Deconstructed Falafel Salad Recipes

DECONSTRUCTED FALAFEL SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• For the crispy roasted chickpeas, place the drained chickpeas into a small ovenproof dish. Cover with olive oil, season well with 2 big pinches of sea salt and black pepper, and add the garlic, cumin and paprika. Stir to combine. Roast for 35-40 minutes, until the chickpeas are crispy. Set aside.
• Place a large frying pan over medium heat and drizzle with oil. Add the kale, in batches, along with a pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted.
• To make the lemon tahini, pour the tahini into a small bowl and whisk in the lemon juice and garlic. Gradually add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the sauce is the consistency of thickened cream. If the tahini 'seizes' and becomes very thick, push through by adding more water; it will eventually come back together to form a cohesive creamy sauce. Season with sea salt and black pepper, and add more lemon juice if you like it lemony.
• Combine the crispy chickpeas (and their cooking oil) with the kale, cucumber, half the pita chips and herbs. To serve, drizzle over the lemon tahini and scatter over the remaining pita chips. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

DECONSTRUCTED FALAFEL SALAD

Steps:

• Make the pickles: Combine the water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium bowl and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve; pour over the cauliflower and cucumber in another medium bowl and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the salad: Heat 1 inch of oil to 400 degrees F in a deep skillet. Add the chickpeas and cook, flipping occasionally, until deep golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chickpeas to paper towels with a slotted spoon to drain, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Combine the fennel, all of the herbs and jalapeno in a large bowl. Drain the cauliflower and cucumber pickles and add to the bowl. Add the fried chickpeas, tahini and yogurt. Toss to combine and serve!

DECONSTRUCTED FALAFEL SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mix together the oregano, thyme and cumin with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Add the chickpeas and then the olive oil, and toss until the chickpeas are evenly coated with the spice mixture. Spread the chickpeas out onto the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
• Add the parsley leaves to the bowl where the chickpeas were tossed. Gently stir the parsley leaves so they are coated with the leftover oil and spices and set aside.
• While the chickpeas are cooking, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven, sprinkle the parsley leaves on top of the chickpeas and cook for another 10 minutes. (Try to avoid the parsley touching the parchment paper, as it is more likely to burn this way.)
• To serve: On a large platter, put down a layer of the chopped lettuce and top with the tomatoes and cucumbers. Scatter the crispy chickpeas over the top of the salad. Drizzle the yogurt and tahini dressing over top of the chickpeas, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve with hot sauce on the side if desired.