Baked Aubergine with Fenugreek and Mint

[Nick]

Baked Aubergine with Fenugreek and Mint, Spinach Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the aubergine
2 aubergines
2 shallots
100ml olive oil
1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp crème fraiche
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper

For the Salad
juice of 1/2 lemon
½ bunch mint leaves
2 plum tomatoes
1 bag fresh spinach leaves
2 hard-boiled eggs
25g pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp clear runny honey
25g sunflower seeds

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6

Cut the aubergine crossways into two even halves.

Hollow out one piece and carefully cut a small slice off the end so it can stand upright.

Season with salt and pepper, drizzle a little olive oil over and place in the oven for 15 minutes.

Cut the other half of the aubergine horizontally in half and season with salt, pepper, fenugreek and cumin.

Drizzle with olive oil and wrap up in tin foil, place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Heat a frying pan over a moderate heat and toast the pumpkin and sunflower seeds in a little olive oil for 3-4 minutes, then pour in the honey and pull off the heat.

In a large mixing bowl mix the toasted seeds with the spinach, then grate the hard-boiled eggs into the leaves.

Season lightly and arrange with the sliced tomato around the outside of the plate.

Unwrap the baked aubergine from the foil, scoop the flesh out and mix with the peanut butter and a little crème fraiche.

Place into the baked aubergine cup and serve on the spinach leaves topped with a spoon of crème fraiche.