Roast aubergine tacos
This vegetarian main course makes a fantastic shared meal for two and is served with a spicy salsa.
Ingredients
For the burnt tomato salsa
- 200g/7oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 red chilli, chopped
- 1 jalapeño chilli, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 100ml/3½fl oz white wine vinegar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the roast aubergine tacos
- 1 aubergine, stem removed and cut into finger shapes
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 150g/5½oz blanched hazelnuts
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 250g/9oz halloumi cheese, cut into slices
To serve
Method
To make the burnt tomato salsa, preheat the grill to high. Place the tomatoes, red onion, chillies and garlic on a baking tray and cook until blackened. Place all the charred ingredients and the vinegar in a food processor or blender and blend to make a chunky salsa. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Brush the aubergines with the olive oil and place, cut side-up, in a roasting tin. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and top with the garlic and thyme. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until just cooked through.
Meanwhile, place the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking tray. Toast in the oven for 8 minutes. Leave to cool slightly and then transfer to a food processor and pulse until roughly crushed.
Remove the aubergine from oven. Discard the garlic and thyme and cut the aubergine into bite-sized pieces.
Melt the butter in a frying pan or grill pan over a medium heat. Add the aubergine pieces and cook for 7–8 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a low oven.
Place a grill or griddle pan over a medium heat and grill the halloumi slices for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Mix together the yoghurt and sumac (or zatar) and set aside.
Warm the tortillas in a frying pan. Divide the halloumi, aubergine, burnt tomato salsa, hazelnuts and parsley evenly between each tortilla, top with yoghurt and finish with a squeeze of lime.
