# Jerusalem Mixed Grill with Tahina, Zhug, Slow-Roasted Green Beans and Miso Corn > Deeply browned chicken hearts and livers meet sweet caramelized onions, lemony tahina and a sharp spoonful of green zhug. Slow-roasted beans and miso-glazed corn with Hatch chiles bring late-summer sweetness, while spicy pickles keep the rich mixed grill bright. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/jerusalem-mixed-grill-plate-chicken-hearts-livers-with-tahina-zhug-pickles-long - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2025-09-04 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free ![Jerusalem Mixed Grill with Tahina, Zhug, Slow-Roasted Green Beans and Miso Corn](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F4b0f81a8a7591f6c.jpg) ## Caramelized Onions Slowly cooked onions provide sweetness and moisture without softening the crust on the meats during searing. ### Ingredients - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced - 2 tablespoons ghee - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste - 2–4 tablespoons water, as needed ### Instructions 1. Heat the ghee in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until softened. 2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another 30–40 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden brown and sweet. Add a splash of water whenever the browned residue threatens to burn. 3. Reserve for folding through the cooked hearts and livers. ## Jerusalem-Style Chicken Hearts and Livers Cooking the hearts and livers separately accommodates their different textures. Dry surfaces and uncrowded pans create a deeply browned spice crust before the onions are folded in. ### Ingredients - 1 lb chicken hearts - 1 lb chicken livers - 2 teaspoons ground cumin - 2 teaspoons ground coriander - 1 teaspoon sweet paprika - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 3 tablespoons ghee, divided - 1 batch caramelized onions from the separate component - 1/3 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley - 1 lemon, cut into wedges ### Instructions 1. Trim tough vessels and excess fat from the hearts, then halve them lengthwise and remove any clots. Trim connective tissue and any green-stained areas from the livers; separate into large lobes. Pat both very dry and keep chilled until cooking. 2. Mix the cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, allspice, salt and pepper. Divide between the hearts and livers just before searing. 3. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon ghee. Add the hearts in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Sear for about 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and the thickest pieces reach 165°F. Transfer to a warm bowl. 4. Add the remaining ghee as needed and sear the livers in uncrowded batches over medium-high heat. Cook about 3–4 minutes on the first side and 2–4 minutes on the second, adjusting the heat so the spices brown without burning. Check the center of the thickest lobes with an instant-read thermometer; they must reach 165°F. 5. Reduce the heat to low. Return the hearts and caramelized onions to the pan with the livers and gently fold together just until hot. Taste for salt, scatter with parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges. ### Notes - Do not rely on pinkness or exterior browning to judge poultry liver safety; use a thermometer and reach 165°F. - Keep the livers in large pieces and stop cooking as soon as they reach temperature to minimize dryness. ## Lemony Tahina A loose, lemon-forward tahina gives the rich meats a creamy counterpoint and carries the heat of the zhug. ### Ingredients - 1/2 cup well-stirred tahini - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice - 1 small clove garlic, finely grated - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste - 1/3–1/2 cup ice water ### Instructions 1. Whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, garlic and salt; it will initially thicken. 2. Whisk in the ice water a little at a time until pale, smooth and loose enough to spread into a shallow pool. 3. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon. Let stand for 10 minutes, then loosen with another splash of water if needed. ### Notes - Use thoroughly stirred tahini so the sauce does not turn oily or grainy. ## Green Zhug Fresh herbs, green chile and warm spices cut through the richness of the grill. A coarse texture keeps the sauce lively rather than pasty. ### Ingredients - 1 packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems - 1/2 packed cup flat-leaf parsley leaves - 2 serrano chiles, roughly chopped, seeds removed for less heat - 2 cloves garlic - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin - 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander - 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt - 1 tablespoon lemon juice - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil ### Instructions 1. Pulse the cilantro, parsley, chiles, garlic, spices and salt in a small food processor until finely chopped but not puréed. 2. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and pulse briefly to make a coarse, spoonable sauce. 3. Rest for 10 minutes and taste for salt and heat before serving. ### Notes - This makes extra zhug; serve a modest spoonful and offer the rest at the table. ## Spicy Celery and Jalapeño Quick Pickles Crunchy celery and sharp chile rings give relief from the soft beans, creamy tahina and rich organ meats. ### Ingredients - 3 stalks celery, sliced diagonally - 2 jalapeños, sliced into rings - 1 clove garlic, smashed - 3/4 cup distilled white vinegar - 3/4 cup water - 2 teaspoons kosher salt - 1 teaspoon honey ### Instructions 1. Place the celery, jalapeños and garlic in a clean heatproof jar. 2. Bring the vinegar, water, salt and honey to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt. Pour over the vegetables. 3. Cool briefly, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. Drain the portions used for plating. ### Notes - These are refrigerator pickles, not shelf-stable preserves. ## Long-Roasted Romano Beans A covered start tenderizes broad beans; an uncovered finish concentrates their flavor and creates wrinkled, browned edges. Lemon restores brightness at the end. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 lb Romano beans, trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - 3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 1/4 cup water - 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the beans with the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a shallow roasting dish. Add the water and cover tightly. 2. Roast for 25 minutes. Uncover, toss and roast for another 25–35 minutes, turning once, until very tender with wrinkled skins and browned patches. Add a splash of water only if the dish dries out before the beans soften. 3. Toss with the lemon juice and adjust the seasoning. Serve warm rather than piping hot. ### Notes - Regular green beans also work; start checking them 15 minutes after uncovering. The intended texture is yielding, not crisp-tender. ## Miso-Roasted Corn with Hatch Chiles and Za’atar Miso deepens the sweetness of late-summer corn, while roasted Hatch chiles add smoke and a variable kick. Za’atar supplies a tart, herbal finish. ### Ingredients - 4 ears sweet corn, kernels cut from the cobs - 3 Hatch chiles - 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten-free white miso - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 1 tablespoon water - 2 teaspoons gluten-free za’atar - 2 teaspoons lemon juice - to taste kosher salt ### Instructions 1. Broil the whole Hatch chiles on a foil-lined tray, turning every few minutes, until blistered all over, about 8–12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let steam for 10 minutes. 2. Peel away the loose charred skins, remove stems and seeds, and cut the flesh into broad strips. Set aside. 3. Set the oven to 400°F. Whisk the miso, olive oil and water together. Toss with the corn and spread on a parchment-lined rimmed sheet pan. 4. Roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring once, until the kernels are tender and browned in places. Watch closely near the end because miso can scorch. 5. Fold in the chile strips and return to the oven for 3–5 minutes. Finish with za’atar and lemon juice, then taste before adding salt. ### Notes - Hatch chiles range widely in heat; taste a small cooked piece before adding the entire batch. - Use a gluten-free za’atar blend without wheat fillers. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The vegetables and condiments tolerate waiting, leaving the final cooking window free for the hearts and livers. ### Instructions 1. The day before, or at least 1 hour ahead, make the pickles. Tahina and zhug can also be made ahead and refrigerated. 2. 0:00 — Broil the Hatch chiles. While they blister, slice the onions and start caramelizing them on the stovetop. 3. 0:15 — Remove the chiles, cover to steam and set the oven to 400°F. Prepare the beans and put them in the oven, covered. 4. 0:25 — Peel and slice the chiles. Make the tahina and zhug if not already prepared. 5. 0:40 — Uncover the beans. Add the corn on a separate oven rack, rotating the pans if they brown unevenly. 6. 0:45 — Finish the onions and set aside. Trim, dry and season the hearts and livers, keeping raw poultry separate from the ready-to-eat components. 7. 1:00 — Begin searing the hearts, followed by the livers. Finish the corn with the chiles and remove the vegetables when tender. 8. 1:20–1:30 — Fold the meats with the onions, check seasoning, loosen the tahina if needed and plate immediately. ## Plating Keeping distinct piles preserves the contrast between the browned meats, soft vegetables and crisp pickles while allowing each bite to pick up sauce. ### Instructions 1. Spread a generous pool of tahina over one side of each plate. Spoon a small mound of zhug into it without fully mixing. 2. Arrange the mixed grill and caramelized onions beside the sauce, keeping most of the browned surfaces exposed. 3. Add separate piles of long-roasted beans and miso corn, placing some Hatch chile strips on top of the corn. 4. Set drained spicy pickles beside the tahina and serve with the lemon wedges and extra zhug. ## Leftover Path Separate storage keeps the sauces fresh and prevents the pickles from soaking the meats and roasted vegetables. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate the cooked meats, onions and vegetables in shallow containers within 2 hours. Keep tahina, zhug and pickles in separate covered containers. 2. Use the meats and vegetables within 3–4 days. Reheat the meats and onions gently in a covered skillet with a splash of water until they reach 165°F; avoid prolonged cooking. 3. Warm the beans and corn separately, then serve with fresh spoonfuls of tahina and zhug. Alternatively, chop the reheated meat and onions for lettuce cups with the pickles. 4. Use refrigerated tahina and zhug within 4 days. Keep the pickles submerged in their brine and use within 2 weeks. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.