savoury

Aubergine Fesenjan

• time: 50
• servings: 4

Ingredients

• 120 g walnuts
• 4 medium aubergines
• rapeseed oil
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 2 large red onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1.5 tbsp honey
• 0.75 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 250 ml hot vegetable stock
• 1 pomegranate pomegranate seeds
• 1 handful fresh coriander

Cookware

• oven
• large baking tray
• food processor
• large frying pan

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 °C and line a large baking tray with lightly oiled foil.
2. Blitz walnuts in a food processor to a fine crumb and leave to one side.
3. Cut medium aubergines (1.2kg) into 5 cm x 2 cm batons, toss with rapeseed oil, season lightly with salt and ground black pepper, and roast on the baking tray for 25 minutes or until meltingly soft.
4. While the aubergines are roasting, make the fesenjan sauce. Put rapeseed oil into a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add red onions thinly sliced and fry for 12 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure they don't burn.
5. Add garlic crushed and fry for a further 3 minutes.
6. Add honey, chilli powder, ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, the blitzed walnuts, and pomegranate molasses. Stir thoroughly to mix.
7. Add hot vegetable stock and cook for around 8 minutes, until the sauce comes together.
8. When the aubergines are tender, pour the sauce into a serving dish. Place the aubergines on top, and scatter with pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander. Serve alongside steamed basmati rice.