I just bought an aubergine

[SouthWestmom]

Really fancied eating it. Now what?
I'm vegetarian. In the house I have oil tomatoes onions ('mushrooms but I hate them) cheese etc.

What do I do with it...

Gummy Bear - I had the breaded aubergines in a small Italian restaurant in New York once - it was called 'Tony's' (said in a real 'Italian American accent it was - bloody lush) in the 90's.

It was served with a tomato and mozzarella sauce. Would LOVE to know how it's made.....

The chickpea salad recipe here is amazing (I don't bother with the Parma ham, it is utterly delicious as a veggie meal)

Fry in round slices (if that makes sense) til soft, let kitchen roll soak up the excess oil. peel of the black outer part. Mash with salt, raw crushed/minced garlic, plenty lemon juice and peanut butter and add up to a tasblespoon on natural yoghurt to help with the consistency. Delish with bread or as a side dish with meat/chicken.

Apparently you can do anything with a small aubergine. - a catchphrase that reminds me of my mum and all her friends!

Sorry, meant to add another vote for baba ganoush when you get round to buying your next aubergine, OP.

Nydj that reminds me of a friend's mother who will go down in history for her phrase "you can go all day on a banana"

I used to have a yummy aubergine dish in Sicily, but I never found out what cheese they used. Anyway, slice and fry aubergine and courgettes. When cool, fill a dish with layers of aubergine, passata, slices of the round cheese whatever it was (not quite mozzarella) and slices of hard boiled egg. Keep repeating the layers until the dish is full, finishing with aubergine. Leave overnight in fridge.

I would make that on a monthly basis now, but dh won't knowingly eat aubergine. He says they disagree with him (apparently only when he knows they're there, though!).

H F-W's recipe for aubergine boats is really simple but delicious - slice aubergine in half length ways and cut deep slashes into the flesh. Mix olive oil with crushed garlic and chopped chilis, push into slashes with a teaspoon and brush the rest of the cut surface with remainder of the oil/garlic/chili mixture. Baked until soft. I then serve with rice, lentil dal, yoghourt, chopped mint/coriander and chili sauce

Just seen this. I need to buy another aubergine!

I have 2 aubergines in the fridge, but feel like a rabbit caught in headlights!
So many great ideas...
Which recipe to try first?

abigailsummer1.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/pasta-with-sweet-tomatoes-aubergine-and.html

one of my faves

Aubergiens are my fave veg (bet you never guessed that from my NN )

My fave dish is actually one where you grill slices of aubergine after brushing them, with olive oil, then layer them in a dish with a layer of rich garlicky tomato sauce, grated cheese, aubergine, all the way up like a lasagna

Then bake slowly (and hour, hour and a half) until it is melted tender heaven.

Proper recipes all over the inter web (parmigiana)

babaganoush is pretty tasty too

A friend of mine makes stuffed preserved aubergines
, similar to swooning imam , its so delicious, and can be eaten with flatbread or with some cheese,or with salad, you can find them in many middle eastern delicacy stores, they are seriously addictive,
I've tried making them myself but always fail .

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/aubergine-lasagne/#ILSA6RXOTgTYKKRM.97

We had this aubergine lasagne last night. I sprinkled a few chilli flakes in it rather than a whole chilli and the kiddies loved it. Well, the baby loved it. The 5 year old complained mightily about the basil leaves.

Sorry. Not sorry.

On a more helpful note, I love aubergine in thai red curry!

Aubergine curry! Prick the aubergine and bake whole in oven for 30mins. Cut open to scoop out flesh and chop. Add to a simple tomatoe curry sauce cook with cubed potatoes (don't add water) sprinkle with fresh coriander and dunk with naan bread! Very hearty!

Agree with pps about nigella's involtini- delicious.

Easier though: cut into wedges and steam for ages (at least 20 mins) until really soft. Dress with sesame oil and soy sauce. Mix with toasted cashews. Serve with rice. Utterly lovely.

To all the people who suggested parmigiana - thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I've just cooked it and it was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I used this recipe: aubergine parmigiana

I fried all the aubergine slices and I'll try blanching half next time and oven roasting them the time after as it is always scary how much oil they absorb.
I just can't believe that I've never had this before.

Can you tell I'm excited?

I make my own version of AP which is to oven roast the aubergine slices with some red onion and fresh tomato slices doused in fifty pints of olive oil(I don't care ) with some basil and oregano, then once they have started to look brown and lovely I add some chopped fried pancetta/smoked streKy bacon and chuck the mozzarella and Parmesan over he top. I Don't bother with breadcrumbs. It is lush and it is lovely at room temperature as it firms up a bit and cuts into slabs, I make a big one and it lasts me two or three days, reheated.

Aubergine is one of my favorites. Let's go GREEN!

DON'T salt the aubergine - we eat too much salt already. Nor should you fry, bake or whatever the recipes say as it'll end up too soggy, possibly absorbing too much oil/fat.
Cut slices (circumferentially or longitudinally), paint them with preferred oil (I prefer olive oil), use a pastry or small paint brush. Grill them both sides for about 3-4mins according to thickness, in advance. You can cheat by using the toaster! Place on one side until the brinjal baji/tagine/bolonese sauce/w.h.y. is about half cooked, then place the aubergine slices on top to finish cooking. It may be necessary to add a little extra liquid depending on the dryness or otherwise of the entire mixture.
Joio!