Aubergine & Polenta Halloumi Stacks | Abel & Cole
Aubergine & Polenta Halloumi Stacks
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Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Stack 'em high. We know you'll love these tumbling towers of organic aubergine, halloumi and polenta. Play with your food. Think of it as supper time Jenga.
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685 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
Recipe Ingredients Image
  • A handful of rosemary, leaves only
  • A 150g bag of polenta
  • 1 aubergine
  • A 150g pack of halloumi
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 chilli
  • 1 garlic clove
  • A handful of basil, leaves only
  • 2 large handfuls of rocket
From your kitchen
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 450ml boiling water
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
You'll need
  • Baking dish
  • Large pan
  • Measuring jug
  • A couple of baking trays
  • Baking paper
  • Cookie cutter (optional)
  • Foil
  • Food processor (optional)
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Heat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Grease a large rectangular baking dish with ½ tbsp oil. Finely chop the rosemary leaves. Fill a large pan with 450 ml boiling water. Put over a medium heat.

  • 2.

    Swirl the water and slowly pour in the polenta. Whisk for 3-4 mins till thickened. Add the rosemary and plenty of seasoning. Pour the polenta into the greased baking dish. Flatten the surface with the back of a spoon. Set aside to cool and set.

  • 3.

    Slice the aubergine into 12 rounds. Lay them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush with ½ tbsp oil. Sprinkle with a little salt. Bake in the oven for 15 mins till the aubergine has softened.

  • 4.

    Cut the halloumi into 12 thin slices. The polenta should be set by now. Use a cookie cutter similar in size to the largest aubergine round to cut out 12 polenta circles. Alternatively, use a knife to cut the polenta into squares.

  • 5.

    Line a baking tray with foil. Place 6 rounds of polenta on the tray. Top each with an aubergine round, followed by a slice of halloumi. Repeat so you have a double layer of each. Bake for 20 mins till the halloumi is oozing and the polenta edges are crisp.

  • 6.

    Zest and juice the lemon. Deseed and finely chop the chilli. Peel and crush the garlic. Chuck them all into a food processor with the basil leaves and half the rocket. Add 1 tbsp oil and a little salt. Blitz to a purée. No food processor? Finely chop everything, then whisk in the lemon juice and oil.

  • 7.

    Drizzle the cooked stacks with the herby purée. Serve with the remaining rocket leaves.

  • Tip

    Mr Chips
    Leftover polenta trimmings? Save them to make chips. Heat your oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5. Lay the trimmings on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and season. Bake in the oven for 20 mins till crisp.

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