FALAFEL: MIDEAST STREET FOOD GAINS FANS

Already a choice street food and vegetarian fave, falafel could actually hold the key to uniting fractious nations. Part of the tradition of every Middle Eastern country, made its own special way in each, falafel is like a common language, optimistically reports The Salt food blog. The basics stay intact--some form of beans, herbs and spices, ground up into a ball and fried until crisp—but regional variations abound. A quick tour of falafel country: • Egyptian falafels, or taameya, are made from fava beans and are spicy with the inclusion of garlic, scallions, leeks and onions with pepper. Cayenne pepper is used in the Alexandria type. It’s wrapped primarily in a whole wheat pita bread and salad with Tahini sauce. • In Lebanon, a mix of fava and garbanzo beans is used, with plenty of fresh green herbs. • In the Sudan, garbanzo beans are the main ingredient, mixed with onions, garlic, parsley, cilantro and cumin. • In Israel, chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are used instead of fava beans. They are soaked in baking soda and ground together with onion, parsley, sesame seeds and spices like cumin, chili powder and coriander. • In Lebanon tabbouleha salad is eaten with falafel. Cucumber, turnip and onions are also included as accessories for this dish. • In Syria, sumac is used in falafel. • In other Middle Eastern countries French fries may be included on the side. And speaking of fries…so popular is falafel in the Mideast that in some locations, McDonald’s offers a version called, of course, the McFalafel. More frequently, falafel is served by street vendors, tucked into a pita, stuffed with salads and pickles, doused with tahini sauce or hot sauce, and topped with hummus. Its origins are a matter of some debate. Most credit Egypt as falafel’s ancestral land, going all the way back to paintings inside the tombs of pharaohs that show cooks making the dish, or tracing the roots back 1,000 years to the Christian Copts of Egypt who created falafel because they were forbidden from eating meat during Lent. The word falafel itself gives credence to those origins, as it may have come from the Arabic “filfil” meaning pepper or the Egyptian “pha la phel” meaning “of many beans.” During Ramadan, falafel balls are eaten as the part of the meal that breaks the fast after sunset. Other theories suggest falafel first appeared on the subcontinent of India around the 6th century. And still others claim the ancient Jewish nation invented it while slaves in Egypt. Even today, the question of who invented it is still hotly discussed. When Anthony Bourdain visited the Middle East this fall as part of his CNN show, he queried Yotam Ottolenghi, co-author of the best-selling cookbook Jerusalem. “There really is no answer to this,” replied Ottolenghi. “But the question of food appropriation or who owns the food is massive here. You can go on arguing about it forever.” Wherever and whenever it began, it spread across the Middle East. By the 1940-50s, early Israeli pioneers took on the local Arab version made with chickpeas, creating a nationally iconic dish. New varieties keep cropping up: at the Falafel Queens in Israel, for example, red falafel features jalapeño flavor, and is served with roasted peppers, tomatoes and spicy yogurt sauce, while orange falafel is made with sweet potatoes and accompanied by cabbage, honey and ginger tahini. In America, waves of Middle Eastern immigrants popularized the dish, and by the 1970s, falafel had infiltrated major metropolitan areas. In NYC, falafel stands are now as ubiquitous as hot dogs or pizza. In 2010, Subway made forays into Americanizing falafel, offering the sandwich at select locations. The originator, owner of Zaibak Brothers, Chicago’s leading Falafel Company, said: “The falafel’s growing popularity shows we have become open-minded as Americans. Mediterranean food is delicious. It’s about time everyone knew it.”

Ramen Burger

From POPSUGAR Food Ramen Burger Notes To shape the ramen into a bun, use ramekins that are similar in size to the burger patty. If you don't have ramekins, substitute pint-size deli containers. Ingredients 1 package ramen noodles 2 eggs, divided 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed 1 tablespoon ketchup 1/2 tablespoon sriracha 1 beef burger patty Soy sauce Sesame oil 1 slice American cheese 1 scallion, thinly sliced on the bias 1/2 cup arugula Directions 1. Cook the ramen according to the directions on the package (including the seasoning), then drain off the liquid. Let cool to room temperature. In a small mixing bowl, whisk 1 egg until no streaks of yolk remain. Add the ramen, tossing thoroughly to coat with the egg. Divide the egg-dressed ramen into two portions, and place each half into a ramekin. 2. Cover the ramen with plastic wrap, and weigh it down with a can of soup to compress it into a bun shape. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. 3. Add the oil to a skillet, and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, unmold the ramen buns into the pan, and cook until the bottom is a dark golden brown. Flip both of the patties, and cook until a dark golden brown on both sides. 4. Whisk together the sriracha and ketchup in a small bowl. 5. Season the hamburger patty with salt, pepper, a splash of soy sauce, and sesame oil. Wipe out the skillet, and cook the burger over medium-high heat until medium rare, or to your preferred degree of doneness. Finish with a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil. Top with a slice of cheese. 6. Wipe out the skillet, and lower the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, and fry 1 egg sunny side up. 7. Assemble the burger in this order: ramen bun, arugula, ketchup, burger patty (cheese side up), fried egg, scallions, and the second ramen bun. Wrap in wax paper for easier eating, and serve hot.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Pasta with Pancetta

serves three to four 1 pound brussels sprouts 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 ounces pancetta, diced 2 shallots, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup chicken broth 1/2 pound spaghetti or capellini pasta 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted salt and pepper Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season generously with salt. Trim the ends off of the brussels sprouts and remove the toughest outer leaves. Shred them in a food processor, using the slicing attachment (not the normal chopping blade), or slice them carefully on a mandoline. You can also slice them as thin as possible with a knife. Heat a large skillet (14-inch if you have one) over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, until fairly crispy and cooked through. Clear some space in the middle of the pan and add the shallots and garlic. (If you don't have enough room in your pan to create space, you can remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and add it back in when you add the sprouts.) Cook for about 5 minutes, until the shallots are soft. While the shallots are cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Add the brussels sprouts and the chicken broth to the large skillet, season with salt and pepper, and toss all of the ingredients together. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the brussels sprouts are tender but not too soft, about 5 minutes. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain and add it to the skillet. You can add a splash of the pasta water (or more broth) if the mixture seems dry. Add the pine nuts, toss everything together, season to taste, and serve. Original recipe is here.

Brussels Sprout Salad

Ingredients For the Dressing: 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard 1/2 small clove garlic, minced Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper For the Salad: 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, leaves only (3 1/2 cups leaves) 1 tablespoon dried blueberries 2 tablespoons dried cranberries 2 tablespoons smoked almonds 1/2 ounce manchego cheese, shaved Bagel chips, for serving (optional) Directions Make the dressing: Whisk the vegetable oil and olive oil in a small bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the honey, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Slowly whisk the oil mixture into the vinegar mixture until combined. Refrigerate at least 1 hour; store in an airtight container up to 1 week. Make the salad: Toss the Brussels sprout leaves, dried blueberries and cranberries, almonds and 1/4 cup dressing in a large bowl. Pile the salad onto a plate. Top with the manchego and season with pepper. Serve with bagel chips, if desired.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Pecorino

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and shaved 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Zest of 1 lemon 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano Juice of 1/2 lemon In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Allow the oil to become very hot before adding the vegetables, but not yet smoking. Add the shaved brussels sprouts, stirring to coat with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until brussels sprouts begin to soften and turn a bit brown. About a minute before they are just cooked through but still crisp-tender, add the lemon zest. Toss lightly and remove from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the hot brussels sprouts with the walnuts and Pecorino. Add the lemon juice and toss one more time to coat. Taste the seasonings and adjust as necessary. Serve hot.

Brussels Sprouts With Smoked Bacon, Lemon,and Brown Butter

Ingredients 8 ounces applewood-smoked bacon, cut into ¼-inch lardons 8 ounces butter ½ cup canola oil 3 pounds small Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved or quartered, depending on size 2 lemons, juiced and zested Salt Instructions Place the bacon in a medium saucepan, and cover with water. Cook over high heat until the water evaporates, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the bacon in the fat until it is crisp. Set aside on a paper towel. Add the butter to a small saucepan, and cook over medium heat until it starts to brown; remove from heat. Heat a large cast-iron pan over high heat until just smoking, add ¼ cup oil and half the sprouts, and cook for about 2 minutes until the sprouts start to caramelize, stirring occasionally. When caramelized (a little black on the edges is fine), add half the bacon, half the lemon juice, and half the brown butter, and stir together. Reduce the heat to medium; cook until the sprouts are fork tender (about 4 minutes). Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Combine all the sprouts, and toss with the lemon zest. Season to taste, and serve.

Joy Of Cookings Southern Style Rub

I used this Joy of Cooking's southern dry rub on my Pork Teres Major Muscle (or Flat Iron)before smoking it for an hour over cherry wood. 2 tbs cumin 2 tbs packed brown sugar 1/4 cup smoked paprika 2 tbs chili powder Cayenne pepper to taste 1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp dry mustard 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1-2 tbs kosher salt 1-2 tbs ground peppercorns 1/2 tbs oregano