Aubergine & red pepper chermoula

This vibrant aubergine and pepper stew is a delicious blend of North African-inspired flavours, and plenty of nutritional benefits, especially for hormonal health. It's one of my favourite side dishes because of its versatility; it pairs beautifully with various foods, adding a spicy, slightly sweet flavour. I often serve alongside roasted chicken, fish, lamb, or grilled halloumi with couscous or rice. To elevate the dish, I like to top it with crumbled feta, toasted pine nuts, and fresh coriander. The stew also works well for lunch, whether paired with eggs on sourdough or used to supercharge a grilled cheese sandwich or wrap. For a vegan main course, simply stir in a tin of chickpeas and top with extra nuts for extra protein.

Click here for a Sumac Chicken Traybake recipe that works perfectly with the chermoula (see photo below).

Incorporating a diverse array of plant foods is beneficial for our health, especially for hormonal balance during perimenopause:

• Fibre: Aubergines, red peppers, and onions are excellent sources of dietary fibre, which plays a vital role in gut health. A healthy gut microbiome is essential for hormone regulation, helping to metabolise and eliminate excess oestrogen via the gut.

• Blood Sugar Balance: Adding fibre and healthy fats from olive oil helps to stabilise blood sugar levels. Together, they slow the breakdown of food, providing sustained energy throughout the day. This can help mitigate common symptoms of irritability and fatigue associated with hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause.

• Micronutrients: Red peppers are particularly high in vitamin C, which may support collagen production and immune function. Meanwhile, garlic and onions are understood to promote liver health and maintain a healthy immune system. A well-functioning liver is crucial for detoxifying hormones, the first stage of clearing excess hormones from the body before they are excreted through the gut.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

• 3 small aubergines, cut into half-moon slices

• 3 small red onions, cut into half-moon slices

• 3 red peppers, sliced

• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped or grated finely

• 2 heaped tsp ras el hanout spice blend

• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

• Handful of sultanas or 4 chopped dates/dried apricots

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).Place the aubergine slices on a baking tray, coat well with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turn and roast for an additional 5-10 minutes until soft.

• In a large, wide pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and fry gently for 10 minutes until softened.

• Add the red peppers and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

• Next add the roasted aubergine to the pan along with the ras el hanout and sultanas or dried fruit. Stir to combine.

• Pour in the chopped tomatoes, and add the dried fruit, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture begins to stick, add a little extra water.

• Stir in the vinegar and sea salt, and cook for a few more minutes.

• Serve with with any of the following; meat, fish, feta, grilled halloumi, cous cous, or rice, plus fresh coriander, and toasted nuts. 

Aubergine & chickpea tagine with spiced cous cous

Aubergines are one of my favourite vegetables. I know this is a bit controversial as people seem to love or hate them, but my theory is that a lot of the haters have tried aubergine that is under-cooked when it’s hard, spongy and tasteless. Aubergines need to be cooked for quite a long time to soften and release their sweet slightly smoky flavour. They’re best when you roast or fry them to caramelise the outside, or roasted whole so the inside becomes soft enough to turn into a smokey dip. This tagine has an equal amount of red pepper and red onion in it, so although aubergine is in the title, the flavour is comprised of a mix of all 3 vegetables. So this recipe is ideal for someone who isn’t completely convinced about the wonders of the mighty aubergine (to reference Mr Ottolenghi), although I can’t begin to imagine why! Did I mention that I bloody love them?!

 Ingredients

Serves 6-8

• 3 aubergine, chopped into 2cm cubes

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 3 red onions, sliced

• 3 sweet peppers, sliced

• 3 large cloves garlic, grated (I use a Microplane)

• 1 dried ancho chilli, chopped (makes about 1 tbsp)

• 2 tsp ras el hanout spice mix

• 2 x 400g tinned cherry tomatoes

• 1.5 tsp vegetable bouillon

• 60g sultanas or raisins

• Handful of coriander, stalks chopped, leaves reserved

• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained. If you use dried, soak and cook 130g

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp honey or maple

• 1.5 tsp sea salt (if you’re using fine grain table salt reduce by half and go from there)

Cous cous

• 1/2 onion, chopped finely

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 100g cherry tomatoes, small dice

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 180g cous cous

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 tsp vegetable bouillon

• 800ml boiling water

• 200g crumbled feta, optional topping

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°c

• Spread the chopped aubergine on a couple of large baking trays and drizzle with the olive oil, plus 1/2 tsp sea salt, mixing well.

• Roast for 25 minutes, turn then put back in the oven for 8 minutes until at least one side is browned and the pieces are soft all the way through.

• Meanwhile add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large pan or casserole, heat and cook the onion and pepper together for 15 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

• Mix in the ancho chilli and ras el hanout spice blend and stir, allow to warm through for a minute.

• Put the aubergine pieces into the pan with the tinned tomatoes, vegetable bouillon, sultanas, coriander stalks and a full tin of water. Leave to simmer with the lid half on for 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Then add the chickpeas, red wine vinegar and honey simmer for 15 minutes without the lid..

• While the tagine is cooking start to make the cous cous. First heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the chopped onion on a low heat for 15 minutes before adding the tomatoes and garlic, cook for 10 minutes.

• Add 1/2 tsp ground cumin and warm for about a minute.

• Turn off the heat and add the cous cous, vegetable bouillon and boiling water to the onions and tomatoes when the tagine has about 10 minutes left to cook. Put the lid on and leave the cous cous to absorb the water for 6-8 minutes. Fluff with a fork when ready.

• Serve the tagine and cous cous with crumbled feta and coriander leaves.

Tip

• I like to roast the aubergine pieces as I find it easier than frying them all in batches, plus it means I use a lot less oil. But you can pan fry if you prefer.

• Dried ancho chilli - I bought mine from Waitrose.

• Ras el hanout - I get my blend from local supplier Spice and Green, but they do mail order so it is probably worth asking if they can send to you. If not you’ll find a version stocked in most supermarkets. Ottolenghi do their own that you can order too - here or make your own using this Epicurious recipe.

• I have used tinned cherry tomatoes for their sweetness and extra flavour, but tinned plum would work fine as a sub.

• If you’re using dried chickpeas cook as per the instructions and then add to the sauce with the tinned tomatoes as they will be firmer and need a little more time to soften.