Cook the Book: Crunchy Red Swiss Chard Falafel

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds black
• 1 cup bob's mill garbanzo bean flour 
• 3 tablespoons chickpeas canned cooked ()
• 2  garlic clove chopped
• 0.3 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 6 servings turmeric for garnish
• 2  juice of lemon 
• 3 tablespoons juice of lemon 
• 1 cup milk 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1  onion red finely chopped
• 6 servings salt and pepper freshly ground
• 0.5 teaspoon sumac powder crushed
• 1 pound swiss chard red washed and roughly chopped well
• 6 servings tahini 
• 3 tablespoons tahini 
• 6 servings vegetable oil for deep frying

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• paper towels
• sauce pan
• whisk
• wooden spoon
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and sauté the onion, cumin and allspice over medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Set aside in a bowl.
2. Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Drop in the chard and blanch for 2 minutes.
3. Drain immediately and, once they’re cool enough to handle, squeeze dry.
4. In a medium nonstick saucepan, bring the milk to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Little by little, whisk in the chickpea flour until you have a smooth paste. Keep the mixture moving to avoid lumps. Then season, add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and cook over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon. Like cream puff dough, the mixture will come away from the sides of the pan and become a ball as it is heated.
5. Cool the ball of paste, then mix in the sautéed onions, chickpeas, lemon juice and blanched chard. Using your hands, mold the mixture into golf-ball-sized balls and arrange on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for a couple of hours.
6. In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F. Carefully place the falafel into the oil and cook for 3–4 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.
8. Sprinkle with the turmeric.
9. Serve with the tahini sauce.
10. Mix the tahini, cumin and the lemon juice in a bowl. Slowly stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water, a little at a time, until you have a consistency that resembles thick cream. Then add the garlic and season.
11. Combine the sumac with the olive oil and drizzle over the sauce.
12. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve, with meat, poultry, vegetables or falafel.