I LOVE… AUBERGINES.
Photograph by Jack Monroe.
Aubergine season is upon us from now until early October, and these dark purple, glossy beauties lend themselves to all kinds of cooking – from low and slow curries to quickly battered and fried fritters, whipped up into a melintzasolata, or roasted for a spicy baba ghanoush.
Aubergines don’t have much of a distinctive flavour of their own – unless you roast them in the oven until the skin is charred and blackened, and then they’re a heavenly soft smoky sweetness perfect for dipping a pitta bread or two in. They pair well with fresh, bright flavours, strong cheeses, and herbs – like mint, coriander, parsley, goats cheese, and bright citrus flavours.
Over the next few days I’ll be sharing my favourite aubergine recipes with you – some old favourites from A Girl Called Jack, and some new discoveries from the aubs in my fridge and a bit of imagination…
Growing aubergines isn’t impossible in Britain, but get your seeds in now for your last chance at it, to harvest them in October. I’ve just popped mine in a pot of earth, and am eagerly awaiting the results….
In the meantime, check out some of my favourite aubergine recipes so far!
AUBERGINE & KIDNEY BEAN BURGERS
Keep your eyes peeled for the rest – I’ll add them here as I go!
Jack Monroe. Twitter: @MsJackMonroe. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/agirlcalledjack
Categories: Recipes & Food
In curries, roasted and as fritters are my faves, yummm.
Looking forward to them. 🙂
J x
I have had to work hard to like aubergines and am getting there slowly. Just given your Mackerel and rhubarb to two friend and they were bowled over with how well the flavours worked together. Thanks.
Baba Ganoush!
i have a Cranks recipe book that has a recipe for ratatouille, using aubergines. This is the best ratatouille i’ve ever tasted!
Yum- I have found a source of mini white ‘egg’s- tiny palest cream Aubergines the size of a babies fist. We roast them with Z’atar and a drizzle of Hazelnut oil. Gorgeous and even better pulverised into a spread for Pitta and other flatbreads.
I too love aubergines. They are much cheaper to buy in markets. Especially those market stalls that sell bowls of fruit and vegetables for £1.
so do I Jack 🙂 . In fact just before reading this I was chopping half of one up to go in my new kitchen gadget that just arrived.. a mini slowcooker that comes with a tagine lid which I am now using to cook a vegetarian aubergine and chickpea tagine. I have fried the remainder aubergine to stop it browning and now looking for recipes to use the remainder. I have tried all your vegetarian recipes using aubergine and I look forward for some more suggestions now and in your future second book :).
I have been toying with trying to grow some eggplant this year because I have always loved the texture and way it takes on other flavors. I found a delicious recipe for a beanless vegetable quinoa chili and eggplant ratatouille chili in the Jan 1996 Vegetarian Times magazine (these are wonderful magazines to plunder for new ideas) and I have been making versions of both with and without meat since then. I always make both Tex-Mex style, but it occurs to me that both would be really good with Indian spices.
Baba ganoush, or imam bayildi are my favourites
Mousaka…!! … Also stuffed Aubergines are heavenly , either stuffed with rise and Herbs or stuffed with other chopped up veg , like potato/carrots ,onions and tomatoes …… Flavoured with garlic and parsley or any other herbs that suit your taste…. Mmmmm… Let your taste buds do the imagining ….
Moutabel. Especially with a sizable pinch of cayenne does it for me. And my secret weapon to prepare it fast with extra smokiness…yep, out comes the DIY blowtorch, plus a gas ring. (And depending on whether or not you pay through the nose for your canisters, I reckon it could actually work out cheaper than running the grill)
Moutabel. Especially with a sizable pinch of cayenne does it for me. And my secret weapon to prepare it fast with extra smokiness…yep, out comes the DIY blowtorch, plus the smallest gas ring. (And depending on whether or not you pay through the nose for your canisters, I reckon it could actually work out cheaper than running the grill)
Parmigiana di Melanzane!
I love aubergines the Andalusian way. Slice them, fry them, drain well. Then serve as tapas drizzled with molasses.
I love this!!Why don’t you spice it up a little bit with some extravirgin olive oil flavoured with chilli
http://extravirginshop.com/product/red-chilli-flavoured-extra-virgin-olive-oil-intense/
I use olive oil to cook them in, but will try the chilli. Forgot to mention that sometimes they are dipped in a tempora-type batter before frying. Will try chilli in the batter.