Name: Herby aubergine & tomato salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 large aubergine sliced into quarters lengthways, and cut into chunks; 2 tbsp olive oil; 250g punnet cherry tomatoes; small bunch each mint and flat-leaf parsley leaves coarsely chopped; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar; juice of ½ lemon; 1-2 garlic cloves crushed; pinch ground coriander

1 large aubergine
sliced into quarters lengthways, and cut into chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
250g punnet cherry tomatoes
small bunch each mint and flat-leaf parsley
leaves coarsely chopped

For the dressing

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
juice of ½ lemon
1-2 garlic cloves
crushed
pinch ground coriander

Method

step 1
Tip the aubergine into a colander, sprinkle all over with salt, then place a plate or bowl on top and weight down with a can. Leave for 30 mins, until some of the juices have run out. Meanwhile, make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together and set aside.
step 2
Squeeze any excess juices from the aubergines and brush away the salt. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan and gently fry the aubergine pieces until they are golden brown on both sides. As they absorb the oil quickly, it is important to fry them over a low heat, so that they soften and turn golden without needing to add more olive oil.
step 3
Tip the aubergine chunks into a shallow bowl and keep warm. Quickly toss the cherry tomatoes around the pan to soften and lightly blister, then add them to the bowl. Add the fresh herbs and pour over the dressing. Toss gently and serve.