I really must hand it to the author of "The Flexitarian Table", Peter Berley. Well done on this cookbook! There are so many recipes in this book that I want to make, and several that I have made already. When I saw this particular menu, I knew it was love...
Summer Menu #10
Spicy Roasted Pepper Soup with Goat Cheese and chives
Whole Wheat Pita Bread
Spiced Lamb Croquettes
Falafel
Two Traditional Sauces: Hot Sauce (Zhoug) and Sesame Tahini Sauce
Cucumber, Red Onion, and Tomato Salad
The recipe that intrigued me the most was the falafel. I have had some really tasty (crunchy, hot, fresh) falafel; Jerusalem Restaurant in Toronto comes to mind. Then there are the not-so-great versions (pre-cooked and re-heated to order, spongy, dry). Plenty of those around all over Canada, I would guess.
The one stumbling block that I have with recipes calling for dry legumes is the pre-soaking step. How many times has it happened that I have everything else called for in the recipe, but it is too late to do anything with the dried legumes in question? So frustrating, and occasionally makes me think about getting a pressure cooker. On this particular day, the thought struck me in the morning and there is a way to "quick soak" the chickpeas, in an hour or so. "Place the chickpeas in a saucepan with cold water to cover by at least 1 inch, bring the water to a boil, and boil for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover the pan, and let sit for at least hour, or up to 3 hours, before draining and cooking." It must be said that canned chickpeas will not work for this recipe. Besides the quick boil, the chickpeas are not cooked at all until they hit the oil. Apparently, this is why the baking soda is so important to this recipe. The baking soda makes the chickpeas easier to digest, and it also lightens up the finished falafel.
Another nice thing about this recipe are the instructions for the oil temperature. I kept my trusty candy thermometer on the pot the whole time and I had excellent results. It took a long time for the oil to get up to 360 degrees, and if I had just been eyeballing it, I would have started cooking the falafel long before the oil was hot enough. This has happened to me time and again, and when the oil isn't hot enough, whatever you're frying just soaks up the oil instead of really being cooked by it. In a nut shell, the oil has to be hot enough to sear the outside almost immediately. I use rice bran oil for deep-frying but it isn't widely available, and it will most likely be getting very expensive with rice being at a premium these days. (A few years ago, Alan was importing rice bran oil from the US, but stopped due to lack of demand). Once I run out of rice bran oil (will be happening very soon), I will probably use sunflower oil.
The only dishes from the menu above that I didn't make are the soup and the whole wheat pitas. With that said, I would LOVE to make my own pitas. It would take this menu from wonderful to over-the-moon! The sauces really made the meal (my fifth food group is "sauces", so it isn't surprising that I feel this way). I will share the sesame tahini sauce with you so that when you make the falafel, you will have something to accompany them, at your fingertips.
In the original recipe, cumin and coriander seeds are called for, with a note saying "preferably toasted and freshly ground". If you only have ground cumin and coriander in the house, I wouldn't let this stop you from making the falafel. However, to toast and grind your own cumin and coriander is very simple and the pungency of the spices are probably double that of the pre-ground stuff. On Sunday, when I was making these, I toasted cumin seeds (just place in a dry pan over medium heat and watch carefully until they start to turn golden and give off lots of aroma), but I used pre-ground coriander. I can still smell the freshly ground cumin in my cupboard every time I open it (it really should be in a sealed container as opposed to a ramekin covered with plastic wrap). I have an old coffee bean grinder that I use for spices now, and thirty seconds in that thing, and the ground cumin is good to go.
The spiced lamb croquettes were outstanding, as well! For dinner, we tucked falafel and lamb croquettes into pitas with the tomato, cucumber & red onion salad, and plenty of the sauces, and it was just like being at a really good Middle Eastern restaurant, but better because we were at home. And this is a great time to point out that the recipes for the falafel and the lamb both serve about three people, making it an excellent dinner for vegetarians and meat-eaters to share. I doubled the falafel recipe when I made it because it seemed like a lot of effort to make so few. I am glad I did, because after I tried one, I took a couple outside for Alan and one of our neighbours, then they requested more, and by the time we finished dinner, there was only one falafel left!
Homemade Falafel
1 c. lightly packed fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 c. dried chickpeas, soaked and drained*
3 t. fresh lemon juice
6 T. finely chopped red onion
2 garlic clove, chopped
2 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 t. sea salt or kosher salt
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. baking soda (important; do not leave out!)
1/4 t. cayenne pepper, or to taste
8 grinds black pepper
4-6 c. vegetable oil, for deep frying
1. In a food processor, pulse the cilantro or parsley until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas and pulse until they are finely ground (they should have the consistency of cracker crumbs). Add the lemon juice, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, coriander, baking soda, cayenne, and black pepper and pulse to combine. The mixture should hold its shape when squeezed. If not, process for a few more seconds and maybe add a bit more lemon juice. Transfer to a large bowl and toss well.
2. Fill a medium heavy saucepan or a Dutch oven with at least 3 inches of oil, attach a deep-frying (candy) thermometer to the side of the pot, and heat the oil to 360 degrees (the temperature will drop when the falafel is added but should never dip before below 350 degrees). Line the platter with paper towels.
3. Moisten your hands and divide the falafel mixture into about 20 or so equal portions (about 2 tablespoons each). Form each into a disc about a 1/2-inch thick, moistening your hands as needed while you work.
4. Fry the falafel a few at a time, turning halfway through, until well browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to the paper-towel-lined platter to drain. Return the oil to 360 degrees before adding each batch. Serve warm.
*I fried three falafel at a time. The oil starts rolling quite vigorously when the falafel are added so make sure that you use a large pot. I strained the leftover oil and I am keeping for the next time I make these, which isn't too far off! Please be very careful whenever you are cooking with hot oil.
Sesame Tahini Sauce
3/4 c. tahini
5 T. fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
1 garlic clove, mashed with 3/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1/4 t. cayenne pepper, or to taste
3/4 c. water
1. In a bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic paste, and cayenne. Whisk in the water until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. The sauce can be made up to three days in advance and refrigerated, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.
*My tahini was quite hard and had separated from the oil. I mixed it in the jar the best I could and then smoothed it out in the bowl with a wooden spoon. Use room temperature water (or a little warmer) and the sauce should smooth out fine when you whisk it.
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