Falafel with Tahini Dip

 Falafel

*Plan ahead, beans need to soak and chill

2 1/2 c. garbanzo beans, soaked overnight
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. dried dill
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. baking powder
3 1/2 Tbsp. flour
oil, for frying

Tahini Dip

1/2 c. tahini
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4-1/3 c. water

To make the falafel: Add the beans, onion, and garlic to food processor. Process until a soft paste forms. 

Add the spices, zest, powder, and flour to the food processor. Process until all incorporated. 

Put in a bowl. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

While the falafel mix is chilling, make the tahini dip.

To make the tahini dip: Whisk tahini, juice, and spices together.

Stream in the water until the thickness you desire. I make it drizzle-able. Adjust spices as needed. Set aside.

After 30 minutes, remove the falafel mix from the fridge. Roll the mixture into 2 inch balls. Set on a plate or baking sheet.

In a deep saucepan, add about 3 inches of oil. Bring the temperature up to 325 F. 

Using tongs, gently pick up one falafel ball and set it in the hot oil. I put 3-5 balls in at a time, but make sure they're not touching. I flip the balls after about 2 minutes. The balls should cook about 4-5 minutes. You want them a dark golden color, but not too dark. Remove from the oil with the tongs and set on a plate with paper towels to absorb the oil. 

Check the oil after each batch to make sure it's still around 325 F. 

When all the falafel balls are cooked you can drizzle with the tahini or you can serve with dollops of tahini next to the falafel and dip them in. Or both.

Avocado Egg Rolls with Dipping Sauce

So amazing and fairly easy to make. This recipe is for 3 egg rolls, but is easily doubled.

Dipping sauce ingredients

Egg Rolls:
1 large avocado or 1 1/2 medium avocados
1 Tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 tsp. cilantro, chopped
1/8 tsp. salt
3 egg roll wraps
1 egg, slightly whipped
oil for frying

Dipping Sauce:
1/8 tsp. white vinegar

Dipping sauce pureed

1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. cashews, chopped
1/3 c. cilantro
2 green onions
1 garlic clove
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/8 c. olive oil

To make the dipping sauce: In a bowl, mix together the vinegars and honey. Heat for 1 minute in the microwave.

Pour this mixture and all other dipping sauce ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor. Puree. Pour into a bowl and add the olive oil. Stir and refrigerate.

Egg rolls frying

To make the egg rolls: In a bowl, stir together the avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, and salt together.

Add 1/3 of the mixture onto the center of each egg roll wrapper.

Position the wrapper so the corner is pointing toward you. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling. Fold remaining corners up over the filling, brushing the corners with egg to secure in place. Roll up from the bottom, folding the top corner over all. Seal with egg and repeat for remaining wrappers. 

Ready to eat!

Fry egg rolls for 3-5 minutes in oil over medium high heat. Fry until golden brown.

Serve with dipping sauce.

We'll be making this recipe again and again. It's so good.

Here's a link to the original recipe: http://lilluna.com/cheesecake-factory-avocado-egg-rolls/

Scotch Eggs

4 hard boiled eggs, room temperature
8 oz. sausage (Jimmy Dean is always good!), divided into 4 equal parts (about 2 oz. each)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Uncooked

3/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
pepper (lots!)
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 c. cornflakes, crushed
oil, for deep frying

Wrap each sausage section around each hard boiled egg. Make sure the egg is completely covered with the sausage.

Add the lightly beaten egg to a shallow bowl. Add the flour, salt, pepper, and dry mustard to another shallow bowl. Add the crushed cornflakes to a third shallow bowl.

Cookin' up the Scotch Eggs

In a deep skillet, add enough oil to coat the bottom and a little up the sides. Turn heat to medium-high.

Take your sausage wrapped eggs, and one at a time dip first in the beaten egg, then coat in the flour mixture, then back in the raw egg, then roll in the cornflakes. Then put each ball into the oil. Make sure the whole ball gets cooked. Just roll to a different side every minute or so until each ball is a golden brown color. Don't burn them! Serve hot.

Roasted Vegetables

Vegetables (a mixture of several kinds; I used cauliflower, asparagus, and red potatoes)
Olive oil
Spices: Garlic powder, salt, pepper, thyme, curry powder
Bacon, cooked, chopped (optional)
Feta, crumbled (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish.

Chop up the assortment of vegetables into bite sized pieces. Layer in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with spices; I was more liberal with all of them but the curry powder. Cover with aluminum foil, and put in the oven for about 30 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, you can chop up and cook the bacon if you want it.

After 30 minutes, pull out the vegetables, stir around and check to see if they are soft. If they are ready, sprinkle with bacon and feta (or any cheese if you want it). If you use different spices, perhaps a different cheese would work better, i.e. Italian seasoning and garlic powder with Parmesan cheese. It's up to you!

Cauliflower Manchurian

Purple cauliflower

One of my favorite recipes!

1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets

pinch of msg

oil for deep frying

Batter:

1 c. refined flour

1/2 c. cornflour

1/2 tsp. chili powder

salt to taste

water as needed

(May need to double this depending on how much cauliflower you have)

Sauce makings

Sauce:

2 Tbsp. oil

2 Tbsp. chopped garlic (sometimes I use more)

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger

1/4 tsp. white pepper

black pepper (a lot!)

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornflour mixed with 1/2 c. water

1 c. vegetable stock or water

salt to taste

Wash the cauliflower florets, sprinkle with a little salt and msg, and set aside for 5 minutes. Combine all the ingredients mentioned under batter. Beat well and prepare a thick coating batter.

Heat the oil in a deep pot or deep fryer. Dip the florets one by one in the batter and deep fry. Drain when golden brown. Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the ginger and garlic. Fry for 1/2 minute. Add the stock, pepper, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.

Simmer uncovered for 1 minute. Add the cornflour mixed with water and stir continuously, so that the sauce becomes thick. 

Sauce, ready for drizzling

Ready to eat!

You can either drizzle the sauce over the fried florets or use it as a dipping sauce. You can either just have the fried florets or you can serve them over cooked white rice. Either way it is delicious!