Cinnamon-spiced aubergines with feta

This lunchbox salad is really something to look forward to come 1pm. The herbed bulgur is absolutely delicious with the roasted aubergines, sharp feta cheese and pops of sweetness from the pomegranate seeds. It’s lovely at room temperature, or warmed through if you can.

Serves: 3 lunchboxes Prep:10 minutes Cook:25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

200g bulgur wheat, rinsed 400ml vegetable stock 100g green pitted olives 1 large aubergine, sliced into ½ cm half moons

1 red onion, thickly sliced 1 scant tsp ground cinnamon ½ nutmeg, grated

1 tsp sea salt flakes

2 tbsp olive oil

25g flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

100g rocket, finely chopped 1 lemon, juice only, plus more if needed

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 200g feta cheese, crumbled 1 pomegranate, seeds only

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C. You will need two roasting tins for this dish: trust me I’ve tried doing it all in just one tin, and the aubergines do not like it.

Tip: the bulgur wheat, vegetable stock and olives into a smaller roasting tin while you get on with slicing the aubergines and onion.

Mix the vegetables with the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and olive oil in a second roasting tin, large enough to hold everything in a single layer.

Transfer both roasting tins to the oven for 25 minutes, until the aubergines are crisp and cooked through and the bulgur wheat is fluffy, with all the stock absorbed.

Stir the greens, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil through the bulgur wheat, then taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice as needed.

Let everything cool down, then transfer the bulgur wheat into lunchboxes, top with the roasted aubergines and scatter the feta cheese and pomegranate seeds over the top. Refrigerate until needed.

leave out the feta cheese at the end and add a tin of drained, rinsed chickpeas with the aubergines at step 2 for some added protein.

To make it vegan:

Recipe adapted from: The Quick Roasting Tin, Square Peg