Griddled Aubergine with Smashed Avocado & Blistered Tomatoes

Slightly charred sweet aubergine topped with creamy smashed avocado soaking into its flesh, absolutely heavenly.
Griddled aubergine with smashed avocado & blistered tomatoes

I currently have an abundance of vegetables in my fridge that need eating ASAP – so a little of creativity was needed today.

Especially because all the ingredients that are looking a little sad and limp don’t necessarily or traditionally go together. But I thrive on a challenge in the kitchen.

It makes me search for new and unusual or previously unthought of techniques and flavour combinations, and some of my favourite dishes have been discovered this way.

But this one, for a while, had me stumped.

For example, I have some super ripe, and by super, I mean nearly over ripe tomatoes and an avocado that really won’t last until tomorrow. It always upsets me when an avocado has gone too ripe and is going brown, because you have to wait for too long for it to not be firm!

Avocado dramas aside – I also have an aubergine that is looking a little lost too.

So, I adapted my recent and popular recipe, Griddled Aubergine, with Tahini and swap that sweet syrupy dressing for a lighter green one instead.

And I think it might be one of my new favourite quick meals!

The combination of the slightly charred aubergine which has allowed the skin to lose its bitterness and become sweet topped with creamy smashed avocado that is soaking into its flesh is absolutely heavenly.

I even created two delicious dressings – not just one that I had in mind at the start! So, you are really getting a treat with this recipe – you can thank me later.

The two delicious dressings I created for this dish started with a zingy lemon, basil, and garlic dressing and then finished with a rich and dense, reduced, sticky balsamic glaze. They perfectly balanced each other, with the fresh lemon cutting through the sweetness.

I would also recommend making extra of both dressings and keeping them in your fridge. That way you can drizzle and glaze either over fresh toasted sourdough or trickle over soups and curries for an added hit of delicious flavour.

Another reason that I love this one so much is that this recipe can be taken from fridge to plate in 15 minutes flat.

It is packed full of fresh, healthy and summery Mediterranean flavours, making it the perfect lazy Sunday brunch, mid-week dinner or even a late working from home lunch.

It’s perfect on its own, even better when served with a big green leafy salad, or with a mashed or boiled potato or fluffy quinoa side dish for a more substantial evening meal.

I love it when a recipe is this versatile, don’t you? It makes it the perfect one to have up your sleeve for when you just don’t know what to cook, or have a lot of time!

But the main reason for my love with this dish, is that I absolutely love aubergines, I’m thinking of creating an aubergine fan club!

Aubergines are a super simple way to incorporate meatiness into your dish. The flesh acts like a sponge when cooked, which is perfect for adding extra flavour and juiciness into a dish.

And slow roasting allows the ingredient to mellow out, working perfectly well with rich, luxurious and decadent highly flavoured sauces and spices, or when paired with smooth and creamy ingredients such as avocado.

I’ve also topped this dish with blistered tomatoes to add an extra layer of sweetness to a super savoury base. Plus, balsamic vinegar and tomatoes are a match made in heaven!

I hope you enjoy, love Niki xx

The Recipe

Griddled aubergine with smashed avocado & blistered tomatoes

Griddled Aubergine with Smashed Avocado & Blistered Tomatoes

Slightly charred sweet aubergine topped with creamy smashed avocado soaking into its flesh, absolutely heavenly.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
1-2 servings
4.78 from 9 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 aubergine sliced lengthways into about 4 slices
  • Olive oil for rubbing

For the blistered tomatoes

  • 200 g cherry tomatoes sliced in half
  • 1 tsp balsamic glaze
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • Splash olive oil
  • Pinch sea salt

For the dressing

  • Juice 1/2 lemon
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Salt and pepper
  • Big handful basil

For the smashed avocado

  • 1 avocado
  • Salt and pepper
  • Lemon juice

Optional toppings

  • Chilli flakes
  • Sea salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Toasted pine nuts
  • Great with excellent bread olives and dips.

Instructions

  • Heat your griddle pan to hot and then add the sliced aubergines (rub a little olive oil on both sides first). Keep turning until nice and charred on both sides and cooked through.

To make the tomatoes

  • Add the oil to a large frying pan, heat to medium.
  • Add the balsamic, paprika and olive oil to a bowl and mix. Chop the cherry tomatoes in half, then add them to the bowl and mix well.
  • Place the cherry tomato’s bottom side down on the olive oil.
  • Fry for 2-3 minutes on low to medium then turn over and fry for a further minute.
  • Remove from the pan and set aside. Season.

To make the dressing

  • To make the green dressing, pop all the ingredients into a mini chopper (or pestle and mortar if you don’t have one) and blitz until you get a lovely green sauce.

To compile

  • Mash your avocado in a bowl with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
  • Finally, layer the aubergines, then the smashed avocado, then tomatoes, and drizzle with the basil dressing.
  • Sprinkle with toppings of choice.
Print Recipe

I'd love to hear your comments…

  • 5 stars
    Delicious! I didn’t have aubergines so I have used zucchini. It taste so good. Next shopping will buy and try with🍆.
    Thank you!

  • Shanna Nispel

    5 stars
    I made this tonight and topped it with roasted, seasoned chickpeas (cumin, salt, zatar, paprika, Aleppo pepper) for a fiber and protein, to make it a main dish. Delicious! Thank you!

  • 5 stars
    I had a glut of aubergines and avocados, and some fish to barbecue – this recipe was just the thing to bring it all together! The flavours are exactly to my taste and it worked well to make it on a barbecue (using a griddle pan). Thank you!

  • Diana Baynes

    5 stars
    Niki, this is a brilliant, tasty recipe.

    I served this with orange sweet potatoes. Delicious! And really colourful.

    My husband was totally impressed.

    I’ll be serving it again.

  • 4 stars
    Delicious.

    Glaze turned to chewy toffee, which was surprising but nice.

  • 5 stars
    Very tasty thanks!

  • Maureen

    5 stars
    Just made this for lunch, absolutely gorgeous. Thank you.

  • Michael Clough

    Tomatoes are not listed in the ‘ingredients’, nor are they mentioned in the ‘Directions’ other than in step 5 when the dish is being layered up. Are they cooked or raw? I like the look of this dish and I have all the ingredients sitting in my fridge, but I need to know what to do with the tomatoes!

    • Hi Michael
      Sorry about that. I’ve added them in.
      Fresh tomatoes sliced on top.
      Best wishes
      Niki xx

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