vegan salad – broccolini, crispy chickpeas, charred lemon salad

Ingredients

  • 250g broccolini
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 handful mint and parsley leaves
  • 30g vegan Parmesan cheese
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained (drained weight 250g)
  • 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 large lemon, halved
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves finely chopped
  • 2 spring onions (white part only- sliced)
  • 1 tsp capers (finely chopped)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220 ̊C. Place the chickpeas, garlic, cumin, paprika and turmeric in a small baking dish. Drizzle over about 1/4 cup olive oil (enough to cover the chickpeas) and season with 2 big pinches of sea salt and a good turn of black pepper; toss to coat the chickpeas. Roast in a hot oven for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy. Allow to cool (the chickpeas crisp up more as they cool).

2. Drizzle the broccolini with olive oil and season with sea salt. Heat a barbecue or grill pan on high heat. When hot, add the broccolini and cook until charred, about 2-3 minutes. At the same time, add the halved lemons, cut side down, onto the grill and char for 1-2 minutes, until the face of the lemon is charred. Remove both the broccolini and lemon immediately from the heat and set aside.

3. To make the dressing, squeeze the juice of 1/2 a charred lemon into a small bowl, and whisk in the olive oil. Add the mind, shallots, capers and stir to combine. Taste, and add more charred lemon juice if needed, and season with sea salt and black pepper.

4. Place the broccolini on a serving plate and top with crispy chickpeas. Spoon over the charred lemon dressing and scatter over the mint, parsley and vegan cheese.

REAL SALMON BURGERS

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4

500 g fresh raw skinless & boneless salmon fillet, chopped
1 small bunch chopped parsley
2 spring onions (scallions), sliced
zest and juice from 1 lemon
a good grind of pepper and a little sea salt
1 organic egg
50 g (1  3/4 oz / 1/2 cup) almond meal to coat (optional)
olive oil

In food processor, combine all but almond meal. Process well, remove & shape into 8 burgers.
Coat lightly with the almond meal if using & rest in fridge 15 minutes to help them firm up.
Cook in a pan over low-medium heat with a splash of oil – til crisp, golden and cooked through.
Serve with your choice of steamed greens, roasted sweet potato or leafy greens.

NOTES

These burgers keep for 2 – 3 days in the fridge after cooking. They are also delicious thrown into your lunch time salad for an added protein hit.

I often serve them with oven roasted sweet potato or a salad made from shaved fennel, rocket, lemon and cold pressed olive oil.

TO MAKE SALMON BURGERS FROM TINNED SALMON:
185 g (61/2 oz) tin wild salmon drained
1 organic egg
1 spring onion, sliced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Combine salmon, egg, parsley and spring onion, then season with freshly ground black pepper. Look at your mix & test cook to see it holds together when cooked. Add another egg if needed.

Place spoonfuls of the salmon mixture into a pan and cook over a medium heat with a splash of olive oil for 1 – 2 minutes each side until golden