Spicy Aubergine Caviar

This dish is a beautiful addition to wraps and pitta bread with grilled meat, fish or a vegan alternative, and is a wonderful dip to serve with crackers or breadsticks as a snack whilst enjoying a cold drink on a hot day.

4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 large or 4 small aubergines, sliced in half lengthways

4 cloves of garlic, whole & unpeeled

1 onion, sliced

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 chilli, finely chopped

Olive oil

S&P

Instructions:

Heat oven to 200c.

Line an oven tray with aluminium foil & brush with a thin layer of olive oil.

Score each aubergine half with a criss-cross cuts & place the aubergines on the tray, skin side down.

Generously baste the top side (aubergine flesh) with olive oil and add a sprinkle of salt.

Place the whole garlic cloves on the tray.

Bake for 30 minutes if you are using smaller aubergines, and roughly 45 minutes if you are using large aubergine. The flesh should be very tender.

Using a spoon, scoop out the aubergine flesh and place on a cutting board. The skin can be discarded.

Squeeze the garlic cloves from their peels & add to the aubergine.

For a more rustic dip, you can use a knife to roughly chop the aubergine & garlic.

For a smoother dip, you can blend the aubergine & garlic in a mixer.

Warm a 3 tbsp olive oil in a pot. Add the onion & simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

Once the onions are golden & soft, add the aubergine mix, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, S&P.

Cook on low, stirring very regularly for 5 minutes.

Place in a serving bowl & scatter freshly chopped chillies over the top.