Herb and Za'atar Falafel

Some quick thoughts and links to start the week:

1. Two beautifully written books are a must for fans of food memoirs. Over the weekend, I finished Three Many Cooks by my friends Pam, Maggy and Sharon. It's a gorgeous look at the role that food has played in their lives. These stories, all of them written with honesty and a generous dose of humor, have given me so much insight into their backgrounds. Similarly, Ashley Rodriguez's book, Date Night In, shows that cooking and eating (and drinking) can strengthen one's relationship with their partner. Each contain wonderful recipes that reflect their passion for cooking for the ones they love.

2. For some non-food related reading, I highly recommend last year's The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace. Growing up in a predominantly white, middle-class neighborhood, my knowledge of what it was like living in the poorer areas of New Jersey came from what I saw on the news. This book paints a very detailed portrait of a young man from Orange, NJ, who would ultimately attended Yale, though it's about so much more than that. In addition, there's an episode of This American Life and a New York Times article that cover similar topics. Both are worth checking out.

3. This article about people allowing dogs to sleep in bed with them made me chuckle. This our life.

4. Can't stop listening to this song. And this song.

5. We're hooked on the new Netflix program, Chef's Table. I'm ready to make reservations at all of these.

Herb and Za'atar Falafel

Yield 12 falafel

Ingredients

For the falafel 2-15 oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves 2 tablespoons za'atar 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons chickpea flour (or all-purpose flour) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/4 cup grated carrot

For the tahini dressing 1 cup tahini2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/4 cup lukewarm water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using a tablespoon of oil or cooking spray, grease the aluminum foil.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the mint and parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas, za'atar, cayenne pepper, chickpea flour, salt and olive oil to the bowl and blend for 20 seconds.  Transfer to a separate mixing bowl and fold in the grated carrot.

3. Roll the mixture into falafel balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, making sure to rotate every 3 minutes to ensure the falafel browns evenly.

5. While they're baking, make the tahini dressing by whisking together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Whisk in the water. Serve falafel with tahini dipping sauce.

Silent Sunday: A Trip to Tabasco (Avery Island, LA)

On Friday, I returned from visiting the Tabasco factory at Avery Island, Louisiana. The attendees of the trip were given an inside (and incredibly detailed) look at their impressive operations.  Tabasco has a very deep and elaborate history, but what hasn't changed since their inception in 1868 is the recipe: a mixture of ground peppers, salt, and vinegar. The blended peppers and salt, known as a "mash," are aged in bourbon barrels for three years. Tony Simmons, Tabasco's CEO, tests the quality of each mash by smelling and tasting it (as a newbie, just standing in the same room as the mash overwhelmed my senses). Once tested, the skin and seeds of the peppers are removed from the mash and then, finally, the vinegar is added. When the sauce is ready, it's bottled, packaged, and distributed around the world (all of which is done on site).

Featured above are pictures from the factory tour, as well as some photographs of a cocktail demonstration by Nick Detrich (Cane and Table; New Orleans) and Chef Aarón Sanchez (owner of Johnny Sanchez in New Orleans and Paloma in Stamford, CT).

Disclosure: While Tabasco covered travel expenses and is in conjunction with the TABASCO® Tastemakers program, all opinions written in this post are my own. The post is an introduction to a series I will be producing throughout the year featuring Tabasco products.  

Note: The images in this post were photographed with both a Canon 5D Mark iii and my iPhone 6 plus

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl

Sushi and I have been good friends for quite a long time. My first experience consuming raw fish occurred when I was a sophomore in high school. I was spending the afternoon in New York with some pals and we ended up at a food court with lots of options. I probably got a sandwich or a burger (this was before I became pescatarian), but someone brought a small platter of sushi to the table. We all looked curiously. What's that?  Even as a kid, I was an adventurous eater, so when she asked me if I wanted a piece, I said, "Sure!" Without thinking too much about it, I loaded it with wasabi and soy sauce (too much of both) and stuffed the whole thing in my mouth. After my sinuses stopped burning, I was able to enjoy the subtle flavors and variety of textures in that single bite. From that moment on, I was hooked.

There are other moments in my life where sushi has played an essential role. Like my relationship with Eric. When we had our initial phone conversations about where we should go for our first date, I suggested coffee or cocktails... you know, in case we didn't hit it off.  We agreed on a place and time and that was that. But a few days later, I got a call from him asking if I ate sushi. Yes... yes I do. Good, he said. Let's get sushi. As we sat at the table, a boat of sashimi and nigiri before us, he said, "Just so you know, if you didn't like sushi, I was going to break things off." And while some people might see that as being a bit dismissive, I was right there with him. I find that people who eat sushi tend to be more open-minded, especially when it comes to food. At the time, I knew I wanted a partner who was just as passionate about food as I was. I wanted to be with someone who was willing to take risks in life. When he told me that, I knew it was meant to be. (I should also add that we named our dog, who we got just before we were married, Maki. Yup... obsessed)

Needless to say, when I came across a recipe for Ahi Tuna Poke, in Sara Forte's striking new book, The Sprouted Kitchen: Bowl and Spoon, I was sold on making it. The whole thing came together so easily, I had to wonder why I'd never tried it before. It's basically a giant sushi roll bowl! Say THAT a few times. Sushi roll bowl. Sushi roll bowl. You can top it with all different kinds of veggies and make it as spicy as you'd like. Sara recommends wasabi or chili flakes, but I love the chili paste we keep stocked, so I went with that. Add to that a bit of grated ginger and garlic and a drizzle of soy and sesame oil and you have a kickin' marinade.

If I haven't expressed how much I adore Sara's book (and Hugh's pictures), let me take a moment to just say this. Buy the book. Now. The photos jump off the page, the writing tells a beautiful story, and the recipes... well, I guess that's the most important part. These are recipes that will stand the test of time. They can be made for a big dinner party or a quick weeknight meal (I'd say this poke falls under the latter). It's a book you keep in your kitchen... there's endless amounts of inspiration. Again... go get the book. 

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl

Source Adapted very slightly from the recipe in Sprouted Kitchen: Bowl + Spoon by Sara Forte

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups short-grain brown rice or white rice
1 1/2 pounds sushi-grade ahi tuna
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Chili paste
2 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
3 carrots, grated
1 bunch (about 8) medium radish, thinly sliced
2 large, ripe avocados
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Sesame seeds

Directions

1. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Cook the rice according to instructions or in a rice cooker.

2. With a sharp knife, cut the ahi into 1-inch cubes. In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, minced ginger, grated garlic, vinegar, and chili paste, to taste. Add the ahi and green onions and stir gently to combine. This much can be done up to 1 hour in advance. Keep chilled.

3. Just before serving, pit and dice the avocado into small cubes.

4. Arrange your poke bowl with a generous scoop of rice, ahi tuna, avocado, grated carrot and sliced radish. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Serve with cilantro and more soy sauce on the side.