Thursday, December 05, 2013

3132. BACON FALAFEL BITES with HUMMUS

yields 24 bites
 
 
One 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
3 tablespoons tahini 
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
6 slices bacon
 
One 10-ounce package falafel mix, such as Casbah 
Canola oil, for frying 
3 small heads Boston Bibb lettuce, leaves separated (about 24 leaves total) 
3 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced 
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
Aleppo pepper, for garnish 
 
Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Put the chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, garlic and 1/3 cup water in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until completely smooth and slightly fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Place in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Put the bacon slices on a rack set over a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crispy, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, and then crumble or cut with a knife into bite-size pieces.

Prepare the falafel mix according to the package directions, adding the bacon to the mixture. Using a leveled tablespoon as a measure, form the mixture into small balls, about 24 total. Place the formed falafel balls onto a baking sheet.

Fill a large skillet with 1/2 inch canola oil and heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F. In batches, fry the falafel balls until golden brown all over, 1 to 2 minutes total per batch. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked falafel balls to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt.

To assemble, place 2 to 3 slices of both tomato and cucumber down the center of each lettuce leaf. Top with a falafel ball. Drizzle with some hummus and garnish with a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper.
 
 
bacon recipe courtesy of: Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark, "Marfa, Texas," Tripping Out with Alie & Georgia, Cooking Channel TV

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