I love my aubergines straight off the barbecue.
A bowl of deeply coloured purple-black aubergines in a bowl on the kitchen bench seems to signal the end of summer. It has always intrigued me that so many restaurants feature ratatouille on their winter menus, yet all the ingredients are profoundly about summer.
Aubergines, or eggplant, are a spectacular and almost flawless vegetable. Whether it’s the small, finger-shaped “Japanese eggplant” or the large purple- and white-striped aubergine, I find them all attractive, especially the white variety commonly known as a “New York white”. With a thick skin that needs to be peeled before using, this variety always reminds me of white chocolate Easter eggs, which may explain why I only ever consider them as a table decoration. I have to confess that I have never cooked one, such is my enthusiasm for the more traditional black-skinned cultivars.
I love my aubergines straight off the barbecue, and even though the weather has turned cold, I find myself still using it to cook ingredients such as aubergines, courgettes and capsicums. Frankly, I find the smoky flavour it imparts is tender, warm and crucial.
Baked Mozzarella, Grilled Aubergine, Capsicums and Rocket Sauce
2 medium aubergines
olive oil
2 red capsicums
200g mozzarella cheese
4 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
100ml olive oil
fresh thyme leaves
juice of 1 lemon
balsamic vinegar
Cut the aubergines lengthways into 5mm-thick slices. Brush each one with olive oil, then place under a preheated grill and cook for about 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown with slightly charred edges. Quarter and seed the capsicums, then cook under the grill until the skin has blistered and blackened. Wrap in a several sheets of newspaper, then leave to cool. Peel the skin from the capsicums and discard, then slice the flesh into thick strips. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C. Arrange the aubergine slices in a shallow heatproof dish, then place thin slices of mozzarella on top. Scatter the parmesan over the top, then sprinkle with thyme and lemon juice. Place the dish in the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and the parmesan has coloured. Spoon the rocket sauce over the top, splash with balsamic vinegar, then serve.
Rocket Sauce
2 bunches of rocket leaves
½ cup of olive oil
100g toasted almonds
2 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp sugar
60g parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
To prevent the pesto becoming a compost-green colour, toss the rocket leaves in a small amount of the olive oil just before placing in the food processor. Set the remaining oil aside. Add the almonds, garlic, lemon juice and sugar to the blender. Blend well, stir in the remaining oil and grated parmesan, then season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Serves 4.
Coriander is not a favourite herb, as I find it far too assertive, but in this pesto it provides a suitable and subtle companion for the ginger and potato. The pesto may also be used as an accompaniment to chicken or fish.
Aubergine, Ginger and Potato Salad with Coriander Pesto
SALAD
2 aubergines
2 large potatoes
2 red onions
2 cloves garlic
160ml olive oil
3cm piece of fresh root ginger, grated
handful of basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Slice the aubergines in half lengthways, then cut each half into 1cm-thick slices. Peel the potatoes, then chop them into 3cm cubes. Place the cubes in a saucepan of well-salted water, then bring to the boil and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain, then allow the potatoes to cool.
Slice the onions in half, then cut into thin slices. Chop the garlic finely. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the aubergine slices and cook until soft. Add the garlic, onion and ginger, and cook for about 3 minutes. Wait until the ginger is intriguingly fragrant before adding the potatoes. Keep the heat high, as you want the potatoes to fry in hot oil rather than stew in cold oil.
Shred the basil leaves, stir them in and season lightly with salt and pepper. Serve with the coriander pesto drizzled over the aubergines.
Coriander pesto
2 cups of coriander leaves
½ cup of toasted peanuts
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp grated fresh root ginger
olive oil
juice of 1 lime
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Blend the coriander, peanuts, garlic and ginger in a food processor until smooth. Add enough olive oil to produce a thick sauce, then add the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Keep the sauce refrigerated until required. Pour a thin layer of oil over the top of the pesto to keep it fresh.
Serves 4.
Cheese and beetroot are a favourite combination – the flavours and textures are easy in each other’s company. The aubergine brings a pleasant bitterness against the sweet beetroot. The rock salt under the beetroot helps concentrate the natural sugars and flavours as it cooks, and it absorbs any moisture, keeping the beet pleasantly dry. Serve as an entrée to dinner, or for lunch just as it is.
Aubergine with Crumbed Goats’ Cheese and Roasted Beetroot
Aubergines
2 aubergines
100ml of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, bashed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil to serve
balsamic vinegar to serve
Cut the aubergines into 5mm slices. Heat the oil in a frying pan with the garlic – you won’t need to peel the garlic – then add the aubergine slices, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until golden brown on both sides, then gently lift out onto some paper towels to drain. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the slices on individual serving plates with the beetroot chunks and fried goats’ cheese. Serve drizzled with extra olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Goats’ cheese
1 cup of vegetable oil
100g of goats’ cheese, cut into pieces
100g flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
Preheat the oil in a small but deep saucepan. First, dip the cheese in the flour, then into the egg and finally into the breadcrumbs. Carefully place the crumbed pieces in the hot oil, then cook for 2-3 minutes or until the crumbs are golden. Use a sieve or tongs to remove the pieces from the oil, then drain on paper towels and keep warm until needed.
beetroot
4 medium beetroot
rock salt
2 whole cloves of garlic
thyme
olive oil
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Remove any stalks and leaves from the beets, but do not peel off the skin. Sprinkle a layer of rock salt over the base of a small roasting dish, then place the beets on top. Bash the garlic cloves with the broad side of a knife, then tuck them next to the beets, along with the thyme. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Roast for about 45 minutes until they are soft when squeezed gently (this can take a good hour for large beetroot). Once they’re cooked, remove the dish from the oven and allow the beets to cool enough to handle. Carefully peel off the skins, then cut the beets into 3cm chunks. Place in a bowl and set aside.
Serves 4.