cilantro-jalapeño falafel

In the world of Middle Eastern delights falafel is surely a giant. It’s beloved throughout a region in which strife is no mere stranger. Instead of embracing a common interest though, each region has attempted to stake its claim on the chickpea-patty delight to force their counterparts out of the falafel-making game.

How typical.

As they bicker, however, we can continue to enjoy our falafels in peace. Should we feel particularly ambitious we could introduce the she-sells-seashells-esque tongue twister that is the Falafel-Waffle.

Just as the favored shapes of falafel vary from patty to ball to waffle (even some little spaceship shaped ellipses in NC once) the recipes are going to vary just as often. Some load theirs up with tahini; others focus on the green herbs. This cilantro-jalapeño version was inspired by a certain vegetarian friend of mine and maintains a lovely freshness from the cilantro while simultaneously giving you a little kick in the pants from the jalapeño.

No worries, it’s an enjoyable kick.

While the flavoring agents of your typical falafel change as often Lindsay Lohan’s incarceration status, the nutritional benefits are largely the same. A single cup of chickpeas is going to cost you a mere 269 calories and provide you with, no lie, 50% of your daily allotment of fiber. Move over bran muffins, falafel’s come to town. Add to that a quarter of your RDA for iron and 15 grams of protein and it’s no wonder the chickpea is a staple in the Middle East.

As for this recipe specifically, it’s a moist version. I’ve had some falafels so dry they might as well have been deep-fried sawdust. It’s an unpleasant experience. These are quite moist and, while a little more difficult to handle from their stickiness, are totally worth the leftover falafel mixture stuck under your fingernails.

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mexican rice

I've always been a big fan of traditional mexican cuisine. I also tend to find that whenever I visit a Mexican restaurant my two favorite foods on the menu are the rice and beans. Too often I'll order a large platter and when the server returns to collect it the main course is largely untouched - but save a few straggling grains the rice and beans are long gone.

After struggling to find a recipe that replicated that fluffy, flavorful rice I've finally settled on this version. It isn't gummy like many of the recipes I've tried and because the majority of the cooking takes place in the oven it's one of the easiest side dishes one can make.

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cheese and herb focaccia

I don't typically think of myself as a baker. I'm much more comfortable chopping and dicing than I am scooping and measuring. This focaccia, however, is easy enough that anybody can make a beautiful loaf of flavorful, fluffy bread in just about no time flat.

The only required equipment, other than the ingredients of course, is a stand mixer. The dough really needs to take a beating while mixing and hand mixers just aren't going to be able to muster enough power to get the job done properly. My Kitchen Aid, affectionately named Trogdor the Mixinator, makes quick work of it and makes me look like a damn good baker.

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curried sweet potato soup

I knew this soup was going to be good, but I was unprepared for how incredibly delicious it actually was. For being so simple to make it had a surprising depth of flavor.

It's thick and creamy, slightly sweet with just enough heat from the curry to add a lovely complexity. It's topped with a drizzle of cilantro oil (just cilantro and olive oil blended together with a pinch of kosher salt) for a little bit of additional freshness. The key is using fresh ingredients and a high quality curry paste - not a powder, a paste. I like Mae Ploy's pastes and I used the yellow curry paste in this soup. They're often available in Asian supermarkets. I order mine in bulk off Amazon.

I've been seeing how I can model my meals around main ingredients from Carolina Grown (see this post for more details). Mostly because I enjoy eating locally grown, fresh ingredients and I absolutely love the idea of being able to support local farmers as much as I possibly can - but also because planning a menu and sticking with it is a great way to save money.

I already allocate more money to food that most people I know, but I'm still interested in spending as little as possible for the highest quality ingredients I can get my hands on.

Because it's still winter the produce options at CG are limited, but they've got some lovely root vegetables available - including these Carolina Ruby sweet potatoes.

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five spice duck breast with honey soy glaze and sesame noodles

This has definitely become one of my favorite preparations for duck breast. I first tried it in DC over the holidays at my MiL's house, but both of us had difficulties with the prescribed cooking time. I botched it twice, and with the price of boneless duck breasts I was about to give up on the recipe entirely.

I gave it a couple more shots and I've come away from it very pleased. Turns out if you use a duck breast twice the size of the one the recipe calls for it's going to take a little longer to cook.

The five spice combination of star anise, clove, cinnamon, anise seed, and Sichuan peppercorn is the perfect accompaniment to the richness of the duck breast. The sesame noodles are flavored just enough to please, but simply enough to complement the rich, aggressive flavor of the duck.

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