I love his recipes, and he always comes up with the best and most innovative salads which are always so colourful and appetising.
This recipe appealed to me for the colours, but also the textures (plus I love aubergine, basil and pine nuts so it was always going to be a winner for me!).
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 2 medium-sized aubergines
- olive oil for brushing
- 2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
- a large handful of pomegranate seeds
- a large handful of basil leaves
- sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
And for the saffron yogurt:
- a small pinch of saffron strands
- 3 Tbsp hot water
- 200 g thick Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove, finely crushed
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt flakes
Directions:
1. Start off by making the sauce. Placing the saffron strands onto glass, then cover with hot water and let them infuse for 5 minutes. Next, pour the infusion into a bowl that contains a combination of the yoghurt, crushed garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Whisk until you get a smooth golden sauce. Taste for seasoning. Chill in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
Tip: This can be made in advance of up to 3 days.
2. Next cut up the aubergines into 1 cm slices (cross-wise). Brush both sides with oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper for seasoning. Grill both sides on a very hot griddle pan until soft and golden brown. Or alternatively you can roast them in the oven for 20-30 minutes – set the temperature to 220C.
Tip: This can also be done up to 3 days in advance. Simply keep the roasted aubergine slices in the fridge, but remember to bring them to room temperature before serving.
3. Layer the roasted aubergine slices on a serving dish. Drizzle the saffron yogurt on top, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, torn basil leaves and pomegranate seeds to serve and enjoy!
