Spiced aubergine flatbreads, cucumber salsa and herby yogurt
This recipe is sponsored by Cobra beer and it goes very well with it too.
A plate of food that is perfect for when you’re too tired to do any proper cooking but fancy something tasty for supper. Hence I tend to freeze half of this and save some for those evenings. Despite being incredibly healthy it really hits the spot when it comes to comfort food. The sweet spiced aubergine is almost a curry. In fact it would taste very well with rice but I like to load up warmed flatbreads or pittas generously, top it with a cooling herby yogurt, wrap or fold and scoff.
The harissa and a good dose of warming mixed spice make for a rich, luscious sauce and the carrots and aubergine add a bite that will have even the carnivorous of diners forgetting that they’re missing meat. To make it completely vegan sub greek yogurt for coconut yogurt. Dried mint may seem like an obscure ingredient but it makes all the difference and has a wonderful zip to it different to fresh mint. It’s inexpensive and lasts a long time in the cupboard too so worth investing in but if you cant find it shredded fresh mint works too. I love to pair this dish with a good cold beer. Cobra is my choice. Much smoother than other beers it has a crisp and subtly malty flavour which marries perfectly with something that has a little heat.
Ingredients
Serves 8 (or freeze half)
2 large aubergine
½ red onion finely sliced
red pepper deseeded and finely sliced
2 tsp mixed spice
2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 carrots, grated
10 medjoul dates
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 good tbsp. harissa
1 can plum tomatoes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
For the cucumber salsa
1 cucumber
seeds of 1 pomegranate
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
juice ½ lemon
tsp honey
For the herby yogurt
150g greek yogurt (or coconut yogurt)
bunch of dill, finely chopped
1 tbsp dried mint
flatbreads or pitta to serve
Method
Slice your aubergine into roughly 50p size thin slices around 1/2cm thick. I tend to halve my aubergine width ways first, then lengthways to achieve four pieces, then halve each of these again.
Place a frying pan over a medium heat and arrange your slices flat in the pan. You will need to do this in batches. Cook each side for approx. 3-4 mins until charred. They don’t need to be completely cooked through at this point. Transfer to a plate whilst you make the sauce.
In a separate large frying pan (deep if you have it otherwise a standard is fine) heat a good glug of olive oil over a medium heat. Add the finely sliced onion and pepper and cook gently for about 10 minutes until the pepper has softened and the onion has started to brown. Stir every so often and make sure the heat is not too high as you don’t want the onion to burn.
When your peppers have cooked add the harissa, mixed spice and tomato puree, chopped tomatoes and grated carrot. Stir to combine. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes before adding the tinned tomatoes, red wine vinegar and using the can that held the tomatoes half a can of water.
Allow the sauce to bubble for about twenty minutes and stir every five minutes or so. It should be thick and glossy with the chopped tomatoes for the most part broken down.When you think it is ready give it a taste and season with salt.
Transfer your cooked aubergine to the sauce, stir to combine and cook for a further ten minutes until the aubergine has cooked through and everything has come together.
To make the cucumber pickle slice your cucumber lengthways an scoop out the watery seeds with a teaspoon. Chop into small ½cm cubes. Transfer to a bowl with the pomegranate seeds, finely chopped chilli, lemon juice and honey. Stir to combine and chill until ready to serve.
To make the herby yogurt combine all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Warm some flat breads or pitta in an oven or a frying pan (if you have anther to hand). Either serve the aubergine, cucumber pickle and herby yogurt in serving bowls for people to help themselves or arrange plates as I have.
I like to serve this with some sesame spinach too. Just lightly cook some spinach in a pan with a splash of olive oil. Transfer to a plate and drizzle over toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds if you like.