Tabouleh-Stuffed Globe Zucchinis with Mint & Sumac Yogurt Sauce

Two things I love about Middle Eastern cuisine are stuffed vegetables and fresh herb-filled salads like tabouleh. When I found some beautiful little globe zucchinis, I thought about combining these two loves into one — zucchinis stuffed with tabouleh. This way, I can have my bowl of tabouleh, and eat it too!

It made for a striking presentation, and was quite simple to prepare. I’m going to try this out sometime at a dinner party; it would be a great accompaniment to grilled meat or kebabs — easy for the host to assemble, and fun for the guests to eat. It might also be good to serve vegetarian guests or as part of a whole vegetarian spread.

“Jerusalem” Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Onion with Tahini & Za’atar

This dish, like so many I’m finding in the lovely cookbook Jerusalem, is a celebration of colors and flavors. The recipe is straightforward, the combination is so innovative (Who knew a tahini and lemon sauce would go so incredibly well with butternut squash?) and the results are beautiful, delicious, wowing. Ottolenghi and Tamimi, you’ve got me hooked on your amazing food.

“Jerusalem” Roasted Chicken with Clementines & Ouzo

My new Jerusalem cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi enchants and entices me on every page. Somehow the authors manage to transform traditional and familiar dishes from Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine into even more delicious, vibrant, and novel flavor combinations. We had the roasted chicken with clementines last night (substituting ouzo for arak), and it was sensational! The recipe heaps on intense anise seasonings from fennel, fennel seed, and the anise-scented liquor, but in the roasting process, it imparts just a subtle anise note with an enormous punch of wowing flavor. My tastebuds were dancing at each bite of tender and delicious chicken — slightly charred but moist — the softened fennel, the hints of thyme, and the delightfully bittersweet slices of clementines, peel and all.

Weeknight Za’atar and Lemon Chicken Drumsticks

For quick and easy weekday dinners, I like to have little drumsticks on hand. It takes just a few moments to pre-heat the oven, toss the drumsticks with olive oil and spice in a roasting pan and get them in the oven.