What to do with aubergines

Ticklemouse

I'm taking a leaf out of my own book and doing what I tell my kids to do ie eat new things and eventually you will get to like them. On that note I have bought veg I don't usually, namely bell peppers and some lovely looking aubergines. I detest peppers, but added them to the veg mix under last nights chicken and it was OK (although gave Mr TM most of them). Eventually I'm sure I will get used to the flavour and will actually eat them

Now, last time I had aubergines was in a moussaka, several years ago and I don't think I rated them much - maybe a poor restaurant, dunno. What can I do with them? I have at my disposal assorted veg, spices, lamb and beef mince, chicken, fresh mint and basil. I'm going to the market later so I can get anything else that takes my fancy. It's not for tonight's tea as my sos casserole is in the slow cooker.

Curry_Queen

Ratatouille
Roasted veggies

I'll come back if I think of any more



Ooooooo just thought of one that I do sometimes and is yummy ... slice and grill with a drizzle of olive oil and seasoning and top with cheese ... sometimes I use mozzarella, or on occassion haloumi, and serve with couscous


Can also use them in curries!

Sheel

Oooh , I love aubergines....yum

I've got a nice recipe somewhere for chicken with aubergines , i'll dig it out if you're interested

I once had aubergine fritters for a starter in a restaurant which were gorgeous

Allexie

Aubergine Parmigiana (courtesy of Lloyd Grossman)


http://www.chivers.ie/recipes/recipe.asp?id=62

Allexie

Char Grilled Aubergine and Roasted Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese(courtesy of St Delia!)

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/r_0000001355.asp

Flimber

Finely chop with any other veg you care to. Stir into cooked cous cous. Add chickpeas if the mood takes you. Season. Add a smidge of sauce if you want. Serve. Enjoy.

Mike.

Pal

The River Cottage Meat book has THE BEST moussaka receipe in it - you ideally need leftover roast lamb though.

Alternatively slice the aubergines, salt them for half an hour to get rid of some water then brush them with olive oil and bake until going crispy at the edges. Then just serve as a vegetable with whatever you are eating. You could also roast the peppers at the same time, then just chop them up small before serving them, or mix them with sweetcorn (canned at this time of year).

Pal-Junior loves sweetcorn so chopping up other vegetables and hiding them in sweetcorn is a real winner - he only spits out about half of it.

Alternatively, bake the aubergine as above, and while it is in the oven, make up a quick cheese sauce (grated cheese and a bit of milk will do, although you can't go wrong with cinnamon or nutmeg), then put the baked aubergine in an overproof dish, cover in the cheese and bake until bubbling. Serve as a child friendly vegetable or even stick it between two rounds of toast for a lunchtime sandwich! Yum! (I had this in america with about a pint of cheese sauce poured over the sandwich!) I put on a lot of weight that holiday.

Curry_Queen

Pal wrote:

Alternatively slice the aubergines, salt them for half an hour to get rid of some water then brush them with olive oil and bake until going crispy at the edges.

Apparently there's no need to salt them these days (according to the majority of tv chefs!) and that's what used to put me off using them often, but now I cook them regularly without salting and they come out just fine

Ticklemouse

Sheel - would love to see the chicken and aubergine recipe when you've a minute.

I quite like the sound of Allexie's one with Feta - or should that be St Delia Might try that one first.

Just bought a butternut squash, which I've only ever cubed and bunged in with other stuff (roasts etc), so more experimentation no doubt. (I also bought a cauli the size of Manchester for 89p )

Curry_Queen

Oiiii stop copying woman

I've got a butternut squash and another cauli today too



PS - posted a recipe up top you might like to try

r.mac_2

i hate cauliflower - yuck! Even years of being force fed it by my mother, and with the disguise of cheese sauce I still can't stand it :rolleyes:

Aubergine is yummy though - I roast it with rcubed red pepper and chunks of red onion. About 15 minutes before the end I add some tomatoes (cherry ones are best) and then eat with some pasta, or crusty bread to mop up the juices. A tip I picked up on here was to roast with a smidgen of honey mixed with balsamic vinegar - yumm.

I'm meant to be having chilli made from storecupboard ingredients tonight for dinner - but now I fancy roast veg!