Grilled Aubergine and Haloumi Salad

It’s hot… everyone is complaining about… it’s driving me crazy! But what’s the silver lining here? I really don’t feel like eating rich and heavy food right now. I want salads, light meals, smoothies; things which are cooling but still comforting and nourishing.

I have guests coming for dinner tonight and want to make something a little special. Donna Hay’s cook book ‘no time to cook’ is one of my favorites and this salad recipe really has the best of both worlds for me being quick but also a bit special. It’s light, cooling, nourishing but still has a sexy flair to it.

Grilled Aubergine and Haloumi Salad
Serves 4

2 aubergines, sliced
80ml of olive oil
1 ½ tsp of ground cumin
1 ½ tsp of smoked paprika
Salt (to taste)
200g of haloumi, sliced
400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
250g of cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup of flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 tsp of sumac

Minted yogurt dressing
¼ cup of mint leaves, finely chopped
¾ cup of plain yogurt
½ tsp of garlic, crushed
½ tsp of lemon zest
2 tsp of lemon juice

Pre-heat the oven on grill, place the rack close to the top of the oven. Brush both sides of the aubergines with olive oil sprinkle the slices with cumin, paprika and salt and place on a lined baking sheet. Grill until dark golden and cooked through.

Fry the haloumi slices until crispy and golden. Toss the chickpeas,
tomatoe and parsley in a small bowl and drizzle with olive and salt.

On a platter arrange the slices of aubergine, haloumi, tomato salad and dressing in stacks. Sprinkle the salad with sumac to garnish.

Recipe: from Donna Hay’s “no time to cook” – one of my favorite go to cook books.