Eggplant Or Aubergine

1 Kilo eggplants
freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 Tablespoons tahini,
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Large handful of chopped fresh coriander

Method
Prick the washed eggplants then pop them in an oven or grill, until the skins are shrivelled and the eggplants are soft when squeezed which will take between 15 to twenty five minutes depending on hte size or type of aubergine.

Set a small colander over a bowl. Trim the top and bottom off each eggplant, then slit the eggplants lengthwise. Scoop out the hot pulp from the skins and place the pulp in the colander; discard the skins. Let the pulp drain for 3 minutes.

Transfer the pulp to a food processor. Add the lemon juice, garlic, tahini and the salt and pepper. How much you blend it will decide its final texture I like mine with a few lumps in it, whilst others like it silky smooth. let the flavours infuse at room temperature for an hour.

Just before serving add olive oil and the coriander. it is perfect with black olives and pitta bread.

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion , finely chopped
1 red chilli , deseeded and finely chopped
2cm piece ginger , finely chopped
½ teaspoon each ground cumin , coriander and cinnamon
400g can chickpeas , rinsed and drained
200g tomatoes , chopped
juice ½ lemon and the zest
2 aubergines , sliced lengthways

FOR THE WALNUT SAUCE
200g tub Greek-style yogurt
1 garlic clove , crushed
25g walnuts , chopped
handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Method

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan, add the onion and saute until soft and lightly browned, about 10 mins. Add the chilli, ginger and spices and mix well. Stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes and 5 tablespoons water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins. Add a little salt and pepper and the lemon juice.
Arrange the aubergines over a grill pan. Brush lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then grill until golden. Flip them over, brush again with oil, season and grill again until tender and golden.
Mix the yogurt with the garlic, most of the walnuts and coriander and a little salt and pepper. Arrange the aubergine slices over a warm platter and spoon over the chickpea mix. Drizzle with the walnut sauce and scatter with the remaining walnuts and coriander.

Ingredients

3 large red chillies , deseeded and stalks removed, chopped
6 garlic cloves , roughly chopped
knob of fresh ginger , peeled and chopped
2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and chopped
2 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
2-3 aubergines (about 600g/1lb 5oz), quartered lengthways, then halved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
6 shallots , finely chopped
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
400ml can coconut milk
400ml vegetable stock or water
small bunch coriander , roughly chopped, to serve

Using a food processor, pulse the chillies, garlic, ginger and lemongrass to a coarse paste. Set aside. Mix the turmeric and chilli powder together and rub it all over the aubergine wedges.
Heat the olive oil in frying pan, then brown the aubergines, remove from the pan and set aside. Cook the paste, sugar and shallots for a few mins, then return the aubergines to the pan. Add the fish sauce, coconut milk and stock or water, mix well, and bring the liquid to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook gently until the aubergine is tender, but not mushy, about 15 mins. Season to taste and sprinkle the coriander over the top. Serve hot with steamed rice or bread to mop up all the juices.

2 medium aubergines , halved lengthways
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion , finely chopped
2 garlic cloves , crushed
225g mushrooms , sliced
350g fresh spinach , washed
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
6 tablespoons fromage frais
3 tablespoons fresh white breadcrumbs
grated zest 1 lemon
25g pine nuts , toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaved parsley

Method
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.Place the aubergines on a baking tray, brush with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and cook for 20-25 minutes until tender and golden. Scoop out the flesh (leaving about 15mm of flesh attached to the skin), then roughly chop.

Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large frying pan, then saute the onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes until the onion has softened. Add the aubergine flesh to the pan and fry for a few mins, add the mushrooms, then cook for about 5 mins until browned and tender. Add the spinach and cook for 3 minutes until just wilted, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese, fromage frais and seasoning to taste. In a bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, pine nuts, parsley and seasoning.
6.Spoon the spinach mixture into the aubergine halves and sprinkle the top of each with the breadcrumb mixture. Return to the oven and cook for 10-15 mins until the topping is golden.

Ingredients
1 eggplant
3 tabespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tin of chopped tomatoes
4 green peppers chopped
4 medium chopped onions
5cloves of minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tabespoon of demerara sugar
2 tableapoons red pepper flakes
1 cup breadcrumb (fresh)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of butter at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350.

Method

Take out the flesh from the eggplant with a melon baller and boil the eggplant in salted water until it is soft. Mix the cooked eggplant with melted butter. Sift flour over eggplant and mix well.

Saute the peppers, onion, garlic, thyme, brown sugar and pepper flakes in olive oil for five minutes until they are cooked, add the tomatoes.
Mix with eggplant fill the shells with the cooked vegetables.Top with fresh bread crumbs. Sprinkle with Parmesan and butter and bake in a medium oven until they browned and heated through.

Ingredients

10 baby aubergines, halved lengthways
250 ml Olive Oil
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
25 g pine nuts
25 g raisins
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes
salt, and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the grill to high. Brush the aubergines with a little olive oil and place the aubergines, cut side up, in the grill pan. Grill for 10 minutes, until blackened, turning them over half way through cooking.

To make marinade, put the remaining olive oil, the lemon juice, vinegar, cloves, pine nuts, raisins, sugar and bay leaf in a jug. Add the chilli flakes, salt, pepper and mix well . Place the hot aubergines in an earthenware or glass bowl, and pour over marinade. Leave to cool, turning the aubergines once or twice. Leave the flavours to infuse for an hour and serve cold.

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTRY

225g plain flour ,
100g butter , cut into pieces
handful of fresh basil leaves,
sprig of fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tabespoons finely chopped sundried tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg beaten, for brushing

FOR THE SAUCE

3 small peppers , 1 red, 1 green and 1 orange
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves , finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped sundried tomatoes
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

FOR THE FILLING

100ml/3½ fl oz olive oil
1 medium aubergine , cut into 1cm thick slices
1 handful of fresh basil
4 tomatoes , sliced
18 black olives , preferably unpitted
100g mozzarella , grated
50g cheddar , coarsely grated

To make the pastry, put the flour in a bowl with the butter, then rub together to resemble breadcrumbs. Stir in the basil, oregano and sundried tomatoes, then pour in the olive oil and about 4 tbsp cold water to make a soft dough (it will be a bit softer than regular pastry). Wrap in cling film and chill for one hour.
While the pastry is chilling, make the sauce. Halve, seed, then dice the peppers and reserve half for the filling. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic, oregano and peppers and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers start to soften. Tip in the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer over a medium heat, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until reduced to a thick sauce. Stir frequently so it doesn't stick. Season well and set aside to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. For the filling, line a baking sheet with parchment or greaseproof paper, drizzle with 1 tbsp of the oil and lay the aubergines slices over it. Drizzle the rest of the oil over the top - it seems a lot, but it all gets soaked up - then scatter with the dried basil and some salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the slices look golden, and are tender when poked with a knife.
Roll out the pastry to a circle, about 40cm, and use to line a 28cm fluted flan tin (preferably loose-bottomed). Bend the pastry over the edges and trim with scissors so you have a 1-2cm overhang. Put the tin on a baking sheet. Prick the pastry base, brush it with egg if you wish to give a crisper crust, and bake blind for 10 minutes (there's no need for baking beans).
Spread the sauce evenly over the bottom of the pastry. Lay the aubergines on top, then the sliced tomatoes and a good handful of chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper.
Now scatter with the reserved peppers and olives, then the grated cheeses, right up to the edges.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Let the tart cool a little, then trim off the pastry edges with a sharp knife for a neat finish.

Ingredients:
12 Baby eggplants
1 tablespoon Tamarind pulp
Salt

For the masala:
½ cup Roasted Peanuts
¼ cup, dry roasted until golden Sesame seeds
1 terasponn Cumin seeds
1 tablespoon Coriander seeds
4 Cloves
2 inch piece Cinnamon stick
6 Dried red chilies

Make a "X" cut on the bottom of the eggplant, about 3/4th of the way up, making sure that the eggplant still holds together and does not become pieces. Keep aside.
Dry roast the ingredients listed under masala and grind along with tamarind pulp, salt and a few drops of water to make a smooth, thick paste.
Gently open the eggplants and stuff the masala inside. Continue doing it for the remaining eggplants. Set any remaining stuffing to the side as this will be used to make the gravy for the dish.
Heat 2tbsp oil in a sauté pan; arrange the stuffed eggplants in the pan. Cook covered on medium low heat until eggplants are about ¾th cooked.
Add ½ cup of water to the left over masala and pour it into the pan, cover and cook until the sauce is bubbly and the eggplants are cooked all the way through.
Check seasonings and serve.

1 small eggplant/aubergine/brinjal, (about 7-8 inches long)
1 + 3/4 cup besan/chickpea flour/gram flour
1 cup water, or as much needed to make a thick batter
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
A good pinch of baking powder
salt to taste
3/4 teaspoon nigella/kala jeera/kalonji or white poppy seeds

Wash the eggplants/brinjal/aubergines and pat it dry. Slice the eggplants/brinjal/aubergines vertically, and then slice each half into half moons - ablout 1/4 inch thick slices.

Combine salt, turmeric, red chili powder (if you are using), besan/chickpea flour, baking powder, and also the kalonji/nigella or the white poppy seeds.

Add the water to the flour mix and whisk well until the batter is of the consistency of a paste, but a little more runny - the kind that coats the spoon, but drip out slowly. Make sure there are no lumps.

Heat oil in a thick bottomed frying pan.Dip the aubergine slices in the batter; coat the slices well and gently shake off the extra. Slide each one into the really hot oil into the frying pan.

Fry in batches and fry till they are deep golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle rock salt/kala namak, toss and serve them as a snack - piping hot.

6 medium sized eggplants, sliced crosswise in half then sliced lengthwise
Half a garlic head, minced
Thumb sized piece of ginger sliced
1 tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water

Marinade for the Szechuan Eggplant
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper

Sauce for the Szechuan Eggplant
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown suga
3 tablespoons chilli garlic paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine

Method

Combine the ingredients for the marinade and pour over aubergines and let stand for fifteen minutes. Saute the chilli garlic paste until it is aromatic. Add the eggplants and stir fry until tender. Add the sauce ingredients and heat gently. Thicken with the cornstarch and serve.

The Persian use eggplant for taste and texture combined with walnuts to give it a crucnh, pomegranites for a sourness all sweetened with honey. My favourite aubergine recipe.

2 large eggplants
6 Tabespoons olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic,chopped
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon crushed red chilli flakes
2 large handfuls of chopped cilantro leaves, plus 1 handful of leaves for garnish
1 handful of chopped fresh mint
8 ounces toasted walnuts
The juice from 1 pomegranite
1 Tablespoon organic honey
1 cup cilantro leaves for garnish
1 cup pomegranate seeds (about 2 pomegranates) for garnish
Fried eggplant rounds, fried cilantro leaves

method
Slice the eggplants into rounds.Fry them in 4 tablespoons of oil until they are golden brown, about ten minutes, drain and set aside. Saute the onion in the remaining oil until golden. Add garlic during last few minutes of browning onions. Add cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, turmeric, crushed red pepper, cilantro and fresh mint, and sauté for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside. Grind walnuts in food processor until very fine. Combine walnuts with the pomegranate juice and honey.

Add the sauce to the pan and gently simmer until the eggplants until they are cooked.

Ingredients

1 red pepper , deseeded and quartered
1 aubergine , sliced lengthways
2 courgettes , sliced lengthways
2 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE MASH

410g can haricot beans , rinsed
1 garlic clove , crushed
100ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp chopped coriander
lemon wedges, to serve

Heat the grill. Arrange the vegetables over a grill pan and brush lightly with oil. Grill until lightly browned, turn them over, brush again with oil, then grill until tender.
Meanwhile, put the beans in a small pan with the garlic and stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins. Mash roughly with a potato masher, adding a little water or more stock if the mash seems too dry. Divide the veg and mash between 2 plates, drizzle over any leftover oil and sprinkle with black pepper and coriander. Add a lemon wedge to each plate and serve.