Middle Eastern Roast Vegetable Salad

This salad goes beautifully with the spiced lamb backstrap. Admittedly, it takes a little longer to prepare, but if you can roast the vegetables in advance it can be assembled very quickly. It can be served warm or cold and keeps brilliantly for lunch the next day (although you are unlikely to have any leftovers!)

½ head of cauliflower

1 eggplant

400g green beans, topped

½ bunch dutch carrots

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

½ pomegranate seeded

¼ cup parsley, finely sliced

¼ cup mint leaves, finely sliced

zest of one lemon

¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

dressing

¼ cup olive oil

juice of ½ a lemon

½ tspn cinnamon

1 tbspn pomegranate molasses

1 tspn balsamic vinegar

1 tspn honey            

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Steam the cauliflower for about 5 minutes or til just tender. Cut into florets. Cut eggplant into cubes and place in a colander, sprinkle with salt and allow to stand for 30 mins. Pat dry eggplant. Scrub carrots and halve lengthways. Combine eggplant, cauliflower and carrots in a baking dish, spray with olive oil and roast for 30 mins (you may need 2 baking dishes – don’t overcrowd or the veggies will sweat instead of bake). Steam beans and refresh under cold water.

Combine vegetables in a bowl, add chickpeas, parsley, mint and zest. Combine all ingredients for dressing and then spoon over the vegetables. Add pomegranate seeds and slivered almonds. Mix gently to combine.