ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH TAHINI YOGHURT & POMEGRANTE

Roasted Eggplant With Tahini Yoghurt & Pomegranate 
Serves 6-8 (side)

Ingredients:
4 medium eggplants, cut in half down the middle
1 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup mint, roughly chopped
1/2 pomegranate, seeds removed
1/4 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
125g haloumi, chopped into small cubes (optional)

Tahini Yoghurt:
3 tbsp Greek/ natural yoghurt
1 tbsp tahini
1/2 large lemon, juice squeezed
1 tbsp honey Pinch sea salt flakes

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place the cut eggplants in a casserole/roasting dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt. Roast in the oven for approx. 30-35 mins, until the eggplants are cooked, and the flesh is just soft.

2. Meanwhile, to make the tahini yoghurt: Mix all ingredients together. Adjust to taste.

3. Place a small frypan onto medium heat and drizzle a little olive oil. Cook the haloumi pieces about 2-3 minutes each side until golden. Remove and set aside somewhere warm.

4. Once the eggplants have cooled, drizzle on the tahini yoghurt. Top with the chopped herbs, pomegranate seeds, toasted almonds and fried haloumi. You can drizzle with a little more honey if it tickles your fancy. Season well. 

SYRIAN CHICKEN SERVED WITH COUS COUS 

Syrian Chicken Served With Cous Cous 
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
Syrian Chicken:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
 2 teaspoons sea salt
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3cm piece ginger, finely chopped
2 teaspoons each of ground cumin, ground cinnamon, ground turmeric
400g canned tomatoes, chopped
1.2kg chicken thighs, chopped into large cubes 500ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
3/4 cup currants
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 tbsp honey
1 cup frozen green beans (optional)
Fresh coriander to serve & for garnish

Cous Cous Salad:
2 cups cous cous
1/2 cup currants, soaked in boiling water for 2-3 minutes
1/4 cup coriander, roughly chopped
1/4 cup mint, roughly chopped
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest

Method:
1.Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

2. Season the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of the sea salt.

3. Heat oil over low/medium heat in a large oven proof saucepan/casserole dish. Add the onion with 1 teaspoon of salt and gently cook for about 10 mins, giving it a stir occasionally. Add the garlic, ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes.

4. Stir through the cumin, cinnamon & turmeric for 1 minute. Add the tinned tomatoes and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Add chicken pieces and the stock to the pan and combine gently. Place the dish/pan in the oven, covered, and cook for 1.5 hours or until the sauce has thickened up.

5. Meanwhile, cook cous cous as per packet instructions. Pour it into a medium/large salad bowl. Add the soaked currants, chopped herbs, chopped pistachios. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice. Season well. Remove from the Syrian chicken oven, scatter in the currants and green beans and stir. Add the honey, lemon juice and zest and combine. Scatter over some fresh coriander leaves and serve alongside the cous cous.