34th annual birmingham fine art fair Celebrate Yom Yerushalayim — in the kitchen. n Sunday, May 17, Yom Yerushalayim commemorates the famous 1967 Six-Day War in which the Old City of Jerusalem was Annabel Cohen reclaimed, reunit- Food Columnist ing the ancient city. It's only fitting that during this time, we eat foods that remind of us of Israel — for me, that means Israeli street food and delicacies that are common home and restaurant dishes. Here, two favorites. SHORTCUT FALAFEL Tahini Sauce: '/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste) '/2 cup water '/2 cup lemon juice 2 garlic cloves Salt to taste Falafel: 2 cans (15-ounce) can chickpeas (gar- banzo beans), drained 1 cup chopped onions '/2 cup fresh parsley 2 tsp. minced garlic 2 large eggs 1 Tbsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground coriander 2 tsp. salt '/2 tsp. hot paprika or cayenne pepper '/2 cup plain breadcrumbs (more if needed) needed) 2 tsp. baking soda Other ingredients: 1 cup breadcrumbs 4 8-inch pocket pita loaves, cut in half Vegetable oil for deep frying Garnish with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, chopped cucumber, chopped radishes, tahini dressing (see recipe below), plain yogurt, crisp lettuce leaves Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towel. Set aside. Make the tahini sauce: Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food proces- sor or pitcher of a blender and blend well. Makes 1 cup of sauce. Prepare the falafel: Combine all falafel ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture forms a grainy, finely chopped mixture (do not process until smooth). Scoop about 2 Tbsp. from the mixture and shape into balls. Flatten the balls slightly to make about 1 1/2-inch patties and dredge each patty in breadcrumbs. Note: The balls should be able to hold together and not flatten too much. If the balls are too soft, they will fall apart when frying. Heat oil in a deep fryer according to manufacturer instructions, or heat about 1 inch of oil in a large deep skillet or pot until very hot (make a test falafel to ensure the oil is hot enough, the mixture is thick enough to not fall apart and the amount of salt is right). To fry: Place the falafel patties in the hot oil and fry for 3-6 minutes on each side. Remove the falafel to the prepared paper- lined baking sheet to drain. To bake: Alternately, place the falafel patties on an oiled, rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until the mixture is set. Serve the falafel hot or warm in the pita pockets garnished as you like (with the suggestions above) and with tahini sauce drizzled on top. Makes 8 servings. SHAKSHUKA 3 Tbsp. olive oil 2 cups chopped onions 1 tsp. minced garlic 2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes (unpeeled), chopped, or 1 can (28 ounc- es) diced tomatoes with juice 1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped Kosher salt and pepper to taste 6 large eggs Heat oil in large skillet, pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, salt and pepper to taste (start with 1 tsp. salt and V2 tsp. pepper). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes more. Taste the tomatoes for seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste. Break the eggs into the tomatoes and, without stirring, cook until the eggs are to your liking (some people prefer to break the yolks by stirring the egg lightly when it's added to the tomatoes) and serve immedi- ately as an entree or side dish. Makes 6 servings. ❑ May 9 &10, 2015 Saturday,10am-6pm Sunday,10am-5pm A Mother's Day Weekend Tradition In downtown Birmingham's Shain Park www.ArtBirmingham.org Produced by the vow With Special thanks to DETROIT JEWISH NEW =:=1 in association wit! g Guild ":1 *% • C o a Jo l ' Us 1014141 tligeStaY e Mother's Day Buffet 11 am - 7 pm Adults $26.99 Kids 10 & under $12.99 Lamb Chops Chicken Lemonato Pasta Made to Order Greek Favorites Oven Roasted Potatoes Vegetable Big T's Chopped Salad Omelettes Cold Dips Made-to-Order Chicken Meatballs until 3PM Fresh Fruit, Desserts and Pastries *if i ri \(1 1rnli111,,c ■1:“.