Roasted broccolini, kale and chickpeas with herbed ricotta
<p>The beauty of this dish lies in the grilling – don’t be afraid to char the broccoli a little, as it delivers a great flavour. You can serve this as an individual starter, or as a main with grilled ciabatta.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 4</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>350 g broccolini, stems cut in half lengthways</li>
<li>400 g tin chickpeas</li>
<li>1 garlic clove, crushed</li>
<li>60 ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling</li>
<li>1 bunch Tuscan kale, about 550 to 600 g, cut into 2.5 cm pieces</li>
<li>250 g smooth ricotta</li>
<li>2 tablespoons finely chopped dill</li>
<li>2 tablespoons finely chopped basil</li>
<li>1 teaspoon grated lemon zest</li>
<li>1 tablespoon lemon juice</li>
<li>Pinch of chilli flakes</li>
<li>2 teaspoons sea salt</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p>
<ol start="1">
<li>Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced). Preheat the grill (broiler) to medium.</li>
<li>In a mixing bowl, toss the broccolini, chickpeas and garlic with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Spread the mixture onto a baking tray.</li>
<li>In another bowl, toss the kale with the remaining olive oil, then spread over another two baking trays.</li>
<li>Place the broccolini mixture under the grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, then turn the broccolini over and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely chargrilled. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, transfer the kale trays to the oven and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until starting to brown, then turn the kale over and bake for a further 2 minutes, or until crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.</li>
<li>In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, dill, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice and chilli flakes. Season with salt and mix together with a spoon.</li>
<li>Smear the ricotta mixture onto a serving plate and top with the kale and broccolini and mixture.</li>
<li>Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and serve.</li>
</ol>
<p><img width="123" height="172" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7265262/the-vegetable-cover_123x172.jpg" alt="The Vegetable Cover (1)" style="float: right;"/></p>
<p><em>This is an extract from </em>The Vegetable: Recipes that celebrate nature<em> by Vicki Valsamis and Caroline Griffiths, published by Smith Street Books, RRP AU$49.99 or NZ$59.99. Image credit: Chris Middleton.</em></p>
