Denise says:

  • At Rosh Hashanah, we enjoy the Seven Species, which were staple foods consumed by the Jewish people in the land of Israel during biblical times.
  • These include barley and pomegranates, used in this recipe, as well as wheat, grapes, figs, olives and dates.
  • To get a delicious smoky flavour in your baba ghanoush, char the skin of your aubergines over a flame, using long tongs to turn the aubergine over as each patch blisters.
  • Preparation Time: 25 minutes
  • Cooking Time  45 minutes
  •  Serves:  4  people

Ingredients:

  • For the Baba Ghanoush:
  • 2 large aubergines
  • 30g tahini
  • 2 small garlic cloves – peeled and crushed
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lemon – juice only
  • Barley Salad:
  • 200g barley
  • 500ml vegetable stock (use 1 tablespoon of stock powder or 1 cube vegetable stock to 500ml water)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 25g packet fresh mint – leaves only, finely chopped
  • 2 spring onions – finely chopped
  • 1 lemon – juice and zest
  • Garnish:
  • Seeds from 1 pomegranate
  • Sprigs of fresh mint
  • 2 tablespoons pistachio nut kernels – toasted

Method

  1. If you don’t have an open flame (from gas hob or BBQ), preheat your grill to its highest setting. Place the aubergines on baking paper and grill for 30 minutes or until completely softened, blackened and blistered, turning them halfway through with a pair of tongs. Set aside and leave to cool completely.
  2. Transfer to a bowl. Peel off the burnt skin and discard the tops. Roughly chop the aubergine flesh and mix in the tahini, garlic, coriander, olive oil, lemon juice and season well. Set aside.
  3. Meanwhile cook the barley in 500ml vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes with the lid on, or until tender.
  4. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas mark 6. Place the pistachio nuts on an oven tray and toast until slightly golden – about 6-8 minutes. Leave to cool and then roughly chop.
  5. Mix all the barley salad ingredients together and transfer to a serving plate. Spoon on the baba ghanoush. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds, pistachio nuts, sprigs of mint and a final drizzle of olive oil.
Tagged in: aubergine, Barley, BBQ, Buffet, Coriander, Israeli, Lebanese, Lunch, Middle East, Mint, Pistachio Nuts, pomegranate, Rosh Hashanah, Starter, Tahini, Yom Tov