Young Professionals @ BZBI

We've made it to the big leagues! Tonight was the Marom Kabbalat and Pop Up Foodie Shabbat for Young Professionals at Temple BZBI. As the number of attendees steadily climbed all week before the event, we were a little nervous...especially as half of our duo was going abroad the day of the event. Luckily, we have awesome friends (Thanks Polly!) and were working with an amazing partner in BZBI so there were two amazing sous chefs to prep for the over 80 people that came to the event. We wanted to make the menu festive, so we baked challah from scratch that was perfectly dippable into our trio of spreads: the most delicious chopped liver, smoky and spicy roasted eggplant babaghanoush, and smooth and creamy lemon hummus. Each table got its own set of dips so no one felt left out. Next the buffet was opened with platters of Moroccan Chicken Tagine (succulent spice-rubbed chicken braised with preserved lemon, roasted carrots and onions, green olives, dried apricots and chicken stock on the stove until the meat was so tender that you didn't even need a knife. In addition, we had couscous studded with roasted pistachios, dried cranberries and caramelized onions on the side, and as a vegetarian (or non-veggie) alternative was old-world style stuffed cabbage in a sweet-and-sour sauce made from raisins, tomatoes, brown sugar and lots of love and stuffed with a seasoned blend of soy ground and rice. For dessert, we had hot apple crisp fresh from the oven. Afterwards, guests got to participate in a beautiful, spiritual Kabbalat Shabbat program together as a community. Everyone seemed to have loved the food, so mission accomplished!

​[Special thanks to Alicia for being an amazing sous chef and letting us take over your kitchen for almost two days. Could not have done it without you.]