38 | APRIL 15 • 2021
M
ay and June are
marked by modern
Jewish holidays. Yom
HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial
Day. Next, there’s Yom
HaZikaron,
Israel’s
Memorial Day,
followed by Yom
HaAztmaut,
Israel’s
Independence
Day and, of
course Yom
Yerushalayim,
Jerusalem Day. As with other
modern holidays, this is a time
for rejoicing in Israel. The
weather is fine, and it is the
height of the growing season.
Not surprisingly, during cele-
brations in the country, there
are parades, pilgrimages and
the ever present festive meals,
often eaten out of doors.
In our part of the world,
Michigan has thawed, and
we’re thrilled to be outside.
Especially now.
The recipes below are influ-
enced by the superb ingredi-
ents of the region. Some are
adaptations of my favorite
street foods and others just
sort of feel Israeli. They’re all
perfect for getting into the
“spirit” of the universal festiv-
ities. Lots of vegetables, citrus
and olive oil rule the menu.
Among these are my favorite
ingredients and flavors: cau-
liflower, eggplant, chickpeas,
tomatoes, olives, parsley,
lemon, sesame seeds, olive oil,
honey and feta cheese.
EASY BAKED FALAFEL
WITH TAHINI SAUCE
These are made with
canned (already cooked)
garbanzo beans (chick-
peas). You may also fry
these in vegetable oil or
air-fry, if desired.
Ingredients
Falafel:
1 can (about 15-ounces) chick-
peas, rinsed, drained very well
1 Tbsp. tahini paste
½ cup parsley (with stems)
2-3 peeled, medium garlic cloves
¼ cup chopped onions
¼ cup flour
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cumin, or to taste
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. Grated lemon zest
½ tsp. ground pepper
¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
½ cup sesame seeds
Sauce:
½ cup tahini paste
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
Salt to taste
Garnish:
Fresh pita pockets, plain Greek
yogurt, fresh cilantro leaves,
chopped tomatoes, chopped
scallions (white and green parts),
lemon or lime wedges.
Directions
Combine all falafel ingredi-
ents in the bowl of a food
processor and pulse or
process until smooth. Grab
a handful of the mixture and
see if it holds together. If it’s
too mushy (won’t form into
a ball or patty), add a bit of
flour. If the mixture is too
dry, add a bit of lemon juice
or water. Allow to sit for 10
minutes or more.
Combine the sauce ingre-
dients in a small bowl and
whisk well. Set aside.
Roll tablespoons of
the mixture into 1-2 table-
spoon-sized balls and flatten
into ¾-inch thick patties.
Line a baking sheet with
several lengths of paper
towel or top with a drying
rack. Fill a large saucepan
with 1 inch of vegetable oil
over medium-high heat until
very hot. Cook the falafel
patties on both sides, in
batches, for 2–3 minutes or
until golden. Drain well.
Alternately, Preheat
the oven to 350°. Brush a
rimmed baking sheet with
oil and arrange the falafel
on the baking sheet. Bake
for 10 minutes. Turn and
cook on the other side until
golden.
Serve the falafel drizzled
with tahini sauce and gar-
nished with pita pockets and
additional toppings. Makes
4-6 servings.
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
SALAD
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower (about 1½- 2
pounds) cut into bite-sized florets
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. Fresh ground pepper
Dressing:
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. kosher salt
Garnish:
⅔ cup golden raisins
¼ cup pine nuts or slivered
almonds, lightly toasted
½ cup fresh chopped parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°. Lightly
brush a rimmed baking sheet
with olive oil. Set aside.
Toss the cauliflower with
the olive oil, salt and pep-
per in a large bowl. Spread
on the baking sheet. Roast
for 15-minute or until the
cauliflower has golden tips.
Remove from oven and cool.
Transfer to a large bowl, add
raisins, pine nuts and parsley.
Whisk together the dress-
ARTS&LIFE
DINING IN
Flavors
Flavors
of Israel
Israel
The
Annabel
Cohen
Contributing writer