Slow baked baby aubergines – preserved and served!

This recipe is really about those baby aubergines and the delicious olive oil that is infused with all the aromatics. This dish makes for the perfect brunch, with the added benefit the aubergines will last a couple of weeks submerged in the oil to use on anything else you want!

Ingredients

12 baby aubergines

Handful sea salt

1 bulb garlic

3 strips lemon rind

3 bay leaves

Pinch chilli flakes

Few sprigs of thyme or rosemary

Pinch pink peppercorns

750ml Aloades extra virgin olive oil 

Tahini dressing Ingredients:

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp yogurt

1 tbsp water

Few drops lemon juice

1 tsp honey

Garnish Ingredients:

250g Halloumi cheese

Pinch toasted almond flakes

Few basil leaves

4 sundried tomatoes

Method:

Preheated oven 160c FAN

Halve the baby aubergines, place in a colander above a bowl and food through a handful of sea salt then leave for 1 hour. 

Shake off the salt, place the aubergines on a kitchen towel and dry. 

Pour half the olive oil into a roasting tray just big enough to fit the aubergines then scatter in the remaining ingredients for the aubergines (breaking up the cloves from the garlic bulb). Pour over the remaining oil or enough to almost cover the aubergines.

Bake in the oven, uncovered for 1.5 to 2 hours. Leave to cool and place in a sterialised jar. 

Mix all the tahini dressing ingredients together and reserve.

Slice the halloumi in inch thick slices, and place onto a hot griddle pan for a minute then turn to do the other side.

To assemble the dish, place a couple of slices of halloumi onto each plate, top with a few aubergines including a drizzle of the olive oil. Squeeze in a couple of sun dried tomatoes and sprinkle over a pinch of almonds and dot the tahini dressing in places. Garnish with a few basil leaves. Serve on flatbreads for a heavier meal.