a couple months ago, i read this article about michelle bachmann wanting to ban all falafel from school lunches because it was a gateway food that led to becoming a radical islamist and i had a freak out.
i was trying to articulate my thoughts on just how enraged i was by this article when i decided to read a little more and figured out that the daily currant is a fake news source, like the onion…and man was i happy that i didn’t post something on facebook that would have made me look like an idiot… the sad part is that michelle bachmann is crazy enough that the article doesn’t feel quite so made up, but i’ll resist my urge to rant.
now, every time i hear the word falafel i have to laugh at myself. that is what i did today as i made this dish, which isn’t your traditional falafel, but a good interpretation. it has swiss chard in addition to chickpeas as the base, and is cooked in a pan rather than being fried in oil. stuff it in a pita with some hummus and a villager salad on the side, or stuff the salad into the pita if you want to get wild, and you’ve got dinner.
villager salad is my one of my all time favorite salads – instead of having a lettuce or other greens as it’s main ingredient, it uses tomatoes as its base. add some cucumber, onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon and a good hunk of feta, and it’s glorious. when i worked at the athenian room in chicago during college summers (which is a total gem), this was my favorite dish. you cannot eat something more refreshing.
- 4-5 large tomatoes, cut into large wedges
- 1 large cucumber, halved and cut into thin rounds
- ½ medium onion, cut thinly
- ½ cup kalamata olives, optional
- 1½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 ounces feta
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 large bunches swiss chard
- 1½ cups cooked chickpeas
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons tahini paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼-1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- hummus for serving
- pitas for serving
- Combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and olives in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Pour over vegetables and mix well.
- Crumble feta on top. You can use serve the salad on the side, or put it in the pita with the falafel.
- Working in batches, pulse swiss chard in a food processor until finely chopped, scraping down sides as you go. Chard should be very finely chopped but take care to not make it into a paste. Transfer to a bowl and continue until all chard has been processed.
- Add chickpeas to food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add to bowl with chard.
- Add garlic, tahini, cumin, salt, and pepper and mix well until evenly combined. Add flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until mixture holds together and doesn't feel too wet.
- Using your hands, form into 12-16 patties, depending on desired size.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Working in batches, cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.
- Stuff into pita, top with some hummus and villager salad, and serve immediately.
[…] villager salad with added chickpeas; pasta slathered in the world famous tomato, butter, and onion […]
writes The Mysterious Gift of a Good Day | Nest and Grow[…] swiss chard falafel and villager salad – swiss chard is the main ingredient in this falafel dish, which is not traditional, i know, but […]
writes one year blog anniversary and jason's top ten | Things I Made Today[…] used to be a Villager Salad fanatic, making it at least three times a week, and on other days just tossing some greens with a […]
writes Beet, Cucumber, and Feta Salad with Basil | Things I Made TodayCan you substitute chick pea flour for the wheat flour if you want to make it gluten free?
writes greenklauslerYes! I think that should work! Report back please if it does not :)
writes Vicky3musical
writes 2agonising