Grilled Aubergine & Courgette Salad with Toasted Seeds & Tahini Dressing

PREP TIME: mins

COOKING TIME: mins

This is my kind of salad! Lots of flavours, textures and colours.

Grilled aubergines and courgettes with garlic and olive oil sits on a bed of crunchy cos lettuce topped with salty and sweet cumin toasted seeds before being drizzled with a zingy tahini and yogurt dressing.

Pure bliss! Make the salad when aubergines and courgettes are at their peak late summer.

Seasonal Swaps: if not vegan you can swop the maple syrup for honey and use a good full fat yogurt.

Serving Suggestion:

Serve the salad as part of a summer table full of little plates. Perhaps a focaccia bread, hummus and some fritters.

What you'll need:

2 Baking trays

Ingredients:

  • 2 large aubergines, cut into 1cm rounds
  • 3 large courgettes, cut into 1cm rounds
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 heads cos lettuce or baby cos lettuce
  • salt & pepper
  • Garnish: lemon wedges & micro herbs

Toasted Seeds

  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
  • 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar
  • pinch salt

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1/2 garlic clove, minced
  • pinch salt
  • juice & zest of 1 small lemon
  • 2 tablespoons yogurt of choice
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water (or more)

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c
  2. Add the aubergine and courgette slices to a small bowl, add the garlic and season with salt & pepper, toss to mix well. Spread over the baking trays making sure the veggies are laying in a single layer. Roast for 35 minutes, turning halfway, until soft and golden. You can add more olive oil at any point if the veggies looks dry. Remove from the heat.
  3. Meanwhile add your toasted seeds to a small frying pan on a medium heat, add the sugar, salt and olive oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the seeds are golden and starting to pop. It might be a good idea to cover the pan with a lid as pumpkin seeds has the ability to pop out of the pan. Remove and cool on a plate.
  4. For the dressing, in a small bowl add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, zest, maple syrup, oil, yogurt and pinch of salt. Stir well and add the water (and maybe more) bit by bit until you are happy with the consistency.
  5. To serve arrange the lettuce to the bottom of a large serving plate, top with the roasted veggies, spoon over the dressing before sprinkling the toasted seeds. Serve with wedges of lemon and olive oil, enjoy!

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