This book needs no introduction. No cookbook library is complete without it. Photos by me (Jessica).
Top 3 Dishes
—1—
Herb Pie (pg 251)
—2—
Chocolate Krantz Cakes (pgs 284–285)
—3—
It’s a tie!
Pureed Beets with Yogurt & Za’atar (pgs 52–53)
+
Burnt Eggplant & Mograbieh Soup (pg 141)
Feast Family event featuring Jerusalem
Just a small portion of the vibrant buffet of dishes at one of my cookbook club events. I feel honored to haven been mentioned, along with this image, on Food52.com — View Article.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Red Onions, Tahini & Zatar
If you’re looking for a special side dish that’s also breathtaking, add this to your rotation. I’m sure it would be just as delicious with pumpkin or sweet potato in lieu of the butternut squash. Have fun with this one!
Pureed beets with yogurt and za’atar
Out of the 30+ dishes we sampled from that day, this dip was voted to be in Top 5. Feeling a little burned out with hummus? I insist you give this dish a shot. You’re welcome.
Another angle of our amazing Jerusalem buffet.
Sweet Filo Cigars
I love this dessert as a sweet alternative to making baklava. They are a perfect dessert to make for a party because of their portability and size. The little cigars are easy to grab with one hand, while holding a drink in the other.
Tahini Cookies
We all have that person in our life that can’t stand super sweet desserts or candy. I have a feeling that they’ll appreciate this cookie. The savory Tahini is a surprisingly delicious compliment to the subtle sweetness in this recipe. Oh, and this dough is super freezer friendly (like shortbread dough).
Chocolate Krantz Cakes
This is one of those recipes that look way more complicated to create than it actually is. Ottolenghi includes a bunch of great photos to highlight the main steps. If you don’t have the right sized pan for this recipe, Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen created a version that fits perfectly into two regular sized bread pans (view).
Dessert Buffet
In the bottom right corner is the Cardamom Rice Pudding with Pistachios & Rose Water (page 123). I love desserts that highlight unique spices, and I’m a big fan of rose water. For those that don’t like rose water, you and totally omit from the recipe or swap it with orange extract or vanilla. Garnish with pistachios or—my favorite—a ton of cinnamon!
