Magnificent Miso-Baked Aubergines with Dates and Feta
Every now and then I like to try something totally different and that is exactly what this dish is. With ingredients from the East adding a bit of flair to Mediterranean flavours, this salad truly dances on the tastebuds.
The fresh flavours of orange, mirin and dates brighten up the rich, earthy notes of miso, tahini and sesame. The aubergines really are the star of the show as well as adding a softer texture in contrast to the crunch of the baked sesame seeds and the toasted pine nuts, they take on the flavours of the marinade beautifully. Finally, a sprinkling of feta over the top gives the dish a salty edge to complete arguably the perfect lunch!
Magnificent Miso-Baked Aubergines with Dates and Feta
Serves 4
3 tbsp miso paste
3 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp sunflower oil (or light olive oil)
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 aubergines, stems trimmed, each cut lengthways into six wedges
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp tahini paste
juice and zest of half an orange
85ml Greek-style plain yogurt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
225g pre-cooked quinoa (readily available in packets at supermarkets or cook your own)
4 handfuls salad leaves
10 dates, quartered lengthways and stone removed
200g feta, crumbled
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Place the aubergine slices in a roasting tin. Mix the miso paste with the mirin to loosen it, then stir in the sunflower and sesame oils. Pour it over the aubergine and rub it all over until evenly coated on both sides. Arrange them flat and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes. The aubergine is cooked when you can squeeze it with little resistance.
Mix the tahini to a slurry with the orange juice. Stir in the yogurt, orange zest and 1 tbsp of the olive oil, then season with liberally salt. Set aside.
Pour the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the quinoa to the pan and roast, stirring continuously for 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the heat and continue to stir for 2 minutes.
Divide the salad leaves among your plates and then top with the roasted quinoa. Sit the aubergine on top, then scatter with the dates and feta. Finally, drizzle over the tahini yogurt, or serve it separately, and sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.
The fresh flavours of orange, mirin and dates brighten up the rich, earthy notes of miso, tahini and sesame. The aubergines really are the star of the show as well as adding a softer texture in contrast to the crunch of the baked sesame seeds and the toasted pine nuts, they take on the flavours of the marinade beautifully. Finally, a sprinkling of feta over the top gives the dish a salty edge to complete arguably the perfect lunch!
Magnificent Miso-Baked Aubergines with Dates and Feta
Serves 4
3 tbsp miso paste
3 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp sunflower oil (or light olive oil)
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 aubergines, stems trimmed, each cut lengthways into six wedges
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp tahini paste
juice and zest of half an orange
85ml Greek-style plain yogurt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
225g pre-cooked quinoa (readily available in packets at supermarkets or cook your own)
4 handfuls salad leaves
10 dates, quartered lengthways and stone removed
200g feta, crumbled
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Place the aubergine slices in a roasting tin. Mix the miso paste with the mirin to loosen it, then stir in the sunflower and sesame oils. Pour it over the aubergine and rub it all over until evenly coated on both sides. Arrange them flat and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes. The aubergine is cooked when you can squeeze it with little resistance.
Mix the tahini to a slurry with the orange juice. Stir in the yogurt, orange zest and 1 tbsp of the olive oil, then season with liberally salt. Set aside.
Pour the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the quinoa to the pan and roast, stirring continuously for 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the heat and continue to stir for 2 minutes.
Divide the salad leaves among your plates and then top with the roasted quinoa. Sit the aubergine on top, then scatter with the dates and feta. Finally, drizzle over the tahini yogurt, or serve it separately, and sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.
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