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Aubergine, what time make with one?

50 replies

Longdistance · 15/07/2021 20:49

I never ever cook with aubergine, but out of curiosity I bought one the other day. It’s just the one, don’t think dds would eat it, so only for me and dh. I’m not keen on moussaka, so anything else is welcome.
Roasting it, adding it to something? I’d like to love it as a vegetable and experiment.
I’ve a pretty full pantry and lots of different meats and fish in my fridge freezer.

OP posts:
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 15/07/2021 22:19

The key to making it delicious is cooking it for long enough. It's not a vegetable you want al dente. As far as I'm concerned, the other key thing is cooking it with oil. Boiled aubergine would not be good.

I love aubergines. They go wonderfully well with Indian, Middle Eastern and North African spices/herbs, garlic, onions, tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, squash, mushrooms, spinach, potatoes, rice, pasta, couscous, beans/chickpeas/lentils and lamb.

A simple aubergine dish I like, which is pretty quick, is to fry some chopped onion and garlic in olive oil, add chunks of aubergine, cook for a bit to soften, then add a tin of chopped tomatoes and some tomato puree/sundried tomato paste, fresh or dried basil, oregano, plenty of ground pepper, a little salt. Leave to simmer on lowish heat until everything is soft and it's a nice thick sauce. You could add a little red wine. Serve with pasta and grated Parmesan.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 15/07/2021 22:19

Oh, forgot to say, I usually also add sliced mushrooms at the same time as the tomatoes.

CorvusPurpureus · 15/07/2021 22:25

If you've got a gas hob, light a burner & prop it against it. Move it every 5 minutes until blistered, blackened on all sides.

Stick it in a plastic bag or a pot with a lid to cool - it'll kind of collapse in on itself.

Peel off the black bits, chop what's left & stir the tasty smoky flesh into a veg curry.

Mind you I'd do half a dozen of them at once - you won't get much off just one.

Alternatively, cut it into quite small cubes, fry in olive oil until brown & tender, & add to a pasta sauce.

Or stealth it into a slow cooker pasta sauce if you happen to have a glut of tomatoes! Add to the SC along with carrots, peppers, courgettes, onions & a ton of tomatoes, all chopped quite chunkily. Add garlic & maybe a sliced chilli, basil/oregano, & enough stock to just cover everything. Use the stock to rinse out any empty ketchup bottles into the SC & whack in some tomato puree.

Cook for 4-6 hours then attack it with a stick blender - you'll have a really useful veg laden tomato sauce for any recipe where you'd otherwise throw in tinned tomatoes or passata, or just to serve with pasta.

It's not exactly celebrating the poor aubergine to be fair at this point, but I often seem to have a few that need using up, & my dc aren't keen on them if they're recognisable.

BertieBotts · 15/07/2021 22:32

Whatever you do, be careful about frying it directly in oil. They have a kind of sponge like structure, so just absorb oil madly and then end up going soggy.

There are tricks to avoid this but I just tend to avoid any recipe which calls for frying it in oil. It never works for me.

AbsolutelyPatsy · 15/07/2021 22:32

snap also @Lou573

and aubergine dhal
www.easypeasyfoodie.com/roasted-aubergine-red-lentil-dhal-vegan/

EnglishGirlApproximately · 15/07/2021 22:38

I made Ottolenghis Aubergine dumpling parmigiana recently and it was delicious. A little bit of effort but well worth it.

SCMocha · 15/07/2021 22:41

very similar to the previously posted roasted one-pot dishes, another Rukmini Iyer one, with mozzarella, chick peas etc:

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/spicy_mozzarella_47844

SCMocha · 15/07/2021 22:42

I didn't really think I liked aubergine until I made that one! I'm sure it's the mozzarella and other stuff that I like, but nevertheless, the combination is delicious.

butterry · 15/07/2021 22:43

I recently tried a Chinese recipe and steamed it with a sesame and soy dressing, it was really delicious and a change from all the other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern type dishes

Heronatemygoldfish · 15/07/2021 22:45

google Meera Sodha aubergine
She has so many lovely recipes I've been buying aubs in 3s....

Shouldershrugger · 15/07/2021 22:47

I like to cut medium sized slices and rub seasoning and spices on both sides and fry it. With some rice.. yummy.

C8H10N4O2 · 15/07/2021 22:47

Parmigiana, babaganoush, szechuan aubergine, anything where the aubergine is chargrilled or roasted.

Imam Byaldi is best though.

CommanderBurnham · 15/07/2021 22:47

I don't like them but I grate them into tomato based sauces and it just dissolves.

MakkaPakkas · 15/07/2021 22:54

Marinade in miso, sesame oil, honey and lime juice, then roast.
Delicious with some rocket and pomegranate seeds

FlowerArranger · 15/07/2021 23:12

Oh yes, Imam Byaldi is delicious!!

Also Chinese aubergines with chili and garlic - yum yum 😄

waltzingparrot · 15/07/2021 23:35

Aubergine fritters with honey. We have this when we go to Spain. Makes a lovely starter or light lunch.

www.cooked.com/uk/Omar-Allibhoy/Quadrille-Publishing/Spanish-Made-Simple/Vegetables/Aubergines-with-honey-recipe

Mominatrix · 16/07/2021 05:55

I adore aubergine. One way to cook aubergine I haven't seen mentioned above is in a soba and mango noodle salad - a huge hit every time I serve it. www.101cookbooks.com/archives/ottolenghi-soba-noodles-with-aubergine-and-mango-recipe.html

Longdistance · 16/07/2021 20:32

Thanks for all the tips for the aubergine.
I eventually roasted off the aubergine and courgettes. Then added onions, peppers and garlic. Then added mushrooms and tinned cherry tomatoes and harissa paste. Roasted it off and then for the last bit put halloumi cheese on top.
We had it with crusty bread. Hardly anything left. Was delicious, vegetarian, which is rare for carnivorous dh.

OP posts:
purplesequins · 16/07/2021 20:39

I usually put it in curry.
our work cantine sometimes serves a whole one roasted. sliced in half and then sprinkled with feta. depending on the spice mix it smells like sweart feet

Caspianberg · 16/07/2021 20:41

We make balsamic and soy glazed aubergine in quesadillas. Yum

delilahbucket · 16/07/2021 20:44

I'm sure we've previously made it with something like quinoa, feta and some other ingredients, but I can't find the recipe.
That aside, it's delicious just fried in slices in decent olive oil and garlic, and served with tzatziki.

horseymum · 16/07/2021 20:49

Cut, lengthwise then cut deep slits in it, spread a mixture of paprika or chilli, crushed garlic, smoked salt and olive over it. Roast in a tin for about 40 minutes. Delicious!

rosesarered321 · 16/07/2021 20:59

Cut it into rounds, grill both sides and use instead of pasta in lasagne.

MarchLikeTheMonth · 19/07/2021 09:38

Aubergine undercooked is spongey, perfectly cooked is kinda slimy (in a good way). Doesn't have a lot of flavour on its own, so make the texture work to bulk things out
Moussaka
Baba Ganoush (aubergine dip)
Aubergine Parmagiana
Thai curries
Grilled in salad
Ratatouille

CMac79 · 21/07/2021 17:00

Roast Aubergine Curry - delish!

www.spicepots.com/blogs/recipes/roast-aubergine-curry

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