Falafel

Sorry for the delay; I was under the weather for a few days and made some simpler meals (frozen chicken tenders, anyone?).  Then Sandy appeared and I was in "cook ahead in case of a power outage" mode (granola and stuff that wouldn't need to be heated).  We did lose power, but it came back on several hours later.  After that our water smelled a little funny for a few days, so we used the water I boiled pre-Sandy for food prep.  Now we're back on track.

A day or so before Sandy hit, I decided to try out a falafel recipe from one of my cookbooks, The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook, published by Bay Books.  I'm not sure if the book is in print anymore, as I've had it for a few years.  It's simply a compilation of food from the Mediterranean region of the world: France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Northern Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East.  This recipe came from the Middle East section.

I gathered the ingredients, with the exception of the broad beans the recipe called for; I substituted white beans because I don't know where I can find broad beans in my neck of the woods.  I haven't seen them anywhere.  I also added dill to the recipe because I was out of some of the other herbs.  It didn't really make a difference in flavor.  Here's the ingredient list:

1 cup each chickpeas and white beans, soaked overnight
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each of dill and parsley

(The original said to add 3 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 3 additional garlic cloves, and 1/2 cup fresh parsley.  I didn't have the coriander or parsley, and thought the extra garlic would have been a bit much, so I adjusted.  I have also added a bit of lemon juice in previous test runs; it reacts with the baking soda to produce a lighter cake.)

In the food processor, I combined the beans, onion, and garlic until smooth.  Then I added the remaining ingredients until a thick paste formed.

I then shaped the mixture into patties.  First I scooped them out with a small ice-cream scoop, then formed them into patties much like you would a hamburger.  (Hint:  Use the scoop because it's important that the patties are about the same size so they cook evenly.  Wet your fingers before forming; the mixture is sticky and the water will keep it from sticking to your hands.)  As the patties were formed, I placed them on a cookie sheet.  Once all the patties were formed, I placed the sheet in the refrigerator for about half an hour to firm up.

While the patties were in the fridge, I prepared the other ingredients: sliced lettuce and tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, caramelized onion (my addition), sour cream, and ranch dressing (my childrens' addition, as they don't like tzatziki sauce).  And the vehicle to carry all of these wonderful flavors?  Flour tortillas. ("Tortillas?!?" you ask.  Yup.  The first falafel I ever ate was at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Baltimore.  It was on a flour tortilla or something very similar.   I've also had falafel in pita pockets and on flatbread. Yummy no matter what they're in.)

When the half hour was up, I took the patties out of the fridge and began heating oil in a large sauce pot.  (I prefer high sides when frying foods; keeps the splatter down.)  When the oil was hot (test by dropping a bit of flour or a cube of bread into the oil and checking to see how quickly it fries), I fried the patties in batches until they were golden brown on all sides.  Then I drained them on paper towels set in a metal pan.  (I use metal to keep the food warm until the food is served.)

 
When all of the patties were finished, each sandwich was assembled with three falafel and the toppings of one's choosing.  I chose everything.

I wasn't sure how my children would take to this recipe because we've had some failures with boxed mixes in the past. (Trust me, don't buy them.  This is so much tastier.)  I'm happy to report that they both had seconds and my son called dibs on the leftovers for lunch the next day. 

For those of you who would like the tzatziki sauce recipe to go on your falafel, here it is, exactly as it appears in The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook:

2 Lebanese cucumbers
13 ounces Greek yogurt
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
chopped fresh mint for garnish

1. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon and discard.  Leave the skin on and coarsely grate the cucumber into a small colander.  Sprinkle with a little salt and leave to stand over a large bowl for 15 minutes to drain off any bitter juices.
2. Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt, garlic, mint, and lemon juice in a bowl.
3. Rinse the cucumber under cold water, then, taking small handfuls, squeeze out any excess moisture.  Combine the cucumber with the yogurt mixture and season to taste.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.  Garnish with mint.  Can be served as a dip with flatbread or as a sauce for seafood or meat.

Enjoy!