Name: Aubergine salad
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 medium aubergine; 1-2 spring onions chopped; 4 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters; ½ small red pepper deseeded and finely diced; ½ small green pepper deseeded and finely diced; 1 tbsp mint chopped; seeds from 0.5 pomegranate to serve; juice 0.5 lemon; ½ small red chilli (deseeded if you don’t like it too hot), finely chopped (optional); ½ tbsp pomegranate molasses; 1 small garlic clove crushed; 1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra to serve

1 medium aubergine
1-2 spring onions
chopped
4 cherry tomatoes
cut into quarters
½ small red pepper
deseeded and finely diced
½ small green pepper
deseeded and finely diced
1 tbsp mint
chopped
seeds from 0.5 pomegranate
to serve

For the dressing

juice 0.5 lemon
½ small red chilli
(deseeded if you don’t like it too hot), finely chopped (optional)
½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 small garlic clove
crushed
1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
plus extra to serve

Method

step 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray with foil. Prick the aubergine with a sharp knife to prevent it from exploding, then put it on the prepared tray and roast for 45-55 mins until the skin is wrinkled and it is very soft.
step 2
While the aubergine is roasting, make the dressing. Mix together the lemon juice, chilli, if using, the pomegranate molasses, garlic and olive oil in a bowl. Season and set aside.
step 3
When the aubergine is cool enough to handle, peel and place it in a colander. Press down on it very gently over a bowl to allow the juices to run out, then transfer the aubergine to a serving plate and cut into large pieces. Dress quickly with half of the dressing, then add the spring onions, cherry tomatoes and peppers to the plate. Pour over the remaining dressing and mix with your hands or a spoon to coat. Serve scattered with mint, pomegranate seeds and more olive oil drizzled over.