Fattal's falafel, Corrado's 2-for-$10 wines, wild salmon medley and more

One of my favorite dishes growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., was my Syrian Jewish mother's okra, which she prepared with tomatoes and a tamarind sauce. Okra was the meal of the day on Thursday in the cafe at Fattal's in Paterson.   

Syrian butcher, baker, grocer, jeweler and falafel maker -- Fattal's in the South Paterson section of Paterson is all of that and more. One big plus is that the store is set back in a spacious parking lot.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The quickest way to get into an argument with the head cook in the Syrian cafe at Fattal's is to ask whether he ever makes his falafel only with fava beans.

"That's how the Egyptians make it," I said on Thursday, referring to the wonderful  ta'amia (falafel) I enjoyed many years ago on a trip to Cairo.

"And that's how my mother, who was from Aleppo, used to make it."

"I'm from Aleppo, too," the cook said firmly, adding that using only fava beans produces a falafel that is too dark inside.

So, I ordered nine falafels to go, and looking at the takeout menu later, I saw he grinds both chickpeas and fava beans with parsley, garlic and spices before frying them.

Fattal's falafel are sold in threes for a little over 40 cents each.

They are bigger, lighter and tastier than the falafel from Salah Edin, a Middle Eastern restaurant on the next block, where a bag of five falafel are only $1.

Fattal's falafel also reheats better at home.

The menu in Fatal's cafe resembles that of a full-service restaurant. 

Syrian-style pies with za'atar and other toppings, sandwiches, salads, soup, hot appetizers and a meal of the day are available for takeout or to eat there.

In Fattal's grocery section, I picked up 20 cans of Al Shark-brand Moroccan Sardines in Tomato Sauce (99 cents each), and a half-dozen large Spinach and Cheese Pies ($8.99).

From the spice counter, I got a small container of za'atar, a dried thyme mixture ($5.99 a pound), and a larger one of crushed Aleppo red pepper ($6.99 a pound). 

Crushed red Aleppo pepper from Fattal's ($6.99 a pound) provides a mildly spicy accent on egg and fish dishes, hummus and so much more.

On Friday, I threw together falafel sandwiches at home with Fatal's pocket bread and hummus from a can, adding garlic, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil and ground cumin.

Details

Fattal's, 975 Main St., Paterson; 1-973-742-7125. Open 7 days, Syrian cafe, parking lot.

Website: Syrian delights since 1968

Corrado's Family Affair is a large, full-service ethnic supermarket near the Clifton-Paterson border once known for low prices.

Red, white and sparkling wines from Italy and France were 2 for $10 in Corrado's liquor store. I bought six bottles of red wine, including a ventoux from France.

Luigi Vitelli-brand Organic Whole Wheat Fusilli and Rigatoni from Italy were $1.69 each at Corrado's (16 ounces) -- 40 cents more than at ShopRite in Paramus.

That's a good price, but Corrado's Tomato Basil and Arrabiata Pasta Sauces both contain added sugar.

A pint of blueberries from Argentina was $3.99. I did find peaches for 99 cents a pound, my only purchase besides wine.

Among the non-food items at Corrado's are these rugs, which were displayed outside.

Details

Corrado's Family Affair, 1578 Main Ave., Clifton; 1-973-340-0628. Open 7 days. Website: Corrado's

A medley of fresh wild coho salmon I prepared at home with a fillet from Costco Wholesale in Teterboro ($9.99 a pound) includes chopped kale, cherry tomatoes, pitted black olives and grated cheese.

I grilled the salmon skin side down on the stove top for 4 minutes before placing the serving pieces in a large pan that held the other ingredients, a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice and seasonings. The medley was ready after 7 minutes in a preheated 400-degree oven.

You can buy a ready-to-cook fish-and-vegetable medley, marinated Icelandic fish and prepared seafood at The Fish Dock, 219A Closter Dock Road in Closter (1-201-564-7939; closed Sundays and Mondays). Here, I had leftovers of my wild salmon medley with organic brown rice and oven-roasted sweet green peppers from our garden.

A 2-pound bag of pre-washed Chopped Kale was only $3.89 at the Costco Wholesale Business Center in Hackensack.

This much kale with Costco's Organic No-Salt Seasoning (21 spices and other ingredients from around the world), sauteed in olive and sesame oils in a 10-inch nonstick pan ...

... produces this much kale as a side dish.

Also at the Costco Business Center, 80 S. River St. in Hackensack, I found a package of frozen Alaskan Pollock Burgers, which join a longtime favorite, Alsakan Salmon Burgers. The pollock burgers also are made from fillets of wild-caught fish, according to the Trident Seafood Corp. A dozen salmon burgers were $13.99 and a dozen pollock burgers were $11.49.

The ingredients of the Alaskan Pollock Burger includes 2% or less of sugar. I cooked one in the oven and slipped the burger into a warm Fattal's pocket bread with salad greens, tomato and Dijon mustard. Just wonderful.

Two places you must visit on crazy Route 17 in Paramus

A delicious Harvest Salad at the Suburban Diner on Route 17 in Paramus is served with a small bowl of soup, below.

Manhattan Clam Chowder.

Editor's note: Traffic seems to be building as Thanksgiving approaches, but I managed to make four stops for lunch or food shopping on Friday and Saturday.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

New Jersey specializes in highways lined with entrances and exits to restaurants, stores and malls, ensuring drivers several heart-stopping moments on every trip.

But two good reasons to venture out on Route 17 in northern New Jersey are the Suburban Diner and Trader Joe's -- in that order.

On Friday, I met a friend at the diner for a heart-healthy lunch before we drove up to Trader Joe's, which, like every food store, shouldn't be visited on an empty stomach.

At the diner, I ordered a special of Harvest Salad, which came with a cup of soup ($11.95).

Fresh spinach was the foundation for roasted butternut squash, pear sections, crumbled blue cheese and dried cranberries, with, at my request, a creamy pear vinaigrette dressing on the side.

Refreshing and delicious, though the pear could have been riper.

Suburban Diner, 172 Route 17 north, Paramus; 1-201-261-2605.

I roasted Brussels Sprouts from Trader Joe's with extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt, adding grated Pecorino Romano Cheese, red-pepper flakes and black pepper after I removed the pan from the oven.

Shopping frenzy

We thought the diner was busy, but when we got to Trader Joe's, the crowd of shoppers seemed even bigger.

But I didn't have to wait to check out. 

According to my receipts, I drove to Trader Joe's, shopped and checked out in 16 minutes.

I bought a large stalk of Brussels Sprouts ($2.99); two 64-ounce bottles of low-sodium Garden Patch, which is 100% vegetable juice ($3.49 each); and two 2-pound bags of sweet potatoes ($1.69 each).

For the meat eaters in the family, I picked up two packages of antibiotic- and nitrite-free bacon ($5.49 each); uncured, antibiotic-free beef hot dogs and jumbo hot dogs ($4.99 each).

A 4-pack of Organic Apple Sauce with Cinnamon was $1.99.

Trader Joe's, 404 Route 17 north, Paramus; 1-201-265-9624.

A 3-liter tin of Corrado's Extra Virgin Olive Oil was $23.99 on Saturday -- $10 more than the same quantity of EVOO at Fattal's in Paterson.

Stocking up on EVOO

After hearing about the poor olive harvests in Spain and Italy, and possible higher prices for extra-virgin olive oil, I drove to Fattal's in Paterson on Saturday.

I picked up three 3-liter bottles of Al Defah Extra Virgin Olive Oil for $13.99 each, adding them to the two I had at home.

I also picked up Fattal's Mini Meat Pies ($8.99), and a package of crushed dried mint ($6.99 a pound).

The EVOO in the Al Defah bottles is said to be from Palestine, and I've been using it for months in salads and cooking.

After visiting Fatal's, I crossed the border into Clifton to shop at Corrado's, a big, ethnic supermarket that once was the low-price leader.

But the prices for most produce, imported whole-wheat pasta, dried cod from China and Canada, and extra-virgin olive oil were higher than at the other stores I patronize regularly.

The only real bargain I saw were bananas for 39 cents a pound.

I didn't buy anything, and I don't think that has ever happened before on my infrequent visits to Corrado's.

Fattal's, 975-79 Main St., Paterson; 1-973-742-7125. Open 7 days, parking lot.

Corrado's Family Affair, 1578 Main Ave., Clifton; 1-973-340-0628. Open 7 days, large parking lot.

Worth the detour: 99-cents sardines, cheap wine

Bottles of wine imported from Italy, Spain and Hungary were $3.99 to $5 at Corrado's Family Affair on the Clifton-Paterson border.

A bottle of Charles Shaw California Cabernet Sauvignon (Two-buck Chuck) from Trader Joe's, left, supposedly contains the same 750 milliliters as the imported bottle next to it. The Charles Shaw bottle costs $2.98 at the Westfield store.

Editor's note: Today, I discuss a shopping trip to Paterson's Middle Eastern food bazaar; a canned-fish salad with chick peas, feta cheese and spinach; and plastic-bag recycling.

I still jump into my hybrid car and drive 10 miles to Paterson's Middle Eastern food-shopping district for the best prices on sardines, wine, yogurt drink and other products.

At Fattal's Bakery on Sunday, I picked up 20 cans of Al Shark-brand Moroccan Sardines in spicy oil or tomato sauce for 99 cents a can (4.23 ounces and 4.38 ounces, respectively).

A 1-gallon container of Merve Ayran Yogurt Drink was $8.69.

Parking at Fattal's (975-77 Main St.) is far easier than at Brothers Produce in the Paterson Farmers' Market, another source of 99-cents sardines.

Then, I drove a short distance to just over the Paterson-Clifton border and Corrado's  Family Affair for 1-pound bags of salted cod fish, but the store didn't have any.

So, I picked up store-made crumbled feta cheese ($2.99 a pound) and a bunch of fresh spinach ($1.69 a pound) I needed for a recipe.

In Corrado's liquor store, I bought 5 bottles of imported red wine ($3.99 to $5 each).

Canned-fish salad with chick peas, apple, feta cheese and spinach, served over fresh spinach leaves dressed with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Fishing for salad

I had seen a tuna salad with chick peas, feta cheese and spinach on the cold food bar at the Whole Foods Market in Paramus, and decided to try it with the items I got at Corrado's.

But I didn't stop at tuna, adding cans of pink salmon and sardines with their liquid to my canned-fish salad.

Then, I diced a Gala Apple and celery, including the leaves; drained, rinsed and added a can of chick peas; and crumbled feta cheese.

I washed the fresh spinach leaves and cut them into ribbons and added that to the salad with spinach stems.

The dressing was Dijon mustard, fresh lime juice and ground cumin, all added to taste. 

Canned-fish salad with organic spring mix, beefsteak tomato, olives and garlic cloves.

Recycling bags   

ShopRite is the only supermarket chain in North Jersey that accepts plastic bags for recycling, but we also put plastic food wrapping, plastic food seals and any other flexible plastic in the same bag.

     

ShopRite in Paramus has two large bins for recycled plastic bags.

Golden Pineapples were 2 for $5.

I didn't go home empty handed, picking up 2 Golden Pineapples for $5. 

When I told the cashier I would take the pineapples without a plastic bag, she gave me the 10-cent credit for customers who bring a re-usable bag.

New package doesn't stop salad rotting

This delicious Earthbound Farm Organic Spring Mix comes in a new package, below, but the dark leaves can still rot days before the use-by date on the front label.

The new package eliminates a flexible plastic sealing strip.

Editor's note: Today, I take a second look at the new Earthbound Farm salad package and discuss food shopping in South Paterson.

The new Earthbound Farm organic salad package is more environmentally responsible, eliminating a flexible plastic sealing strip I'd cut with a scissor and recycle with plastic bags. 

But I'm still finding that the dark leaves in the Organic Spring Mix or Organic Half & Half salad can rot days before the use-by date.

I buy my 1-pound package of Earthbound Farm salad at Costco Wholesale in Hackensack, where the price of $4.99 or less beats all competitors. 

The way Costco stores the salad, and the temperature it is stored at, may be the problem. 

The first time I brought home the new plastic tub, I tore off a strip of plastic and thought it wasn't much of an improvement over the old, which was sealed with a flexible strip of plastic.

The next time, I saw the word "HOLD" on the tub and "LIFT HERE" on the cover, and easily separated the two without tearing away anything.  

Starbucks Hot Cocoa mix at Costco Wholesale.

Starbucks Hot Cocoa Classic mix, another item I found at Costco, makes a rich cocoa drink when you use the recommended two heaping tablespoons and 8 ounces of milk.

One of Paterson's most popular produce stores is in the Farmers' Market.

I made a special trip to Paterson this morning to get good deals on salted cod fish at Corrado's Family Affair and on Moroccan sardines at Brothers Produce.

I also bought yogurt drink, yogurt, Syrian cheese and extra-virgin olive oil at Fattal's Bakery.

Corrado's, which is on the Paterson-Clifton border, has raised the price of a 1-pound package of salted cod fish to $7.99 from $6.99.

This salted cod fish is a product of Canada.

 

I bought 7 packages of the salted cod, which freezes beautifully.

I also picked up a half-liter bottle of Corrado's Balsamic Vinegar, which contains no artificial color ($2); some red and yellow sweet peppers and a few mangoes.

I wanted to buy a liter bottle of Corrado's Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but the label said only it was imported from Italy and packed in Italy, not that it was made from Italian olives.

Is this oil made from 100% Italian olives?

At Fattal's, on Main Street in Paterson, I found a 3-liter bottle of Laziza Extra Virgin Olive Oil for $17.59 that is labeled "Product of Tunisia."

I also bought Romi's Syrian Cheese ($6.99 a pound), which is made in Paterson; Romi's Plain Lowfat Yogurt ($2.99 for 32 ounces), and a gallon of Merve Ayran Yogurt Drink ($7.79).

At Fattal's, not all of the large bottles of extra-virgin olive oil are a full 3 liters.

At Brothers Produce on East Railway Avenue, I bought 18 cans of Al Shark Moroccan Sardines for $1 each.

I noticed the can holding Al Shark Morroccan Sardines in Spicy Oil is now slightly smaller than the regular sardine can. 

Many of the extra-virgin olive oils at Brothers are blends from several countries, even one 3-liter can that says, "From Kalamata" (Greece).

Many Corrado's shoppers fill their tanks before their shopping carts.

Corrado's Family Affair, 1578 Main Ave., Clifton; 973-340-0628.

Fattal's Bakery, 975-77 Main St., Paterson; 973-742-7125.

Brothers Produce, 327 E. Railway Ave., Paterson; 973-684-4461.   

Fish eater v. meat eaters

Fresh organic beef from Australia at ShopRite in Rochelle Park.

Organic beef is on sale through Saturday for $5.99 a pound to $17.99 a pound.

Even though I'm the one who brings home the bacon -- and filet mignon, ground beef and lamb chops -- I eat only seafood. 

I can't think of a better or healthier meal than whole fish, jumbo shrimp or pasta with sardines, and all the other permutations of a seafood-based diet.

Fresh wild Pacific cod coated with bread crumbs and chili spices. Side dishes are boiled and mashed sweet potatoes with extra-virgin olive oil, and sauteed Brussels sprouts.

Dried and salted cod sauteed with cabbage, and served with fried breadfruit.

But when it comes to preparing meals at home, we co-exist nicely.

This week, I picked up fresh organic ground beef and London broil for the three meat eaters in the family ($5.99 a pound and $6.99 a pound).

Clayton's Organic Beef from Australia was introduced this week at ShopRite supermarkets.

My wife made three hamburgers from a 1-pound package of 85% lean ground beef, and she said everyone loved them.

I had leftover Pacific cod with bread crumbs and chili spices.

Fresh or dried and salted cod are two of my favorites. 

When boiled to eliminate some of the sodium and then cooked, the fish breaks apart in big, meaty flakes.

Atlantic cod is the fish that fed America for centuries before it was almost wiped out.

The fresh wild cod sold at Costco Wholesale is labeled "Pacific True Cod," and the salted cod or salt fish we've been buying lately is from Canada. 

At Corrado's, I found salted-cod packages underneath the pollock, left.

Prices for baccala are listed, but not for sea salt, a common problem at Corrado's.

We tried Alaskan salted pollock for about a year before my wife said she wanted to return to using salted cod, which is more expensive.

Corrado's in Clifton sells a 1-pound package of Canadian salted cod for $6.99, the lowest price I've found in North Jersey. Fairway Market in Paramus charges $8.99.

Today, at Corrado's, I was able to find only six packages of Atlantic Pearl salted cod, which we freeze (1578 Main Ave., Clifton; 973-340-0628).

Then, I drove a short distance and picked up 2 dozen cans of Moroccan sardines for 99 cents each at Fattal's Bakery in Paterson (975-77 Main St.; 973-742-7125).

Ackee and salt fish with organic brown rice was made in an electric cooker.

On Wednesday night, my wife used an electric cooker to prepare an unsual version of the Jamaican national dish -- ackee and salt fish -- with organic brown rice. 

Salted cod also can be boiled, flaked and used in pasta sauce, much as we do with drained cans of sardines.