Warm salad for the cold spring

We still have snow on the ground... Spring is the time when the heavy stews and roasts give place to light salads and everything green, but in this cold weather we still need something that warms. Luckily the world is full of wonderful recipes for warm salads.

Also, we should eat more vegetables, for ecological reasons, for health reasons and also, for economical reasons. For some reason though, I seem to often lack inspiration and imagination. Most of our regular recipes have meat. This one doesn't  but it still gives you this hearty feeling of not being hungry soon. It also warms you up, both because it is eaten warm and because it has heat from the spices.

I think the original recipe has been taken from the Delicious -magazine, but this is probably no longer like the original. Evolution takes place in the kitchen.

Warm Aubergine - Halloumi Salad

2 aubergines (eggplants) in pieces
1 garlic with cloves separated but not peeled
1-2 tbsp Harissa-paste
2 tbsp olive oil
2 handfuls of dried chickpeas soaked and boiled according to the package instructions
1 red oignon sliced
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper
(1 red chili if you really like the heat - we passed as children ate this also)
a package of halloumi sliced
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 rtbsp oil
rucola and coriander (cilantro)

Put the oven on to 190 degrees (C) Roll the garlic cloves in oil and put them to the oven for a while (15-20min). Mix the aubergine pieces with oil and harissa and add with the cloves. Leave into the oven for about 30min - until the aubergine is cooked and garlic soft and mushy. Mix in the chickpeas and put back to the oven for 10 minutes.

Once the aubergine is in the oven add some white wine vinegar on the oignon. Add some salt and pepper and leave aside.

Take the aubergines and garlic and put them into a serving bowl. Brown the halloumi slices on a pan with little oil. (With the chili if you use it). Add to the salad, you may want to cut them into bitesize pieces.

Mix the lemon zest and juice with the oignon. Add oil to your taste. Check for the seasoning. Mix with the salad.


Add rucola and coriander. Mix and serve.


The leftovers are great with pasta the day after (just add a bit of the pasta cooking water).