Kitchen Garden Cook

Melanie Johnson adds some spice to healthy kale

‘as Glorious kale is a byword for healthy eating and therefore perfect many of us start detox plans as part of our New Year’s resolutions Serves 4

For the fritters

200g finely diced

cooked chicken

2tbspn chia seeds

2tbspn olive oil 100g fresh peas

50g soy beans

125g finely shredded kale (stems removed)

200g ricotta

3 beaten eggs Zest of 1 lemon

A small handful chopped parsley

For the hummus 200g tinned chickpeas Juice of 1 lemon 2 cloves garlic 1tbspn tahini Good splash of olive oil Pinch of salt

For the sesame kale chips 75g kale 2tbspn sesame seeds

Rocket leaves and lime juice to serve

Method

To make the fritters, combine the chicken, chia seeds, olive oil, peas, soy beans, kale, ricotta, beaten eggs, lemon zest, parsley and seasoning in a large bowl. Slightly squash the ingredients together, then leave in the refrigerator while you make the hummus.

Process the hummus ingredients in a blender until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add lemon juice if needed. Set aside until ready to serve.

To make the chips, rub the pieces of kale with olive oil and arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake on a low heat for 6–8 minutes, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Allow to cool.

Squash a large spoonful of fritter mixture into a patty. In a hot pan with olive oil and butter, fry gently for a couple of minutes on each side until lightly golden.

Serve the fritters hot with a dollop of hummus plus kale chips and lime-dressed rocket leaves on the side.