We’re guessing there will lots of eating out this summer – and by “out” we mean the backyard. Think of it as a great opportunity to get playful with flavors and the like. Here are two innovative recipes to try from The Nosher (www.TheNosher.com.)

Brisket tacos with carrot slaw

By Rebecca Firkser

When I was growing up, I knew brisket as an island of meat in a sea of sweet brownish-red sauce with carrot-plank buoys. Every holiday, this was plunked in the center of the table alongside a loaf of bread. It was … fine. But nothing to write home about.

As I sliced through the brisket, I imagined all the ways it could be improved upon: more salt, always, maybe a bit of heat to break up all this fat, and some acid, too, to balance out the sweetness of the sauce. And why such thick slices of brisket? Brisket is a tough cut of meat, but if braised in well-seasoned liquid long enough, it can go so tender it practically shreds itself when nudged with a fork.

This summer, I dare you to leave the giant platter of meat for the winter months and embrace the warming weather with braised brisket tacos, with a crunchy, tangy raw carrot slaw served alongside the meat to breathe new life into the familiar flavors.

Ingredients:

For the brisket:
4 pounds beef brisket
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon neutral oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 medium red onions, quartered or 3 large shallots, halved
1 head garlic, halved crosswise (no need to get rid of the skin)
1 tablespoon hot smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chile powder
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken, vegetable or beef broth

For the slaw:
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and black pepper
5 medium carrots, grated
6 scallions, thinly sliced

For serving:
Corn or flour tortillas (small)
Diced white onion, pickled jalapeño, sliced radish, hot sauce
Lime wedges

Directions:

1. Season the brisket all over with salt and pepper at least 1 hour at room temperature (or overnight in the fridge, then returned to room temperature before searing). Preheat the oven to 325 F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then sear the brisket fat-side down until well-browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board or plate. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons fat.

2. In a small bowl, dissolve sugar or honey in apple cider vinegar and set aside.

3. Add onions and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they take on some color, about 4 minutes. Stir in paprika, chile powder and tomato paste, and cook until the spices are fragrant and the tomato paste turns brick red, about 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar mixture, tomatoes and broth, then bring to a boil. Season with a big pinch of salt. Let the mixture reduce for 5 minutes, then return the brisket to the pot, fat-side up.

4. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake, removing the pot from the oven and spooning some of the liquid over the meat every 40 minutes or so, until the meat easily shreds when you pull at it with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

5. Remove pot from the oven and carefully skim off as much rendered fat as you can from the surface of the mixture. Discard fat. Uncover the pot and let cook for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool, then skim fat again. Skim fat every 15 minutes until you’re ready to serve, then use 2 forks to shred the meat and coat entirely in the surrounding sauce. The onions and garlic will have essentially melted into the sauce, but if you spy whole cloves of garlic, give them a smash to incorporate. (Alternatively, remove pot without skimming fat, let the mixture cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight, covered. The following day, scoop off solidified fat from the surface and return to the oven at 325 F. Discard fat. Cover and reheat for 1 hour, then shred meat.)

6. To make the slaw, combine lime juice, honey and red pepper flakes in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Toss in carrots and scallions. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve brisket with warmed tortillas, slaw and desired taco fixings. Serves 6-8.

Banana tahini pops are the perfect summer dessert hack!

By Sheri Silver

Remember when one-ingredient banana ice cream broke the internet? If not, let me refresh your memory.

A while back a “recipe” (if you can call anything with one ingredient a recipe) for banana ice cream went viral. And with good reason. To make it you simply put a few frozen sliced bananas in a food processor and blended them until they achieved the consistency of soft serve. Pop them into the freezer and sure enough, you had a frozen, scoopable “ice cream” that was healthy, vegan and sugar-free.

And, like most viral recipes, banana ice cream was soon replaced by the next food trend – and the one after that – and so on.

But we’re bringing it back, giving it a tahini swirl and turning it into popsicles! Because everything’s better on a stick. And with a tahini swirl.

Not everyone has a popsicle mold, so we’re showing you how you can make these pops in a loaf pan – but feel free to use those molds if you’ve got ’em.

And don’t stop there – tahini is just the beginning! You can swap it for almond butter, chocolate chips, strawberry preserves, granola or even add some other frozen fruit like strawberries or blueberries – whatever you like. These couldn’t be easier, and when was the last time you gave permission to eat ice cream for breakfast?

Ingredients:

6 ripe bananas, peeled, sliced and frozen

1/2 cup tahini

3 tablespoons maple syrup (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Line an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap (you can use a 9-by-5 pan if that’s what you’ve got), leaving an overhang on all sides.

2. Place the bananas in your food processor and process till crumbly. Scrape down the sides and continue processing – the bananas will become smooth, and then thick and creamy with a consistency similar to soft-serve ice cream.

3. Meanwhile whisk the tahini and maple syrup till smooth – taste and adjust sweetener if needed.

4. Spread half the ice cream into your loaf pan and smooth with the back of a spoon. Drizzle half the tahini mixture over. Repeat with remaining ice cream and tahini. Use a thin sharp knife to swirl the mixture together; rap the pan on the counter to level.