Eggplant, goat's cheese and spiced onion salad

Roasted vegetables make for a great winter salad and this is no exception. The combination of roasted eggplant and the intensely spiced onions cooked with cumin and cinnamon give this salad a real Middle Eastern feel. Topping the salad off with goats cheese and mint makes for a fantastic combination of flavours, the mint really giving the salad a freshness and lift. It would be great served with grilled meats (especially lamb) or as part of a mezza.

Eggplant, goats cheese and spiced onion salad - 'Australian Gourmet Traveller Magazine'

Salad

2 (about 760gm) eggplant

1 tbls extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

1tsp ground cumin

1/2 cup loosely packed mint leaves

80gm goat's cheese

Spiced onion

2 tbsp olive oil

2 spanish onions cut into wedges

6 cloves of garlic, lightly bruised

1 tbsp ginger finely grated

1 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 tsp dried chilli flakes

1/4 cup water

To taste - castor sugar

Pre heat oven to 160c fan forced. Cut eggplant length ways into wedges and place onto an oven tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with cumin and roast for 1hr or until tender. Cool to room temperature.

For spiced onion, heat oil in a saucepan, add onion and garlic, season with sea salt and saute over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until softened. Add ginger and remaining spices and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced. Season to taste with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and castor sugar. Cool to room temperature.

Arrange eggplant on serving plate, spoon over spiced onion (I only used about half the amount of spiced onion as it has quiet an intense spice flavour), torn mint leaves, drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Sliced Mushrooms with Fresh Mozeralla & Thyme

This recipe is perfect for serving as part of an antipasti with a few drinks. It's an easy little recipe, with minimal preparation and takes no time to cook. The combination of the earthiness of the mushrooms with the fresh thyme and milky mozzarella make it very moorish. Exact measurements are not really crucial in this recipe, you can make as much or little as you want, the below is just a guide.

Sliced Mushrooms with Fresh Mozzarella & Thyme - Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver

2 big hand fulls of fresh Mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used swiss brown but porcini, shiitake, portobello would also suitable)

2 5ounce balls of fresh Mozzarella torn into small pieces

A few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Heat Grill on medium.

Clean mushrooms with damp cloth or pastry brush and slice thinly. Arrange them in a single layer on a large oven proof platter. Tear the mozzarella into course bits and scatter over mushrooms. Scatter over thyme leaves, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

Slide the platter under the grill, and cook checking frequently for 3-4mins, or until cheese is melted, bubbling and golden in spots.

Serve with crusty bread.

Note - Cook mushrooms on plate you are serving them on.