Falafel

From Vegetarian Favourites, Sunset

In the Middle East, where garbanzo beans have provided protein since ancient times, this savory blend with bulgur wheat is a widely consumed classic. Ordinarily deep fried, the crunchy little balls are eaten with a relish and tahini sauce in a pocket. This version is only lightly fried and the shape is changed to a patty, but they're still delicious.











Falafel
Tahini Sauce (recipe follows)
Falafal relish (recipe follows)
½ cup bulgur wheat
2 cups cooked, drained garbanzo beans or 1 can (about 15 ox.) garbanzo beans, drained
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon each ground cumin, salt, and crushed, dried red chillies
2 eggs
½ cup fine dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
Olive oil
6 six inch pita breads, warmed and halved

Directions:

Prepare Tahini sauce and Falafel relish.

Place bulgur in a small bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine chick peas, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, salt and chillies; whirl until smooth.

Drain bulgur well. In a medium-sized bowl, beat eggs; then mix in bread crumbs, puréed garbanzo mixture, coriander and bulgur.

Shape mixture into 4-inch patties. Pour oil into a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add patties and cook, turning once, until well browned (about 4 minutes per side).
To serve, cut patties in half and place each piece in a warm pita with tahini sauce and falafel relish.

Tahini sauce. Stir together 6 tablespoons sesame tahini and ¼ cup water until smooth. Mix in 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons olive oil, 1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed, and a dash of ground red pepper (cayenne). Season to taste with salt. Makes about ¾ cup.

Falafel relish. In a bowl, combine 2 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped, 1 cup finely chopped cucumber, and ¼ cup each finely chopped green pepper, onion, and minced parsley. If made ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours. Just before serving, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes about 3 cups.

Inidan Potato and Spinach Bhaji

Ingredients:
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 big bag of fresh spinach or 1 package of frozen spinach
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 green chilli chopped finely
I medium onion
Garlic
salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat up the oil. Toss in cumin and fennel seeds and let cook until aroma is released
Add chopped garlic and green chilies and let cook for a few seconds (don't burn the garlic)
Add chopped onion and fry until golden brown
Add diced potatoes and stir
Add turmeric powder
Let everything fry for a minute or two, add some water and then put in spinach leaves
Stir and cover until leaves are wilted
Fry uncovered until potatoes are soft
Add salt and pepper to taste

If you can get Kari leaves from an Inidan store ... addthree or four. They're amazing!

malai paneer (spicy indian cheese)

Paneer is a kind of soft cheese used in Indian cuisine. It's a bit like ricotta. It doesn't use rennet, so it's vegetarian-safe. You can always substitute paneer with very firm tofu.

3 cups (600 grams) Paneer (Indian pressed ricotta cheese), cut into cubes or wedges
1/2 cup (100ml) Oil
2 Onions, medium, chopped
2 tbsp (30g) Ginger paste
2 tbsp (30g) Garlic paste
Red Chilli powder (from the Indian store, not the stuff from Safeway)
1 tbsp (15g) Coriander powder
1/2 tsp (3gm) Turmeric
Salt to taste
1/2 cup (100 ml) Cream

For additional flavour, add chopped spinach

Method:
Heat the oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry until they are golden brown.
Mix the ginger and garlic pastes, the red chilli powder, corriander powder, turmeric and salt. Add to the wok and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Add the paneer wedges and stir until they are evenly coated with the spice mixture
Add the cream and stir well for 2 minutes or until the oil separates. Remove from the stove and serve hot.

curried chicken wraps

vegetarian substitute: cooked or canned chick peas, mashed

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cooked and shredded
1 large peeled carrot, grated
2 stalks of celery, chopped finely
2 whole green onions, minced
2T fresh minced cilantro
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 to 2 tsp. curry paste (or powder)
2 tortilla wraps
large leaves curly lettuce

• Combine chicken, carrot, celery, onion and cilantro in a bowl. Fold together.
• Stir yogurt and curry paste together in a small bowl. Fold into chicken mixture.
• Line tortillas with lettuce. Spoon chicken filling down the middle of each.
• Roll tightly and serve.

cabbage and leeks

I made an incredibly simple and tasty vegetable dish the other day with cabbage and leeks.

Chop the cabbage into thin strips, about 2" long. Chop the green part off the leeks. Leeks tend to have a lot of dirt settle into the green leafy part, so make sure to wash thoroughly. Cut the white part in half and then slice both the green and white parts of the leek.

Place leeks, and cabbage into a pot of water and bring to a boil. I put in about 2-3 cups of water and some vegetable broth. Boil until the cabbage is quite soft. Then drain the water, add some salt and butter to taste (butter is a must!) and enjoy!

You can also add potatoes, extra water and broth to make a cabbage, leek and potato soup.

delicious figs

Figs in History

Figs appear in the earliest recorded history. When Cato advocated the conquest of Carthage, he used as his crowning argument the advantage of acquiring fruits as glorious as the North African figs, specimens of which he pulled from his toga as exhibits in the Roman Senate. These fruits have become so popular in America that many varieties - purplish, brownish and greenish-are grown in profusion.

The fig probably originated in Asia Minor, and has been highly regarded from the earliest times as a major contributor to the diets of many countries. Figs were one of the crops that became known in China during the T'ang dynasty which rose to power in the 700's BC. Its importance in Hellenic culture and economic life is second only that that of the grape and the olive.

The Egyptians, being preoccupied with their digestion, had a habit of fasting. The fig, having mild laxative properties, appealed to them as food which was delicious as well as good for them. Figs are rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium. Vitamin C and the B group vitamins are also present in small quantities. They are also high in fibre. Figs have the highest overall mineral content of all common fruits. A 40 gram (1/4 cup) serving provides 244 mg of potassium (7% of the DV), 53 mg of calcium (6% of the DV) and 1.2 mg of iron (6% of the DV). Figs are fat-free, sodium-free and cholesterol-free.

Figs are among the tastiest and most versatile of fruits, happy in company with wine, honey, sugar, thin proscuitto, sweet spices such as ginger, cinnamon and cloves and the sharpness of lemon and orange.

From: In Mama's Kitchen

Fig salad



This is a simple flat salad based around figs. Additional ingredients can be varied: you can serve it as part of a selection of antipasto or make small versions for an individual first course.

You need:Goat's cheese, olive oil, basil, mint and salad leaves.

Method:Slice figs lengthways, so you have about five slices per fig, then lay concentrically on a flat plate with each slice slightly overlapping. Place a slice of fresh goat cheese on each fig slice. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the plate. Scatter fresh basil or mint leaves over the plate. Scatter pomegranate seeds over the plate. Alternatively, you could use fresh or briefly-roasted walnut pieces.

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Poached Figs In Red Wine And Balsamic Vinegar
Ingredients: Poached Figs In Red Wine And Balsamic Vinegar
2 cup fruity red wine
1/2 cup vinegar, balsamic
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cinnamon, stick
8 medium fresh purple fig

Directions:
The key here is to gently poach the figs for a short time, allowing them to keep their shape but infuse them with the rich flavour of the wine and vinegar.
In a medium saucepan combine wine, vinegar, honey, lemon juice and cinnamon.
Bring to a boil then reduce the heat.
Simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced by a third.
Pierce the figs gently with a fork to allow poaching liquid to penetrate them.
Figs should not be peeled
Lay the figs in the poaching liquid then poach over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until figs are plump and still hold their shape.
Remove the figs from liquid. Increase heat and boil further reduce poaching liquid until syrupy.

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Grilled Figs Wrapped In Prociutto With Balsamic Drizzle
Yield: 4

Ingredients:
4 fresh black fig or 4 fresh green fig
4 thin slices prosciutto
8 large fresh basil, leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cup torn frisee greens
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
shaved Parmigiano reggiano cheese

Directions:
Halve figs; cut prosciutto in half lengthwise.
Wrap basil leaf then prosciutto piece around each fig.
Place on plate; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or for up to 8 hours.
Brush packages lightly with olive oil.
Place figs on greased grill over medium-low heat; close cover and cook, turning once, for about 2 minutes or until warmed through and prosciutto is barely browned around edges.
Divide frisée among 4 plates. Place figs on top. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar nad top with cheese.
Substitutions: Substitute peeled slices of fresh peach or mango for the figs.

Courtesy of: Canadian Living Cooks

brendan's ham and cabbage soup

On a cold winter night, grab your favourite book, a cozy blanket and cuddle up to a steaming bowl of ham and cabbage soup.

Ingredients:
Bay leaves
Cabbage
Potatoes
2 medium onions
Leftover vegetable odds and ends
Leftover holiday ham including the bone
Secret Ingredients 1, 2, 3 and 4
Vinegar (to taste)
Salt (to taste)

step one:
I save the stems and ends of veggies in little freezer bags until I have enough to make a good soup stock. Boil the leftover vegetable odds and ends. I used the stems of asparagus, broccoli and spinach. Save the onions for step three. Also place in secret ingredients 1 and 2. Add salt and boil for 30-45 minutes. Drain the stock into a separate bowl through a sieve. Make sure to squeeze the veggies to get all the juice out.

step two: (Vegetarians: add vegetable stock for flavour)
Pour the stock back into the pot and add the ham bone and any leftover meat. Add secret ingredient #3. Boil for 30-45 minutes again. Drain the stock into a separate bowl. When the meat has cooled, pick the meat off the bones and place in a separate dish. Let the stock cool and then skim off most of the fat. leave some in for flavour.

step three:
Place stock back into the stockpot. Add the pieces of ham, diced onions, secret ingredient #3 and #4, chopped cabbage and diced potatoes. Boil until the cabbage and potatoes are soft. Add vinegar to taste. Enjoy.

Oh, and if you want to know the secret ingredients, email me.

Interesting: read about the Hambone dance.