FROM THE NOSHER (nosher.com)

Za’atar Fried Chicken with Spicy Thyme Honey Recipe

By Chaya Rappoport

To give this American comfort food classic an Israeli twist, I added plenty of za’atar and fresh thyme. Another thing that makes this dish so special is the buttermilk brine. Most fried chicken recipes use either a buttermilk marinade or a spiced brine to tenderize the chicken. This recipe uses both, and to great effect! To keep things kosher, I make “buttermilk” with soymilk and lemon juice, and it works just as well. Soaking it overnight along with a salt water brine (which has honey, za’atar, lemon + a variety of spices for flavor) seasons the meat and breaks down the proteins in the chicken to keep it moist as it fries. Serve this alongside grilled corn with sumac mayo and minty-fresh limonana.

Frying tips: If you don’t have a deep fry thermometer, let the oil heat up for around ten minutes. When the oil has preheated, dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If the oil starts steadily bubbling, then the oil is hot enough for frying. If not, let it heat for a few more minutes. Don’t overcrowd the frying pan – the temperature of the oil will drop and that’ll result in greasy chicken. Fry three pieces at a time, preferably in a heavy bottomed pan (I used a cast iron). Use a neutral oil, such as canola, for its high smoke point. If the oil starts smoking at any time, the temperature is too high and must be lowered. Once the chicken is fried, let it cool on a drying rack set over paper towels.

Ingredients
For the chicken and brine:
4 cups soymilk
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 peeled, seeded and halved lemon
1/2 cup honey
2 cups hot water
1/3 cup kosher salt
6 tbsp za’atar
6 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
4 chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks

For the flour mixture:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp za’atar
3 sprigs thyme
1 tsp sumac
1 tbsp hot paprika
2 tsp kosher salt
1 quart canola or vegetable oil, for frying

For the spicy thyme honey:
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp hot sauce
2 tbsp chili oil
3 sprigs thyme
a few peppercorns

In a large food safe container, add the soymilk and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Let it sit until it curdles, around 10 minutes. This is your “buttermilk”. To the buttermilk, add the peeled, seeded and halved lemon. Crumble in the bay leaves. Add in the za’atar, smashed garlic and thyme. Dissolve the salt in the hot water. This is the brine. Dissolve the honey in the brine. Add the brine to the container, along with the buttermilk and spices. Add the chicken to the brine. Refrigerate for one day.

The next day, combine the flour, baking powder, za’atar, thyme, sumac and paprika and the salt in large bowl. Mix thoroughly to combine. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine, but do not throw away the brine.

Coat the wet chicken in a thin layer of the flour mixture, and let come to room temperature on drying rack set over paper towels. Heat the oil to 370 degrees in large heavy bottomed pot. Once chicken is close to room temperature, dip in the reserved buttermilk brine and then in the flour mixture once more, then drop gently into the hot oil.

Fry three pieces at a time. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove from oil, and sprinkle with fresh thyme. In a small sauce pan, combine the ingredients for the spicy honey. Let come to a boil. Serve drizzled over the hot chicken, immediately.

Schnitzel Strips with Green Tahini Dip Recipe
By Danielle Oron
6-8 servings

These schnitzel strips are easy to make and can be kept warm in the oven while your football guests arrive and snack on the guacamole and chips you have waiting for them. Note: there will likely be extra green tahini dip left over. You can store this in an airtight container in the fridge.

Ingredients
For the green tahini dip:
1 clove garlic
1/2 bunch parsley (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 – 2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup tahini
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups water

For the schnitzel strips:
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into 1” strips
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 eggs
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
3/4 cup panko
2 tsp sesame seeds (black, white or a combination of both)
1/2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Canola oil for frying
Salt

Directions:
To make the green tahini, place the garlic clove and parsley in a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped or chop them finely by hand. In a large bowl, whisk together garlic and parsley mixture with the lemon juice, salt, tahini and water. You may need more water depending on how thin or thick you want your tahini sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice. Set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees to keep the schnitzel warm until ready to serve. Set up a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet.

In 3 separate dishes combine the dredging mixes. In the first container, mix the flour, mustard powder, salt and pepper. In the second, whisk together the eggs and Dijon mustard. In the third, combine the breadcrumbs, panko, sesame seeds, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat to fry the schnitzel in batches. Dredge the first batch of chicken strips in the flour mixture and shake off as much excess flour as possible before moving the strips to the egg mixture. Allow excess egg to drip off the strips before moving them to the breadcrumb mixture. Press the breadcrumbs into the strips well. Fry the strips for 3 minutes per side until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove the strips onto the cooling rack and sprinkle with salt. Place the strips in the oven to keep warm while you fry the rest up. Add more oil to the pan between batches if needed. Serve the strips with the green tahini on the side.

Za’atar Potato Skins Recipe
By Liz Rueven
8-10 servings

Za’atar is probably the most widely used spice combination across the Middle East.

In Israel, you’ll find za’atar used in chicken and meat marinades, seasoning chopped raw vegetable salads, sprinkled over hummus or labneh. Most visitors to Israel can’t resist warm pita or doughy bageleh (Yiddish for bagels), sold on the street, smeared with local olive oil and a generous dusting of za’atar.

Ingredients:
6 russet potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp za’atar
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
5-6 twists of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plain yogurt, 2% (or sour cream)
2 scallions, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub potatoes and dry them well with paper towels. Line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place whole potatoes on sheet and bake 35-45 minutes, or until you can pierce a fork into them easily.

Remove from oven (leave oven on) and cool potatoes until they can be handled. Slice potatoes lengthwise and gently scoop out the flesh, leaving enough potato clinging to the skin so that it will support the cheese filling. (Reserve scooped out potato flesh for mashed potatoes or to use as a thickener for blended veggie soup.) Combine olive oil and melted butter in a dish.

Place scooped-out skins, hollowed side down, on lined cookie sheet and brush with butter/oil mixture. Flip them over and do the same on the hollowed-out side.

Place skins in oven, cut side down, for 5-10 minutes and then flip them. Bake another 5-10 minutes until the edges of skins are golden and crisped. Remove from oven and cool just long enough to handle.

While skins are crisping, combine feta, mozzarella, za’atar, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Stir to combine. Place 1-1 1/2 tbsp of cheese filling in each potato skin until the filling is evenly distributed.

Place filled potato skins back in oven for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and place a dollop of yogurt, followed by a sprinkling of scallions, on each. If you are a real za’atar lover, dust with additional za’atar.

Serve immediately.

Pastrami Tater Tots
By Shannon Sarna

When I saw Tasting Table’s recent recipe for hot dog tater tots, I knew right away I needed to Nosh-ify them — with pastrami of course.

Ingredients:
2 large russet potatoes
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 lb pastrami
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1-2 cups panko bread crumbs

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel and cube potatoes. Cook potatoes until tender. Drain and add to a large bowl and mash. In a skillet over medium heat, crisp up each piece of pastrami in batches, cooking 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and dice finely. Add mayo, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper to potato mixture. Mix in diced pastrami.

Prep your dredging station. Place flour in one bowl, two beaten eggs in a second bowl and panko crumbs in a third bowl. Form tater tots into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces and place on a baking sheet. Dredge tots into flour, then egg, then panko and place onto baking sheet. Pop into freezer for 30 minutes or in the fridge for 1 hour. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry each tot until golden brown on the outside and remove from pan. Place onto a baking sheet or platter lined with paper towel. Sprinkle with salt while still hot.

FROM JOY OF KOSHER WITH JAMIE GELLER (joyofkosher.com)

Fiery Harissa Wings with Tahini Dipping Sauce
8 servings

These hot wings have al the zip of the classic Buffalo sauce — and then some. Plus… a healthy, creamy tahini dipping sauce to go with.

Harissa wings:
2 lbs chicken wings, separated into 2 pieces
1/3 cup harissa (store-bought or homemade_
3 tbsp tahini
2 tsp lemon juice
2 cups plus 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Garnish: Sesame seeds, chopped scallions
and lemon slices

Tahini dipping sauce:
1/2 cup tahini
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sumac
1 tbsp za’atar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt

Directions:
To make sauce, whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Pat wings dry and place on baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast wings in the oven for 15 minutes. Whisk together harissa, tahini, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pour 2 cups of olive oil in a heavy frying pan, place over medium heat. When oil is hot (to test: place handle of a wooden spoon in the hot oil; if bubbles form around the spoon, your oil is hot), fry wings in batches for 3 minutes until crispy and brown. Toss hot wings in harissa sauce and transfer to serving platter.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish with scallions and lemon slices. Serve with tahini dipping sauce.

Spicy Dog Poppers in Blankets
8 servings

Ingredients:
8 hot dogs, cut in half crosswise
1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/4 cup spicy mustard
1/3 cup jarred pickled jalapenos, chopped
1 egg, whisked with 2 tsp water

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out puff pastry. Cut sheet into 2×2” squares.

Shmear each square with mustard and sprinkle jalapenos on mustard. Pat dry hot dogs and place in the middle of the pastry, with the cut half at the bottom and end of the dog sticking out of the dough. Fold up the bottom and overlap dough to resemble a baby wrapped in blanket. Lay down on prepared sheet and continue wrapping remaining dogs.

Brush each dog popper with egg wash. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Serve, if desired, with additional mustard.