Soused Kalette and Chickpeas

A toasty winter warmer

As seasons progress, it is hard to keep enthusiasm and creativity for familiar ingredients that were once a joy to see when they first emerged. An easy way to switch it up is to try a variety of preparations that introduce contrast to reinvigorate the palate, but more importantly bring a new lease of life to the familiar.

‘Soused’ simply put is to cook in a pickling liquor accentuated with generous quantities of balancing sweetness. The sweet, salty acidic contrast allows hidden flavours from the ingredients to come forwards. Root vegetables and hardy winter brassicas are perfect for this with their bitter sweet quality and iron rich vegetal flavour enhanced by the warm sweet pickle. 

Pulses can be tricky to season as they tend to soak up any flavour around them, making this style of cooking ideal. Chickpeas are among the most robust of the pulses, being able to take frying without falling apart and keeping their fluffy middle, not to dissimilar to a roast potato. This brings a welcome balance to the soft vegetables.


Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 large SLF carrots
Rapeseed oil
A pinch of chilli flakes
2 onions
1 tin of chickpeas
 A pinch of cumin seeds
2 generous dessert spoons of honey
100g apple cider vinegar
200g +/- kalettes
Sea salt flakes
Fresh ground black pepper


1. This recipe can be prepped while it cooks, so start with the longest cook time, the carrots. Scrub them clean, cut into long chunky shards and begin to fry in a large frying pan, with a generous drizzle of rapeseed oil, over a medium heat. Season with a pinch of chilli flakes.

2. While the carrots are browning, peel the onions and cut into quarters. Add them to the pan with the carrots and continue to cook. 

3. Drain the tin of chickpeas and add to the pan with a good pinch of cumin seeds. 

4. Continue to gently fry everything to a light golden brown. In the meantime, trim the tough base from the kalettes and cut in half lengthways. 

5. Once the carrots are tender and everything has a lovely golden hue, turn up the heat to a sizzle. Add the vinegar followed by the honey, a generous pinch of salt, lots of black pepper and then finally the kalettes. 

6. Cook over a high heat until the vinegar and honey have reached a syrupy consistency, lightly coating the vegetables. Remove from the heat and serve. 

Serve with crumbled feta and SLF mixed winter salad.

Chef Notes:
1. While chickpeas are ideal, lentils and other beans work well, but make sure not to overcook them.
2. Be generous with the seasoning and add as many of your favourite spices as you like to suit your taste.

Robin Popham
Chef at ‘Create Terroir’ and Sandy Lane Farm veg box customer