Roasted Tomato & Aubergine on a Zesty Creamy Dressing

Tomatoes, garlic, aubergine, lemon and fresh herbs is a match made in heaven, especially when the produce you are using is freshly picked from the garden. 

I used a mix of baby tomatoes and some larger varieties but you could use a mix of what you have. The larger tomatoes I cut in half and placed in the roasting dish cut side up so that they roasted in the same time frame as the smaller varieties. 

No need to peel your aubergines. Most vegetables have such good nutrients just below the skins (like potatoes) so why waste that and besides the skin is fabulous fibre for your gut health. The skins will also soften as they roast. I don’t bother to salt and drain my aubergines. Most of them are no longer too bitter. But if you are concerned about the bitterness of your variety of aubergine or if your aubergine has been picked a little late, then sprinkle the pieces (once cut) with some salt, place them in a colander in your sink for about 20 min to half an hour and then rinse them and pat dry immediately as they are like sponges and you don’t want them absorbing excess water. The trick to not getting soggy aubergines when you cook them (which is what often puts people off of them) is making sure your oven is super hot when they go in. That way they blister and caramelise on the outside and stay soft on the inside. 

Vegan or Dairy-free: You can substitute out the full-cream plain yoghurt with coconut yogurt and the feta cheese for a vegan/dairy-free feta. The Woolworths dairy-free White Salad Cheese is a good alternative or you could leave the feta out and just adjust the seasoning as the feta adds a saltiness to the dressing. 

For the fresh herbs, use what you have in abundance in your garden. I love a combination of a big bunch of coriander with a few mint leaves and a few basil leaves. Remember to reserve some of your herbs for the topping along with the crispy onions. This topping provides a nice crunch combined with the smokey roasted veggies and creamy dressing.

Lastly this dish is fabulous served as a main for a vegan or vegetarian meal but it could also be used for a braai side or a Sunday roast accompaniment too. Serve on a large platter. 

Serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side dish 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 medium or 4 small aubergines
• roughly 500g tomatoes (whatever variety you have in abundance)
• 3 whole cloves garlic
• olive oil
• 2 T Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika 
• 1 tsp mixed dried herbs
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme (if you have or leave out)
• sea salt & ground pepper

Dressing:

• 500g full cream plain yoghurt (or coconut yoghurt)
• 100g block of feta (or a dairy-free alternative)
• zest of one large lemon
• drizzle of olive oil
• bunch of fresh herbs, finely chopped

Topping:

• Reserved fresh herbs 
• Crispy onions (deep fry your own or use the store bought packet) 

Method:

Preheat your oven to 220C

Cut your aubergines lengthways in half and then in half again so that you have 4 long wedges. Place them in a bowl. In a little dish combine 3 tablespoons olive oil with 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and then drizzle over the aubergines in the bowl and using your hands toss them gently to coat each piece. Place them on a baking tray skin side down and sprinkle with sea salt and a grinding of black pepper. 

Place your tomatoes in a roasting dish with the 3 cloves of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried mix herbs, a few sprigs of fresh thyme and give them a toss around to coat. Sprinkle with some sea salt and black pepper.

Place the aubergines and tomatoes into the oven only once the oven has reached temperature and roast them for about 25 min until they are starting to caramelise and the aubergine is soft when pierced with a knife. Depending on the variety of tomatoes you use they may cook quicker so keep an eye on them. 

While the vegetables are roasting prepare your dressing. In a blender add your yoghurt, feta, lemon zest and salt and pepper and blitz to combine. While blending drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil to help create a smooth creamy texture. Don’t add your herbs to the blender (or else you will have a bright green dressing) rather place the dressing in a bowl, mix through your chopped herbs (reserving some herbs for the topping) and place the dressing in the fridge while your veggies roast. 

When the veggies are done, remove from the oven and allow them to rest for a bit. 

When you are ready to serve, spoon your dressing onto the base of a large platter and using the back of a spoon smooth it out to create a bed for the vegetables to sit on. Place the aubergines on the bed of the dressing and then add the tomatoes around them. Drizzle a little of the delicious liquid that was in the tomato pan (just a drizzle you don’t want everything swimming) over the top. 

At the last minute (to ensure the onions stay crunchy) sprinkle a mixture of your remaining fresh herbs and the crispy onions over the top.