Roasted Graffiti Aubergines & Sweet Peppers in Chilli Oil with Halloumi & Sourdough Toasts
Roasted Graffiti Aubergines & Sweet Peppers in Chilli Oil
with
Halloumi & Sourdough Toasts
Graffiti aubergines and Sweet peppers
My love of cooking (and baking) stems from many sources – watching both grandmothers and my mum bake and cook, enjoying special meals out as a family when I was little, as well as shopping and seeing new and exciting ingredients. So, when I saw some wonderfully colourful sweet peppers and “graffiti aubergines” earlier on this year in our local Morrison’s supermarket, I was inspired to create a new recipe with my new-found ingredients. The sweet peppers were a gaily vibrant collection of colours – orange, red and yellow, and they almost looked artificial as their skin was so perfect and their colours so bright. The graffiti aubergines by contrast, were subtly striped and rather elegant and in wonderful hues of pale mauves and well, aubergine purple.
Graffiti Aubergines
With my vegetable booty safely purchased and unpacked, I started to hunt around in my parent’s kitchen, where I was staying at the time, to see what else I could add for my new recipe; there was a a packet of halloumi cheese in the fridge and I had just received some gorgeous deep red chilli oil from Waitrose, as part of a cooking and recipe development challenge, so the recipe ideas started to unfold…….and the idea was cemented when I spied some sourdough bread in the bread bin as well as some salad leaves lurking in the salad crisper drawer of the fridge.
Roasted Graffiti Aubergines & Sweet Peppers in Chilli Oil with Halloumi & Sourdough Toasts
As mum is a vegetarian and dad is “demi-veg, I decided to develop a hearty alternative vegetarian Sunday Lunch, and as you will be able to see from my photos. This recipe for Roasted Graffiti Aubergines & Sweet Peppers in Chilli Oil with Halloumi & Sourdough Toasts is a rather large plate of fabulous ingredients. The recipe went down a storm and none of us managed to eat it all, so there were some tasty leftovers put to one side for a snack later on in the day……namely a halloumi and roasted vegetable sandwich for me. The quantities listed below in my printable recipe card are for three generous servings, but this recipe would also feed four people with ease.
Roasted Graffiti Aubergines & Sweet Peppers in Chilli Oil with Halloumi & Sourdough Toasts
So, if you have a glut of peppers, or a surfeit of aubergines, or maybe you just fancy a change for your main weekend family meal, this is the recipe for you; you will be rewarded with a plate of chilli infused roast vegetables, with salty pan-fried cheese, crisp toasts and cooling salad leaves……it’s a fabulous combination of taste and textures and it’s become a firm family favourite since I first created the recipe earlier on this year. Ring the changes by using feta cheese or adding ground cumin in place of the chilli flakes – or, add some courgettes to the roasted pepper and aubergine mixture. For meat eaters, why not add some grilled spicy sausages in place of the halloumi cheese? The recipe is a blue print of so many other options, and a great way to showcase seasonal vegetables. I truly hope you will enjoy the recipe as much as we did and still do……have a wonderful Sunday, and see you next week with more new recipes, traveller’s tales, reviews and a couple of new giveaways. Karen
Roasted Graffiti Aubergines & Sweet Peppers in Chilli Oil with with Halloumi & Sourdough Toasts
Print recipe
| Serves | 3 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 35 minutes |
| Total time | 50 minutes |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish |
| Misc | Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Casual Party |
| Region | Turkish |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 450g mixed sweet peppers, trimmed, de-seeded and cut into quarters
- 2 graffiti aubergines, trimmed and cut into chunks (or normal aubergines)
- 2 large onions, peeled and cut into quarters
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 2 tablespoons chilli oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chilli flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 250g packet Halloumi, cut into thick slices - 3 slices per person
- a little olive oil
- 6 slices sourdough bread, lightly toasted
- salad leaves
- flat leaf parsley, chopped (to serve)
Note
A delightfully colourful vegetarian recipe that is full of flavour, taste and texture; this dish takes advantage of some of the different seasonal vegetables that are available in larger supermarkets and farm shops, such as graffiti aubergines and vibrant sweet peppers. If cooking this dish for children, omit or adjust the chilli content to suit - ground cumin can be added as an alternative to the chilli flakes.
Directions
| Step 1 | Pre-heat oven to 225C/450F/Gas mark 7. |
| Step 2 | Place the prepared peppers, graffiti aubergines, onions and garlic into a large roasting tray/tin and add the chilli oil. Move the vegetables around in the chilli oil so they are all coated and then add the chilli flakes, salt and pepper. |
| Step 3 | Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until the vegetables are soft and slightly charred, but still retain their shape. |
| Step 4 | Just before the vegetables are cooked, heat some olive oil in a frying-pan and cook the halloumi cheese until the slices are light brown. |
| Step 5 | Arrange some salad leaves onto a plate or sharing platter and spoon the cooked vegetables in chilli oil over the leaves. Arrange the halloumi slices on top of the vegetables, garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley and serve with the sourdough toasts. |
Roasted Graffiti Aubergines & Sweet Peppers in Chilli Oil with Halloumi & Sourdough Toasts
Roasted Graffiti Aubergines & Sweet Peppers in Chilli Oil with Halloumi & Sourdough Toasts
Mimi says
Oh my god!!! I could eat this every day. Gorgeous.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Mimi – it is a firm favourite in our family now too!
Dominic says
looks just so pretty… I saw so many gorgeous aubergine and mini aubergine in colours I never knew existed in Italy this summer and just like you I wanted to cook them but sadly couldn’t… love the use of haloumi here too… so very tasty and fresh and clean. Gorgeous!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Dom! I am a halloumi cheese addict and it is a great cheese when you are on a diet too!
Luca Marchiori says
You had me at the word ‘aubergine’: my favourite vegetable. I had no idea they were called ‘graffiti aubergines’. You learn something new every day. Thanks for the post.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Luca! There are many aubergine varieties, as you will know, such as small round ones and whites ones, but I particularity love these striped ones for a change! Karen
Galina V says
Love aubergines! Haven’t seen this variety locally, would love to try it. Fab looking dish!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Galina, these taste just like normal aubergines, but they just look so funky with their stripes!
Alison Walker says
Love Graffiti Aubergines but tonight for dinner I griddled a normal aubergine brushed with coconut oil, cherry tomatoes and halloumi cheese all served with Quinoa. Just seen your recipe, great minds etc….. Will try your version next time.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Alison and I LOVE your idea of brushing the aubergines with coconut oil too! Sounds wonderful! Karen
Lizzy (Good Things) says
A vibrant and delicious looking recipe!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Lizzy! This was a recipe that has been repeated many times!
Sylvia says
Love it! I have almost 4 kg of halloumi in the fridge – OH brought some home and thought it’s a good idea to have that amount in the fridge 🙂 so need lots of ideas how to use it up!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Sylvia, this is a fabulous recipe to make with some of your 4 kilos of halloumi! 🙂 Hope you enjoy it if you make it!
Glamorous Glutton says
I saw this on faceboo this morning, I just had to come and take a look. I love Halloumi, a firm favourite chez Glam. This looks like a perfect Veggie treat, good enough for the firmest of meat eaters. GG
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks GG! A very tasty recipe and as you say, even meat eaters love it too! Karen
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
The saltiness of the halloumi with the sweetness of roasted vegetables is definitely a wonderful meal! I love the addition of the chilli flakes…yum!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Kate! The salty halloumi does add an extra dimension to the sweet peppers and I am a bit of a chilli addict too!
HELEN says
this looks amazing – right up my street!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Helen! 🙂
Owen says
wow it’s really looks delicious.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Owen!
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
I want to did right in. Such a colourful way to eat up vegetables.
Karen Burns-Booth says
I am happy to make this recipe again any day of the week we enjoyed it so much Bintu!
All That I'm Eating says
I love those aubergines and this is my kind of meal! Love the sound of the sweet peppers with the salty halloumi, delicious!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Caroline! I love to go meat free for at least 2 to 3 days a week and this is filling as well as extremely tasty!