Baba Ganoush with griled Halloumi and Beetroot salad by Dalziel Douglas from the Black Douglas Coffee House.

This makes a fabulous  starter or light lunch

Serves 2 for lunch or 4 for a starter…I often serve it as part of a middle eastern spread.

Baba Ganoush…

• Ingredients:
  
• 2 aubergines
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoons tahini or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or more to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• smoked paprika to garnish
• fresh mint to garnish

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Place aubergine on baking sheet, and make holes in the skin with a fork.
• Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft.
• Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water.
• Remove from water, and peel skin off.
• Place aubergine, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic in an electric blender, and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer aubergine mixture to a medium size mixing bowl, and slowly mix in olive oil. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.
• Dry fry sunflower seeds on a low heat until golden brown but not burnt – to decorate when serving
• When ready to serve, sprinkle with toasted sunflower seeds, some smoked paprika and fresh mint

Beetroot salad – see previous recipe

When you are ready to eat you need to prepare the Halloumi. You should have Beetroot salad and Babaghanoush prepared well in advance

Grilled Halloumi…this is actually dry fried rather than grilled.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet Halloumi cut into 0.75cm slices
• Chopped fresh mint

Instructions:

• Get your frying pan really hot and then place the halloumi slices in it.
• Leave for 1 minute and check the under side. It should be golden brown. turn with a spatula and repeat on the other side.
• When golden on both sides it is ready to serve. arrange on plates.
• Sprinkle with chopped mint and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Delicious!!