Amazingly, despite the cooler weather we are now experiencing, the Aubergine plants are still surviving. They don't look so special, but they definitely have not given up yet:
Both plants still have a number of small fruits on them:
I had six smallish Aubergines in the fridge that needed using up, so I decided to make them into a dish a bit like Hummous. As usual I didn't follow a recipe, I just used my instinct. This is what I did:
I chopped a small red onion and softened it in about a tablespoonful of sunflower oil in a frying-pan. When the onion was soft I added the following:-
- 4 small cloves of garlic, chopped
- 6 small aubergines, chopped into 1-inch sections
- 2 large tomatoes, peeled and de-seeded
- 1 small chilli, de-seeded and chopped
- a squeeze of tomato puree
- a small pinch of ground cumin and some salt and pepper
- about 150ml chicken stock
I cooked the mixture over a low heat for about 30 minutes, by which time the stock had been absorbed and the aubergines had gone very soft.
I turned off the heat and allowed the mixture to cool for a few minutes before blitzing it in the food-processor until it became a smooth paste, which I decanted into a suitable dish and garnished with parsley and some fresh chilli.
This dish can be used just like Hummous, ideally spread thickly on some herby flat-breads. It was surprisingly pleasant. Tasty; almost creamy in texture, without any of the bitterness or sliminess that I often associate with aubergines. I say that because you know that until recently I have been rather anti aubergines in general. I was particularly pleased that when my daughter Emma tried it she declared it to be "absolutely lovely" - and that comes from someone who I would say is normally even less likely than me to praise the aubergine.
Cropping aubergines - now you're just showing off! We had some pretty flowers though.
ReplyDeleteI never tried this recipe. Must try when we have some harvest. It is kind of interesting this year to see my gardener friends in UK try to grow eggplants.
DeleteI like the look of the recipe, will give it a go. Have to be shop bought aubergine, I've already eaten my 1 aubergine.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good idea Mark, I'll have to give that a whirl, since aubergines/eggplants are just coming into season here in the USA.
ReplyDeleteYou've done really well with your aubergines. It took me three years before I got a plant to fruit, and that was in a greenhouse. I wonder if the long type fruits are better suited to our weather.
ReplyDeleteProbably just Beginner's Luck, Jo. I can't claim any particular expertise in this field.
DeleteA good tip for cooking aubergine. I never thought aubergine would grow in the UK but I was wrong.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to still have aubergines cropping - especially growing outside. I may have to try a long-fruited version next year to see if they last longer than Moneymaker.
ReplyDeleteThere is a greek aubergine dip called melitzanosalata, and an eastern version known as baba ganoush, which have different seasonings - now you have created your own version too!
I make Baba Ganoush with my eggplants every year, although I tend to cook mine whole. Personally I find eggplant to be both the nicest thing to eat or the most hideous - undercooked eggplant can be truly vile in my book.
ReplyDeletePulled all the eggplant here. That looks like a nice dish - a little drissle of olive oil, and as you said a bit of herbed flat bread and that would be dinner!
ReplyDeleteI just happen to be in possession of about 10 2-inch aubergines (eggplants to those of us in the colonies of course). I have been looking for something to do with them. This recipe designates you as today's good Samaritan.
ReplyDelete