roasted aubergine with slow cooked onion and feta

my love affair with jerusalem continues. i’m still trying new recipes but am also starting to make for the second, third or more-th time some of the dishes which i’ve particularly enjoyed.

this roasted aubergine with fried onion and chopped lemon is one such dish. it’s very simple – the aubergines are halved and the flesh scored in a criss-cross pattern before roasting, skin side down, until they are golden and cooked through.

the topping is a simple of mix of slow-cooked onions to which chopped chilli, cumin, sumac and, most interestingly, feta are added. the final few minutes when these are cooked is when the feta starts to melt and integrate the flavours of the onion, chilli and spices. the final touch is a “sauce” of chopped lemon, minus the pith and skin, plus a little more chilli and garlic which adds a wonderful freshness to everything.

served at room temperature with just warmed onions and the lemon sauce, this is easy to make ahead and perfect as part of a jerusalem feast!