June 2012

Baked Yucca Fries with Grilled Banana Ketchup

Hi All! So by now I think you’ve all noticed that we get a lot of our food inspiration from all around the world and we have a little thing for international cuisine. I think there’s something so refreshing as well as fascinating about cultural gastronomy with no particular emphasis on “fine foods”. Growing up I was lucky enough to travel to a number of places around the world because my parents loved (and still do love) to travel; neither having been able to do much traveling themselves while growing up, made it a priority to take my sister and I to as many places possible so we could explore the world from an early age [just one of hundreds of reasons I will be forever grateful for my wonderful and inspiring parents].

Another thing about my parents, which I LOVE, is that whenever they’re in a foreign country they’re all about eating where the locals eat. We have travelled great lengths for a good authentic meal….one in particular was a little trip to Mexico years and years ago. My parents had befriended a cab driver who pretty much became our unofficial food guide that whole trip…it was awesome. On our last night we were all in the mood for super fresh grilled fish, our cabbie assured us he had a great place in mind, but that it was a bit of a drive out of town. As long as it was going to be super fresh and tasty, the Park family was game. 4 hours, 1 mountain drive and 1 flat tire later we fiiinnnaaallllyyyy made it to this tiny shack on the beach. Exhausted, grumpy and hungry we ordered pretty much everything on the menu. The last dish that came out was the grilled fish we were all waiting for. It was moist, flaky, flavorful, and unexpectedly covered in this sort of sweet and smoky barbecue type sauce. That dish alone turned all of our moods around and to this very day we still talk about that amazing fish slathered in that even more amazing sauce. I never had a chance to ask them how they made their sauce, but the first time I tasted banana ketchup was the first time I tasted something that even somewhat reminded me of that memorable meal in Mexico.

I made my own version of banana ketchup, using grilled bananas, in attempt to recreate the sauce I once had. I wasn’t exactly successful and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to replicate that very special sauce. What I did end up with though was quite a tasty and unique little ketchup that’s great on a ton of things! We’ve paired ours with some baked yucca fries today…why? No reason really….I just love yucca, especially in fry form! Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients, because the recipe itself is quite easy! Enjoy!
xx Jenny

Baked Yucca Fries with Grilled Banana Ketchup
Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:
grilled banana ketchup:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 ripe bananas
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup pitted and chopped dates
1 tablespoon minced thyme
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey plus 2 tablespoon honey
2 1/2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoon crystalized ginger
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch ground all-spice
pinch ground nutmeg
yucca fries:
1 lb peeled and cut (into 2”x ¼” sticks) yucca root
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. For banana ketchup: Preheat grill or grill pan on high. Brush each banana (with its peel still intact) with oil. Grill bananas on each side for about 5 minutes. Remove from grill and allow bananas to cool.
2. Peel bananas and break up into chunks and place into a blender. Add onion, garlic, tomato paste, dates, thyme, and water to the blender and blend until smooth, about 3 minutes.
3. Pour mixture into a large pot and stir in remaining ketchup ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil; lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. (If the mixture gets too thick, add water 2-3 tablespoons at a time)
4. Strain mixture through a fine sieve and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. (ketchup will hold for 5 to 6 months)
5. Preheat oven to 375°F.
6. Pour yucca fries into a large pot and fill with water. Place over medium- high heat and bring to a boil. Boil fries for about 15 minutes or until just fork tender.
7. Drain fries and spread onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss together and redistribute fried into a single layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until fries are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Lightly season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with banana ketchup.

Baked Yucca Fries with Grilled Banana Ketchup

June 29, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 30 comments · PRINT

Shrimp Shu Mai

Hi all! One of my favorite things to do when I head into Chinatown (whether I’m in LA or back in Chicago) is going out for some dim-sum. I love walking into, what seems like a giant conference room, with endless round tables, taking a seat wherever I can manage to squeeze in and watching the women with their carts of steaming goodness jump around from table to table, releasing giant pillows of steam into the air, each time they remove the lid on one of the containers on their cart (whoa, run on sentence much?). Ahhhh, it almost gives me a sense of calm….in a little bit of a weird and creepy way.

I think dim-sum is one of those things that a lot of people find intimidating to make at home…but really it’s one of the easiest, especially if you start with the basics! Today we have a super easy, yet super flavorful shrimp shu-mai for you all today. It only takes about 15 minutes to get together and up to 10 minutes to cook. I have added some “down time” of about an hour in the fridge or freezer, but it’s not completely necessary. I’ve just found that my filling sticks to the wrappers better when allowed to sit and chill. Play around with yours and see what works best for you. You should totally make these little guys to serve as a great appetizer for your next cocktail or dinner party…or just make a big batch of them for a quiet night in and pop them in your mouth like grapes….big grapes. Enjoy!
xx Jenny

Shrimp Shu-Mai
Makes 20 to 24

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 inch piece lemon grass, chopped
1/2 lb white shrimp, peeled, cleaned and deveined
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

20-24 round wonton wrappers

1. Place garlic, ginger and lemongrass in a food processor and pulse 6 to 8 times or until finely ground and well combined. Scrape down sides of bowl.
2. Dice shrimp and place half into the food processor with the remaining ingredients. Process until a smooth paste just comes together. Pour mixture into a mixing bowl and fold in remaining shrimp.
3. Place 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture into the center of a wonton wrapper and wet the edges with a small amount of water.
4. Bring all the sides into the center and press to gently seal the bottom and sides (the tops should still be exposed with the shrimp mixture). Flatten the top and place onto a baking sheet. Repeat until all the filling and wrappers have been used. Place shu-mai in the refrigerator or freezer for 1 hour before filling into a steamer and steaming for about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Serve shu-mai hot with ponzu sauce or a mixture of soy sauce and sesame oil for dipping.

Shrimp Shu Mai

June 26, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 30 comments · PRINT

Our Favorite Summer Recipes

We thought we would do a little something different for you today. A round up of our fav summer recipes that you can hopefully enjoy this weekend!
1. Flavored Ice Cubes Drop them into glasses of sparkling water with some booze and chill out!
2. Sweet Cherry Crostinis These have some ricotta and lemon zest. An easy and perfect way to use those fresh cherries.
3. Grilled Zucchini Tacos A personal favorite of mine. Refreshing and pretty.
4. Spicy Black Bean Burger You don’t have to buy frozen veggie patties to enjoy a vegetarian burger. These are moist and have a little kick!
5. Mini Blueberry Galettes Cute little desserts.
6. S’mores Cupcakes Ohhhhh yes. Everyone loves S’mores, so we got em in cupcake form for you.
7. Sweet Cherry Gin & Tonic Pretty and delicious. An ombre drink!
8. Blueberry Smoothies With bananas and buttermilk. Hello delicious breakfast!

There you have it. Our favorite summer recipes. Get outside and drink some booze (or not) and get some vitamin C!
♥ Teri

Our Favorite Summer Recipes

June 22, 2012 · News · 11 comments · PRINT

Baked Polenta

I got locked in my closet last night. Don’t ask me how. Ok, I will tell you know. See, I have one of those funny ha ha boyfriends. A boyfriend who plays pranks and does hilarious things all the time. One of them being walking into the closet while I am in there looking for something, forcing his way into my teeny closet with me, closing the door, and declaring its “seven minutes in heaven!” Did I find this amusing? No. I was in the middle of something, doing complicated work stuff. I reached for the door handle and gave it a good twist. Nothing. “Huh.” I thought. Tried it a few more times, nothing. We got locked in. As I tried to turn the knob again and again, the knob came off in my hand. Trying to stick the knob back in the hole just pushes the handle from the other side out more. I knew if we lost that handle, we would be screwed. I ended up unscrewing the screws on the handle hardware with a pocketknife I had in my closet (again, don’t ask). This whole process took about 30 minutes, complete with panicked text messages to Jenny and Adrianna, an awkward phone call to my neighbor that ended up being a long babbling nonsensical embarrassing voicemail, and tears of laughter. I’m just glad I didn’t have to call the fire department.

That story has absolutely nothing to do with baked polenta, so I won’t even try to make some random connection. I do really love all the things in this recipe though. Polenta, goat cheese, Italian sausage, and cremini mushrooms. All together this will make for pretty darn good side dish to a lovely salad. Go for it.
♥ Teri

Baked Polenta
Serves 5 to 7

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
2 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon minced thyme
polenta:
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups coarse yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
garnish:
crumbled goat cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Pour 1/2 tablespoon oil into a [10”] heavy bottom skillet and brown sausage, over medium-high heat. Pour sausage into a mixing bowl and set aside. Drain excess oil from pan.
3. Pour remaining oil into the skillet and add mushrooms. Saute for 2 to
3 minutes. Add onion, garlic and thyme and continue to sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour mushroom mixture over sausage and fold together. Set aside.
5. Pour water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Generously season water with salt and pepper. Whisk cornmeal into water and reduce heat to medium. Continuously stir the polenta for about 5 minutes. Add butter, goat cheese and parmesan and stir until fully incorporated. Adjust seasonings.
6. Lightly grease the skillet used to sauté the sausage and vegetables. Pour half the polenta into the skillet and spread into an even layer. Pour all but 1/2 cup of the sausage/mushroom mixture, in an even layer, over the polenta and top with remaining polenta (creating almost a layered casserole). Sprinkle the top with the remaining sausage/mushroom mixture and crumbled goat cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Serve.

Baked Polenta

June 20, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 32 comments · PRINT

Beef Satay

Hi All! Today we have beef satay for you! I love the potent flavors of lemongrass, ginger and lime, within most Thai style satays. If you’re able to find kaffir limes and/or kaffir lime leaves use those to replace the lime zest/juice used in this recipe! Kaffir limes are sweeter and more mild than regular limes and the leaves are the best part! They’re filled with this lovely citrus flavor which I may or may not have dabbed on my wrists one or two times to use are a perfume bc I love the smell so much (I’m a creep, I know). Traditionally, beef satay is made with thin slices of beef, threaded onto a skewer and grilled, but we’ve changed things up a bit by using a NY strip steak and cutting the pieces of meat into cubes. The cubes just make for “meatier” (no pun intended) and more filling bites…and we totally like meaty and more filling over here. These make great appetizers at a party or a great entree for a quiet night in. Don’t be intimidated by the laundry list of ingredients! Most of the marinade and peanut sauce ingredients are repeats of one another and most of this recipe itself calls for throwing everything into a blender and blending away. So the next time you have guests over, why not treat them to some really yummy and easy to make, beef satay!
xx Jenny

(Hey there: This post was done in collaboration with Bravo and Around the World in 80 Plates. This weeks the chefs are going to Thailand; check them out this Wednesday 10/9pm central on Bravo)

Beef Satay
Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless and trimmed New York strip steak, cut into ½ to 1 inch cubes
satay marinade:
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/4 stalk lemongrass, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon peeled and diced baby ginger
1 tablespoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
spicy peanut sauce:
1/3 cup reserved marinade
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 lime, zested and juiced
1-3 Thai chiles, seeded (depending on desired heat)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 green onion, thinly sliced
garnish:
chopped peanuts
thinly sliced green onions

7-8 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

1. Place steak cubes in a large mixing bowl, lightly season with salt and pepper and toss together. Set aside.
2. Place all marinade ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Reserve 1/3 cup of marinade for peanut sauce. Pour remaining marinade over beef and toss together until all beef cubes are completely covered. Allow mixture to marinate for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight).
3. Skewer 5 to 6 cubes of beef onto each bamboo skewer, until all beef has been used.
4. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Pour oil into pan and grill skewers for 2 minutes, on each side. Repeat until all skewers have been grilled. Top satay with chopped peanuts and green onions.
5. For spicy peanut sauce: Place all ingredients for peanut sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. (If sauce is too thick, blend some water into the sauce, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency has been achieved) Pour mixture into a small bowl or ramekin, top with chopped peanuts and serve as dipping sauce for satay.

Beef Satay

June 18, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 15 comments · PRINT

Kalimotxo

So, coke and red wine probably sounds horrible to you. It’s not. Hear me out. Kalimotxo is a really simple and really refreshing drink. My dear friend Karin turned me on to them. In Boise, which is where I am from, there is this amazing Basque restaurant Bar Gernika. They serve Kalimotxos there, and I always try to get one, and their croquetas, which are amazing. I was skeptical at first because like you, I thought coke and red wine would be disgusting. I could blab on about how coke balances out nicely with cheap wine, but I won’t. Just make it, and you will be happy. It’s easy, yummy, and I like the caffeine, helpful when you’re super lazy and drinking. Give it a chance!
♥ Teri

Kalimotxo
Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:
3 cups (24 ounces) red wine (preferably NOT expensive)
2 cups (16 ounces) cola cola
lots of ice

1. Pour ingredients into a pitcher and stir. Pour into individual glasses and
serve.

Kalimotxo

June 15, 2012 · Happy Hour · 69 comments · PRINT

Korean-Style Cocktail Meatballs

Hi All! Now that summer’s unofficially here I feel everyone (myself included) making the most of the warm/sunny weather and trying to take advantage of “city/town events”. Here are a few of my summer bucket list to dos:

-bike to the beach, at least once a week

-eat oysters at the beach, at least once a week

-take Dexter on walks to the beach, at least once a week

-grab a craft beer at my favorite dive bar on the pier, at least once a week

-partake in champagne brunches at the beach/pier, at least once a week

-overcome my fear of killer sea lions and go paddle boating/kayaking…ONCE.

Notice a common theme in my summer “bucket list”? Yea, I plan on spending most of my free time down by the beach. Picnicking on the beach is also something I love to do. When I pack a meal for a beach picnic I like to pack things that transport well, that aren’t completely temperature sensitive and that can also be considered “snacky”. These Korean style turkey meatballs are something I love packing on picnics as well as bringing as hors’dourves to any cocktail party. They’re bite sized, filled with tons of great flavor and have a unique twist to them with the gochujang glaze. You can adjust the spiciness in the glaze by scaling down on the chile paste and adding more sugar as needed. This is a great little cocktail treat that’s really easy to whip together and bring to a party, or just pack them up and enjoy them with someone special
xx Jenny

Korean-Style Cocktail Meatballs with a Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Glaze
Serves 5 to 7

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground turkey
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2-3 dashes fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons rice flour (all purpose works fine)
1 egg white, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
gochujang glaze:
1/4 cup gochujang (spicy Korean chile paste)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup (or 2 1/2 tablespoons honey)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
garnish:
green onion, thinly sliced
toasted sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place all turkey meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix together until completely blended. (make sure not to over mix)
3. Form 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoon sized cocktail meatballs with the turkey mixture and place onto a baking sheet, lined with parchment, about 1 inch apart.
4. Bake meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes or until just cooked through.
5. For the gochujang glaze: Place all ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk together until fully combined.
6. Brush glaze onto meatballs and top with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with extra gochujang glaze on the side for dipping.

Korean-Style Cocktail Meatballs

June 14, 2012 · Party Food · 18 comments · PRINT

Honey & Lavender Granitas

Hi! Today we have an awesome granita for you…..Why? bc its been f-ing hot here in LA lately and granita’s really refreshing, really easy and helps cool you down. We love the flavors of honey and lavender together; the subtle bursts of floral notes paired with sweet honey is really great…we think so anyway. Plus there’s booze in this granita…not just any kind of booze…….BUBBLY, the best kind! The pine nuts are sort of an extra addition. They’re not totally needed, but adds a great spiced crunch to this granita and makes it a more “filling” dessert. So if you have some time this weekend, make this granita!…or not, but we totally hope you do!

(YO: This post was done in collaboration with Bravo and Around the World in 80 Plates. This weeks the chefs are going to Bologna, Italy; check them out this Wednesday 10/9pm central on Bravo)

Honey and Lavender Granita with Cinnamon and Coriander Spiced Pine Nuts
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups honey
3 1/2 tablespoons lavender (heads)
1 cup dry champagne/sparkling wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons TMD lavender liquor (optional)
spiced pine nuts:
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

1. Place water, honey and 1 1/2 tablespoons lavender into a saucepan and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely, before straining lavender.
2. Once strained, stir in 1 tablespoon of lavender, champagne, lemon juice, and liquor (if using); then pour mixture into a 7”x11” (or 8”x8”) baking dish and place in freezer.
3. After about 1 1/2 to 2 hours remove granita from freezer and gently scrape surface, with a fork, to break apart the formed ice crystals. Place back in the freezer and continue to remove from freezer and scrape every hour for 5 to 6 hours, until you have a baking dish of “shaved”/scraped ice.
4. For spiced pine nuts: Place nuts, oil, cinnamon, and coriander in a small bowl and toss together. Pour mixture into a small skillet and place over medium- low heat. Gently toast for 3 to 5 minutes, frequently stirring to prevent burning, or until lightly toasted. Pour mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and spread in a single layer. Set aside and allow spiced nuts to cool completely.
5. To assemble: Scoop a small amount the granita into small cups and top each with a sprinkle of pine nuts and lavender. Serve immediately.

Honey & Lavender Granitas

June 12, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 18 comments · PRINT

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Happy Friday! Yay! I am currently making Momofuku Ramen for 8 people to eat tonight. Pretty excited about it. This will be the first time I have had people over for a proper dinner. My friend Adrianna is making some delicious dessert from the Milk Bar cookbook. It’s going to be so fun. It’s so nice to finally have a dining room table so I can actually do these kinds of things. In preparation for eating massive amounts of ramen tonight, I did what most people don’t do, I ate like 5 million burgers last night (when I say 5 million I mean 4 burgers split between three people). I am still so full right now. I only hope that I will be starving tonight so I can re pack my stomach with delicious pork and ramen.

When I’m not stuffing my face with meat, I love to eat potatoes. Being an Idaho girl, I feel like I know my way around potatoes pretty well. Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite kinds. This Twice Baked Sweet Potato recipe is so perfect in its presentation. It makes a super tasty and super pretty side dish to nearly anything. If you want to go a little crazy, I think it would go awesome with a veggie burger. I hope you all will eat some good stuff this weekend!
♥ Teri

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Makes 4

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes, lightly pricked all over with a fork
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons milk
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup feta, crumbled (plus extra for garnish)
1 tablespoon minced thyme
salt and pepper to taste
garnish:
chopped pecans
crumbled feta

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until sweet potatoes have softened.
3. Once sweet potatoes have cooled enough to handle, slice each potato in half and carefully scoop the flesh out into a mixing bowl (be sure not to tear the skins).
4. Begin mashing warm sweet potatoes with butter, milk and garlic until smooth. Salt with salt and pepper.
5. Fold in feta and thyme until fully combined. Scoop mixture into a piping bag, fitted with a large star tip, and pipe potatoes back into the sweet potato “shells.”
6. Bake sweet potatoes for an additional 10-15 minutes, top with crumbled feta and chopped pecan and serve.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

June 8, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 34 comments · PRINT

Falafel Pita Sandwiches

I feel old. On my Facebook there have posts about my ten-year high school reunion. I can’t believe it’s been that long. I’m not going to go because, well, Facebook exists. I probably know more about the people I went to high school now than I did in high school. I get to see ultrasound images, and then pregnant monthly tummy growth pictures, pictures of people having a good times, posts about people when they are having bad times, posts about getting engaged, getting married, getting a divorce. It’s like my own personal Us magazine. It’s actually pretty neat, getting to see what people grew up to do with their lives. Pretty neat. You know what else is neat? Peonies, and the fact that they are in season. Love them. Although, the ones I have been getting smell a little funky. As the weather starts to warm, and people start wearing less clothes (no more scarves L) we like to throw some light-ish delicious lunch situations at you, one of them being this falafel pita sandwich. The tzatziki sauce is delicious, and the pita pockets fit these little falafel dudes perfectly. Eat up.
♥ Teri

Falafel Pita Sandwiches
Makes 4

Ingredients:
falafel:
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 yellow onion, diced and lightly sautéed
5 garlic cloves, minced and lightly sautéed
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
tzatziki:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 hothouse cucumber, grated
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

2 whole pitas, cut in half
4 romaine leaves, thinly sliced
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

vegetable oil for frying

1. Fill a heavy bottom skillet with 1/2 inch oil and preheat to 350°F.
2. Place garbanzo beans, onion, garlic, cilantro, and parsley in a food processor and process until finely ground.
3. Scoop mixture into a mixing bowl and add remaining falafel ingredients and stir together until fully combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for about 2 hours.
4. For tzatziki: Place oil, vinegar, cumin, and garlic in a small mixing bowl and whisk together. Add yogurt and cucumber to the mixture, season with salt and pepper and continue to whisk together. Set aside.
5. Form 2 tablespoon sized patties with the falafel mixture and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip each patty and fry for an additional 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
6. To assemble: Smear the insides of each pita with a small amount of tzatziki and fill with 3 falafels, a small amount of lettuce and a sprinkle of diced tomatoes. Top with more tzatziki and serve.

Falafel Pita Sandwiches

June 6, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 43 comments · PRINT

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