Vegetable stacks and chocolatey snacks
BABY AUBERGINE & ROASTED PEPPER SALAD
THIS DISH has layers of creamy aubergine and roasted pepper with a honey and garlic dressing. Use baby aubergines if possible, otherwise choose small, slender aubergines. The key to delicious aubergines is to cook them until they’ve turned from firm and spongy to soft and meltingly tender and the surface is a rich, caramel brown. Be patient.
Like all purple fruits, aubergines are good for brain health. Red peppers are rich in vitamin A for immunity and eye health, while pine nuts and pistachios help lower blood pressure.
INGREDIENTS
1 kg (2 lb) baby aubergines
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Fine sea salt
4 roasted red peppers, about half a jar
For the dressing
225 ml (8 fl oz) Greek yoghurt
1 large clove garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander or flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp thin honey
¼ tsp sea salt
15 grinds black pepper
To serve
50 g (2 oz) toasted pine nuts 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley Extra-virgin olive oil
Serves six to eight
Keeps two days in the fridge Do not freeze
Per serving: 184 cals, 15 g carbs
METHOD
● Set the grill to high with the oven rack 8-10cm (3-4in) below the element.
● Halve the baby aubergines lengthways, or cut full-size ones into 1.5 cm (½in) diagonal slices.
● Arrange on a grill pan, brush generously with the oil on all sides, including the skin, and sprinkle both sides lightly with salt.
● Grill for 10-15 minutes until golden brown on one side, then turn the slices over with a spatula and grill for another 10-15 minutes, until the second side is golden brown and the flesh is meltingly soft and creamy.
Keep a close eye on the aubergines while grilling so they don’t burn.
● Remove the aubergines from the grill and cover lightly with foil.
● To make the dressing, put the yoghurt in a bowl, add the garlic, peeled and crushed in a press, followed by the rest of the dressing ingredients and whisk together with a fork until evenly mixed.
● Drain the roasted peppers from their liquid and slice them thickly.
● Spread a quarter of the dressing in the centre of a large plate or shallow serving dish. Add a third of the aubergines, then a third of the peppers. Build up two more layers in the same way, ending with the remaining dressing. ● Sprinkle with the pine nuts, pomegranate seeds and herbs, then finish with a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve at room temperature.
JEWELLED CHOCOLATE & POMEGRANATE DISCS
These indulgent, easy-to-make chocolate discs, with their irresistible mix of smooth dark chocolate, crunchy nuts and tangy fresh pomegranate seeds, are a healthy alternative to a box of chocolates and make a beautiful after-dinner treat. Unsweetened chocolate contains polyphenols, antioxidants that can help prevent heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.
Pomegranate seeds, which replace the sugar-laden glacé cherries traditionally used in Florentines, are rich in antioxidants and help control blood pressure. The nuts are a good source of protein, healthy fats and vitamins B and E.
Mixing melted and unmelted chocolate together (a process known as tempering) changes the structure of the chocolate, giving the finished discs a lovely glossy finish.
For a nut-free version of the discs, you could use cacao nibs, dried coconut pieces, or dried fruit such as sultanas, raisins, cherries, or chopped apricots instead of the pecans and the pistachios.
Makes 10-12
Eat within one day.
Keeps three days at room temperature if dried fruit, such as goji berries or cherries, is used instead of the pomegranate seeds.
Per serving: 93 cals, 6g carbs
INGREDIENTS
100 g (3 ½ oz) good quality dark eating chocolate (70 per cent cocoa if possible) 100 g (3 ½ oz) pecan halves or chopped pistachios, or a mixture
2 tbsp fresh pomegranate seeds
Judi’s tip: As a short-cut, use a 100g pack of giant dark chocolate buttons instead of eating chocolate. Soften them slightly in the microwave, then arrange on a lined baking sheet and add toppings as before. The chocolate won’t stay glossy but will taste fine.
METHOD
● Line a tray with baking paper.
● Chop chocolate into small pieces. Put twothirds in a bowl and microwave on half power in 10-to-20-second bursts until just melted. Alternatively, melt it in a heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water for three to four minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost melted, then remove from heat.
● With either method, add the remaining third of unmelted chocolate to the bowl, mixing vigorously for a minute or two until smooth. If the mixture is still lumpy, warm it slightly, either by a 10-second burst in the microwave or over the hot water in the saucepan.
● Working quickly before the chocolate starts to set, drop teaspoonfuls of the melted chocolate on to the paper, spreading each into a 5 cm (2in) circle with the back of your spoon. ● Stud each disc with pomegranate seeds and the nuts or other toppings.
Leave to set, but don’t refrigerate or the chocolate will lose its shine.
Judi Rose and Dr Jackie Rose are the authors of To Life! Healthy Jewish Food