Burnt Orange, Brighton - Recipe for pea & mint falafel

“Falafel is an instant transporter for me – my mind goes to bustling vibrant markets bulging with street food, with achingly colourful spices and flavours in the air.

“The freshness and flavour of this dish, pea and mint falafel, with black pepper labneh and pickles, should conjure these moments.

“We serve this dish at our Sunday Brunch.” By Peter Dantanus, Head chef at Burnt Orange, Brighton

Ingredients:

For the Falafel.

500g Dried chickpeas (soaked overnight)

100g Defrosted peas

80g Peeled white onion

30g Peeled garlic

50g Fresh coriander

20g Fresh mint

30g Fresh parsley

20ml Lemon juice

20g Ground cumin

20g Ground coriander

18g Salt

For the black pepper labneh

200g Good quality strained Greek yoghurt

30g Freshly ground black pepper

15ml Lemon juice

Salt

For the pickle salad garnish

30g Sliced gherkin

40g Fresh coriander

1/2 Red onion thinly sliced

20g Pea shoots

30g Lilliput capers

Olive oil

Salt

Method

Step 1 - Blend your peas, onion, garlic, fresh herbs & lemon juice until they form a smooth green paste & set aside.

Step 2 - In small batches using the same blender, blend your chickpeas until they form a crumbly texture and combine with your green paste from earlier. Then add your salt, dried coriander, cumin and mix to finish your falafel mixture.

Step 3 - Combine your yoghurt with your lemon juice, black pepper & salt to finish your Labneh.

Step 4 - To cook your falafel, divide your falafel mixture into 100g disc shaped portions then heat 300ml of vegetable oil on a medium heat until it reaches 175c in a large pot, being careful to leave a lot of space. Fry until golden, roughly three minutes on each side.

Step 5 - To serve, spread your labneh onto a plate, top with your hot falafel, then garnish with your dressed salad on top, sea salt, Aleppo pepper & olive oil to finish your dish. Enjoy!

Founded by acclaimed Brighton-based restaurateur Razak Helalat, the Black Rock Restaurants Group comprises of Brighton’s The Salt Room and The Coal Shed, The Coal Shed London and the group’s latest venture, Burnt Orange.

The Coal Shed Brighton opened in 2011, bringing dishes expertly cooked over coal using the highest quality, seasonal ingredients to the city, followed by modern British seafood restaurant The Salt Room in 2015.

The Coal Shed restaurants opened at London’s One Tower Bridge development in 2017. Burnt Orange, the latest venture by the Group, opened on Brighton’s Middle Street in June 2021.

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