Shabbat Dips & Salads
Having a table dotted with different salads and dips is something we take very seriously around here. This isn’t just a nice addition to complement the challah, it’s a course in itself and holds its own weight. I hear the Baba Sali had 36 different varieties on his table every week, so I still have much to aspire to, but we’re getting there. Some of these salatim, as I call them, get repeated every week, while others get tweaks and changes to keep things fresh. If you have suggestions for new ones I should try, let me know. They are all fairly simple to make, they just require a bit of time. I’ve noted the ones that freeze well and I usually make those in batches to store. Some weeks that saves me time, other weeks it just allots me more hours to add to the lineup. An obsession, I tell you.
Matbucha
yields 4 (7oz.) containers
¼ cup olive oil
20-25 Roma tomatoes, diced
6-7 bell peppers, cored and diced
2-3 jalapenos or 1 large chile pepper
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 heaping tablespoons paprika
½ tablespoon sea salt
In a large 5 litre pot, pour the olive oil. Add the tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapenos. Turn heat to medium and cover the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the cover and stir well with a wooden spoon. There will be a lot of liquid. Cook, uncovered, until all the liquid has evaporated, about 3.5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so, as not to burn the bottom. Once all the liquid has evaporated, you’ll get a thick jam-like consistency. Add the garlic, paprika, and salt. Stir well and cook for another 30 minutes. Remove from fire and allow to cool before transferring to airtight containers and store in the fridge.
Freezer: Place in an airtight container, wrap with many layers of plastic wrap and store in freezer for up to 6 months. You can easily double up this recipe.
I have another version of Matbucha here. I love the flavor of roasting the tomatoes first, but I use this recipe here for its added simplicity. And yes, I leave the tomato skin on and no one notices.
Roasted Paprika Eggplant Slices
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon hot paprika (optional)
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 small eggplant, cut into ¼ inch rounds
Preheat oven to 450F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix the oil, paprika, and salt. Arrange the eggplant slices on the baking sheet and brush with paprika mixture. Flip and brush the other side. Bake for 10 minutes or until eggplant is well done. Store in airtight container and store in the fridge.
Freezer: Place in an airtight container, wrap with many layers of plastic wrap and store in freezer for up to 6 months. You can easily double up this recipe.
Tahini Babaganoush
1 large or 2 medium eggplants
2 tablespoons green tahini (see below)
To roast the eggplant, two ways:
1. In the oven: preheat oven to 425F. Place the eggplant on baking sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes. Finish off over an open flame for 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a sieve over a bowl to cool and drain some of the liquid. Carefully peel the eggplant and transfer to a chopper to continue.
2. Over a flame: place eggplant directly over a medium high fire. Rotate every 5 minutes so every side gets roasted and charred, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a sieve over a bowl to cool and drain some of the liquid. Carefully peel the eggplant and transfer to a chopper to continue.
In the chopper, pulse the eggplant and tahini 3-4 times. You don’t want to overpulse or the mixture will be too loose rather than textured. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
Freezer: Place in an airtight container, wrap with many layers of plastic wrap and store in freezer for up to 6 months. You can easily double up this recipe.
Fire-Roasted Green Eggplant Dip
¼ bunch parsley, finely chopped
½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
2 garlic cloves
1 large or 2 medium eggplants
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Juice from half a lemon
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 stalks green onions, finely chopped
To roast the eggplant, two ways:
1. In the oven: preheat oven to 425F. Place the eggplant on baking sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes. Finish off over an open flame for 2-3minutes per side. Transfer to a sieve over a bowl to cool and drain some of the liquid. Carefully peel the eggplant and transfer to a chopper to continue.
2. Over a flame: place eggplant directly over a medium high fire. Rotate every 5 minutes so every side gets roasted and charred, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a sieve over a bowl to cool and drain some of the liquid. Carefully peel the eggplant and transfer to a chopper to continue.
In a chopper, process the parsley, cilantro, chives, and garlic. Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend well. Add the eggplant and pulse 3-4 times. You don’t want to overpulse or the mixture will be too loose. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
Freezer: Place in an airtight container, wrap with many layers of plastic wrap and store in freezer for up to 6 months. You can easily double up this recipe.
Green Tahini
1 (17oz.) jar of tahini
2 large cloves of garlic
1 bunch cilantro, cleaned and stems removed
1-1.5 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt, or more according to taste
In a chopper or food processor, process the garlic and cilantro until finely chopped. Pour the tahini in. Add the water and salt and process until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more water and process again. You want the consistency to be smooth and creamy rather than runny. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate. You can top it with sesame seeds, cumin, sumac, and cilantro for some flavor and decoration.
Tahini freezes really well and I usually make a big batch and freeze in small glass containers. Also, the consistency thickens slightly over time in the fridge.
Spicy S’chug
2 bunches cilantro or 1 bunch cilantro and 1 bunch parsley
20 mint leaves (optional)
2 jalapenos or 1 chile pepper
2 cloves of garlic
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
In a medium sized food chopper, blend all the ingredients until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
Freezer: Place in an airtight container, wrap with many layers of plastic wrap and store in freezer for up to 6 months. You can easily double up this recipe.
Moroccan Beet Salad
4 large beets, scrubbed and trimmed
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice from half a lemon
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Place the beets in a large pot and cover with cold water. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until the beets are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes. Transfer beets to a plate and allow to cool until comfortable to the touch. Peel each one and cut into cubes. Transfer to a large container. Add the garlic, cilantro, oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cumin and toss well. Store in the fridge.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing the beet salad. I’ve tried. Does not work well.
Moroccan Carrot Salad
4-5 large carrots, trimmed and peeled
1 teaspoon harissa
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Juice from half a lemon
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Place the carrots in a large pot and cover with cold water. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until the carrots are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork, about 25-30 minutes. Transfer carrots to a plate and allow to cool until comfortable to the touch. Slice each carrot into rounds and transfer to a container. In a small bowl, mix the harissa, olive oil and lemon juice. Pour over the carrots and add the garlic and parsley. Toss well, cover, and store in the fridge.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing the carrot salad. I’ve tried. Does not work well.
Olive Dip
1 large garlic clove
1 15oz can pitted olives, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
In a chopper, process the garlic until minced. Add the olives and mayo and blend until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
Freezer: Place in an airtight container, wrap with many layers of plastic wrap and store in freezer for up to 6 months. You can easily double up this recipe.
Variation: Swap the mayonnaise for olive oil and add a handful of cilantro.
Fennel and Kohlrabi Salad
1 large fennel
1 kohlrabi
Juice from half a lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
To cut the fennel, trim the stalks and cut in half. Remove the outer layer. Cut the core and separate each layer. Rinse under running water to remove any dirt. Place face down and slice lengthwise into strips.
For the kohlrabi, peel the outer layer and cut in half. Cut lengthwise into strips.
In a medium bowl, place the fennel and kohlarbi. Pour the lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss well and serve. Store in the fridge. The longer it sits, the more pickled the vegetables get. You can easily double up this recipe.
Note: I’ve also added ½ red onion (very thinly sliced) and 2 cucumbers (sliced) for more variation. But my family is purist, we like it just fennel and kohlrabi and sometimes even those have to be separate. Take your pick.
Roasted Chile Peppers
10 chile peppers, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
Turn on the broiler. Place the chile peppers on a baking tray and spray generously with cooking spray. Broil for 5-6 minutes per side or until the skin has puffed and darkened. Transfer to a bowl and cover immediately to allow skin to easily peel. Peel each chile pepper and transfer to a container. Season with olive oil and salt.