SPANISH-STYLE ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH HALLOUMI

Based on a classic Spanish vegetable dish called escalivada, this aubergine and pepper salad is supertasty and has a beautifully comforting texture. It looks as good as it tastes, so it’s a real winner.

SERVES 4

■ 3 aubergines, trimmed and left whole

■ 4 long red peppers

■ 1 red onion, finely sliced

■ 1tbsp sherry vinegar

■ 1 large cos lettuce, shredded

■ 3-4 medium tomatoes, sliced

■ 2tbsp capers

■ Leaves from a small bunch of mint, to garnish

■ Salt and black pepper

FOR THE HALLOUMI

■ 1tbsp olive oil

■ 2 x 225g blocks of halloumi, sliced

■ 1tsp dried mint

FOR THE DRESSING

■ 3tbsp olive oil

■ 1tbsp sherry vinegar

■ 1 garlic clove, peeled and left whole

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Pierce the aubergines all over with a knife tip or skewer, then place them on a baking tray with the peppers. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, until the peppers are blackened and the aubergines have started to collapse.

Put the red onion slices into a bowl, sprinkle them with salt and toss with the sherry vinegar. Leave to stand for half an hour.

For the dressing, whisk the olive oil and sherry vinegar together and season with salt and pepper. Bruise the garlic clove lightly and add it to the dressing. Leave to stand for half an hour.

When the aubergines and peppers are ready, remove them from the oven and put them in a bowl. Cover with a plate or tea towel, then leave them to steam as they cool. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the skin and seeds from the peppers and pull the flesh into strips. Pull the aubergine flesh apart.

Heat the oil for the halloumi in a frying pan and add the slices of cheese. Fry them until golden brown on both sides, in batches if necessary, then remove and sprinkle with the dried mint.

Arrange the shredded lettuce on a serving dish or individual plates. Top with the roasted peppers and aubergines and season with salt and pepper. Drain the onion slices and add them and the tomato slices to the salad. Sprinkle the capers over and drizzle with the salad dressing. Add the fried halloumi and garnish with mint.

The Hairy Bikers’ Ultimate Comfort Food by Si King and Dave Myers is published by Seven Dials and available in hardback at €29.99 from Dubray. Also available in ebook. Photography by Andrew Hayes-Watkins.

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