Delicious sumac roasted eggplant is served with a medley of warm cherry tomatoes, roasted almonds, quinoa and fresh mint. A herb-lemon yoghurt dressing gives it more bright Mediterranean flavors.
Prep Time15minutes
Cook Time35minutes
Total Time50minutes
Servings4
Calories499kcal
AutorElle
Ingredients
For the main dish:
2medium eggplantssliced lengthwise into 4 pieces
5tablespoonsolive oil,seperated
2teaspoonsground sumac
1cupuncooked quinoa(200 g)
350-400gcherry tomatoes,halved
2teaspoonswhite balsamic vinegar
handful fresh mint leaves,chopped
35gslivered almonds,lightly toasted
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper,to taste
For the yogurt sauce:
1x 170 g container Greek yogurt
1tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
1clovegarlic,minced
Juice from 1 large lemon(about 4 tablespoons)
2tablespoonsfreshly chopped coriander
1tablespoonfreshly chopped mint
1tablespoonfreshly chopped parsley
sea salt and freshly ground pepper,to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
With a sharp knife, score a criss-cross pattern on eggplant slices (cut-side). In a small bowl, mix together 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil with the sumac. Brush the eggplant slices well with the sumac-spiced olive oil. Season with a little salt.
Place the eggplant slices on the prepared baking tray, cut-side up, in a even layer and roast for 35 minutes, or until tender (check at 30 minutes, as ovens can vary slightly).
Rinse the uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Drain well. Place in a medium saucepan and cook according to package instructions, in double the amount of water for about 20 minutes. Once most of the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is light and fluffy, remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let stand for another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss the tomatoes with the vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the tomatoes to the baking tray and roast with the eggplant for the last 15 minutes of the cooking time.
While everything is cooking, prepare the yoghurt dressing. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients until well-combined. Set aside.
Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large bowl, add the mint, almonds, and roasted tomatoes; toss to combine. Place the quinoa mixture on a serving platter, drizzle with the remaining oil and top with the roasted eggplant slices and drizzle with a little of the yoghurt dressing. Garnish with extra mint leaves.
Serve the rest of the yoghurt on the side and enjoy!
Notes
I like to use a mix of herbs for the yoghurt dressing. This can be simplified by using only mint or simply two herbs, rather than all three.