Walnut and pomegranate baby aubergines with saffron quinoa

Serves 4 as a main or 8 as a side Starters and mains

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Method

Rinse and drain the quinoa. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the whole chilli, saffron and drained quinoa, stir and cook, uncovered, over a medium heat for around 14 minutes until just about nuttily tender. Drain and set aside in a serving bowl.

Put the walnuts, garlic and some salt in a pestle and mortar and work into a paste. Mix in the tomato purée and 1 1⁄2tbsp of the pomegranate molasses and season well. Slice through the aubergines as if quartering them lengthways, but taking care not to cut through the stem. Open each one up like a flower and stuff with the walnut mix.

Heat 2tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan that has a lid over a medium high heat. When hot, carefully sit the aubergines in the frying pan and cook for a couple of minutes until blistering, turning so they blister all over. Pour 2tbsp water into the pan, put the lid on and let the aubergines cook for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, finish preparing the quinoa. Slice the red onions into thin half-moons. Heat the remaining 2tbsp olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the onions until soft and taking on some colour. Stir in the mustard seeds and ras el hanout, followed by the orange juice and rosewater, then stir everything through the quinoa.

Finely chop the preserved lemon and apricots then roughly chop the dill and mint, reserving a few whole mint leaves to garnish. Stir through the quinoa, keeping back some of the dill to garnish.

When the aubergines are ready, carefully lift each one out and on to the quinoa. Pour over any juices or stuffing left in the pan, followed by the remaining 1tbsp pomegranate molasses. Scatter over the reserved herbs and serve.