Tunisian mixed salad with harissa dressing

Nicola Crowley's Tunisian salad. Photograph: Patrick Browne
Nicola Crowley's Tunisian salad. Photograph: Patrick Browne
Serves: 4
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cooking Time: 40 mins
Prep Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

  • For the roasted aubergine:
  • 1 aubergine
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • For the salad:
  • 4 free-range eggs
  • 8 small baby potatoes, skins on
  • 185g jar tuna in olive oil (we use Shine’s Wild Irish Tuna), drained and oil reserved
  • 100g gherkins, chopped
  • Mixed leaf salad
  • For the dressing:
  • 70ml olive oil (use the oil from the tuna jar and top up)
  • 2 tbsp preserved lemons, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp rose harissa (we use Belazu)
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt, and of pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Drizzle two tablespoons of oil on a large baking tray. Cut the aubergines into 3-4mm-thick rounds, cutting any large slices in half. Place on the tray, drizzle the remaining oil over them and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown, rotating the tray and turning the slices over halfway through. Add a little more oil when turning if the aubergine looks too dry.

2. Wash the eggs and cook with the potatoes in a large saucepan with boiling water for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender. Drain and allow to cool. Cut the eggs into halves and the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.

3. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together in a jar.

4. In a large bowl, mix the aubergine, potatoes, tuna, gherkins and most of the dressing together. On a large platter or wide bowl, spread the salad leaves over the base. Spoon the tuna and potato mixture over the leaves. Scatter the egg halves on top and drizzle with the remaining dressing.