Twice-Baked Potatoes with Labaneh and Za’atar
11/12/19

 

 

I can’t believe this is real but there was a time in my life when I did not like labaneh and za’atar — together or apart. I did not like it. I’m so ashamed to admit this about myself because they are such an integral part of Israeli cuisine and I am 100% on board with all things Israeli cuisine. I distinctly remember once, in 2008, when I was living abroad for the year studying at the Pardes Institute of Judaic Studies, a trip I went on for Shabbat. I cannot remember exactly where I was but I know it was a small Arab village that was known for it’s labaneh and I was determined to give labaneh another try. Folks had raved about this tiny village and their labaneh and by golly, I was going to like it! In case you don’t, labaneh is technically a yogurt only it’s been has been strained to filter or remove the whey. It’s a classic Middle Eastern dairy spread that tastes like if Greek yogurt and sour cream had a delicious, creamy baby. And while I did try that tiny village’s labaneh, I still didn’t like it at the time.

I am happy to report, however, that times and tastes have changed in the last 11 years since I tried that labaneh. I don’t know what happened. Maybe I’ve actually matured in taste palette as well as in life!? Maybe it was all that labaneh I’ve seen on some of my most favorite Israeli cuisine chefs (shalom, Adeena Sussman!). Whatever it is, my new Shabbat morning breakfast is labaneh, roasted cherry tomatoes, Israeli salad, and pita chips. I now have this little breakfast every Shabbat morning; I love labaneh that much.

Therefore, when the folks at Tnuva asked me if I would be interested in partnering on a few recipe posts I was more than happy to be ALL in!

Fun Fact: Since 1926 (almost 100 years!) Tnuva has been the world’s leading premium kosher cheese provider. They’ve expanded to include many other products like puff pastry and harissa, all made in Israel! GIMME ALL THE HARISSA AND PUFF PASTRY!

My first recipe in this dream partnership is a Twice-Baked Potato with my old friends, labaneh and za’atar—a flavor match made in heaven! I don’t want to trigger anyone into an anxiety spiral but the Jewish holidays this year just destroyed me. There was so much cooking and grocery shopping and meat consumption that I decided that for Thanksgiving this year, we would host a vegetarian potluck Friendsgiving and I will FOR SURE be making these delicious twice-baked potato friends for that dinner. Twice-baked potatoes are so creamy, filled with flavor and are the perfect canvas for Tnuva’s rich and delicious 5% labaneh. The creaminess of the labaneh is an easy and scrumptious way to create the smoothness needed for pipping back into the potato skin boat. If you don’t have a star piping tip or piping bags, feel free to just scoop the labaneh + potato mixture back into the potato skins. The piping is just to up the fancy factor.

 

 

 

Twice Baked Potatoes with Labaneh and Za’atar

Ingredients:

1 ½ tsp olive oil

4 6-ounce Russet potatoes, scrubbed

¾ cup Tvuna Labaneh

½ cup half and half

3 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp finely chopped chives

3 tbsp finely chopped dill

1 ½ tbsp za’atar

1.5 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp garlic powder

 

Directions:

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°F. 

Rub oil over potatoes. Pierce in several spots with a fork. Place directly on oven rack; bake until very tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 10 minutes. 

Using oven mitts, grasp 1 potato in hand. Using a serrated knife, cut off top 1/4 of potato. Using a spoon, scoop out potato, leaving 1/2-inch-thick shell; transfer potato flesh to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Mash potatoes until smooth. Mix in labaneh, then half and half, butter, za’atar, dill, and chives. Season with salt and garlic powder.

Spoon about 3/4 of potato mixture into shells, dividing evenly. Transfer remaining potato filling to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe filling atop potatoes. Place potatoes on a baking sheet. 

*All of the above can be done ahead by a day. Just cover loosely with pastic wrap and refrigerate.  

Position rack in center of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake potatoes until filling is heated through and tops brown, about 20 minutes.

 

*This post was absolutely sponsored by Tnuva, a company whose products I genuinely love to eat. 

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Za’atar White Bean Salad on Malawach
05/03/17

 

How do you know when you’re done? Not done with eating, mind you, but done having kids? I thought I knew. I participated in a week-long Positive Psychology workshop last summer and spent the majority of my time digging deep and reflecting on the fact that I thought I was done. Gd had blessed me with two incredible children and that’s it. Leave the party while it’s not only good but great. I spent the many months since that workshop giving away all of our baby gear to various friends and colleagues who were not done and needed the support. “Put it to good use”, I thought, “cause I don’t need it anymore”. But then something happened (as it always does). My father-in-law died and I turned 37. Suddenly I found myself wrestling with my own mortality and with that, the questioning of whether or not I was really ready to close this chapter in my life.

My arguments for not having a third have always been the same: With the life we lead (the expenses of daycare costs, being a working-parent household, wanting to live an observant/kosher Jewish life), we can give two kids a great life but three kids? Three kids would be tough. Plus, I don’t know what you do for a living but I spend a lot of my day talking with adolescents with mental and developmental health struggles so that coupled with the statistics of giving birth after 35 (i.e. the rise of potential of certain developmental delays), I’m frikkin’ freaked. Again, Gd has blessed us with two healthy, developmentally-abled children. LEAVE THE PARTY WHILE IT’S GREAT. But what if it could be greater?

I still have no answer. We are in conversations, clearly. With baby one and two, we were closed up about our family planning but with the potential of baby three I’ve basically been polling everyone I know (and don’t know) on what their thoughts are on how many kids I should have. Yes, that means I sometimes accost strangers in the grocery store with awkward, inappropriate questions like, “Excuse me, hi, you don’t know me but, you have lots of kids. How’s that working out?”

That’s totally normal . . . right? HELP!

 

So since motherhoood and parenting has been constantly on my mind, I made y’all a Mother’s Day breakfast/brunch/lunch/dinner recipe using some of my favorite ingredients. If you don’t know what malawach is you can read about it and get the recipe for this quick yet super fancy meal over at Interfaithfamily.com. Happy Mother’s Day!

 

 

 

Would not be able to parent without my besties!

 

Supporting our friends, Bear and Bud Bookclub, at the Babyccino event in LA last weekend.

 

 

 

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Garbanzo Bean Shakshuka
05/06/15

Garbanzo bean shakshuka Jewhungry the blog

I am so very honored to have the talent that is Chani from Busy in Brooklyn as a guest blogger today. If you haven’t seen her blog, then I’m assuming you’ve been living under a rock or are new to solids because homegirl has talent. She also always, ALWAYS takes the most beautiful pictures, which are so obviously on display with this post. I love that she made her variation of shakshuka and one that is quick and easy (and elegant to boot)! It’s perfect for my time and food-starved life right now. Thank you so much, Chani!

It’s such an honor to be filling in for Whitney here on Jewhungry! I’ve been a follower from the early days and I love Whit’s spunk, both in her food and her writing. We share a love of Middle Eastern food, from tahini to za’atar and everything in between. Since Whitney is expecting baby #2, I wanted to make one of her favorites, so I’m dishing up my secret to quick and easy shakshuka!

Like many people worldwide, I have a full-blown obsession with everything Ottolenghi. Jerusalem is my favorite of his cookbooks, but they all serve as an inspiration to me and the dishes I create. One of the things I hear often is how his recipes are so complex, with so many ingredients and steps. They are definitely not the quick & easy kind of recipes that I often make for my family of six (yes, I have four kids!).
Garbanzo bean shakshuka Jewhungry the blog
One of the things I have learned from many years in the kitchen, is how to deconstruct dishes so that they are packed with the same flavor and wow factor as their gourmet originals, while bypassing the detailed steps it takes to layer the flavors. I like to call my style “Fake It Gourmet” and this shakshuka is just the thing to demonstrate how!
Garbanzo bean shakshuka Jewhungry the blog
The slow-cooked chickpeas on toast with poached eggs from Plenty More is what inspired this dish. Of course Ottolenghi cooks his chickpeas for FIVE hours with a tomato-based sauce, but who’s got that kind of time? Canned chickpeas fill in just fine for me, and store-bought marinara creates a robust base minus all the hassle. Canned chickpeas and jarred marinara? – oh the blasphemy! Sounds crazy, I know, but marinara allows me to build on a saucy tomato base, without all the chopping and sauteing. I add a bit of harissa, which deepens the flavor and gives it that oomph it needs so it tastes homemade with a hint of spice. Once you’ve got your sauce down, it’s all uphill from there. Poached eggs practically taste good on cardboard. Same with za’atar. So all in all, you’ve got a winner – minus 4 hours and 45 minutes. Just don’t tell the Israeli’s!
B’tayavon!
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Garbanzo Bean Shakshuka

Ingredients

  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 generous tsp harissa
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 5 eggs
  • dollop of labneh (may substitute with Greek yogurt)
  • za'atar, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, mix the marinara and harissa and add the chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for a few minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and add more harissa, if desired. If the mixture is very thick, add a splash of water to thin it out. Crack the eggs into the sauce and simmer until the whites are set (I like to cover the skillet to help it set faster). Garnish with a dollop (or two) of labneh and sprinkle generously with za'atar. Eat immediately, preferably with fresh pita!

https://jewhungrytheblog.com/garbanzo-bean-shakshuka/

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