Bissli Schnitzel, Hummus, and Tahina

I have three recipes for you today, all of which were mentioned in my chat with Boaz. Israeli staples; tahina sauce and hummus are both quick to make and require many of the same ingredients, so they are easy to make side by side.

Schnitzel is not usually breaded with Bissli, but I bought some BBQ twirls while buying tahini. If you do see it, pick up a bag and try this out.

This really is one of world's best meals. I truly believe that. 

Turkey or chicken schnitzel is street food in Israel. It's nestled into fluffy pita alongside pickles, cabbage, and grand dollops of hummus and tahini. It's pretty ubiquitous around the country; it was a frequent (and popular!) lunch on kibbutz, and sold frozen in every grocery store.  Here, with a bit of challah, hummus, tahina and lemon, it becomes a Friday night shabbat meal.

I love shabbat, especially on Friday evenings. It was so special on kibbutz.   The long dining hall tables were draped in tablecloths and adorned with little bowls of stewed olives, eggplant salads, bottles of red wine and challah. A special dinner; often roast chicken or beef, alongside salads, tahina, hummus, and a soup. It was my favourite part of the week; somehow even better than the relaxing day off that followed. 

Happy Friday! Enjoy these three recipes! And a big thank you to Annalise for styling and photographing the food! 

 Stay tuned for Sunday, when I'll be posting an interview with Chocolat author Joanne Harris!

Hummus

Want creamy, Israeli-style hummus? Three words: peel the beans. It is a bit more time-consuming, but the texture is worth it.

You can of course used tinned chickpeas, but if you cook them yourself, be sure to use the cooking water in the hummus!

2 cups cooked chickpeas, with skins slipped off

3 tbsp raw tahini

1 large clove garlic

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup water

Olive oil, paprika and sesame seeds, to serve

Combine ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. If it is too thick, add a bit more water. Season to taste. 

Serve with a good drizzle of olive oil and spices.

Tahina

This creamy, nutty condiment is served at just about every meal in Israel. I have it thick here, to serve as a dip, but if you add more water you can use it as a sauce or dressing.

1/2 raw tahini

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 large clove garlic, chopped as finely as possible

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup cold water

1 tbsp olive oil, optional

Combine tahini, parsley, garlic and some salt. Add lemon juice and stir- the mixture will tighten up and become grainy. Add water to desired consistency. Stir through olive oil, if using. Season to taste and serve. 

Bissli Schnitzel

If you don't want to include Bissli, just add omit and add a bit more breadcrumbs and a bit of smoked paprika. For a kosher meal, use water in the eggwash. Otherwise, use milk.

1 lb turkey cutlets, sliced or pounded thin

1 cup plain breadcrumbs (I used panko)

1/2 cup crushed BBQ  Bissli

4 tsp sesame seeds

2 tsp black sesame seeds

1/2 tsp cumin

1 egg

1/4 cup water or milk

Oil

Lemon, to serve.

1. Combine breadcrumbs, Bissli, sesame seeds, cumin, and some salt and pepper. Place on a wide plate or shallow bowl.

2. Combine egg and liquid in another bowl.

3. Dip a piece of turkey in the eggwash and coat in breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with all cutlets.

4. Heat a good amount of oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan.  Line a plate with a towel or paper.

5. In batches, fry the breaded cutlets until golden brown on each side. Transfer to lined plate.

6. Serve with lemon, and anything else you want.

Enjoy!

"Shawarma is number one."

Boaz

Israel

I spoke to Boaz in his small kibbutz bedroom a few years ago in the south of Israel. Originally from Beer'sheva, Boaz has traveled the world since finishing his army service. It has been years since I've seen him, but always remember his big smile, easygoing attitude, and love for both Israeli foods and cooking over fire.

Patchwork Tablecloth: What's your favourite food?

Boaz: Chicken wings over fire. Matfuna; tinfoil with entire chicken, spices, beer, honey and chiles. Wrap it up foil and put on charcoals for an hour and 20 minutes.

PT: What do you like to cook? 

B: Poike. Cook on fire in a cast-iron pot. Vegetables, anything in a pot and cook for 2 hours.

PT: What is your favourite holiday? How do you celebrate?

B: Purim. Drink wine and feast!

PT: What are your favourite fruits and vegetables?

B: Onion, avocado, tomatoes. Pittaya (cactus pear), dates, apples. Truthfully, when you eat an apple, it’s the best feeling.

PT: What did you eat as a little boy?

B: Chocolate. I was not picky.

Elite chocolate is one of the more popular Israeli brands. They have lots of interesting flavours, including my favourite; pop rocks!

PT: Do you dislike any food?

B: Seafood; calamari, etc. But I love sushi.

PT: What are some popular foods in Israel?

B: Shnitzel, couscous, falafel, Bamba, Bissli. Shawarma is number one.

Clockwise, from left: challah, tahina sauce, Bamba, Bissli, hummus, and Bissli coated schnitzel.

PT: What do you keep in your fridge?

B: Hummus, pita, tahina, tomatoes, onions, salad, a big chunk of meat, soy beans, leftovers, beer, good cakes, and sauces.

PT: What do you normally eat for breakfast?

B: Good cheese, eggs, good salad with toasts.

PT: What do you eat for lunch? 

B: Schnitzel, rice.

Schnitzel in baguette (with a side of falafel!) in Tel Aviv

PT: Dinner?

B: Tahina.

PT: What do you like to drink?

B: Orange juice; fresh squeezed myself! Coca Cola, water, hot drinks; coffee and herbal tea.

A pomegranate juice vendor in Tzfat.

PT: It's 2 am. You're drunk. What are you eating?

B: Toast with cheese.

PT: If you were cooking dinner for just yourself, what would you make?

B: A hamburger. Tahina.

PT: What is something "unusual" that you like to eat?

B: Hummus with yellow cheese. Chocolate with tahina. 

PT: What are your favourite ingredients?

B: Cumin, rice, chicken breasts, tahina, good salad with lots of onion and garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce

PT: What is something interesting you've tried while traveling?

B: Waffles in Amsterdam.

PT: What is the best thing you can remember eating? 

B: On kibbutz, with my friend Nitzan. We had a big chunk of steak, cooked it over fire and ate it in little cuts.

Kibbutz.

PT: You're throwing a party! What are you serving?

B: Bamba, Bissli, Coke, Arak, tahina…snacks.

*

Xoirino prasoselino

This is the first dish that Athina mentioned to my in our interview. It has northern Greek origins, and is often eaten for Christmas.  It's simple and hearty; pork (I used shoulder) braised with celery, leeks, and white wine, and finished with a hearty avgolemono, the creamy egg-lemon mixture found throughout Greece in the winter. 
I included red, green, and yellow bell peppers because we had a bit of a surplus on hand.  It is not traditional. It was nice, though. 

For the pork stew:

2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into chunks
1 cup white wine
4 cups broth
The peel of one lemon
6 celery stalks, cut on the bias
2 leeks, cut on the bias
1 each red and yellow pepper, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For avgolemono:

2 eggs
The juice of two lemons
1 cup cooking liquid

1. In a large pot, heat a bit of oil and brown pork batches. 
2. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, and then return pork to the pot. Add broth and a bit of the lemon peel. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in another pot, sweat the vegetables with the remaining lemon peel. Remove from heat and set aside until pork is ready.
4. After 45 minutes have passed, add your veg to the pork. Add oregano and cinnamon, as well as salt and pepper.
5. Simmer, uncovered, for another 45 minutes, adding more broth or water if it gets a bit dry. 
6. In a medium bowl, thoroughly beat two eggs. Whisk in lemon juice. 
7. Whisking constantly, stream about a cup of the pork's cooking liquid into the egg-lemon mixture. 
8. Remove stew from heat. Add egg-lemon mixture to the pot, shaking to incorporate.