Winter vegetable balls with black salsify, roasted chicory and lemon tahini sauce

This recipe was created during a "climate dinner" organised by the 2 Grad foundation at the Munich design agency "Black Space". We were allowed to spoil 24 entrepreneurs with culinary delights. 

INGREDIENTS (for 2 persons):
Winter Vegetable Balls:
1/4 red onion
1 garlic clove
1 parsnip
1 large herb seitling
1 tin of black beans
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1/2 tsp smoked peppers
1/2 teaspoon Raz el Hanout (oriental spice mixture)
some salt and pepper
Rapeseed oil

roasted chicory:
1 chicory
some canola oil
1 teaspoon Provence herbs or "Holy Veggie" from Sonnentor
some salt

Black salsifies:
A handful of black salsifies:
2 lemons

Lemon tahini sauce:
4 tablespoons tahini (sesame)
1 lemon, juice and some peel
1/2 teaspoon "Irma Immun" - curcuma spice mixture from Sonnentor (display)
1/2 cup of oat milk
some smoked salt (smokey salt from Sonnentor or smoked sea salt from Maldon)
some black sesame for garnishing

PREPARATION:
Winter Vegetable Balls:

1. Chop all ingredients in a food processor and form into small balls with your hands
2. Fry the balls in some rapeseed oil until golden brown all around. Take them out of the pan and put them on a kitchen roll so that excess oil can drain off. Arrange them on a plate immediately afterwards.

Roasted chicory:

1. Halve the chicory and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
2. Sprinkle the chicory halves with some rapeseed oil and season with herbs and salt.
3. Now roast at approx. 180 degrees circulating air for 15 minutes.

Black salsifies:

1. Peel black salsifies with thin disposable gloves. Without gloves it can lead to discolouration and peeling is also an extremely sticky matter.
2. Boil the peeled black salsifies with two lemon halves in water for 10-15 minutes. They should still have a light bite.
3. As soon as the black salsifies are cooked, sieve and sprinkle with some lemon juice.

Lemon tahini sauce:

1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a small saucepan.
   
2. If the sauce is too liquid you can thicken it with some cornstarch.

HEALTH BENEFITS:
Black salsify, also known as winter asparagus, is in season and is an alkaline food. Extremely low in calories and at the same time able to stimulate metabolism and fat burning.
 Rich in potassium, nitrate, iron and the vitamins B1, B2, B3 and E. 

Chicory supports our digestion : 
It stimulates the gall bladder and pancreas. 
Both glands are responsible for the production of important hormones and enzymes that enable us to absorb substances from food.