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Falafel
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Yield: 24 Falafels

• 2 cups dried chickpeas, picked through and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 small onion, grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, leaves coarsely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 8 warm pita bread, store bought or homemade recipe follows
• Tahini Sauce , recipe follows
• Shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, chopped cucumbers

Directions:
Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and add cool water to cover by 2 inches. Soak the beans in the refrigerator for at least 18 hours or up to 24; the chickpeas will swell to triple their original size. Drain and rinse thoroughly.

Put the soaked chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to coarsely grind, not until smooth but with no whole chickpeas remaining either. Add the baking powder, onion, garlic, spices, and herbs; process until the mixture is pureed; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate while heating the oil, this should take about 15 minutes.

Pour 3-inches of the oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F.

Roll the falafel mixture into ping-pong size balls. (Alternatively, use an ice cream scoop.) Carefully slip a few at a time into the hot oil, making sure they don’t stick to the bottom. Fry until the chickpea fritters are a crusty dark brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove the falafels with a slotted spoon and drain on a platter lined with paper towels.

Open the pita bread halves to make pockets (don’t split all the way) and put 4 fried falafels into each. Drizzle with the tahini sauce and layer with lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Serve immediately.

Tahini Sauce:
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 cup plain yogurt or water
1 lemon, juiced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Pinch salt
Pinch paprika

Combine all the ingredients in a blender, process on high speed to make a smooth and creamy sauce. Adjust seasoning, to taste, and serve with falafels or as a salad dressing.

Yield: about 1 cup

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Cloves 10 – 15
Optional – get retro and add marciano cherries and pineapple rings here. You would need about 6-10 rings and cherries.

1 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup Pineapple Juice
2 tablespoons Grey Poupon
1 ham half about 6 to 8 pounds — fully cooked

Score the Ham in cross sections with a knife making diamond shaped patterns. Insert cloves in tips of diamonds. If you are getting retro with it, add the pineapple rings, cherries in the center secure with toothpicks.

Combine the honey and molasses; heat in the microwave or in a pan on the stove top. Stir in bourbon, pineapple juice, and mustard.

Place in a roasting pan. Brush with glaze. Bake at 325 for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a meat thermometer reaches 140 degrees (About 10 minutes per pound). Baste the ham occasionally with the honey-bourbon mixture.

Transfer drippings to a saucepan and add remaining honey mixture; bring to a boil. Slice ham and serve with the glaze.

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Garrick’s ULTRA-MEGA Thanksgiving Turkey Brine!

I used to chef in the old days and know my way around Thanksgiving dinner. It is one of my favorite holidays. This brine is awesome and everyone who has made it said it makes the best turkey they have ever had in their life so…you are welcome!

1 Gallon Water

1.5 cups Kosher Salt

1 cup sugar

.5 cup maple syrup

10 Bay leaves

10 cloves garlic crushed

20(or so) black peppercorns

5 (or so) juniper berries

10 rosemary sprigs

10 thyme sprigs

5 ¼” slices of ginger skin and all smashed

Mix all ingredients together. Stir until dissolved.

Place in stock pot or any large vessel that will fit the brine and the turkey and refrigerate 24-48 hours. Cook the bird based by any general recipe until the inner thigh reads 165 degrees with an instant read thermometer.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Garrick

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