed shallots), drizzle a bit more oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Sear scallops for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown.

4. Pour wine into the same skillet with the scallops and add thyme, bay leaf and shallot mixture and continue cooking until wine is reduced, for another 2-3 minutes.

Pour wine into the same skillet with the scallops and add thyme, bay leaf and shallot mixture and continue cooking until wine is reduced, for another 2-3 minutes.

5. Divide scallops into shallow ovenproof dishes and spoon sauce over. I like using a shallow ramekins that would normally be used for creme brulee, but work perfectly for this. Top with Gruyere cheese and dot each ramekin with butter.

Divide scallops into shallow ovenproof dishes and spoon sauce over. Top with Gruyere cheese and dot each ramekin with butter for Julia Child's scallops gratineed.

6. Right before serving, place ramekins under the broiler for about 2 minutes or until cheese is just melted. Serve with crusty bread to dip into the sauce!

Right before serving Julia Child's scallops gratineed, place ramekins under the broiler for about 2 minutes or until cheese is just melted and serve.

More French Recipes to Try

Print Recipe
4.75 from 64 votes

Julia Child’s Scallops Gratineed

Julia Child's scallops gratineed is an elegant dish of gratineed scallops with shallots, white wine and broiled Gruyere cheese.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Julia Child's scallops gratineed, scallops gratin
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 192kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $15

Equipment

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a skillet, saute shallots in olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter until they begin to be translucent but not browned. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Set aside.
  • Dry scallops with a paper towel and slice them in half,horizontally. Season scallops with salt and pepper and lightly dust in flour,removing any excess.
  • In another skillet (or you can use the same one after removing sauteed shallots), drizzle a bit more oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Sear scallops for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown.
  • Pour wine into the same skillet with the scallops and add thyme, bay leaf and shallot mixture and continue cooking until wine is reduced,for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Divide scallops into shallow ovenproof dishes and spoon sauce over. I like using a shallow ramekins that would normally be used for creme brulee, but work perfectly for this. Top with Gruyere cheese and doteach ramekin with butter.
  • Right before serving, place ramekins under the broiler for about 2 minutes or until cheese is just melted and serve.

Notes

Dry scallops very well before searing to get a nice crust.. 
Larger scallops are preferred in this recipe as they can hold up to the cooking time. 
Excerpted from Excerpted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. Copyright © 1961 by Alfred A. Knopf. Reprinted with permission from the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 367IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg

Savory Matzo Pizza with Pears and Caramelized Onions

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We live for a savory matzo pizza during Passover, and when it's topped with melty brie cheese, caramelized onions and slices of sweet pears, it doesn't get any better than this!

Savory matzo pizza is topped with melty brie cheese, caramelized onions and sweet pears. It doesn't get any better than this!

Savory Matzo Pizza

Nothing to sugar coat here, we live for savory matzo pizzas during Passover! One year I made a matzo toppings bar and made 6 different matzo pizzas with all sorts of fun toppings and the creativity keeps coming.

This savory matzo pizza is inspired from one of my favorite flavor combinations. Pears + arugula + caramelized onions and finished with a reduced balsamic and freshly cracked black pepper.

The flavors are explosive and layered with sweet and savory coming from the fresh pears and caramelized onions and finished with fresh arugula.

All the Toppings

Brie Cheese: A double cream brie melts easily and is mild and buttery and fantastic melted onto a pizza.

Caramelized Onions: Make a batch ahead of time and add right before baking. Caramelized onions takes time but the work is so worth it.

Green Anjou Pears: These pears are crisp and slightly sweet and perfect sliced thin as a pizza topping.

Arugula: Added as soon as the matzo pizzas come out of the oven. The fresh arugula slightly wilts on top of the warm pizza and offers a fresh peppery bite.

Olive Oil and Reduced Balsamic: As soon as the matzo pizzas are done and after arugula is added, give the pizzas a quick drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.

Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Pepper: Both offer another layer of flavor to the sweet pears and balsamic and the overall pizza.

Savory matzo pizza is topped with melty brie cheese, caramelized onions and sweet pears. It doesn't get any better than this!

More Passover Recipes

Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Savory Matzo Pizza with Pears and Caramelized Onions

Savory matzo pizza is topped with melty brie cheese, caramelized onions and sweet pears. It doesn't get any better than this!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Caramelized Onions40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Jewish
Keyword: savory matzo pizza
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 404kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Ingredients

  • 2 Matzos
  • 6 ounces brie cheese roughly torn
  • ½ cup caramelized onions recipe below
  • 1 green Anjou pear core removed and sliced thin
  • 1 cup fresh arugula
  • Olive oil for drizzling
  • Balsamic vinegar for drizzling
  • Course sea salt
  • Ground black pepper

Caramelized Onions

  • 2 tablespoons Grapeseed oil or avocado oil
  • 4 sweet onions sliced thin
  • Kosher salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • For the caramelized onions, place a wide skillet over low-medium heat and drizzle with oil. Add sliced onions and stir around. Place a lid on the skillet and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every so often.
  • Remove lid and cotinine cooking the onions until they darken in color, soften and become jammy, for another 30-40 minutes.
  • Once the onions turn to a deep amber color and are incredibly soft and jammy, remove from heat and set aside.
  • For the matzo pizza, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and lay matzo on a baking sheet.
  • Scatter pieces of brie all over the matzos along with caramelized onions and sliced pear.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes until the pears are tender and cheese melted.
  • Remove from oven and top with fresh arugula and another drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Finish with a sprinkle of course flakey sea salt and ground black pepper.

Notes

Caramelized onions can be made up to 5 days ahead of time and added right before baking the pizza. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 587mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 385IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 2mg

Matzo Crisp with Pears and Pistachios

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Matzo crisp is an easy Passover dessert filled with sweet pears and topped with an irresistible matzo and pistachio crisp.

Matzo crisp is an easy Passover dessert filled with sweet pears and topped with an irresistible matzo and pistachio crisp.

Easy Passover Dessert

There is a lot of cooking when it comes to the Jewish holiday of Passover. Red wine brisket is always on the menu as well as homemade lemon saffron matzo ball soup. So when it comes to dessert, we like to keep it very simple but still delicious!

This is where our beloved pear crisp comes into play that is effortless and always a crowd pleaser. Red anjou pears are the star of this matzo crisp, as they are slightly soft and sweet and perfect for a baked dessert.

The crisp topping couldn't be easier. Mix matzo meal with softened butter, cinnamon and crushed pistachios, for added flavor and texture. Then scatter the topping all over the pears and bake until the fruit is condensed and bubbly and topping is lightly golden brown.

Matzo Pear Crisp Ingredients

Red Anjou Pears: Are sweet and fresh and perfect for a baked dessert. I like to peel the pears and chop into uniform cubes to bake evenly.

Matzo Meal: Because there is no leavened bread consumed during Passover, matzo meal is often used as a crisp, binder or coating. You can often find matzo meal at most grocery stores or you can make your own by grinding up matzo crackers into fine crumbs.

Pistachios: Raw and chopped, pistachios work so well with sweet pears.

Cinnamon: Another fantastic accompaniment to both the pears and pistachios.

Butter: Unsalted and softened and worked into the matzo crisp layer.

Sugar: Both brown sugar and white sugar are used in both the fruit mixture and topping.

Matzo crisp is an easy Passover dessert filled with sweet pears and topped with an irresistible matzo and pistachio crisp.

More Passover Recipes

Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Matzo Crisp with Pears and Pistachios

Matzo crisp is an easy Passover dessert filled with sweet pears and topped with an irresistible matzo and pistachio crisp.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Jewish
Keyword: matzo crisp, pear matzo crisp
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 490kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Ingredients

  • 4 red Anjou pears peeled, cored and chut into ½ inch cubes
  • ¼. cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
  • Softened butter for greasing baking dish
  • Ice cream for serving

Topping

  • ½ cup matzo meal
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened and cut into cubes
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup chopped pistachios + more for garnish
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • For the filling, add cubed pears, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and lemon juice to a bowl and toss to combine.
  • Grease a medium sized baking dish with a small amount of butter and pour pear filling in.
  • For the topping, add matzo meal, softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon to a bowl and use your fingers to work the butter in.
  • Scatter matzo streusel onto the pears along with the chopped pistachios and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the pears are tender.
  • Once done, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Serve with ice cream and garnish with chopped pistachios.

Notes

If prepping the pears ahead of time mix chopped pears with lemon juice to prevent browning. 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 523IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg

Julia Child's Salad Nicoise

· 21 Comments

Julia Child Salad Nicoise recipe is filled with classic components olives, capers, and fresh vegetables all tossed with a simple vinaigrette.

Julia Child's Salad Nicoise recipe is filled with classic components olives, capers, and fresh vegetables all tossed with a simple vinaigrette.

Julia Child Salad Nicoise

AKA Mediterranean Combination Salad as Julia calls it in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. We are keeping Julia Child's salad nicoise recipe as true to the original as possible.

I like to do this with most Julia recipes, such as with Julia Child's ratatouille recipe. There are layers that take time, but in the end, the flavors come together very well.

Salad Nicoise Components

Use the best and freshest ingredients you can find for this salad, since each element shines just as bright as the next. I love the combinations of the briny olives and capers with the warm potato salad and savory eggs.

Crisp Lettuce Leaves: I love the look of fresh large leaves layered on a platter. Red leaf lettuce and bib lettuce are great options.

Tomatoes: Sweet cherry tomatoes are used in this recipe, but in season roma tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes would be delicious.

Green Beans: or haricoverts that are quickly blanched (quick boil then green beans are submerged in ice cold water to keep the color and crispness).

Potatoes: Thin skinned Gold potatoes are perfect. Boiled and kept warm and seasoned with a simple vinaigrette.

Canned or Jarred Tuna: Staying true to Julia's recipe, use a good quality, sustainable jarred or canned tuna, such as Wild Planet Tuna or Tonnino Tuna.

Hard Boiled Eggs: Peeled and quartered. This is a great time to make a large batch.

Black Olives: Traditionally, nicoise olives are served with salad nicoise, but easier to find Kalamata offers a similar brininess.

Capers and Anchovies: Both provide saltiness. If you don't like anchovy fillets, feel free to omit.

Salad Nicoise Dressing

A simple whisk of red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper dresses the salad. Julia suggests adding finely chopped herbs, such as parsley, or tarragon or a pinch of dried herbs.

Julia Child's Salad Nicoise recipe is filled with classic components olives, capers, and fresh vegetables all tossed with a simple vinaigrette.

Helpful Tips on Arranging

  • After washing, dry the lettuce very well to avoid water accumulation on the platter.
  • Add a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette to the potatoes while they are still warm.
  • You can also dress the green beans ahead of time.
  • Reserve dressing the other more tender components until right before serving, such as the tomatoes and lettuce, to prevent wilting.

More Julia Child Recipes for Inspiration

More great salads:

Grilled Potato Salad

Classic caesar salad

Greek quinoa salad with chickpeas

Lemon orzo salad with corn and basil

Julia Child's classic Salad Nicoise recipe filled is with olives, capers, and fresh vegetables all tossed with a simple vinaigrette.
Print Recipe
4.90 from 46 votes

Julia Child’s Salad Nicoise

Julia Child's Salad Nicoise recipe is filled with classic components olives, capers, and fresh vegetables all tossed with a simple vinaigrette.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: French, Mediterranean
Keyword: Julia Child Salad Nicoise, Julia Child's salad nicoise, salad nicoise
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 587kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Nicoise Salad

  • 1 pound fresh green beans ends trimmed and blanched
  • 1 head of red leaf lettuce leaves removed, washed and dried well
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 6 ounces oil packed tuna flaked
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs halved lengthwise
  • 2-3 anchovy fillets
  • ½ cup Kalamata olives or Nicoise olives pitted and cut in half or chopped
  • 4 tablespoons capers
  • Flat leaf parsley hard stems removed and chopped finely, for garnish

French Potato Salad

Vinaigrette (makes about ½ cup)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Green Beans

  • If you haven't yet, blanch, prep the green beans by blanching them. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil green beans for 2 minutes, then immediately transfer to a bowl filled with ice water.
  • Remove green beans from water and set aside.

Vinaigrette

  • Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a bowl until blended and emulsified (or shake in a mason jar). Set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Potato Salad:

  • Add potatoes to a cold pot of water and bring to a boil until just fork tender. Once done, remove and let cool enough to handle. Slice or quarter potatoes and toss with 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Assemble Salad Nicoise

  • Shortly before serving, line a large, wide salad bowl or platter with lettuce leaves and drizzle with some of the vinaigrette.
  • Toss the green beans with 1-2 tablespoons of vinaigrette and arrange on platter, along with the potato salad.
  • Drizzle a spoonful or two of the dressing over the tomatoes and tuna and arrange on platter.
  • Layer the rest of the salad ingredients around the platter, olives, capers, eggs and anchovies.
  • Drizzle the rest of the vinaigrette onto salad and garnish with finely chopped parsley.

Notes

Most of the components can be made ahead of time, such as blanching the green beans and cooking the hard boiled eggs. 
To prevent sogginess, dress the rest fo the salad right before serving.
 
Excerpted from The Way to Cook by Julia Child. Copyright © 1989 by Julia Child. Reprinted with permission from the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.

Nutrition

Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 735mg | Potassium: 1215mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1764IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 5mg

 

Chicken Puttanesca Recipe with Calabrian Chiles

· 2 Comments

This weeknight chicken puttanesca recipe is inspired from the popular puttanesca pasta that is loaded with briny and bold flavors of olives, capers and anchovies. This version has a pop of heat from Calabrian chilies that simmer with tomatoes, creating the most delicious sauce for the chicken to simmer in.

This weeknight chicken puttanesca recipe has chicken thighs that simmer in a bold tomato sauce with olives, capers and Calabrian chiles.

Why this Chicken Puttanesca Recipe Works

Puttanesca pasta is one of our favorite weeknight dinners. It uses pantry staples of olives, capers and anchovies and creates the most vibrant and savory weeknight dinner. For a lunch idea try my Chicken Puttanesca Sandwich.

  • This easy weeknight dinner is ready in nearly 30 minutes, thanks to easy to easy to cook chicken thighs.
  • This is a one skillet recipe.
  • LOTS of flavors! Thanks to two kinds of olives, garlic and flavorful Calabrian chiles that creates a robust sauce.
  • Very Versatile: Use whatever olives you have on hand or different cuts of chicken, such as legs, breasts or serve the sauce over chicken cutlets.
This weeknight chicken puttanesca recipe has chicken thighs that simmer in a bold tomato sauce with olives, capers and Calabrian chiles.

Pantry Staple Ingredients

  • Skin-On Chicken Thighs: The first step is to brown the chicken skin, which starts the dish off with great flavor.
  • Anchovies: I promise you won't "taste" the anchovies in the recipe, but it offers a fantastic savory layer. Use a few filets of jarred anchovies or a good squeeze of anchovy paste in a tube.
  • Garlic: Fresh and chopped finely. A diced shallot would be delicious as well.
  • Canned Tomatoes: Either crushed or diced tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes will work too, but I suggest using in season tomatoes if you can.
  • Red Wine: I like using a drier red wine, such as a blend, Cabernet or Merlot.
  • Pitted Olives: This recipe has two kinds of olives, castelveltrano which are more mild and buttery. And Kalamata olives that are stronger and brinier. I like the combination of both, but use either one, if preferred.
  • Capers: A classic in puttanesca and also really good in a lighter kale pasta with olives and capers.
  • Calabrian Chiles: This has been my new obsession. Fantastic flavor with a bit of heat. You can find Calabrian chiles at most grocery stores and online.
This weeknight chicken puttanesca recipe has chicken thighs that simmer in a bold tomato sauce with olives, capers and Calabrian chiles.

What to Serve on the Side

Here are more wonderful chicken recipes

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5 from 7 votes

Chicken Puttanesca with Calabrian Chiles

This weeknight chicken puttanesca recipe has chicken thighs that simmer in a bold tomato sauce with olives, capers and Calabrian chiles.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: chicken puttanesca, chicken puttanesca recipe, easy chicken puttanesca
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 439kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $15

Equipment

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides and bring a wide skillet to medium heat.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and place chicken thighs in the skillet, skin side down and cook until skin is golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Then turn over and cook the other side for 3-4 minutes.
  • Once both sides of chicken are browned, remove and set aside on a plate. (The chicken will still be undercooked at this point).
  • In the same skillet, add anchovy filets and saute in the chicken fat until dissolved. Stir in garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add calabrian chiles and give everything a good stir.
  • Pour i red wine and use a spatula to scrape off any meaty bits from the pan. Allow wine to reduce for 2-3 minutes.
  • Pour in crushed tomatoes and give the sauce one more stir.
  • Nestle the chicken into the sauce, skin side up and scatter cappers and chopped olives around the chicken.
  • Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking until chicken is cooked all the way through, about 10 minutes. The sauce should have chickened and chicken become very tender.
  • Once done, remove from heat and serve chicken with puttanesca sauce.

Video

Notes

Calabrian chiles have a medium heat level but if you are sensitive to heat, leave the chiles out.
This recipe can be made ahead up to 3 days in advance, though the skin won't be as crisp.
For other wonderful Chicken meals, try my One Pot Chicken Provencal or my Chicken Francese.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 1189mg | Potassium: 906mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 690IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 4mg

Queso Stuffed Padron Peppers Over Romesco

· 8 Comments

If you can find padron peppers, run and buy some! These small and mild padron peppers are the perfect tapa or appetizer. The padron peppers are stuffed with melty cheese and served over a bright and flavorful romesco sauce.

These small and mild padron peppers are the perfect tapa or appetizer. The padron peppers are stuffed with melty cheese and served over a bright and flavorful romesco sauce.

What are Padron Peppers

Padron peppers are small green peppers that grow in Padron, Spain. We found them at a little pintxos bar in San Sebastian, Spain and fell in love! (Check out A Food Lovers Unedited View of Spain on some of our favorite Spain moments!) Padron peppers are small and usually served simply charred with a sprinkle of salt and lemon.

Padron peppers may be harder to find in the stores in the U.S., but shishito peppers are a very close substitute. Both styles of peppers are mild but one can surprise you with a bit of heat.

You can often find padron peppers or shishito peppers at International markets, such as an Asian market.

Stuffed Padron Peppers

Padron peppers have a perfect pocket for stuffing a nice chunk of melty cheese. Other ideas to stuff padron peppers are cubed feta cheese or stuffed with cream cheese, crumbled chorizo and creamy goat cheese.

These small and mild padron peppers are the perfect tapa or appetizer. The padron peppers are stuffed with melty cheese and served over a bright and flavorful romesco sauce.

Homemade Romesco Sauce

To continue the Spanish theme, the stuffed padron peppers are served on top of a tangy romesco sauce.

Romesco is a popular Spanish "sauce" with loads of intense flavors coming from dried chiles, roasted peppers, tomatoes, hazelnuts and stale bread for texture. All you need is a food processor to blend the sauce together and may I suggest making a double batch? I love slathering romesco sauce on sandwiches, crostini or served with roasted vegetables.

You can make romesco sauce gluten free by omitting the bread (the nuts will still provide good texture) or substituting with stale gluten free bread.

More Tapas and Appetizers to Try:

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5 from 8 votes

Queso Stuffed Padron Peppers Over Romesco

These small and mild padron peppers are the perfect tapa or appetizer. The padron peppers are stuffed with melty cheese and served over a bright and flavorful romesco sauce.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Spanish
Keyword: cheese stuffed padron peppers, stuffed padron peppers
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 690kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Romesco Sauce

  • 3 dried ancho peppers seeds and stems removed
  • 3 large tomatoes cut in half
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 garlic bulb cut in half
  • 1 cup toasted hazelnuts
  • 1 cup slivered or sliced toasted almonds
  • 1 slice of stale or dry bread
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup water if needed
  • Few dashes of sherry or red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Padron Peppers

  • 8 ounces Padron peppers or shishito peppers
  • 4 ounces Oaxaca or mazorella cheese cut into cubes
  • Olive oil for drizzling
  • Flakey sea salt for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  • Add bell pepper and tomatoes and and drizzle everything with olive oil, salt and pepper. Wrap garlic bulb in foil and add to baking sheet.
  • Roast vegetables for 25-30 minutes until tomatoes and peppers are softened and slightly charred. Once done, set aside to cool for a few minutes, then remove the thick outer peel from the peppers and tomato, leaving behind the tender flesh. Remove roasted garlic cloves from bulb.
  • While vegetables are roasting, soak the dried peppers in warm water for 10 minutes to soften.
  • In a large food processor, add the roasted bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic cloves, dried ancho peppers, nuts, bread, olive oil and a few dashes of red wine vinegar.
  • Pulse everything together until smooth. If it is too thick, add a few dashes of water until desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and taste for seasoning.
  • Prep the padron peppers by cutting off the stem and cutting. aslit in the pepper, to create a pocket and remove the seeds.
  • Place 2-3 small cubes of cheese into the pepper and place on a foil lined baking sheet.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and toast peppers for 15-20 minutes until the cheese melts and pepper begins to char.
  • To serve, spread romesco sauce on serving plate and top stuffed padron peppers on top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt.

Notes

Romesco sauce is very versatile and can be made quicker with store bought ingredients. 
Use jarred roasted peppers instead of roasting your own. 
Substitute all or either of hazelnuts or almonds.
To make the romesco sauce gluten free, you can omit the bread or use gluten free bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 690kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 34g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 1303mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 9061IU | Vitamin C: 107mg | Calcium: 289mg | Iron: 5mg

Persian Lime Chicken Soup

· 17 Comments

Have you ever had Persian dried lime? It creates the most fantastic citrus aroma that perfumes anything it is added to. This Persian lime chicken soup is flavored simply with a few dried limes and earthy turmeric and is made abundant with rice and chickpeas.

Persian lemon chicken soup is flavored with Persian dried lime and turmeric and full of basmati rice and chickpeas.

Persian Lemon Chicken Soup

This Persian chicken soup is my mom’s sisters recipe and since making it for the first time almost 10 years ago, has become a staple in our house. For years my mom would rave about this recipe and finally after a call to my Aunt (again, this was years ago) I was introduced to the bold and simple yet pronounced flavors of this soup.

Persian Dried Lime AKA Lemon Omani

Dried lime is a table in Persian cooking and I always make sure to have a bag of these flavor bombs at all times. Persian dried lime, also called lemon omani are small, hard limes that are hollow inside.

Persian dried lime has an earthy and citrusy aroma and perfumes soups and stews with the same earthy and sour flavor. I love adding a few dried limes to my lemon matzo ball soup and it is a classic ingredient in the Persian beef stew called Ghormeh Sabzi.

The dried limes stay hard as they simmer in whatever you are cooking, so be sure to remove them so you don't accidently bite into one. You can find Persian dried lime in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern stores and online here on Amazon.

Persian lemon chicken soup is flavored with Persian dried lime and turmeric and full of basmati rice and chickpeas.

Persian Soup Ingredients

The ingredients in this turmeric lime soup are simple and hearty. Feel free to swap as needed, such as all rice or all chickpeas or omit the chicken for a vegetarian chickpea soup.

  • Shredded Chicken: This is a great recipe to use leftover roasted chicken. Shred cooked chicken and discard any fat and skin before adding to soup.
  • Turmeric: Gives the soup a gorgeous golden hue and earthy flavor. Add a few cracks of black pepper to activate the lovely health properties that turmeric offers.
  • Dried Persian Lime: if you can't find dried lime, use a vegetable peeler and peel a few strips of lemon peel to steep in the soup.
  • Basmati Rice: India Gate Basmati rice is my absolutely favorite rice! I use it exclusively in when making Persian rice called Tahdig.
  • Chickpeas: For simplicity, I use rinsed canned chickpeas.
  • Other Options: a das of cinnamon or noodles instead of rice. Adding carrots and celery would be delicious too.

More soup recipes

More Persian recipes

Print Recipe
4.70 from 36 votes

Persian Lime Chicken Soup

Persian lime chicken soup is flavored with Persian dried lime and turmeric and full of basmati rice and chickpeas.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Persian
Keyword: Persian chicken soup, Persian lemon chicken soup, Turmeric lemon chicken soup
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 458kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Bring a dutch oven to medium heat and drizzle olive oil and saute the chopped onion for 4-5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and saute for another minute.
  • Pour in chicken stock and add dried limes, turmeric, basmati rice and chickpeas and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
  • Add shredded chicken and continue to cook on low until chicken is warmed through.
  • Remove dried limes and discard before serving. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and ground black pepper.

Notes

This recipe has been updated to use leftover roasted chicken but you can also simmer raw chicken in the broth until cooked through, then shred and add back in with rice and chickpeas.
As soup sits, rice may soak up broth, so feel free to add more broth as needed.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 703mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 4mg

Halloumi Fries with all the Toppings

· 3 Comments

Is there anything better than fried cheese? These halloumi fries are seasoned with warm spices before being fried to a perfect golden brown crispiness, and topped with a creamy yogurt sauce, tangy pomegranate molasses and za'atar, with layers of intense flavors in every single bite.

Halloumi fries are gently fried to a golden brown and crispy and topped with creamy yogurt, pomegranate molasses and zaatar.

Crispy Halloumi Fries

Is there anything better than perfectly fried cheese? Sure, there are mozzarella sticks, but in my opinion, halloumi takes the cake here. Halloumi cheese is able to hold it's shape perfectly Like in this Preserved Lemon and Yogurt Marinated Chicken dish. It's great for grilling, skewering and in this case, frying for crispy halloumi fries.

What is Halloumi Cheese?

Halloumi cheese is a semi-firm cheese that is made with both sheeps and goat milk, originating from Cyprus and well known all throughout the Middle East. The cheese can handle high temperatures and therefore is great for frying, grilling, pan-frying, air frying and baking and is able to hold it's shape without melting all over.

Halloumi cheese tastes more mild compared to feta and is not nearly as salty or briny. The texture can be described as "squeaky" and semi-firm and can be eaten uncooked and cooked. Though, once halloumi is cooked, the exterior browns and becomes crispy, providing an added layer of texture and flavor.

Where to Find Halloumi Cheese?

Halloumi cheese can be easily found all throughout the Middle East as well as England. In the U.S., halloumi cheese is making more of an appearance and can be found in Mediterranean specialty stores and if you are near, can also be found at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

Halloumi cheese is cut into matchsticks and fried. Place halloumi fries on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.

How to Make Halloumi Fries

  1. Use paper towel to pat the halloumi dry and cut into matchsticks, about 2-3 inches long and ¼ inch wide.
  2. On another plate, whisk the flour, smoked paprika and garlic powder together and set aside.
  3. Bring a medium sized skillet to medium-high heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom.
  4. Dredge the halloumi sticks in the seasoned flour so they are all coated evenly. Once oil is hot, place 5-8 halloumi sticks in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Then turn over and fry for another 2 minutes until all sides are a deep golden color. You may have to fry in batches, depending how large your skillet is.
  5. Remove halloumi fries and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil and let cool for a minute.
  6. Arrange halloumi fries on a plate and garnish with toppings.

A Few Tips on Making Halloumi Fries

  • Use a high-temperature oil, for frying, such as grapeseed or avocado oil.
  • To make gluten-free, dredge halloumi sticks in gluten free flour, almond flour or chickpea flour.
  • Don't crowd the halloumi, give them space so they can fry evenly.
  • To Bake Halloumi: Season halloumi sticks per the recipe and place on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, until cheese is golden brown on all sides.
  • Make Halloumi Fries Ahead: These are best served as soon as they are fried and hot. Though, you can prep and cut the cheese into sticks ahead of time.
  • How to Re-heat Halloumi Fries: Place halloumi fries on a parchment lined baking sheet and into a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven until warmed through. You can also place halloumi in a skillet over medium heat, turning until cheese is warmed through.

Can you Cook Halloumi in the Air-Fryer?

I have not, but my friend Liz has a fantastic recipe for air fryer halloumi that looks delicious and is super simple!

Halloumi fries are gently fried to a golden brown and crispy and topped with creamy yogurt, pomegranate molasses and zaatar.

Toppings for Halloumi Fries

Halloumi has a slightly salty, savory and tangy flavor that pairs well with bright and acidic additions.

  • Pomegranate Molasses: this takes the fries over the top because the sharp tang from the molasses cuts some of the richness from the cheese.
  • Creamy Yogurt Honey Sauce: Adds a bit of sweetness to the savory cheese and another layer of creamy and cool.
  • Za'atar: A favorite blend that has dried oregano and/or dried thyme, sumac and sesame seeds. If you can't find za'atar, use sumac or just sesame seeds.
  • Aleppo Pepper: or other hot pepper for extra heat, this is optional.
  • Fresh Herbs: chopped cilantro, parsley or fresh mint.
  • Pomegranate Seeds: Offers another addition of sweetness to the savory flavors.
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Halloumi Fries

Perfectly golden halloumi fries are topped with creamy yogurt, pomegranate molasses and zaatar making them irresistible.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Keyword: fried halloumi, halloumi fries, halloumi fries recipe
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 299kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $15

Equipment

Ingredients

Halloumi Fries

Yogurt Sauce

Other Toppings

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Use paper towel to pat the halloumi dry and cut into match sticks, about 2-3 inches long and ¼ inch wide.
  • On another plate, whisk the flour, smoked paprika and garlic powder together and set aside.
  • Bring a medium sized skillet to medium-high heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom.
  • Dredge the halloumi sticks in the seasoned flour so they are all coated evenly. Once oil is hot, place 5-8 halloumi sticks in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Then turn over and fry for another 2 minutes until all sides are a deep golden color. You may have to fry in batches, depending how large your skillet is.
  • Remove halloumi fries and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil and let cool for a minute.
  • Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt, salt, honey and lemon juice together and taste for seasoning. The consistency should be like a thin pancake batter for drizzling.
  • Arrange halloumi fries on a plate and drizzle with honey yogurt sauce, drizzle of pomegranate molasses, sprinkle of za'atar, aleppo pepper, pomegranate seeds and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Video

Notes

To make gluten free halloumi fries, substitute all purpose flour for gluten free flour mix, rice flour or almond flour.
Halloumi fries are best enjoyed fresh, but to reheat, place halloumi fries on a baking sheet and in a 350 degree oven until warmed through. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 994mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 153IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 735mg | Iron: 1mg

Mediterranean Dinner Recipes to Try This Year

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Fresh produce, loads of herbs and bold spices are staples in the Mediterranean diet. Here I gathered a list of favorite Mediterranean dinner recipes to inspire you to cook fresh, vibrant flavors, any night of the week. And the best part, all done in under an hour!

Weeknight Mediterranean Dinner Recipes

Vegan Turkish Pizza (Lahmacun)

Lahmacun is one of my favorite Turkish recipes. Usually made with meat, this vegan recipe showcases all of the same bold Mediterranean flavors but made with a hearty vegetable mixture, tangy pomegranate molasses and warm spices. Top the vegan Turkish pizza with sumac onions, lemon and fresh herbs for a fresh pop of flavor.

Roasted Eggplant with Tahini, Beets and Chickpeas

This was originally a play on a deconstructed baba ghanoush, where I took some of baba’s famous flavors of eggplant and lemon and broke them up a bit. What was created was a fantastic Mediterranean roasted eggplant recipe that is hearty enough to be a main dish on its own. The roasted eggplant halves are flavored with warm spices of cumin and topped with crispy chickpeas, creamy tahini and sweet roasted beets. I also like to add thinly sliced lemon to caramelize with the eggplant.

One Pot Lemon Chicken with Rice and Chickpeas

One pot lovers, unite! This is a new revelation for me to be honest. I am a multi-pot user per the usual, but have been wanting to experiment with one pot dinners. And I mean a true one pot meal. Not a pre-blanch in this pot or another pot to bake it in. Everything in one and done.

Lemon Rice Pilaf with Dill and Pistachios

20 minutes for the most flavorful side dish. Lemon rice pilaf is cooked with orzo and toasted pine nuts, pistachios and loads of fresh herbs.

Shakshuka with Kale, Mushrooms and Feta

A hearty and smoky vegetarian shakshuka recipe loaded with sauteed kale, mushrooms and peppers. The tomato is seasoned with deep spices of cumin and paprika and once the dish is just done cooking, everything is topped with creamy feta and lots of fresh herbs.

Shish Tawook (Grilled Chicken Skewers)

Shish tawook literally translates to “chicken skewers” and is widely known in Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine. Chicken thighs marinate in a mixture of yogurt, lemon and warm spices before being grilled over charcoal to create the most tender, juicy and flavorful chicken. This will become your favorite skewer recipe and is perfect served over lavash or salad.

Greek Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

This is the perfect side or salad for when you crave something simple, fresh and flavorful. Inspired by the traditional Greek flavors, this Greek quinoa salad is dressed with a bright lemon vinaigrette and tossed with creamy feta cheese, artichoke hearts, olives and loads of fresh mint. I would even suggest adding chickpeas or toasted pine nuts for added texture.

Grilled Kofta with Eggplant and Tomatoes

A grilling staple as soon as the weather warms up! Grilled beef and lamb kofta are seasoned with Turkish flavors of grated onion, sumac and tomato paste. As soon as the kofta are hot of the grill, they are placed on top of pita bread so all the delicious meat juices impart it’s flavor onto the bread. Then drizzled with a creamy tahini sauce and there is nothing better!

Salmon Shawarma Salad

Inspired from bold flavors of chicken shawarma, this salmon shawarma salad uses the same marinade for intense flavors. Served on top of a crisp crunchy salad and finished with a creamy dill sauce. This will most certainly be your favorite weeknight salmon recipe to make!

Mediterranean Falafel Bowl with Tahini Yogurt Sauce

A flavorful and colorful falafel bowl recipe filled with fresh greens, Israeli chopped salad, homemade falafel and finished with a creamy tahini yogurt sauce.

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives

A flavorful weeknight chicken tagine recipe made in nearly 30 minutes. With just a handful of bold spices, salty preserved lemons and buttery olives.

One Pot Garlic Chicken with Israeli Couscous

Delicious and vibrant one pot garlic chicken is cooked with white wine, aromatic saffron, Israeli couscous and fresh vegetables.

Preserved Lemon and Yogurt Marinated Chicken

Preserved lemon chicken is marinated with tangy yogurt creating a vibrant and full flavored recipe. Wrap chicken in lettuce leaves or skewer for kabobs.

Charred Salmon with Lemon Herb Israeli Couscous and Fava Beans

Simply charred salmon served over Israeli couscous and fava beans tossed in a bright lemon vinaigrette are what weeknight dinners are made for.

Mediterranean Salmon Burgers

Mediterranean salmon burgers made with wild caught salmon with bright flavors salty preserved lemon, loads of fresh herbs and warm spices.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Mint and Lemon

Full of bold flavors of smoked paprika, mint and lemon, this Turkish lentil soup is full of hearty grains such as lentils and rice and is gluten free and made in nearly 30 minutes.

Lebanese Hushwee over Tahini

A simple beef sauté, Lebanese hushwee is full of warm spices of cinnamon and tossed with toasted pine nuts and layered on top of creamy tahini.

Chicken Shawarma Bowls

Middle Eastern chicken shawarma will be your favorite way to cook chicken on a weeknight, flavored with bold spices of turmeric and cumin, lots of bright lemon juice and savory garlic. Serve chicken shawarma bowls with quinoa, hummus and creamy tahini.

Greek Fattoush Salad with Grilled Salmon and Red Wine Vinaigrette

A hearty fattoush salad loaded with fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables and grilled salmon right on top. Dress the salad with a tangy vinaigrette and creamy feta cheese to bring it all together.

Chopped Kale and Chickpea Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing

When you need to whip up a quick salad, this one is a favorite. Chopped kale is massaged with a bright and creamy tahini dressing and savory chickpeas. The perfect kale salad for when you want something quick and incredibly delicious. Also holds up for a day or so very well!

Roasted Mushroom Crostini with Wine and Herbs

· 45 Comments

Roasted mushroom crostini with wine and herbs is an easy and elegant party appetizer and ready in 20 minutes!

Roasted mushroom crostini with wine and herbs is an easy and elegant party appetizer and ready in 20 minutes!

I've said it before and I'll say it again...there is nothing better than simple and bold flavors! When you have good ingredients, there is not much you need to do, such as with Manchego and roasted pepper stuffed mushrooms. That recipe is only 3 ingredients but packs so much in a small bite.

Wine Roasted Mushrooms

Robust wine, earthy mushrooms, fresh herbs and butter transforms simple mushrooms into something spectacular.

The best part of this roasted mushroom crostini is how EASY it is!

All you have to do is throw some of your favorite mushrooms in a baking dish, add a few glugs of red wine, fresh herbs and a few healthy dots of butter, roast at 400 degrees until mushrooms are tender and you have a beautiful appetizer ready in 20 minutes.

Roasted mushroom crostini with wine and herbs is an easy and elegant party appetizer and ready in 20 minutes!

A Few Cooking Tips

  • Mushrooms: Use your favorites! Baby portabellas, oyster mushrooms and shitakis are a few I used in this recipe.
  • Use a damp cloth or paper towel to clean any debris off the mushrooms. If the stems are hard, you can cut the end off or just remove the stem if you prefer.
  • This recipe uses red wine, but white wine or even sherry would be a fantastic substitute.
  • Herbs: This is such a versatile dish, use one or a combination of rosemary, thyme and oregano.
Roasted mushroom crostini with wine and herbs is an easy and elegant party appetizer and ready in 20 minutes!

A Few More Quick and Easy Appetizers

Print Recipe
4.97 from 51 votes

Roasted Mushroom Crostini with Wine and Herbs

Roasted mushroom crostini with wine and herbs is an easy and elegant party appetizer and ready in 20 minutes!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: mushroom crostini, wild mushroom crostini
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 143kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Wild mushrooms cleaned and cut in half if large
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed and roughly chopped
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary leaves removed and finely chopped
  • 1-2 garlic cloves grated or finely chopped
  • ¼ cup red wine I used Cabarnet
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil for drizzling
  • ¼ teaspoon Coarse salt + more for garnish, optional
  • Black pepper few grinds worth
  • Baguette sliced into crostini and toasted
  • Fresh parsley leaves removed and chopped for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a baking dish, add mushrooms, herbs, garlic, wine, butter, olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
  • Roast mushrooms in oven for 20 minutes, or until the mushrooms begin to break down and soften.
  • While mushrooms are roasting, make the crostini by slicing the baguette on a bias and lightly toasting in the oven or in a grill pan.
  • Once mushrooms are done, spoon mushroom mixture over toasted bread and top with fresh parsley and coarse sea salt.

Notes

Use a variety of mushrooms for taste and texture. 
Avoid rinsing mushrooms under water, which can weight the mushrooms down.

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 218IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

Mini Spinach Artichoke Puff Pastry Bites

· 2 Comments

The easiest holiday appetizer that your friends will think you slaved for hours! Puff pastry is cut into bite sized puffs and filled with spinach, artichoke and creamy goat cheese. Creamy, flavorful and bite size; the perfect bite.

bite sized puffs and filled with spinach, artichoke and creamy goat cheese. Creamy, flavorful and bite size; the perfect bite.

Puff Pastry Appetizer

One of my favorite little "tricks" to keep on hand is puff pastry. We always keep a few boxes in the freezer for when I'm craving a caprese tart or something more elaborate like salmon wellington.

All you need to do is thaw the pastry on the countertop for about 20 minutes or in the fridge for a few hours. Then unroll and depending on what you're making, use a rolling pin to roll the pastry a bit thinner. Puff pastry can puff up when baked and I prefer it to be a bit on the thinner side.

Frozen Staples

Another little gem I like to keep on hand is frozen spinach, which a standard 9 ounce bag equals to nearly 6 cups of fresh spinach! Frozen spinach is one of my favorite ingredients to keep in the freezer and there are countless uses for the easy ingredient. Such as my Sephardic spinach pie, spinach and feta borek and leek and spinach risotto.

Just keep in mind that frozen spinach holds a lot of water, so squeeze out as much as you can before adding to your recipe.

How to Make Mini Spinach Puff Pastry Bites

  1. In a food processor, combine the spinach, artichokes, lemon olive oil, basil, Parmesan cheese, goat cheese and salt and pepper.

2. Pulse everything together until it forms a paste. You may want to add more olive oil if needed, but just like a pesto, use your eye to measure. Taste for seasoning.

In a food processor, pulse frozen spinach, cheese, artichoke hearts and lemon zest to form a paste.

3. Unwrap your defrosted puff pastry and lightly roll out so it stretches a bit. Then use a sharp knife to cut along the seam into 3 long pieces.

To make mini puff pastry bites, cut puff pastry into 3 long strips then into 12 squares.

4. Then cut each strip into quarters, so you will wind up with 12 squares.

To make mini puff pastry bites, cut puff pastry into 3 long strips then into 12 squares.

5. Take each puff pastry square and place it into your mini muffin tin. (This is the mini muffin tin I use.)

Take each puff pastry square and place it into your mini muffin tin.

5) Next, use a teaspoon to scoop spinach mixture into the puff pastry cups. Then take the corners of the pastry and gently fold over and close.

use a teaspoon to scoop spinach mixture into the puff pastry cups. Then take the corners of the pastry and gently fold over and close.

6) Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry begins to get golden brown. Then remove from oven and allow to cool a bit before serving.

bite sized puffs and filled with spinach, artichoke and creamy goat cheese. Creamy, flavorful and bite size; the perfect bite.

Mini Puff Pastry Variations

Here are some different options for fillings

  • Mozzarella + Pesto + Sun Dried Tomatoes
  • Spinach + Feta and Dill
  • Goat Cheese and Roasted Peppers
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Mini Spinach Artichoke Puff Pastry Bites

Mini spinach puff pastry bites are filled with spinach, artichoke and tangy goat cheese, making for a flavorful bite.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Keyword: artichoke puff pastry
Servings: 12 mini puff pastry bites
Calories: 198kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet of puff pastry thawed
  • 9 ounce box frozen spinach thawed and squeezed of moisture
  • 9 ounce bag of frozen artichoke hearts thawed and squeezed of moisture
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 2 ounces goat cheese
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup Olive oil
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Unwrap thawed puff pastry and lightly roll out so it stretches a bit. Then use a sharp knife to cut along the seam into 3 long pieces. Then cut each strip into quarters, so you will wind up with 12 squares.
  • In a food processor, combine the spinach, artichoke hearts, lemon zest, goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and salt and pepper.
  • Pulse everything together until it forms a paste similar to a pesto. Taste for seasoning.
  • Take each puff pastry square and place it into the mini muffin tin. Use a teaspoon and fill each pastry square with filling until you fill all 12 puffs. Then close the corners of the pastry.
  • Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry begins to turn golden brown. Once done, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Spinach Artichoke pesto can be made up to 2 days in advance.
Have fun with the fillings and try variations, such as spinach and feta or mozorella and sundried tomatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 158mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2664IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1mg

This post was originally published in December, 2013 and updated in December 2021 with nutritional information.

Baked Clams Casino

· 8 Comments

Baked clams casino is a seafood classic. Fresh clams are steamed until just barely opened and then stuffed with a flavorful mixture of sauteed shallots, peppers, panko and Parmesan cheese. You won't be able to stop at just one!

Baked clams casino are steamed clams that are stuffed with a mixture of shallots, peppers, panko and Parmesan cheese.

Stuffed Clams Casino

Clams casino is a popular Italian-American recipe where fresh clams are steamed until just opened and combined with a handful of savory ingredients. Sauteed shallots and bell peppers are tossed with Panko and Parmesan. And this is the time to keep that lovely clam stock (you can also make a double batch of steamed clams and save the broth) to add to the mixture for even more clam flavor!

Then stuff clams with the mixture, bake and finish with a healthy grating of Parmesan cheese.

How to Clean Clams

Before we get into the steaming, let's talk about how to properly clean clams first. Honestly, it takes longer to clean clams then to cook them, but worth it so you don’t bite into a hard piece of sand.

  • Once you bring home the clams, place the clams on ice and leave in the fridge until you’re ready to cook with later (usually on the same day).
  • 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook, place the clams in a large bowl of cold tap water. This help the clams spit out any sand that may be inside.
  • Right when you’re ready to cook, use a Shellfish scrubber or something similar to scrub the outside of each clam. Then, you’re ready to cook!

Clams Casino Mixture

The clam stuffing is what makes this recipe so delicious!

  • Canned Clams: For even more clam meat! I use this brand of canned clams and use the same canned clams in my linguini and clams recipe.
  • Reserved Clam Liquid: Save some from steaming the clams or use the juice from the canned clams.
  • Aromatics: Shallots, bell pepper, garlic and thyme.
  • Panko Breadcrumbs: To bind and provide texture.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Offers savoriness. Grate your own if you have a chunk of Parm.
Baked clams casino are steamed clams that are stuffed with a mixture of shallots, peppers, panko and Parmesan cheese.

A Few Tips on Cooking with Clams

  • Discard any clams that are cracked or do not open after being cooked.
  • Avoid overcooking and turn the heat off just as the clams open up.
  • Clams are best made the same they they are bought, for freshness.
  • Find clams with a larger shell which will be great for stuffing.
Baked clams casino are steamed clams that are stuffed with a mixture of shallots, peppers, panko and Parmesan cheese.

More Great Recipes to Try

Spanish Garlic Shrimp with Paprika and Lemon

Baked Za'atar Fries

Mediterranean Fish Cakes

Shrimp Scampi with White Wine and Parmesan

Great shellfish recipes

Print Recipe
5 from 15 votes

Baked Clams Casino

Baked clams casino is a seafood classic. Fresh clams are steamed until just barely opened and then stuffed with a flavorful mixture of sauteed shallots, peppers, panko and Parmesan cheese. You won't be able to stop at just one!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: clams casino, stuffed clams
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 289kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro
Cost: $15

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds littleneck clams larger ones, if possible
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 6 ounces canned clams drained and liquid reserved
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter seperated
  • 1 small shallot minced
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish
  • Zest of 1 lemon save the rest for wedges
  • 2 tablespoons reserved clam liquid
  • Chopped Parsley leaves for garnish

Instructions

  • Start with prepping the clams by soaking the clams in water for at least 30 minutes. When you are ready to cook, scrub each clam to remove any outside debri and place in a clean bowl.
  • Add clams to a small pot along with wine and water and bring everything to a simmer. Place a lid on the pot and cook until clams just open up, about 7-9 minutes.
  • Once clams have opened, remove clams from pot and save liquid. Let the clams cool for a few minutes and remove the top shell. Use a spoon to scoop out clam meat and place on a cutting board and give the clam meat a rough chop. Add chopped clam meat to a bowl and set aside.
  • Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bring a small skillet to medium heat.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add minced shallots and bell pepper and sauté until just softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and fresh thyme and sauté for another minute and add mixture to chopped clam meat along with canned clam meat, panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and lemon zest.
  • Give everything a good mix and if the mixture is dry, add reserved clam liquid until just moistened.
  • Fill each clam with clam mixture and dot clams with remaining butter. Place stuffed clams on a baking sheet and bake 18-20 minutes until breadcrumbs are toasted.
  • Once done, remove from oven and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, additional grated Parmesan and lemon wedges.

Notes

Clams are best served the same day they are purchased.
Discard any clams that are broken or do not open after cooking. 
Do not skip the step of soaking the clams, this will help remove any sand.
For another Seafood recipe with an Italian Spin, try my Halibut Piccata or my Lemon Butter Lingcod. 
If it's a Shrimp dish you want try my Tuscan Shrimp Pasta.

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 542mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1528IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 2mg