Recipes by Yael Mizrahi
20 recipes
Fire-Scorched Eggplant & Jeweled Bulgur Bowl with Whipped Feta
If there is one thing I want you to take away from my kitchen, it is that fire is an ingredient. By scorching whole eggplants until they literally collapse into a smoky, weeping mess, we create a luscious, savory depth that anchors this vibrant mezze bowl. Today we are letting sticky, tart pomegranate molasses and a salty cloud of whipped feta take over the plate, layering them with herby bulgur and an icy, crisp radish salad for absolute texture chaos.
Scorched Rainbow Carrots with Whipped Goat Cheese & Burnt-Orange Caper Salsa
I know what you're thinking—where are my usual Middle Eastern pantry staples? But listen to me, this is the weekend appetizer that will completely silence the room. We're blasting gorgeous rainbow carrots at ridiculously high heat until their edges turn to candy, then dragging them through an impossibly fluffy, cloud-like goat cheese whip. The whole thing gets showered in a punchy, acidic orange and caper salsa that wakes up every single flavor on the plate.
Blistered Lamb Arayes with Scorched-Tomato Salad & Amba Tahini
If there is one dish that transports me straight back to the loud, smoky streets of Tel Aviv, it's Arayes. We are taking richly spiced ground lamb, stuffing it into pita halves, and blistering them in a skillet until the lamb fat renders and fries the bread into a crispy, golden shell. Served over a sharp, neon-yellow amba-tahini puddle with a bright, smoky tomato salad, this is messy, joyful, hands-on eating at its absolute best.
Charred Asparagus & Snap Pea Pearl Couscous with Pickled Rhubarb, Feta-Tahini Swoosh, and Sumac-Almond Crunch
March is that teasing month where we crave spring but still need comfort. This warm grain salad bridges the gap perfectly. We're high-heat charring the first asparagus and snap peas of the season, piling them onto giant, chewy pearl couscous, and cutting all that earthy green goodness with bright pink quick-pickled rhubarb and a luxurious whipped feta-tahini. It’s a riot of textures and loud flavors—exactly how I believe a salad should behave.
Smoky Swiss Chard & Harissa Skillet Poach with Preserved Lemon Tahini
Weekend brunch deserves a little drama, and this vibrant skillet is exactly that. We take a massive mountain of Swiss chard—stems and leaves, because we waste nothing—and braise it down into a deeply smoky, harissa-laced tomato stew until it becomes meltingly tender. We nestle in eggs to poach gently right in the sauce, then finish it all with a loud, buttery pine nut crunch and a heavy cascade of tangy preserved lemon tahini.
High-Heat Delicata “Crescents” with Espresso–Tahini, Pickled Shallot Glitter & Crispy Za’atar Quinoa
This is my roast-night side when I want the table to feel a little grown-up: delicata squash roasted hard until the edges go lacy and sweet, then dragged through a glossy espresso–tahini sauce that’s bitter, nutty, and a tiny bit floral. I finish with quick-pickled shallots for sparkle and a shattery za’atar quinoa crunch because I will always choose texture over restraint. It’s Tel Aviv café energy meets London Sunday roast confidence.
Roasted Beet & Blood-Orange Jewel Side with Warm Cardamom–Sumac Dressing, Green Herbs, and Pistachio–Sesame Crunch
This is my winter side for when the roast is doing its serious, cozy thing and you need the plate to look like a celebration. I roast beets until they’re jammy, then toss them (still warm) in a tangy, spiced dressing that blooms in the pan—so it clings and perfumes every corner. Blood orange, loads of herbs, and a pistachio–sesame crunch make it jewel-toned, herby, and slightly wild in the best way.
Blistered Broccoli “Confetti” with Warm Chili–Cumin Oil, Whipped Tahini–Yogurt Swoosh & Crispy Pita–Almond Crumble
This is my roast-season side when I want the table to look like a party: broccoli blasted until the edges go crackly, then dressed in a warm cumin-chili oil that perfumes everything it touches. I swipe a creamy tahini–yogurt swoosh underneath (because drama), and finish with a crunchy pita–almond crumble and a blizzard of herbs.
Smoky High-Heat Eggplant Planks with Whipped Preserved-Lemon Feta & Crispy Caper–Rye Crumbs
This is my winter mezze side for when there’s a roast in the oven and you want something bold enough to stand next to it: eggplant roasted brutally hot until smoky at the edges and custardy in the middle, dragged through a tangy whipped feta spread, and finished with a loud, crunchy caper–rye garnish. It’s dramatic in the best way—salt, smoke, lemon, and crunch—with a little Tel Aviv attitude and London pub-crisp crumbs on top.
High-Heat Harissa–Coriander Salmon Traybake with Charred Lemons, Crispy Artichokes & a Showy Tahini–Dill Emulsion
This is my February-at-home dinner: a loud, high-heat salmon traybake where everything gets a little blistered and dramatic—charred lemons, roasted fennel, and crispy-edged artichokes. Then I pull the whole thing together with a glossy tahini–dill emulsion that I spoon on like a restaurant sauce (because yes, sauce should get the spotlight). It tastes like Tel Aviv heat with a London-style sheet-pan efficiency.
Warm Roasted Radicchio & Citrus Salad with Ras el Hanout Carrots, Warm Clementine–Olive Dressing, and Whipped Tahini–Yogurt (Plus Crispy Spiced Chickpeas)
This is my February kind of salad: radicchio roasted until its bitterness turns velvety-sweet, citrus everywhere for brightness, and a warm dressing that hits the leaves like a hug. I finish with a cloud of whipped tahini–yogurt for creamy contrast and a loud, crunchy shower of spiced chickpeas that makes every bite snap.
High-Heat Delicata Squash Rings with Warm Baharat Brown-Butter Oil, Whipped Labneh–Tahini, and Crispy Caper–Pistachio Crumbs
This is my kind of winter side: delicata squash roasted at a brutal heat until the edges go lacy and dark, then dragged through a warm, fragrant spice oil that smells like Tel Aviv nights and London cold snaps. I serve it over a creamy labneh–tahini cloud (tangy, nutty, impossible to stop eating) and finish with crunchy caper–pistachio crumbs for that “one more bite” texture. It anchors a table like a centerpiece—but it’s also very happy to become your vegetarian main with warm pita or a pot of grains.
Hot-Honey Harissa Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Pita “Granola,” Dates, and a Warm Sumac-Pickle Dressing
This is my February kind of salad: roasted Brussels sprouts still warm from the oven, aggressively tossed so they drink up a punchy, spicy-sour dressing and go glossy at the edges. I fold in a loud amount of herbs, sticky dates, and a crunchy pita “granola” that turns it into a main-side—something you can eat straight from the bowl while the rest of dinner catches up.
Spice-Rubbed High-Heat Lamb Chops with Charred Fennel–Radicchio, Crispy Cannellini, and Hot Pomegranate–Anchovy Butter
This is my February dinner-party centerpiece when I want the table to go quiet for a second: lamb shoulder chops lacquered with a warm spice rub, blasted at high heat until the edges crackle, then finished with a scandalously savory pomegranate–anchovy butter that melts into every groove. Underneath, I build a winter bed of charred fennel and radicchio (sweet + bitter + smoky) plus crispy cannellini for that addictive crunch. It’s Mediterranean in the way I love most—bold, herbal, a little messy, and absolutely beautiful on a platter.
Blister-Roasted Beets with Black Cumin–Chili Oil, Whipped Feta–Tahini, and Crispy Spiced Buckwheat
This is my winter mezze-table mic drop: beets roasted so hard their edges go jammy and blistered, then dragged through a snowy whipped feta–tahini cloud and finished with a sizzling black cumin–chili oil. The crunch is the secret—crispy, spiced buckwheat that crackles like tiny toasted nuts, plus herbs and pickled shallot to keep everything bright.
Jewel-Toned Roasted Cauliflower with Saffron-Date Tahini, Pomegranate-Walnut Crunch & Charred Onion Petals
This is my February side dish when I want the table to look like a spice bazaar—deeply blistered cauliflower, sweetly charred onion petals, and a tahini sauce that’s golden from saffron and glossy from dates. I finish it with a loud, crunchy topping of walnuts, sesame, and pomegranate so every bite hits creamy–crisp–juicy, the way a winter Mediterranean table should feel.
High-Heat Celeriac “Steaks” with Roasted Garlic–Tahini, Pomegranate-Molasses Glaze & Crispy Lemon–Za’atar Chickpea Crunch
In February, I want a side dish that behaves like a centerpiece—deeply roasted, caramelized at the edges, and loud with sauces and crunch. These celeriac “steaks” get blasted at high heat until they’re bronzed and sweet, then I drown them in roasted garlic–tahini, a tangy pomegranate-molasses glaze, and a crispy lemon–za’atar chickpea crunch for that absolutely necessary texture chaos.
High-Heat Delicata Squash Wedges with Garlic–Lime Tahini, Harissa-Maple Glaze, and Crispy Lentil–Seed Crunch
This is my winter-veg centerpiece side dish: delicata roasted screaming-hot until the edges go lacy and caramelized, then glossed with a sticky harissa–maple glaze that tastes like Tel Aviv heat meeting London coziness. I drag it through a punchy garlic–lime tahini and finish with a crunchy lentil–seed garnish so every bite has creamy, sweet, spicy, and shatteringly crisp texture.
Saturday Whole-Roast Branzino with Green Zhug–Tahini Baste, Fennel–Olive Smashed Salad, and Crispy Oregano Breadcrumbs
This is my Saturday-night fish: whole branzino blasted at high heat until the skin crackles, then lacquered mid-roast with a bold green zhug–tahini baste that perfumes the kitchen like a Tel Aviv grill stand. I serve it over a smashed fennel-and-cucumber salad that soaks up the drippings, and I finish with crunchy oregano breadcrumbs for that Mediterranean “why is this so addictive?” texture.
High-Heat Shrimp & Charred Broccolini with Sumac–Meyer Lemon Tahini, Pistachio Dukkah Crunch, and a Mountain of Herbs
This is my winter mezze-side when I want the table to feel loud: shrimp roasted screaming-hot until just blushing, broccolini charred for bitterness and snap, then everything dragged through a punchy sumac–citrus tahini that tastes like sunlight. I finish it with pistachio dukkah for crunch, sliced chiles for heat, and so many herbs it looks like a garden fell onto the platter.