I thought about it. Big falafel is stodgy. Small falafel is crispy and delicious.

And then all the pieces seemed to fit into place. What a sucker I’d been. What a fool. The answer was there all the time. That’s how I discovered the secret – two thin falafel patties, separated by cheese!

Edit: I bring glad tidings from our kitchen-lab! This burger is even better if you replace the fried onions with some tabouleh.

Ingredients

You will need (per burger):

• Burger bun
• 90gm falafel (Lebanese Delicious Snack Company is a good brand)
• 0.25 tsp baking powder
• pinch baking soda
• two patty sized pieces of baking paper
• half a chopped onion
• 1-2 tbsp hummus (LDSC is again good)
• 1 slice cheddar cheese
• two slices tomato
• 1 tbsp Moroccan chutney (or similar)
• lettuce
• olive oil for frying

Method

Do all your prep first:

• Mix the falafel with the baking powder and baking soda
• Chop the onion
• Slice the cheese
• Slice the tomato
• Cut the bun in half

Turn on the oven to 180c (for lightly toasting the buns later), then put a small frying pan and a large frying pan onto medium heat and add some olive oil.

While they heat up:

1. Tear the baking paper into patty sized pieces.
2. Shape half the falafel into a patty on the paper as shown in the picture, then repeat for the other half. Leave each one on the paper.

Put the onions into the small frying pan and lightly saute (i.e. stir them every so often until cooked).

Put the falafel patties into the large frying pan, falafel side down.

Cook the patties for a bit and then carefully peel off the paper. It may be useful to have a tool you can use to stop the patties tearing if the paper is sticking.

When done on the first side, flip the patties over and put the cheese on top to melt.

While the second side cooks, toast the buns briefly in the oven (a minute or two, just enough to get them warm and slightly crunchy).

When everything is done, assemble the burgers in this order from bottom to top:

1. Bottom bun
2. Moroccan chutney
3. Fried onions
4. Falafel patty with cheese on top
5. Other falafel patty
6. Tomato
7. Lettuce
8. Hummus (apply to top bun)
9. Top bun

Eat!

3 Tbls Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
Half tsp Fresh Ginger – Grated
1 *Fresh Chilli- Chopped
Half Tsp Ground Cumin
4 Kumara (sweet potatoes), peeled and sliced
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 Tbls Peanut Butter
Extra water if needed
Salt and Pepper

Put oil in heavy pot and add the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, cumin and kumara. Sauté over a medium heat until lightly cooked. Cover with the stock or water and simmer until the kumara is mushy. Add the peanut butter and using a wand, processor or blender, puree until very smooth. If the soup is to thick, add more water or stock to make a smooth soupy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, reheat and serve.

This soup freezes well. So if you make too much, put the remainder in a container and freeze for later use.

*If you are unable to get fresh chillies, dried chillies can be used, as can chilli powder. Try adding a little at first as the chilli is meant to give the soup a “bite” and should not overpower the Kumara.

1 cups cracked wheat (bulghur)
1 cups very hot water
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1 small tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bunch green onions, (4) sliced
1/4 cup fresh chopped mint
1 cups fresh chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch of pepper
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Soak the cracked wheat in the hot water until the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes. When it’s ready, drain any excess water, if necessary, and squeeze dry.

Meantime, prepare the vegetables for the salad and mix the dressing ingredients together. Set aside.

Stir the prepared wheat, other salad ingredients, and dressing together in a medium bowl.

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes about 4 cups, 6 to 8 servings.

Thanks to http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/tabouli-recipe.html (their recipe serves 12 to 16 – great for a party)

However, I made a Silverbeet and Potato soup and it was nom (maybe even nom nom). So if you already like Silverbeet it may even be nom nom nom.

Enjoy. (Thanks to Martha at NZ Lifestyle)

Silverbeet Soup

200g silver beet washed & chopped
400g diced potato
1 onion sliced
1 clove garlic sliced
6 cups of chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons lite sour cream
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Soften onion and garlic in oil in soup pan, add potato, cook until onion is soft. Add stock and silverbeet. Cook gently until potato is cooked. Puree with a food processor or kitchen wand. Add sour cream and parmesan.

Serve with toasted pitta or crusty bread.

Thomas made what is known in our house as Potato croutons to sprinkle on top (crunchy small pieces of potato roasted in the oven).

Paua Sandwiches

You will need

* Two paua per person (legal size of course!)
* Lemon
* Herbs and flavourings of choice (lemon thyme, sage and garlic worked well)
* Butter
* Two slices of bread per person
* Frying pan
* Fire

Instructions

1. Remove the paua from shell by slipping a knife in and cutting through the muscle.
2. Remove icky bits, just leaving the large muscle.
3. Cut the paua into fine slices and put into a plastic bag.
4. Squeeze lemon into plastic bag and mix well.
5. Leave for a bit.
6. Butter the bread.
7. Fry the paua in the butter.
8. Add the herbs and garlic towards the end of the frying.
9. Put paua between bread and eat.

This lovely recipe bought to you from: How Stuff Works

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:

- 500 grams fresh spinach leaves
- 1/4cup butter
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup milk
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F/190 C. Grease 1-1/2- or 2-quart soufflé dish; set aside.

2. Bring 1 quart salted water in 2-quart saucepan to a boil over high heat. Add spinach. Return to a boil and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until spinach is crisp-tender. Drain spinach and immediately plunge into cold water. Drain again; let stand until cool enough to handle. Squeeze spinach to remove excess moisture. Finely chop spinach.

3. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat.

4. Stir egg yolks into saucepan until well blended. Add spinach and cheese; mix well.

5.Beat egg whites in clean large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into spinach mixture until egg whites are evenly incorporated. Pour into prepared dish.

6.Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.

This Asparagus and Garlic Pasta is very simple and a lovely fresh spring meal. I recommend serving it with a warm herb bread.

Thanks Dominion Post. Click on the image to see a readable version of the recipe.

This recipe for a tuna toasted sandwich is an example of the technique. It can easily be modified for any fillings you like although I recommend keeping the tapenade no matter what else you change!

Ingredients (per sandwich)

• Turkish bread (ideally not the Quality Baker brand – it’s very dense)
• 1/2 small can of lemon-pepper tuna, drained
• About 1/2 tbsp tapenade (recommend Genoese brand)
• About 1tbsp basil pesto (recommend Genoese brand)
• Half a tomato, thinly sliced
• Small amount of grated mozzarella cheese
• Handful of lettuce

Instructions

1. Turn on your oven’s griller (I think this is the broiler in US-speak)
2. Cut the bread into sandwich sized sections
3. Carefully slice the bread to separate the top and bottom
4. Lightly toast the outer sides of the bread (careful, it doesn’t take long)

5. Spread pesto on bottom piece of bread
6. Spread tapenade on the top piece

7. Put the tomatoes on the bottom
8. Spread the tuna on top of the tomato
9. Put the cheese on top of the tapenade

10. Place back under the grill (again, it doesn’t take long)
11. Remove from the grill (to assist you with getting it just right, I carefully cooked the one in the picture one a little bit too much)

12. Put the lettuce on
13. Put the sandwich together and eat

So, I present to you pizza without the OFP combination.

The base spread is tomato salsa with left over Guacamole, topped with chargrilled capsicum, red onion, chillies, cheddar and mozzarella.

A delicious combo. I didn’t miss OFP one bit.

For general pizza making instruction view:

Broccoli or Mushroom Simple Pizza

For other yummy pizza toppings view:

Zucchini and Onion Pizza.

Potato and Leek Pizza

I really enjoyed them as burger patties even though I’m a little uncomfortable with the taste of ginger. It won’t replace my standard comfort burger but it will be a nice change when I feel like going a little more gourmet.

I’ve included Marie’s email text below as I love the way she writes. If you have recipes for me to try email them to me at Kim@WhatKimAte.co.nz.

Pumpkin and Ginger Felafels

“Here is a recipe from Allyson Grofton (food in a minute lady).

We had them just as described but I think would be magic as burger patties! (and can be a change from the regular tofu patty.)

- 250gms firm pumpkin
- 425 gm can cannellini (butter) beans. Drained
- 2 tsp minced fresh garlic
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chilli
- 3 cups fresh bread crumbs
- oil for frying
- 200 gm tub hummus
- 1/2 cup yoghurt
- mango salsa ingredients

Mix the hummus and yoghurt together – cover and back to fridge

In a bowl combine all the mango salsa ingredients – cover and back to fridge

Peel & cook pumpkin in a little boiling water, drain and then put back into pan to dry it out – a couple of minutes, just to its not too wet. In a processor (I don’t have one so I used a potato masher) cannellini beans, garlic, ginger, chilli and 1/2 breadcrumbs.

Season with salt and pepper.

Mould into 12 patties (or burger sized patties) and roll in remaining breadcrumbs.

Fry with a little oil until golden and heated through, keep warm while others are being cooked.

Serve as it or with a plain salad or make mega burgers!

Andrew loves this and I’m looking forward to getting out the barbie and making these bad boys in summer. Keep up the great blog!

Marie xx”