Recipes I Recommend

Here are two recipes I highly recommend from my recent culinary experiences.

My Famous Shortbread Cookies

This recipe makes two dozen flaky buttery cookies that melt in your mouth. A topping of orange zest and granulated sugar gives it some extra panache. Other good final touches could be sprinkling the baked cookies with cinnamon sugar, mixing in some chopped nuts, or dipping the baked cookies in melted dark chocolate.

cookies
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

topping
fresh orange zest
granulated sugar

Cream butter and sugar with vanilla extract. Slowly add sifted flour and salt and mix into a nice batter. Wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for one hour. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ¼ inch thick and then cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes then sprinkle warm cookies with orange zest and granulated sugar.

Makes approximately 24 cookies

Falafel with Cilantro Yogurt

These are funny looking green falafels (because of the cilantro) but they are so light and delicious they may top the Falafel King in Seattle. The yogurt sauce is a little oniony but a wonderful complement to the falafels. I suggest serving them with warm pitas and fresh veggies.

Falafels
2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained
3 tablespoons plus ½ cup flour
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ cup cilantro
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg
¾ cup chopped onion
oil of choice for light frying

Blend garbanzo beans, 3 tablespoons flour, cumin, cilantro, garlic and cayenne in processor until smooth. Add egg and ¾ cup onion and blend until onion is finely chopped. Transfer mixture to a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into four ½-inch-thick patties. Turn patties in remaining ½ cup flour to coat both sides.

Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to coat bottom. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook until crisp and golden, about 8 minutes per side. Drain excess oil on paper towels.

Yogurt sauce
1 cup plain yogurt
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped onion
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Whisk yogurt, cilantro, onion, garlic, lemon juice and cayenne in medium bowl until blended. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.