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