Pomegranate and sumac roast courgettes

This is a sparky little side dish that’s good when fresh out the oven, but also enjoyable at room temperature (so good mass feasting/ buffet material). There’s a sweet tang from the pomegranate molasses, the fresh pop of pomegranate seeds and also a sharp-sherbet zing of sumac. The aubergines are deliberately cooked nearly to a purée and sit in the background, whereas the courgettes are (ideally) charred but with a little bite remaining. Both take on the sour Middle Eastern seasonings extremely well, and the whole thing is a perfect foil for things like slow-cooked lamb, roast squash, and roast or traybaked chicken. You could make a bigger thing of it by tumbling through some cooked grains – freekeh, pearl barley, bulgur wheat – and topping with feta or labneh, each of which would raise the tang further still.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F.

Step 2

Put the aubergines in a medium-size roasting tin – they can be close together but ideally not in more than two layers. Add two tablespoons of the sunflower or vegetable oil to the tin and roll the aubergines around until glossy. Place in the middle of the oven for a total of 50 minutes, shuffling occasionally so that by the end they’re evenly bronzed and softened.

Step 3

Put the courgettes in another roasting tin or baking sheet, this time one that’s big enough to leave a little space between courgette pieces. Add the remaining two tablespoons of oil, jumble the courgettes until they’re all glossy then set each piece flat on a fleshy side. After the aubergines have been cooking for 25 minutes, turn the oven up to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F and slide the courgettes above the aubergines. After 15 minutes bring the courgettes out and flip each piece so that both sides get a chance to colour, then cook for 10 minutes more, bringing the courgettes and aubergines out of the oven at the same time.

Step 4

Combine the vegetables in one tray. Be deliberate but gentle as you do this – the aubergines will be soft and will inevitably squish, but try to keep the courgettes relatively intact. While still hot, season very generously with salt and pepper, drizzle over two tablespoons of pomegranate molasses and the olive oil, and turn the vegetables over in the tray (again, gently), before letting them cool a little while preparing whatever else you’re having.

Step 5

Finally, when cooled a little, add two thirds of each of the mixed seeds, mint and pomegranate seeds, then transfer everything to a large serving platter (so the vegetables sit in one or two layers). Drizzle with more pomegranate molasses, a touch more olive oil, add a thick dusting of sumac, finally scattering over the rest of the mixed seeds, mint and pomegranate.