One thing that we’ve noticed over the years is that food plays such an important role our in lives and not just for fuel but for entertaining and providing us with fond memories too.
We’ve chatted to some of Ireland’s well-known faces to discover their favourite dishes and meals, be it from their childhood or simply something they like to rustle up at home.
Lilly Higgins is a food writer, photographer and author of Dream Deli and Make Bake Love, both published by Gill & MacMillan. Having graduated from Ballymaloe Cookery School with a 12 week diploma she went on to teach at the school.
Finally using her degree in Design as well as her love of baking and cooking Lilly started a food blog in 2010 which has lead to a career in food writing, styling and photography as well as a year spent running an underground supper club in Dublin.
“My favourite foods are usually Middle Eastern, loads of different bold flavours all together on a plate” says Lilly. “I’m vegetarian 90% of the time and love thinking up heathy easy recipes like this one.”
“I really love falafel and the only way I could think of improving my regular recipe would be to include creamy salty feta inside a burger version. It’s absolutely gorgeous and is best served in a wholemeal pitta bread with garlic spiked tzatziki and a fresh carrot salad. These are so easy to make, nutritious and totally delicious.”
Feta Stuffed Falafel Burgers
Makes 8
Ingredients
- 500ml Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp dried dill
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small bunch coriander leaves & stalks, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 70g plain flour
- 200g Feta Cheese
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying
- 3 carrots, peeled into strips
- 1 cucumber, peeled into strips
- 3 tomatoes, sliced
- 8 wholemeal pitta breads, toasted
- Salt & Pepper
Method
First make the dill yogurt. Combine one crushed clove of garlic with the lemon juice, dill and yogurt. Add salt to taste, Cover and set aside.
Place the two cloves of garlic into the food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add the onion, drained chickpeas, coriander, spices, a sprinkling of salt, pepper and the flour. Blend on high until well mixed, you may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times to avoid half of the mixture becoming too smooth and half too rough.
Cut the block of feta cheese into eight equal squares. Divide the falafel mixture into eight flat discs. Place a square of cheese in the centre and bring up the corners off the disc to envelope it, covering the cheese completely and sealing it into the patty. Repeat with all of the mixture.
Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan, add the burgers and fry for about four minutes n each side or until golden. Keep warm in an oven or serve straight away with toasted pitta breads, dill yogurt, tomato and strips of carrot and cucumber.
