Ingredients

• 2 large courgettes
• 1 large red onion
• 1 aubergine
• 1 red pepper
• 1 block of haloumi
• Salad potatoes to serve

For the Pesto

• 50g flat leaf parsley
• 30g basil
• 50ml olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 tbs parmesan, grated.
• 1.5 tbs lemon juice

Method

1. Set the oven to 190º and get a heavy griddle pan on a high heat.
2. Cut the aubergine lengthways into 1 cm thick slices. Cut the courgettes into rounds at a diagonal angle, 1 cm think. Quarter the pepper. Quarter the onion keeping the root end so that the pieces hold together.
3. Place all the vegetables in a tray. Drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix the vegetables so that they all recieve a coating of the oil.
4. Get the potatoes on; cook them in salted water, at a simmer, for 15 minutes.
5. Cook the vegetables, in batches, on the hot griddle. Don’t move or turn them until you have good seared grill lines on them; about 5 minutes. Once a pan-full of vegetables are done, transfer them to the baking tray and put in the hot oven to fisnish – this way, the ones you do first will get longer in the oven – Grill the vegetables in this order:
   • onion
   • aubergine
   • peppers
   • courgette
6. Meanwhile, briefly toast the pinenuts in a hot, dry pan.
7. To make the pesto, combine the parsely, basil, oil, pinenuts, garlic, lemon juice and parmesan in a blender. Season with salt and pepperand whizz until well blended.
8. Once all the vegetables are cooked, transfer to a serving platter, and spread generously with about half of the pesto. Save the other half to have with pasta, another day.
9. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a small, nonstick frying pan. Cut the haloumi into 5mm slices and add to the pan. The cheese will sizzle. Wait until you have a good golden colour, then flip the slices. The second side will colour much quicker than the first.
10. Plate everything up, and eat it before the cheese cools and goes squeaky!

Filed under: recipes
Tuesday, April 28th, 2015 at 10:51 am