
Spinach falafels with beetroot and sweet potato mash and wilted greens
Ingredients
FOR THE FALAFEL
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained and washed
- Salt and milled pepper
- 400 g McCain Garden Spinach
- 10 g parsley, chopped
- 1 LemonGold lemon, zested and juiced
- ¼ cup tahini
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ cup cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
- 3 tbsp flour
FOR THE BEETROOT MASH
- 8 beetroots, peeled and quartered
- Salt and milled pepper
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Splash of water
FOR THE SWEET POTATO MASH
- 4 orange sweet potatoes, peeled andquartered
- Salt and milled pepper
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Splash of water
TO SERVE
- 8 baby pak choi
- 125 g sugar snap peas
- Handful petit herbs
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
- 2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the chickpeas and boil for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain.
- Add chickpeas, along with remaining falafel ingredients (except the flour) to a food processor.
- Blend until a smooth paste forms, adding flour if the mixture is too wet. Decant mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Add the beetroot and sweet potatoes to two separate pots of boiling water. Cook for 15-20 minutes until tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Drain.
- Place beetroot and sweet potato on two separate oven trays, season well and toss with olive oil to coat.
- Roast for 30 minutesuntil caramelised and golden.
- Cool trays for 20minutes. Blend the beetroot and sweet potato one at a time until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed to bring the mash together. Decant each into a bowl.
- Scoop 2 tbsp of thefalafel mixture and roll between your palms to create a smooth ball. Repeatwith remaining mixture. Refrigerate for another 10 minutes.
- Place falafel balls onto a greased and lined baking tray, bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and slightly firm.
- Bring a small pot of water to the boil. Fill another pot with ice and water to create an ice bath.
- Slice pak choi in half, blanche in batches in the boiling water, then immediately submerge in the ice bath. Transfer to a board. Do the same with the peas.
- Serve dollops of beetroot and sweet potato mash on six plates. Top with warm falafels, pak choi, beans and a sprinkle of herbs and sesame seeds. Drizzle with oil and season.
- Serve the falafel and mash with pita bread, on top of naan or in a salad.
Notes
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