Baked aubergine stuffed with plum & nectarine couscous
Baked aubergine stuffed with plum & nectarine couscous.
Serves 4 as a starter
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
2 medium aubergines
2 tsp olive oil
Juice 1 and zest ½ lemon
100g couscous
300ml boiling vegetable stock
1 South African plum, stoned and diced
½ nectarine, stoned and diced
4 sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
3 spring onions, finely sliced
25g pine nuts, toasted
Pinch ground cinnamon
For the dressing;
8 heaped tbsp Greek-style natural yoghurt
4 tsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
Small knob ginger, finely chopped
Small handful coriander, roughly chopped
Method
Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas mark 5. Leaving the stem on, cut the aubergine in half lengthways and criss-cross the flesh deeply with a sharp knife. Place in a shallow baking dish.
Mix the olive oil and lemon juice then brush over the scored surface of the aubergine. Season with freshly ground black pepper and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the flesh is tender.
Meanwhile, put the couscous in a large bowl, pour over the boiling stock, cover and leave to soak for 10 minutes until all the stock is absorbed.
Fluff up with a fork, then stir in the plum, nectarine, lemon zest, tomatoes, spring onions and pine nuts. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and mix together.
Remove the aubergine from the oven and scoop out the flesh, taking care to keep the skins intact. Chop the flesh and mix into the couscous.
Place the aubergine skins back in the baking dish and spoon in the couscous mix.
Return to the oven for 10 minutes to heat through while you mix all the dressing ingredients together. Serve hot with a mixed leaf salad and a drizzle of dressing.
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