Aubergine is a fantastic canvas for intense flavour, so goat’s cheese is the perfect pairing! Served with chermoula-spiced freekeh and richly flavoured caramelised onion, this is a veggie winner.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
1
Red Onion
1
Garlic Clove
1
Aubergine
(May contain Celery)
1
Chermoula Spice Mix
100
Freekeh
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
1
Vegetable Stock Powder
12
Balsamic Vinegar
(Contains Sulphites)
125
Goat's Cheese
½
Lemon
½
Wholegrain Mustard
125
Baby Plum Tomatoes
1
Olive Oil for the Dressing
200
Water
Preheat your oven to 220°C. Halve, peel and thinly slice the onion. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). Cut the aubergine in half lengthways. Score diagonal criss-crosses into the flesh, 1cm apart. Avoid piercing the skin. Place on a lined baking tray, drizzle with oil, then sprinkle over half the chermoula and a pinch of salt and pepper. Rub the seasoning all over and pop on the top shelf of the oven. Cook until soft and browned, 25-30 mins.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add the garlic and remaining chermoula spice and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the freekeh, then add the water (see ingredients for amount) and stock powder. Stir and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and put the lid on. Cook the freekeh for 15 mins, then remove from the heat. Leave to the side for 5 mins (still covered) or until everything else is ready.
While the freekeh cooks, heat a splash of oil in another saucepan on medium heat and add the onion. Cook until really soft, stirring every few mins, 10-12 mins. Next, add the balsamic vinegar. Turn the heat to low, put the lid on and cook for 3-4 mins. Remove the pan from the heat. Meanwhile, add the tomatoes to the baking tray with the aubergine and roast until the tomatoes burst, 12-15 mins.
While the aubergine cooks, zest and cut the lemon in half. Mix the zest, mustard, oil (see ingredients for amount) and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
Once the aubergine is soft all the way through, remove it from your oven and squash down the flesh of each aubergine half with a fork (see picture). Crumble in the goat's cheese, grind over some black pepper and return to the oven until the cheese has melted and is bubbling, 5-6 mins.
Once the tomatoes are ready, gently stir into the freekeh, along with the mustardy dressing. Serve the aubergine on a bed of freekeh. Spoon over the caramelised onion. Enjoy!