Miso–sesame roasted aubergine with herby couscous

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 2 medium aubergines
• 2 tbsp white or brown miso
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• Black pepper

For the herby couscous
• 250g couscous
• 350ml vegetable stock, hot
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Zest of ½ lemon
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Small handful mint, roughly chopped
• Small handful coriander, roughly chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Get the aubergines ready

Heat the oven to 220°C fan. Halve the aubergines lengthways and score the cut sides in a criss-cross pattern, taking care not to cut all the way through. Sit them cut-side up on a lined baking tray. This helps them cook evenly and gives all that glaze somewhere useful to settle.

2. Make the miso–sesame glaze

In a small bowl, mix together the miso, sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, olive oil and a generous grind of black pepper until smooth. Spoon or brush it over the cut sides of the aubergines, making sure it gets into the cuts rather than just sitting on top. Scatter over the sesame seeds.

3. Roast until properly soft

Roast the aubergines for 30–35 minutes until deeply tender and nicely caramelised at the edges. You want them soft enough to collapse under a spoon, with the glaze darkened and glossy rather than pale and merely warmed through.

4. Get the couscous on

While the aubergines roast, put the couscous into a large bowl and pour over the hot vegetable stock. Add the olive oil, cover the bowl with a plate or cling film, and leave it for 5 minutes. Once the stock has been absorbed, fluff it up with a fork so it stays light rather than clumping together in one determined mass.

5. Finish the couscous

Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, most of the parsley, mint and coriander, along with the spring onions. Season with salt and black pepper, then toss everything together gently. It should feel bright and fresh enough to balance the rich aubergine, not sit there too quietly in the background.

6. Serve

Spoon the herby couscous onto plates or a serving dish, then sit the roasted aubergines on top. Finish with the remaining herbs and a final little twist of black pepper. Serve warm, while the aubergine is still soft and the couscous still feels lively.

A couple of helpful notes
- White miso will give a slightly gentler, sweeter result, while brown miso brings a deeper, punchier flavour. Either works very well here.
- If your aubergines are especially large, give them a few extra minutes in the oven rather than serving them before they have softened properly.
- A handful of toasted almonds or extra sesame seeds over the couscous would work very nicely if you want a little more crunch.