Seasonal Eating | Summertime Israeli Cookout
Published June 6, 2019
Published June 6, 2019
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Summer is time for cooking outside, enjoying fresh salads, and impromptu parties. Try this Israeli style cookout, inspired by one of my favorite restaurants in Israel - Itzik HaGadol (Big Itzik’s) in Yaffo. The sprawling dining room is flanked by an enormous open grill, which produces an endless flow of grilled meats on skewers. In addition to beef, chicken, and lamb, Israelis also skewer chicken livers and hearts, goose, duck and my personal favorite – foie gras, which is impossible to get kosher in the U.S.
While the skewers are ostensibly the centerpiece of the meal, it’s the mezze – small plates of salads – that I love most. A parade of little plates fills the table completely. Of course, the ubiquitous hummous and tehina are front and center, accompanied by salads made from every vegetable imaginable, including several different preparations of eggplant. And always, dishes of Israeli olives and pickles finish the selection. Israeli Kabobs and Chicken Skewers can be prepped and frozen ahead of time for a spontaneous gathering. I usually make my own hummous, but now that it’s as ubiquitous as salsa, there are plenty of good options at the store to save time. For the best flavor, remove all salads from the refrigerator at least an hour before serving. Israeli Kabobs Israeli Chicken Skewers Classic Israeli Salad Colorful Pepper Salad |