Ideal for vegetarian entertaining or for a simple, meat-free meal, the mix of fragrant vegetables, sweet and sharp pomegranates and creamy labneh will have you making this dish time and time again. It is easy to make your own labneh but a good-quality Greek-style yogurt is a great substitute.
SERVES 4
FOR THE LABNEH
- 500g good-quality strained Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
FOR THE VEGETABLES
- 300g baby aubergines, cut in half lengthways
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp ras el hanout spice mix
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 pomegranate, deseeded
- A large handful each of parsley, mint and dill leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
- Quarter tsp ground sumac
- Make the labneh the day before serving. Line a large sieve with a cheesecloth and suspend it over a bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the cheesecloth and tie into a tight bundle. Transfer to the fridge and leave to drain for 24 hours, until spreadable.
- The next day, preheat the oven to 240C/gas 9. Put the aubergines, cauliflower and garlic into a large mixing bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Pour over the olive oil and add the cumin seeds, ras el hanout and turmeric. Give the mixture a good stir to coat the vegetables in the spice mix.
- Scrape the vegetables into a large roasting tin and transfer to the oven. Roast for 20–25 mins, turning halfway through cooking, until the vegetables are golden and just tender.
- While the vegetables are cooking, assemble the salad by tipping the onion into a salad bowl and pouring over the lemon juice. Set aside for 10 mins to allow the onion to soften before adding the pomegranate and herbs.
- Whisk together the olive oil, pomegranate molasses and, sumac and pour over the salad just before serving.
- To assemble, spoon the labneh onto a serving dish and spread it out using the back of a spoon. Tip the vegetables onto the labneh and serve with the salad.
Recipe taken from The Goodness of Ginger & Turmeric by Emily Jonzen, published by Kyle Books