Farmer’s Market season has arrived in Minneapolis, and I couldn't be more thrilled!

Okay, wait, let me introduce myself. My name is Tay Elhindi, I’m a Minneapolis-based chef and journalist. I have had the privilege of working in renowned kitchens, including Revival and Bellecour, and even apprenticing overseas under the guidance of Alain Ducasse, who has received 20 Michelin stars. While my professional kitchen days are far behind me, I’m still an avid home cook and lover of really all things food-related. 

Hitting the farmer’s market has always been my favorite part of summer, even when I was a kid growing up in Winona, Minn. Saturday mornings were spent walking over to the market with my parents, grabbing breakfast, and picking out fresh produce for the week. Most weekends we would run into neighbors, and hours later, the whole neighborhood would end up at someone's house for dinner. I would go home, and my mom and I would turn on music, make a dish to share, and dance around the kitchen until it was time to go. The rest of the night was always full of laughter, good conversation, and great food.

Fast forward a few years, and my dad decided he would start his own stand, selling homemade falafel sandwiches. He grew up in Sudan where falafel was street food sold on every corner. He was so excited to bring that piece of his culture to the town he migrated to at age 18.

During the summer, he would come home after work, soak the chickpeas, prepare his “famous” hot sauce, mix the spices, and put everything together for Saturday mornings. He would often pull me into the kitchen to help, and he’d teach me the recipe and all the best tricks to getting the falafel just right. We would go to the market, set up, and crank out sandwiches for hours. I won’t lie and say I loved it. What teenager wants to spend their Saturday morning frying up some strange foreign food at the market? But I loved the joy it brought my father to see people loving his food so much. He had found a new way to connect with the community and hold onto his own culture even though he was so far away from home. 

Those mornings spent at the markets and afternoons cooking with my parents are some of my most cherished memories and a tradition I carried into adulthood with me. You can still find me at the Minneapolis Farmers Market each Saturday morning, spending the afternoon blasting music and cooking, all to sit down to my favorite part of the week, a big dinner with my friends where we get to enjoy each other’s company over an exceptional meal. (All my friends are great cooks, what a blessing.)

All that being said, I’m beyond excited to invite you all to join my farmers market adventure. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite recipes highlighting in-season ingredients from the market. To give you the full experience, I’m including a curated playlist of what I’m listening to.

I can’t think of a better way to kick it off than to share my dad’s falafel sandwich recipe, with a couple of additions of my own. Think light, fluffy falafel stuffed inside a pita pocket on a bed of crisp greens, and herby, marinated cucumber-and-tomato salad. It’s all topped off with a bright, robust tahini green goddess spread. It’s a literal flavor bomb, loaded up with fresh flavors from the veggies and tied together with notes of cumin, cilantro, lemon, and garlic. This recipe is perfect for a make-ahead lunch, dinner night-in with friends, or cut them into quarters and serve as an appetizer for your next cookout! 

One last thing before we get started! There are two golden rules in my kitchen: 

• Butter is always unsalted. 

• Salt is always kosher.

RECIPE 

8 Servings

Falafel

• ​​1 cup dry chickpeas

• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped

• 1/2 cup cilantro, large stems removed

• 1/4 cup parsley, large stems removed

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin

• 1 small jalapeño, seeds removed and roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons chickpea flour, (substitute: all-purpose flour)

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided) 

• 1/4 cup water

• Canola oil, for frying

• 4 pita rounds, cut in half for serving

Marinated Cucumber Tomato Salad

• 2 cucumbers, sliced

• 12 oz (1 large carton) cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters

• 2 cloves garlic, grated

• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and finely diced

• 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon oregano, fresh or dried

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest 

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Tahini Green Goddess Dressing

• 1/2 cucumber, roughly chopped

• 1 jalapeño, roughly chopped

• 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped

• 1 cup spinach

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, large stems removed

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, large stems removed

• 1/8 cup fresh dill

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 

• 1/4 cup tahini sauce 

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup olive oil

Extras for serving

• Arugula or mixed greens 

• Pickled red onions 

• Feta cheese crumbles

• Tzatziki sauce 

Directions for the Falafel 

1. In a large mixing bowl, add dry chickpeas and 2 cups of water, cover, and soak overnight. 

2. Pour the chickpeas into a large pot and cover with water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil, and cook until chickpeas are soft all the way through, about 30-40 minutes. Drain any excess water and set aside to cool.

3. In a food processor, blend cooked chickpeas, garlic, onion, cilantro, parsley, cumin, jalapeño, chickpea flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Blend until everything is incorporated and resembles wet, coarse sand. 

4. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

5. Add 2 inches of oil (enough to fully cover the falafel) to a pot and heat to 350°F. 

6. Scoop the falafel mix into a ping-pong-sized ball and flatten them slightly. 

7. Add the scooped falafel to the oil, a few at a time making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. 

8. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray and cool slightly. 

9. Finish with a sprinkle of salt. 

Directions for the Marinated Cucumber and Tomato Salad 

1. While the falafel is resting in the fridge, add sliced cucumbers and tomatoes to a medium-sized mixing bowl and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. 

   Note: This step will pull the extra water out of the cucumbers and soften them up. If you want firm cucumbers, skip this step. 

2. Drain off excess liquid from cucumbers. 

3. Add garlic, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and olive oil. Mix until tomatoes and cucumbers are evenly coated in the seasoning and set aside to marinate. 

Directions for Tahini Green Goddess Dressing 

1. In a blender, combine cucumber, onion, jalapeño, garlic, spinach, parsley, cilantro, dill, greek yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, and salt. 

2. Drizzle in olive oil while blending. 

3. Blend until everything is evenly incorporated. 

4. Store in an airtight container.

Directions for serving

1. For sandwiches: Stuff each pita half with a layer of greens, marinated cucumber tomato salad, any additional fixings, and 4-5 falafels. Top with tahini green goddess dressing. 

2. For Sliders: Cut pitas into quarters, open, and add a layer of greens, cucumber tomato salad, any additional fixings, 1 falafel, and a dollop of tahini green goddess dressing. 

This feature is part of The Current’s 89 Days series, helping you enjoy the best of the season with weekly guides to events, entertainment, and recreation in the Twin Cities.