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by Crystal Schlueter
This week I am excited to again feature a recipe by Fred Schumacher of Greaney. If you recall, Fred shared a palatschinken recipe earlier this year. This time he shared a savory recipe with us. Fred does most of the cooking in his family. His wife Leah is a vegetarian, so he came up with wild rice falafel that reflects his love of fusion cuisine. This recipe makes a great vegetarian option that was inspired by the sarma he makes. Falafel is an Egyptian fava bean or chickpea (garbanzo bean) fritter. It is popular throughout the Middle East. I sampled a lot of falafel back in my Navy days and I have to say I was really impressed with the flavors and textures in this falafel. If preferred, you could serve the falafel in a pita with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, lettuce, and tahini sauce. However, the tomato-pepper sauce was also a nice touch and different from any other way I have tried falafel before. If you are a fan of fusion cuisine like I am, give this dish a try. I would like to thank Fred for another great recipe.
Ingredients: Falafel:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 of a large onion, finely chopped
1/2 of a bell pepper (any color), finely chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked wild rice
2/3 cup garbanzo bean flour (see notes)
2/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons vegeta (see notes)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large handful fresh Italian parsley leaves, roughly chopped (plus extra for garnishing) Canola oil for frying
Sauce:
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 bell peppers (red and yellow make the prettiest sauce)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water (plus an additional 1/4 cup if necessary)
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Falafel:
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until tender. Let cool, then combine with the remaining falafel ingredients (except canola oil) in a large bowl. If the mixture is too wet, cover and refrigerate for at least
1 hour or until firm enough to handle. Once ready to fry, pour 2 inches of canola oil into a large, heavy pot. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Using a heaping cookie scoop, form the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Fry a few falafel balls at a time for 2-3 minutes or until browned and crisp on all sides. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Sauce:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the oil. Once hot, add the peppers. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until tender. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the water and cook until thickened. Whisk in the marinara sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking constantly. Add an additional 1/4 cup water if the sauce is too thick. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the sauce into bowls and top with falafel. Garnish with additional parsley. Yield: 3-4 servings
Notes:
Garbanzo flour is sometimes labeled as chickpea flour. I had to go to Virginia to find this flour. While not authentic, some people substitute it with a can of chickpeas. Just drain off the liquid and grind the chickpeas in a food processor until finely ground. Add additional breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet. If preferred, you can form the dough into patties instead of balls and shallow fry in a skillet with a thin layer of oil. Vegeta is a Croatian spice mix that is popular throughout the Balkans and parts of the Middle East. This spice mix is essentially a seasoned salt with small flakes of dried vegetables. The original version contains MSG, but it is now available online with or without MSG. A reasonable substitute is Spike seasoning plus salt to taste. You can also use a heaping tablespoon of vegetable soup mix.
