The regular Editor of the blog is away on sabbatical! So here goes.
We have been growing many vegetables on our terrace, tomatoes, beans, onions and most interestingly aubergines, sometimes known as egg plant or in Italian ‘melanzana’. They really are the most exotic plants introduced to Europe in the early middle Ages (1500). First used as decoration with their deep purple leaves and white and yellow egg like fruit. At first they were not used for cooking but now are very common in the supermarket, but better still, have a go at growing them as they are much more flavoured and have a very beautiful blue flower from which the fruit emerges.
Try this recipe:
X2 aubergines
X 4 bulbs of garlic
X 1 large onion
1 tsp of oregano
X2 tbsp of tomato puree
X2 tins of chopped tomatoes or chopped fresh tomatoes (although I prefer the tinned).
1 tin of water
Salt and black pepper
X2 vegetable stock cubes
A small amount of flour.
Vegetable oil.
Grated parmesan cheese
Slice the aubergines to a ¼ of an inch thinly and sprinkled with salt and left for 1 hour to remove some of the water. Peal and crush the garlic, chop the onion finely and fry off with vegetable oil and the oregano. When cooked at the tomato puree, cook for a few moments and then add the tins of tomatoes, salt and pepper and stock cubes and water. Bring to the boil and simmer until the top of the sauce begins to have a little oil floating on it, then it is ready. Coat the aubergine in the flour and fry on both sides in hot oil until brown.
Place on kitchen paper.
Use the sauce and the aubergines to make three or four layers in an oven proof dish and sprinkle with the cheese. You could also sprinkle the top with a little oregano.
Cook in a medium hot oven for 30 – 40 minutes and serve with crusty bread.
I hope you enjoy growing & eating your own food and let us know how you get on. The regular Editor will return next week!
Darren (Assitant Editor in General)
