CHICKPEA CAKES with KALE and MINTED BROAD BEAN DRESSING + THE ORCHARD IN BROCKLEY

I am a bit of a cafe junkie.  Is this something you can relate to?  I find myself seeking out quality cafes more than any other type of establishment.  This is largely because I prefer to read, research, write and work at cafes rather than at the library or from home.  Somewhat counter-intuitively, the ambient bustle and buzz helps me focus.  I sit, headphones cradling my ears and cappuccino by my side, at once a part of and separate from the surrounding environment.  But I am particular; there are many conditions which must be met, disparate elements that need to align in order for a cafe to repeatedly lure me back.  I am magnetically drawn to natural light, excellent coffee, comfortable seating, and a considered spatial and aesthetic design.  We artsy folk can be a bit...finicky.  We can be total suckers for aesthetics.  Or maybe that's just me.  At any rate, I love cafes and am constantly in search of new ones to fall for, to adopt, to casually and productively sit in for hours, to make my unofficial home.  



I was lucky to have found out about The Orchard less than two weeks after I first moved to London.  It's a short 10 minute walk from my house, but as it is not situated directly on the main road or within my typical walking route, it could have easily been ages before I discovered its wonders.  For me, The Orchard ticks all the boxes: unbelievable food (at relatively affordable prices), comfortable couches and tables, a simultaneously chic and cozy design (part of the space is divided by a large fish tank encased in an dark chocolate hued bookshelf, overflowing with well-aged publications ranging from works by Ralph Waldo Emerson to a 1960s edition of the Guiness Book of World Records--WHAT! Amazing), and a friendly, laid back atmosphere that is conducive to delving into work (or a divine meal or conversation with friends) for hours.  It's probably the first place in my life where I've ever truly been 'a regular'.

Casual café by day, buzzing restaurant and bar by night, The Orchard serves some of the best food I've had the pleasure of eating in London.  The simplest way to describe their cuisine is by using of some terribly vague pseudo catch-phrase, like "modern pan-continental bistro", but that's ultimately because the type of food they create is difficult to pin down--which is part of its appeal.  With a seasonally-influenced and regularly changing menu, one will find culinary influences spanning Britain, Asia and the Middle East, all with a contemporary twist.  Whether it's in the form of lightly battered and crispy calamari topped with teriyaki sauce, toasted sesame seeds and impressively thin strips of fried leeks or a saffron pudding cake laced with pureed figs and served with homemade butterscotch sauce and pistachio ice cream, the flavors are always surprising and always abound. 

One of the best dishes on offer at The Orchard in the past few months has been these incredibly aromatic and hearty chickpea cakes served with sautéed greens, homemade hummus, and a broad bean (fava beans, to us American + Canadians) and mint dressing.  The flavor of the cakes bursts with fresh herbs and Middle Eastern spices, turning the modest chickpea into an exciting feast for the taste buds, blissfully satiating.  And what's more, the dish is totally vegan! (Props to The Orchard as well for always having interesting vegetarian/vegan offerings.)  Through an incredibly fortuitous turn of events, I have gotten my foodie hands on the recipe.  Being able to recreate dishes from The Orchard at home is one of the best things to happen to me as of late.  I am so excited to now extend that gift to you!  (And a big thanks to The Orchard for letting me write about and share one of your secrets.)

Chickpea Cakes with Kale and Minted Broad (Fava) Bean Dressing
Serves 3-4

Ingredients
For the Chickpea Cakes
2 15oz. cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (60 g homemade; 110 g dry) breadcrumbs
1 lemon, juice + zest
2 large shallots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 1/2 Tbsp. cilantro, minced
4 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp. mint, minced
1 1/3 Tbsp. dried coriander
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. salt

For the Kale
2 big bunches kale, leaves removed from stems
1 garlic clove, minced
knob coconut oil (or preferred cooking oil)
sea salt
squeeze of fresh lemon

For the Minted Broad (Fava) Bean Dressing
1 cup (150 g) broad beans, removed from pod (fresh or frozen is fine)
6 Tbsp. (1/4 cup + 2T) cold-pressed olive oil
3 Tbsp. mint, minced
1/2 tsp. runny honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 lemon, juice + zest

Directions
For the Chickpea Cakes
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mash together with a potato masher, a large fork, or your hands.  Alternatively, if you have a Kitchen Aid/stand mixer, use that to mix with the paddle attachment (start on a low speed to avoid flying chickpeas). The mix should ultimately stick together quite well but still have bits of whole/partial chickpeas in it.
2.  Using your hands, form mix into six patties, each about 2"/5cm wide by .4"/1cm thick.
3-A.  If you have an oven-proof skillet, Pre-heat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4.  On the stove/hob, heat a thin layer of oil in skillet over medium heat.  Place as many patties as will fit in the pan and cook until their bottoms are browned, 3-4 minutes.  Flip patties and place skillet in the oven for 3-4 minutes, until the other side is browned as well.
3-B.  If you do NOT have an oven-proof skillet, On the stove/hob, heat a thin layer of oil in skillet over low heat.   Place as many patties as will fit in the pan and cook until their bottoms are browned, 5-6 minutes. Flip patties and repeat until browned and warmed throughout.

For the Kale
1.  Thoroughly rinse kale and set aside, leaving some bits of water on the leaves (this will help it cook).
2.  Heat oil in a large pan on medium-low heat. 
3.  Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4.  Add kale to pan (it may be overflowing but will significantly cook down), sprinkle with sea salt, and carefully stir to coat leaves in the oil.
5.  Cook until the volume of the leaves has reduced by almost half and leaves are tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
6.  Once cooked, turn off heat and squeeze a bit of fresh lemon over the kale.

For the Minted Broad (Fava) Bean Dressing
1-A.  If using fresh beans, remove from pods and cook in boiling water until tender, 3-5 minutes.  Drain water and immediately transfer beans to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking.
1-B.  If using frozen pre-cooked beans, place beans in a bowl of warm water to thaw.
2.  In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix together olive oil, lemon juice + zest, salt, mint and honey.
3.  Working with each bean individually, remove the outer skin and then put the bean directly into the bowl with the dressing.
4.  Stir to combine.

To assemble
1.  Place kale on plates.
2.  Top with 2 chickpea patties (hot from the stove/oven!), or however many you desire.
3.  Generously spoon dressing over the cakes and kale.  

KALE, POMEGRANATE, GOAT CHEESE + MINT SALAD

Oh, kale.  What a good friend to have.  Surprisingly enough, kale was one of the first vegetables I started to regularly incorporate into my diet after my move to London, even when I was still a vegetable-averted vegetarian.  Less texturally slimy and more mild-tasting than spinach (in my opinion), I was happy to have found a dark leafy green that I didn't want to spit out the second I put it in my mouth.

I think kale is considered to be one of those 'superfoods' we sometimes hear about, but label or not, this stuff is SUPER good for you.  A member of the cruciferous vegetable family (along with broccoli and cabbage), kale is bursting with vitamin K (promoting bone health, preventing blood clotting, and crucially regulating our bodies' inflammation), vitamin A (supporting healthy vision and skin) and vitamin C (maintaining our immune system, hydration and metabolism).  Kale also contains high amounts of manganese, fiber, and calcium (more calcium than milk, calorie-for-calorie!).  Of all the leafy greens, kale boasts the highest level of carotenoids, which lowers our bodies' risk to developing certain types of cancers (in the case of kale, this includes breast, colon, prostrate, ovary and bladder cancer).  On top of all this goodness, kale is also super detoxifying, as its high amounts of fiber and sulfur help maintain healthy liver function.*  Pretty amazing.

If you aren't already overly jazzed about getting this stuff into your body, here's more good news for you: The peak growing period of kale is mid-winter through early spring, so we're in the thick of it!

Despite its simplicity, this salad has the ability to impress.  The first time I made it, I brought it to a pot luck New Year's Eve dinner party for 10 people. The heaping salad was devoured.  As the attendee seated directly across from me polished off his plate, he turned to me and curiously asked, "Did you put mint in this salad?"  Why yes indeed, I did!  I was so excited that he had identified the mystery herb,  but at the same time, the fact that he had to ask--and that no one else questioned or mentioned it--told me I needed to include more mint, possibly in bigger pieces, the next time around.

Round two of the salad, which was made at a more intimate dinner party of close friends that same week, brought about surprise among the guests not because of the ingredients, but because of the process: the massaging of the kale.  I was shocked that neither of my good friends, who definitely know their ways around a kitchen, had heard of massaging raw kale for a salad before; I thought I was among the last to get on that train back in the summertime.  For those of you who haven't yet delved into the wonderful world of raw kale salads, a brief word: Massaging kale--simply vigorously rubbing the raw leaves for 2-3 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon and/or vinaigrette--is a wonderful method to use when serving it raw because breaks down the leaves' tough and fibrous cellulose structure, making it much easier to chew and digest.  It also mellows out the bitter taste.  So wash those hands and get ready to get intimate with your salad!

A final note, to those of you lucky enough to live in the vicinity of a Trader Joe's: Make this salad with TJ's honey chèvre.  Have you tried this product?  OH MY.  Words cannot express the sheer delirium that this cheese produces upon consumption.  Imagine the creamiest of goat cheeses infused with sweet honey, bursting in complete synchronicity upon your palette.  It really takes this salad to another level.  Why Trader Joe's has not expanded to the United Kingdom is an issue of great consternation for me, but we'll save that for another time.

Kale, Pomegranate, Goat Cheese & Mint Salad
Serves one

Ingredients
6-8 stalks dinosaur kale (a.k.a. lacinato kale or cavolo nero)
1/4 of a pomegranate
goat cheese crumbles (as much as you'd like)
6 large mint leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. honey (runny, not solid)
1/2 lemon

Directions
1.  Submerge the pomegranate quarter in a large bowl filled with water and remove all the seeds.  (This method will prevent you from getting squirted by the pomegranate juices!)  Discard the white pith and drain the water.
2.  Slice the kale leaves into 1/4" strips lengthwise (you should get 2-3 strips from each side of the stem).  Discard stems.  Cut or tear the strips a few times horizontally, so you end up with ribbons approximately 1/4" x 2" in size.  Place in a large bowl.
3.  Drizzle the kale ribbons with olive oil.  Using your hands, massage the kale for at least 2 minutes, rubbing the oil into the leaves.  (Again, this is a great method to use when eating raw kale, as it breaks down the fibers, making the kale less bitter and easier to chew and digest.)
4.  Add the pomegranate seeds, goat cheese and chopped mint to the kale bowl.
5.  Squeeze the juice from the lemon half into a sealable jar.  Add the honey.  Seal and shake vigorously, until combined.
6.  Pour lemon-honey mixture over salad and toss to coat.

*Info sources: WHFoods, MindBodyGreen, & My New Roots 

AVOCADO, EDAMAME, MANGO + POMEGRANATE SALAD

Going home can mean many things.  It can mean different things at varying points in time--during different seasons, at different moments over the course of one's life.  For me over the past three weeks, going home meant sunshine.  Hikes.  A much nicer shower head than the one to which I have become accustomed.  New experiences with good friends I hadn't seen in far too long.  And really good produce.

Because I hardly cooked when I was last living in Los Angeles, I never really appreciated how excellent (and relatively affordable) the produce there is.  In this way, it's a bit ironic that I'm embarking on my impassioned culinary endeavors in London, where food is generally incredibly expensive and even the ripest avocado doesn't taste like much of anything.  Returning to LA with my new love of cooking in tow, I completely relished the fruits and vegetables--but especially the fruits--available to me (and without breaking the bank, at that).  I apologize for posting a recipe that includes avocado and mango in January.  I know, it isn't very season-conscious of me, but that's just what happens when you spend December in Los Angeles.  

Avocado, Edamame, Mango and Pomegranate Salad
Serves one

Ingredients
1/4 cup edamame (typically bought frozen, in pods or shelled)
1/2 avocado
1/4 pomegranate
1 mango
1/4 lime
4-6 mint leaves

Directions
1.  Cook edamame according to package instructions. (I recommend making more than 1/4 cup worth and saving the rest for another dish or snack.)
2.  Halve avocado lengthwise and dice into cubes, creating a grid in the flesh and then scooping out with a spoon.
3.  Dice mango into cubes.  (Dicing tips can be found here.)
4.  Cut the pomegranate in half and then one of the halves into two quarters.  Deseed one quarter of the pomegranate. (The rest should be refrigerated and will keep fresh for 2-3 days.  Because they have a tendency to squirt liquid that stains, I find it easiest to deseed pomegranates submerged in a bowl of water.  This is also helpful because the seeds sink and the white pith floats, making it easier to separate the two.)
5.  Finely chop mint leaves.
6.  Toss all together in a bowl.
7.  Dress with a few squeezes of fresh lime.