My daughter Catherine gave me this recipe way back in 2009 from her favourite lunch time cafe in Newcastle. It was called Longbench and was located in Darby Street, but sadly it has been closed for some years.
1 cup couscous
½ cup orange juice
½ cup boiling water
1 Tbs olive oil
Handful of baby rocket
Handful of mint leaves
1 medium eggplant
Handful of cocktail tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup toasted almond slivers or pine nuts
½ red onion thinly sliced
½ cup dried currants
Tomato chutney
Halloumi cheese cut into 8 thick chunks
Dressing
1 cooked beetroot or 2, depending on size
¼ cup orange juice
Pinch cinnamon
1 Tbs. your favourite vinegar
1 Tbs sugar
2-3 Tbs olive oil
Mix couscous with the orange juice, boiling water and 1 Tbs olive oil. Cover and leave for 15 minutes then fluff it up with a fork.
Preheat oven to 200° C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Slice the eggplant about one cm thick and arrange on the tray with the tomatoes. Brush them all over with some olive oil and season to taste. Bake for 25 minutes or until the eggplant is evenly browned on both sides. Cut the eggplant slices into long strips.
To the bowl of couscous add the tomatoes, eggplant, rocket leaves, mint leaves, almonds or pine nuts, onion and dried currants. Divide amongst 4 serving plates. Top each with a dollop of tomato chutney and two pieces of halloumi cheese, panfried until golden. Finish with some beetroot dressing.
Dressing
Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and mix. Add enough olive oil to make a nice consistency.
Serves 4
