Blistered tomatoes with smoky aubergines
Heat transforms the cherry tomatoes' flavour from grassy and vegetal to sweet and tart, creating an excellent topping for toast, pasta, grilled meat or soft, summery cheeses.
- Serves4
- CourseAccompaniment
- Prepare20 mins
- Cook1 hr
- Total time1 hr 20 mins
- Pluscooling and draining
Ingredients
- 400g cherry vine tomatoes
- 1 unwaxed lemon, 3 strips pared zest and juice
- 5 clove/s garlic, peeled
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large aubergines
- 50g tahini
- ½ x 25g pack coriander, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and roughly crushed
- ½ tsp caster sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Take the tomatoes off the vine; put in a roasting tin with the lemon zest. Bruise the garlic with the back of a knife, then add to the tin. Season and sprinkle over the sugar, coriander seeds, chilli flakes and oregano. Drizzle over 4 tbsp oil. Roast for 30 minutes until the tomatoes are bursting. Set aside to cool; discard the garlic and zest.
Meanwhile, use a fork to puncture the aubergines all over, then use tongs to carefully hold them over an open gas fame on the hob. Turn occasionally until they are ashen on the outside and super-soft inside – about 15 minutes (or put them on a barbecue or under a hot grill for about 30 minutes). Set aside to cool, then peel, roughly chop and put in a sieve over the sink to drain for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice and remaining 2 tbsp oil. Fold in the aubergine and ½ the coriander. Season with the cumin and a little sea salt. Smooth the aubergine mixture over a serving platter. Top with the tomatoes and their oil, plus the remaining coriander. Serve with flatbreads, if liked.
Nutritional
Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe
Energy | 1,314kJ/ 318kcals |
|---|---|
Fat | 27g |
Saturated Fat | 4g |
Carbohydrates | 8.2g |
Sugars | 7.1g |
Fibre | 5.4g |
Protein | 5.4g |
Salt | 0.1g |