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Kosher Cookout Recipes for Labor Day

Fire up the grill for Labor Day! Here are some wonderful recipes to prepare for your kosher cookout.
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August 29, 2024
Joey Ingelhart/Getty Images

Fire up the grill for Labor Day! Here are some wonderful recipes to prepare for your kosher cookout.

Chef Alon Shaya believes that baba ganoush is perfect for an outdoor party. Note: Eggplant is in season from July to October. 

“This charred eggplant not only captivates with its aroma but also stands out as the star of the meal,” Shaya, co-founder of Pomegranate Hospitality and author of “Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel,” told the Journal. “Its robust flavor and velvety texture make it an ideal dish for outdoor gatherings, where it can be savored as a savory centerpiece that complements any kosher menu.”

Baba Ganoush

2 large (1-pound) eggplants1 large clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons Tbsp lemon juice
3 tablespoons Tbsp raw tahini
1 tablespoon Tbsp ice water
¼ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon tsp Morton kosher salt

Prick the eggplants all over with a fork before you roast them. To cook these on a gas stovetop, you may want to line your burners with foil, if you’re worried about a mess. Lay each eggplant on its side directly on the burners of a gas stovetop, and cook over a medium flame for 25 to 30 minutes, until the bottoms halves are haggard and blistered with bits of papery white char. Just when you think they’re ready to rotate, you can probably cook that side for another 5 minutes.

Flip the eggplant, and cook until the other side is equally charred; rotate them slightly if you notice that any parts aren’t coloring. They’re ready when they’re uniformly charred and you can pierce them at the neck with no resistance, 40 to 50 minutes total. The uglier they are, the more flavor there is inside. Take them off the heat, and let cool. 

Steep the garlic in the lemon juice for at least 30 minutes, then remove and discard the garlic. Whisk the lemon juice with the tahini and ice water, and don’t worry if at first it looks curdled: keep whisking and, like magic, it will become light and smooth.

Cut the tops off the eggplants, halve them lengthwise, and gently open them up. Scoop out the flesh, taking care not to bring along too much of the papery char, which is bitter. It’s not the end of the world if you have a few stowaways; they’ll just add a little extra smokiness.

Scoop all the creamy flesh into a fine-mesh sieve to drain away any excess liquid, then give it a few chops to make it spreadable. Fold it together with the prepared tahini mixture, sour cream, and salt, and serve at room temperature. 


For a hearty meal, try Chef Jeffrey Kollinger’s grilled ribeye.

“This dish is perfect for cookouts,” Kollinger, owner of Spice of Life Catering, told The Journal. “Smoky ribeye and creamy potatoes with the gourmet touch of a tomato chutney will impress any guest.”

“Smoky ribeye and creamy potatoes with the gourmet touch of a tomato chutney will impress any guest.”  – Jeffrey Kollinger

Grilled “Cowboy” Ribeye with Olive Oil, Smashed Fingerling Potatoes and Tomato Chutney

For the Ribeye:
2 “Cowboy-Cut” Ribeyes – at least an inch thick. Each should weigh around 22oz.

1 hour prior to cooking, remove steaks from the refrigerator, season generously with salt and pepper, cover, and allow to rest at room temperature.

Preheat your grill to medium low heat (propane is easy, charcoal will need to be pushed to one side of the grill). With a paper towel, carefully and lightly oil the grates where the steaks will go. Place the ribeyes in the medium/medium low “sweet spot” and… RESIST THE URGE TO TOUCH IT! Allow 4-5 minutes of cooking on the first side before you flip it over.  Cook an additional 3-4 minutes on the second side. Cook to desired temperature using whatever method you’re comfortable with (touch, thermometer, etc.). Allow to rest for 5 minutes before enjoying!

For the Fingerling Potatoes:
8 oz fingerling potatoes, washed
2 oz shallots, peeled and cut in ¼’s
1 head garlic, cut in half (along the equator)
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 oz olive oil
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss to ensure everything is evenly coated in salt and oil. Put mixture on a parchment lined sheet pan in a single layer.

Roast in a preheated oven until potatoes are cooked through and tender, around 30 minutes.  

After you take it out of the oven, remove the roasted garlic from the skin and add the contents of the entire pan (including all the oil) back to the mixing bowl. Crush potatoes with a stiff wire whisk until they become creamy (as the oil emulsifies with the potato).

For the Tomato-Ginger Chutney:
2 20-oz cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 cardamom pod
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, recently toasted
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, recently toasted
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, recently toasted
1 Jalapeño, whole
2 oz fresh ginger, peeled and cut into ¼” coins (around a 2” piece)
½ cup light brown sugar, packed tightly
3 oz rice wine vinegar

Combine everything in an appropriately sized saucepan. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cover loosely and allow to slowly cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and burning, around 30 minutes. Once liquid is evaporated, remove from the heat and discard the jalapeño and ginger. 

Enjoy!

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