Zaalouk and an Aubergine Dip

Here are two of our favourite aubergine dips inspired by the cuisine of Greece and Morocco. Zaalouk is a Moroccan aubergine salad, usually served with warm flatbread. We like to add roasted pepper to give the dish colour and add a touch of sweetness. Our other aubergine dip is very much inspired by baba ganoush, where the Aubergines are roasted and blackened, then pureed with tahini and lots of garlic. Both dips are delicious as part of a mezze.

For more aubergine inspiration, check out these related posts:

• Rachel's top tips for buying and cooking with aubergines
• An Italian recipe for Aubergine Involtini
• Turkish Turlu with Middle Eastern Freekeh and Herbs
• How to roast aubergines with Middle Eastern Za'atar spices

Zaalouk

Serves: 4 | Dietary: Vegan

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 large aubergine
• 1 red pepper
• 2 large tomatoes (about 300g) 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• pinch of paprika
• pinch of chilli flakes
• juice of 1⁄2 lemon
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
2. Place the whole aubergine on a foil-lined roasting tray and bake for about 45 minutes until soft. Allow to cool a little, then peel away and discard the skin. Chop the flesh up roughly, then place the flesh in a colander over a bowl and allow the juices to run out.
3. Cut the pepper in half, remove the seeds, then grill until the skin blackens. Place in a bowl and cover with cling film. Set aside for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle and the skin comes away easily when peeled. Discard the skin, and chop the pepper finely.
4. Place the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl and cover with hot water from a just-boiled kettle. After 2–3 minutes, remove from the water and peel away the skins. If they don’t come off easily, place back in the hot water for a minute more. Chop roughly.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, then add the chopped garlic. Fry for a minute until the garlic is just beginning to colour, then add the tomatoes. Cook on a medium heat for 5–10 minutes, until they soften and can be mashed with a fork.
6. Add the cumin, paprika and chilli, then stir through the aubergine and pepper and gently cook for 5 minutes.
7. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper, tasting and adjusting to balance the flavours. You may want to add more paprika, chilli and lemon.
8. Remove from the heat and add the chopped herbs.
9. Serve at room temperature with warm pitta bread.

Aubergine Dip

Aubergines are roasted and blackened in Greece, Turkey and in the Middle East and made into a dip, sometimes smooth and sometimes chunky, but always with lots of garlic! This dip is delicious as part of a mezze and goes particularly well with the roasted aubergines we shared with you last week!

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Dietary: Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 large aubergine
• 1 whole head of garlic
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Sea salt and black pepper Aleppo pepper flakes, to garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
2. Prick the aubergine all over and bake for about 45 minutes, until the skin is wrinkly and beginning to blacken.
3. At the same time, put the whole bulb of garlic, unpeeled, into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
4. Let the aubergine cool, then place in a food processor.
5. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins and place in the food processor with the aubergine.
6. Pulse quickly to chop up the aubergine, then add the tahini and lemon juice.
7. Season to taste and serve with a sprinkling of Aleppo pepper.

Tips

• A Turkish dried and flaked chilli pepper, Aleppo has a mild heat similar to a Mexican ancho chilli, with a sweet, slightly smoky tomato-like flavour. Use it instead of paprika and black pepper as it will add colour and a little kick of spicy heat.
• If you prefer your aubergine with a more charred flavour, blacken it over a gas flame on a fork, or under the grill. Remove the blackened, burnt skin and you will be left with a smoky flavour; for a very strong flavour, add some of the blackened skin when you blend the dip.

Delicious food photography by Rob Wicks of Eat Pictures.

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