There's few things I love more than throwing a dinner party...picking out the menu, cocktails, tablescape, music...Oh, how grand. But it can also be rather stressful, especially with my demanding work schedule. That's why I've grown fond of the more casual luncheon.

As Patti LuPone would say, "Here's to the ladies that lunch
Lounging in their caftans and planning a brunch
On their own behalf."

The more laid back lunch setting is about connecting with friends and not about frantically getting everything ready and perfect before guests arrive. (Often the scenario before a dinner party). In fact, I love handing friends a mimosa and putting them to work in the kitchen before the meal.

This mentality allows even the most ambitious menus featuring homemade quiches, tarts, and cured fish to be thrown together at the last minute without any fuss.

But as much as I love elaborate, multi course meals, nothing seems to be a bigger crowd pleaser than the one pot wonder, Shakshuka

That means less clean up and more fun..."I'll drink to that!"

Shakshuka originated in Tunisia and is essentially eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce. This magical dish has grown wildly popular throughout North Africa and the Middle East and is a staple in my Libyan-Israeli household.

There are endless variations to the recipe, and I've tried many. One of my favorites (not surprisingly) is adapted from Ottolenghi's book, Plenty.

Peppers, onions and garlic are sautéed together and then slowly simmered with tomatoes to create an insanely addictive sauce. The depth of flavor is brilliant with the addition of toasted cumin seeds, fresh herbs, saffron and cayenne pepper.

The dish is beautiful served right out of the pot with some crusty bread on the side to soak up every bit of sauce. It's great served as breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a midnight snack.

This savory and wholesome dish will truly satisfy your heart and soul with each bite. Shakshuka is not only heart warming and delicious, but also heart healthy. It's loaded with fresh vegetables (garlic, onions, peppers, tomatoes) and EVOO, making it a great addition to a Mediterranean style diet. Try it today. You won't be disappointed!

More on Heart Healthy Shakshuka

Eggs? Heart healthy? "What about the cholesterol?" you may ask

Yes, good question...We know that high levels of LDL-C or "bad cholesterol" in your blood can increase the risk of heart disease, so until recently, dietary guidelines published by the American Heart Association (AHA) and other societies recommended limiting dietary cholesterol. That's why many of us grew up learning eggs were bad. But things have changed...

The reality is that dietary cholesterol seems to have a minor effect on blood cholesterol levels and there's insufficient evidence to determine whether lowering dietary cholesterol reduces LDL-C. Consuming "bad" saturated fats, on the other hand, can significantly affect blood cholesterol. For example, diets composed of 5-6% saturated fat (compared to 14-15%) were shown to lower LDL-C by 11-13 mg/dL in 2 studies.

Based on this data, the most recent AHA guidelines removed the recommendation of limiting cholesterol intake to 300 mg per day. Instead, cholesterol should be consumed in moderation within a diet that emphasizes intake of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains (including fish, poultry, low-fat dairy, legumes, nuts), and limits sweets and red meats[1].

Tips/Tricks to Make the Perfect Shakshuka

It feels so wrong to say, but choose canned tomatoes over fresh

They're picked at the height of tomato season, making them reliable and superior in taste
Choose whole canned tomatoes rather than diced, which can taste artificial and unpleasant

Canned San Marzano tomatoes are considered the best...use them
- Plum tomatoes grown in Italy and regarded for their superior flavor and texture
- Find "DOP" (Denominazione d' Origine Protetta) on the label to ensure it's the real deal. Also should be grown in Italy
If you have in season, local tomatoes, try adding 1-2 roughly chopped, ripe tomatoes in with the canned ones

I like adding an heirloom tomato for some color and texture
Fresh tomatoes have high water content and will increase the cook time

Crack each egg in a dish before adding to the sauce to avoid breakage
Get your egg whites to set quickly so that the yolks are still runny and delicious

After adding the eggs, carefully spoon together some sauce with the egg whites to help them set

Serve with crusty bread
For a little extra richness, garnish with crumbled feta cheese while still hot
The sauce can be made days ahead, which is great to do before a breakfast/brunch

When ready to serve, reheat the sauce, add the eggs and cook according to recipe

Shakshuka Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds
3/4 cups good olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 yellow bell peppers, cored and cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 jalapeño peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
4 teaspoons sugar
1 (28-ounce) canned San Marzano tomatoes with their juices
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Cayenne pepper to taste (1/8 teaspoon for mild, 1/4 teaspoon for medium, 1/2 teaspoon for hot)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 large or extra-large eggs, preferably pasture raised
Feta cheese, for garnish (optional)

Shakshuka Recipe

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, such as a Le Creuset or seasoned cast iron, dry-roast cumin seeds for 2 minutes over high heat. Stir frequently to avoid burning.

Add the olive oil and onions and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until softened.

Add the bell and jalapeño peppers, garlic, cilantro, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and sugar. Sauté on high heat for about 10 minutes, until peppers and onions are softened and taking on a nice color.

Add the canned tomatoes, cayenne, sweet paprika, saffron, 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt and several grinds of black pepper. Using the back of a large spoon, crush the tomatoes and stir to create a chunky, but homogenous sauce.

Simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, adding small amounts of water if necessary to maintain a consistency of pasta sauce. As the sauce starts to thicken, season with more salt, pepper, and cayenne (if desired) to taste.

Using the back of a spoon, create evenly spaced divots within the sauce, placing an egg in each well. Sprinkle with kosher salt, cover pan, and cook very gently on low heat for 10-12 minutes. The egg whites should be just set and will continue to cook off the heat.

Garnish with parsley, cilantro, and feta cheese (if desired). Serve immediately with crusty bread.

1: Eckel RH et al.; American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. 2013 AHA/ACC guideline on lifestyle management to reduce cardiovascular risk: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014

While growing up, there was a strict no frying policy in my mother's kitchen. Even the smallest driblet of grease on the stovetop would provoke turmoil.

Fortunately, a few notable exceptions to this rule made my grim, fry-free childhood almost bearable.
1. Latkes on Chanukah
2. The occasional chicken schnitzel night

Like many other Israeli families, chicken schnitzel is a household staple. The dish, of course, comes from Austria, but has become wildly popular throughout Israel.

It's made with thinly pounded chicken breasts coated with "panko goodness" and then pan fried in olive oil. It's not only ridiculously tasty, but also foolproof and easy to make. It is easily one of my favorite comfort foods.

My version, adapted from an Ottolenghi recipe, is truly special. The addition of white and black sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and flax seeds to the coating takes it to the next level.

I recently featured my schnitzel recipe during my first ever cooking demonstration. The Emory Internal Medicine Residency program rented out a fantastic demonstration kitchen and invited me to host a wellness night for my co-residents.

I wanted the demo to be hands-on, so schnitzel was an obvious choice. With a little sweet talking, my peers helped me bread and fry the chicken which made for a memorable meal together.

The schnitzel was served on pita bread stuffed with homemade hummus and Israeli salad, which I made ahead of time (with the help of my friend Brandon). The sandwiches were finished off with a spoonful of harissa, a magical chili paste from North Africa.

Israeli salad, as implied by the name, is another staple of Israeli cuisine. It's a very popular breakfast salad, as well as a side salad with basically any meal. It's fantastic as is, but there's nothing better than stuffing a few spoonfuls of Israeli salad into a pita filled with schnitzel, falafel, shawarma, etc.

The fundamental ingredients to any Israeli salad are finely diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions dressed simply with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. It's the quintessential example of a Mediterranean style diet abundant in fresh vegetables.

I like to jazz up my salad with beautiful sliced radishes and lots of chopped parsley. You can use any type of onion, but I prefer scallions to avoid any harsh flavors.

Last, I add a generous spoonful of sumac, a striking red colored spice, which adds a wonderful layer of tartness to the dish. It's definitely worth finding at any Middle Eastern market or online.

Pro tip: Dinner parties are more successful when you literally become Ina Garten
That's why in addition to planning a fabulous menu for the soiree, I broke out my finest chambray shirt and packed my favorite Le Creuset fait tout pan for the occasion. The event was delightful and a second demo is already in the works!

Speaking of Ina...

This was the medicine team that I led last month. We were assigned to Emory "Team I" which quickly became "Team Ina."

Team Ina celebrated our last day together with a photoshoot on the Grady helipad!

And check out who liked the photo of us on Instagram!

*Swoooooon*

Israeli Salad

Tips/Tricks to Make the Perfect Israeli Salad

Make Israeli salad your own by adding other fresh ingredients

Radishes, carrots, scallions, fresh herbs, leafy greens, etc
Bell peppers are popular, but I'm NOT a fan. I find them overpowering and unpleasant

Choose bright and fragrant vegetables for best results. Local and seasonal is a plus.
Persian cucumbers are ideal

Seedless, mini "burpless" cucumbers have a thin, edible skin. So don't peel them!
Crisper and more flavorful than slicing and pickling cucumbers
I get them from Trader Joe's. I haven't found them at my Whole Foods or farmers market.
Can be substituted with small English cucumbers

The vegetables should be very small and uniformly diced. There are misinformed (sad) people that prefer larger chunks, but meh.
Please don't omit the sumac. It truly elevates the dish. I'll happily find you some if necessary!
Za'atar, another wonderful Arab spice, is made with Sumac. Try it on your breakfast salads.

Israeli Salad Ingredients

2 Roma tomatoes (0.5 pounds), seeded and diced
3 Persian cucumbers (0.3 pounds), diced
2 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1/3 cups finely chopped Italian parsley (0.7 ounces)
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon sumac
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Israeli Salad Recipe

Dicing the Vegetables

Cucumbers
Step 1: Cut into strips lengthwise
Cut each whole cucumber in half lengthwise. Next, cut each halved cucumber in half lengthwise. Again, cut each quartered cucumber in half lengthwise, making a total of 8 thin slices per cucumber.

Step 2: Cut crosswise
In batches, align the cucumber slices and cut crosswise to dice small.

Tomatoes
Step 1: Core and deseed
Cut the top off each tomato to remove the stem. Cut each tomato in half lengthwise. Cut out the inner seeds and core of the tomato leaving just the outer shell.

Step 2: Cut into strips lengthwise
Place each tomato shell cut-side down and slice lengthwise into thin strips roughly the size of the cucumbers.

Step 3: Cut crosswise
Align the strips and then cut crosswise to form a small dice.

Parsley
Swish parsley bunch in bowl of water. Allow dirt to settle. Repeat until water is clear. Shake parsley to dry. With a sharp knife, shave leaves off the stem. Pick out any remaining thick stems, but the thin branches attached to leaves are fine.

Gather leaves together and slice roughly, moving across the cutting board. Re-gather leaves. With one hand, hold the tip of the knife in place on the cutting board. Grip the knife handle with the other hand and rock the knife up and down, moving down the cutting board. Repeat until fine.

Scallions
Wash really well as dirt hides within the hallow green leaves. Align the scallion bulbs. Thinly slice the white and light green parts crosswise.

Radishes
Trim off the top and bottom of the radish. Then, thinly slice the radish to make small circles. You may also use your mandoline.

The Dressing

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, sumac, kosher salt, and a few generous grinds of freshly ground black pepper. While whisking, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl. Set aside.

The Salad

In a large salad bowl, gently combine the diced tomatoes and cucumbers with the scallions, radishes, and parsley. Pour the dressing mixture over the salad and toss till combined. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and sumac.

Chicken Schnitzel

Tips/Tricks to Make the Perfect Chicken Schnitzel

Using white meat chicken and olive oil does not magically transform (glorified) fried chicken into a superfood

But this comfort food can certainly exist within a heart healthy diet if enjoyed in moderation
Be sure to fill the majority of your plate with salad and hummus
Cooking in olive oil limits "bad" fats, but all fats are high in calories. Not ideal for weight loss

To make a great schnitzel-pita, use a generous amount of hummus, a few spoonfuls of salad, and definitely worth finding some harissa
Thin strips of chicken are essential for crispy schnitzel

Butterflying involves slicing chicken in half horizontally to maintain a uniform thickness
Pounding involves thwacking the chicken with a smooth surfaced mallet or pan to a desired thickness

Use a quality frying pan, such as a cast iron enamel skillet from Le Creuset
- A well constructed pan will distribute heat uniformly, browning the chicken more evenly
- Heavy bottom pans are less likely to scorch
Olive oil has a low smoking point and needs close monitoring
Clean out your pan and replace the frying oil after every few batches. Otherwise, bits and pieces of breading will accumulate and burn
Designate wet and dry hand for dredging

Use the left hand for handling dry ingredients (before dipping in egg)
Right hand transfers egged items

Chicken Schnitzel Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (1.5 to 2 pounds)
1 cup flower plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1.5 cups plain panko bread crumbs plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons of white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of golden flax seed
2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Olive oil for frying

Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

Butterflying and Pounding the Chicken

Lay the chicken breast on the cutting board. If the chicken is very thick, you can butterfly the breast prior to pounding step. To butterfuly: With the knife edge parallel to the cutting board, start at the thickest point and slice through the thickness of the chicken, cutting it in half widthwise until almost at the other end (about 1/2 inch away). "Open" the breast like a book.

Working one piece at a time, place an "open" chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using a mallet (smooth surface) or the bottom of a heavy frying pan, pound the chicken until just under 1/2 inch thick throughout. Cut each breast into 2 or 3 strips and set aside.

Dredging the Chicken

Line up three wide, shallow bowls. In the first bowl, place the flower seasoned with salt and pepper. In the second bowl, lightly beat the eggs. In the third bowl, combine the panko, kosher salt, white and black sesame seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and cayenne pepper. Mix well.

Lightly season both sides of chicken with kosher salt and pepper. Working with one chicken at a time, dredge both sides in flour and shake off excess. Next, dip the floured chicken in the beaten eggs, turning to coat evenly. Finally, place both sides of chicken in panko mixture, pressing down gently so that breading adheres to the chicken. Set aside on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Pan-Frying the Chicken

Pour about 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large skillet until it's deep enough for frying (about 1/2 inch deep) and heat over medium-high heat. Oil should sizzle on contact with the chicken, but is too hot if smoking or splattering.

Fry the chicken in small batches, flipping until evenly golden brown (3-5 minutes per side). Place on paper towel and pat dry to absorb excess oil. Set aside and continue cooking chicken in batches.

Finally, season to taste with salt and pepper and splash with lemon juice and serve hot. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges.

TheMDChef

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

"Israeli Good" Shakshuka with Saffron and Herbs