Last Night's Dinner: Falafel with Tzatziki sauce and Shirazi Salad

Falafel:

Ingredients:

• 2 15oz Cans Garbanzo Beans aka Chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1 medium red Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic 
• 1/3 cup FRESH Parsley
• 1/3 cup FRESH Cilantro
• 2 tsp ground Cumin
• 2 tsp ground Coriander 
• zest of one Lemon
• Juice of one zested Lemon
• 2-4 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup flour (for binding and consistency)
• 1 tsp baking power (1 1/2 tsp for airier Falafel)

Method:

Preheat oven to 375. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until it forms a paste.  You are shooting for a constancy that can be formed in to patties, but it needs not be something that you can handle.  Add flower and baking power and mix one more time.  Spoon even helpings onto a oiled or lined baking sheet and smush down and round to pucks about the same size.  Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until firm, carefully flipping once.

Tzatziki Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Yogurt (greek style is preferable)
• 1 Cucumber shredded and drained
• 3 Tbsp chopped FRESH Dill 
• 3 Tbsp chopped FRESH Mint
• 3 Tbsp chopped FRESH Cilantro 
• 3 Tbsp chopped FRESH Parsley
• 1 Lemon zested
• Juice of 1/2 zested Lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Mix all ingredients and chill.  I also hit this with a immersion blender just to make it smoother.  This is great as a dip or a dressing so double the recipe.

Shirazi Salad:

Ingredients:

• 1 to 3 Tomato seeded and diced
• 1 Cucumber seeded and diced
• 1 Red/Yellow/Orange Bell Pepper diced
• 5 to 10 Green Onions diced
• 1/3 Cup chopped  FRESH Mint
• 1/3 Cup chopped  FRESH Cilantro
• 1/3 Cup chopped  FRESH Parsley
• 1 Lemon zested
• Juice of zested Lemon
• 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Dice all vegetables to 1/2 or so but be consistent.  Chop herbs.  Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Chill to ready to serve.