Recipes that Fit

Last week, I finally got a chance to eat at Clover, which has a restaurant in Harvard Square and food trucks around the city.  Their menu is as permanent as a whiteboard, but I liked all of the unique vegetarian options.  I decided to try the Egg and Eggplant Sandwich: hummus, fried eggplant, sliced hard boiled egg, and cucumber and tomato salad all stuffed into a warm pita and topped with tahini sauce.  It tasted great, although it was quite messy.  I could have never eaten this while strolling down a city street, but with the help of a fork I really enjoyed it!  Yes, it’s an unusual combination of flavors and textures, but it works.

I immediately thought 2 things.  First, when can I get back to Clover to try their signature falafel?  Second, how can I make this Egg and Eggplant Sandwich at home?  A little Internet research revealed this the sandwich is known as ‘Sabich’, and served in many places in Israel.  It originated with the Iraqi Jews as a meal which could be easily prepared on the Sabbath.  I found this recipe which seems fairly authentic, although I simplified a few things when I made it for myself.

For both photo purposes and easier eating, I made the sandwich open face, but you could easily stuff the mixture into the pita.  This wasn’t quite as good as Clover’s, but it was still a good lunch.  I think something is missing – perhaps some fresh herbs (the original recipe calls for parsley) or maybe just some salt and pepper.  And of course, the recipe is more appropriate for late summer when eggplant is locally abundant.  But I am not sure I can wait that long to try this again!

Egg and Eggplant Sandwich

1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
Canola oil
1 cucumber, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, diced
1/4 c. + splash lemon juice, divided
Salt and Pepper
1/4 c. tahini
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1/2 c. hummus

1. Fry eggplant slices in oil, and drain on paper towels.
2. While eggplant is cooking, toss cucumbers and tomatoes with a splash of lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, mix tahini with 1/4 lemon juice.  Add more lemon juice until the sauce is thin.
4. Place each pita on a plate.  Spread 2 T of hummus on each pita.  Top with eggplant slices, sliced egg, and cucumber and tomato salad.  Drizzle with tahini sauce.

-Adapted from Herbivoracious

I am back!  And your patience is rewarded with a new recipe for falafel.  Sure, I made these falafel burgers a while ago, but they didn’t come with a tahini sauce.  I adapted a recipe from Eating Well, which was promoted as being a cheap meal.  I cut back on the oil and salt, and made things a little simpler by eliminating the fresh herbs.  Now, I like fresh herbs as much as the next person, but they are only cheap if you grow them yourself or get them from family and friends.

Despite cutting back on the seasoning, these falafel still had plenty of flavor.  The picture below is from the first falafel meal, featuring a real plate.  The subsequent falafel patties were good for lunch, but the tahini sauce and cucumber slices didn’t travel very well.  So I’d recommend that this recipe be enjoyed at home, hopefully in the company of a few friends who like Middle Eastern food. 

Falafel with Tahini Sauce

1 (15 oz.) can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 bunch scallions, sliced, white and light green parts only
1 egg
2 T whole wheat flour
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t Italian seasoning
1 T olive oil
1 (6 oz.) container plain Greek yogurt
2 T tahini
Juice of one lemon
Cucumber slices
Whole wheat pita

Place beans, scallions, egg, flour, cumin, and Italian seasoning in a food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Mixture will be very moist.  Form into 4-5 patties.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan.  Cook patties for 5-7 minutes on each side, until golden brown. 

Mix yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve falafel in whole wheat pita with cucumber slices, and garnish with tahini sauce.

-Recipe adapted from Eating Well