Eggplant abounds at this time of year. More attractively known by the French as Aubergine and the Italians as Melanzane it is possibly the most popular vegetable in the Mediterranean. There are countless ways to cook this wonderfully versatile ingredient and many classic dishes rely upon it: The Greeks and Turks for their famous Moussaka, the French for their Ratatouille, and the Italians for their Melanzane Parmigiana and Capanota. There is of course also Babaganoush and countless Asian and Indian interpretations of how to utilise aubergine with a selection of spices.

It is best to select medium to large aubergine for cooking; They should be firm to feel and the skin should be tight and glossy. The skin and seeds are edible and only a recipe or personal preference may determine whether they be peeled or not.

Modern varieties do not require salting to remove any bitterness of the seeds but the salting process does facilitate less oil being absorbed during cooking.

To salt aubergines, place a clean tea towel on a flat surface, arrange the sliced aubergine on this, sprinkle abundantly with salt and leave to sweat for anything from 10 minutes to up to an hour. Before cooking, rinse them well, arrange on a dry tea towel, cover with another and gently press down on it to gently squeeze out any moisture.

Olive oil gives the best flavour for cooking aubergine, although your premium grade extra virgin olive oil is not required here*.

As you cook slices of aubergine, arrange the cooked slices on 2 or 3 layers of absorbent kitchen paper towel. Cover each layer with more paper towel so that the oil is absorbed. You can leave them layered like this until ready to use. Sliced aubergine cooked in this way is excellent served hot or cold, sprinkled with chopped parsley as a simple vegetable dish.

MELANZANE PARMIGIANA

There are a thousand ways to prepare this delicious dish, which has become a firm family favourite of ours and a treat to serve to friends.

The textures and flavours succeed in soothing vegetarians and carnivores alike. It is relatively easy to prepare, especially if you have the tomato sauce already made.

Traditionally served by the Sicilians as a starter, served simply with a green or mixed salad it makes for a delightful summer meal.

Ingredients
Serves 4 - 6

• 3 medium size aubergine (approx 1.5 kg)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 150g grated parmesan cheese
• 100g sliced mozzarella or a soft melting cheese
• 600ml fresh tomato sauce
• Approx 500ml olive oil*
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Basil to garnish
• (To prepare the tomato sauce, skin and chop 800g fresh tomatoes or use 2 x 400g tins of best quality peeled chopped tomatoes. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat, add a clove of garlic and some basil leaves (do not allow the garlic to burn). Add the chopped tomatoes, season with salt and cook gently for about 15 - 20 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down. Season again with salt and pepper, remove the garlic clove).

Equipment

• Chopping board and sharp cooks knife
• 3 large clean tea towels
• Large heavy fry pan
• Tongs
• Roll of paper kitchen towel
• A medium size deep baking tray or lasagne dish

Method

• Cut the aubergine into 1 cm slices and if you wish, salt the slices in accordance with the directives given above
• Place the pan over medium to high heat and pour about 1cm depth of olive oil into the base of the pan, once it is smoking it is ready to cook in.
• Place the flour onto a plate
• Arrange 3 or 4 layers of absorbent kitchen paper towel adjacent to the frypan to place the cooked aubergine onto
• Take a slice of aubergine, pat it dry, and dust it in the flour, shaking it of any excess - gently place the aubergine into the hot oil. Repeat this process until the pan is comfortably filled with a layer of aubergine.
• Allow the aubergine to cook for 2 - 3 minutes, gently elevate one of the slices, it should be golden in color and softening underneath. If so, gently turn it over and cook on the other side for another 2 - 3 minutes. Repeat this for all the slices, removing them to the paper towel as they cook. You will probably have to keep adding more oil for each batch.
• Preheat the oven to 200c
• To assemble, spread 2 - 3 tablespoons tomato sauce on the base of the baking dish. Cover with a layer of cooked aubergine, a little sauce (to your liking), 2 or 3 torn basil leaves and plenty of parmesan and a little of the mozzarella.
• Continue in this way creating 3 or 4 layers, repeating until all of the ingredients are used up. Finish with a layer of tomato sauce and Parmesan.
• Bake for about 20 - 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.
• Allow to stand for 5 minutes or so before cutting into squares. I often leave this dish even for an hour or two before serving, it is then served at room temperature.

EGG PLANT PUREE

This recipe is for a Pakistani dish which comes from Charmaine Solomon’s Asian Cookbook. Very good recipes for Ratatouille and Baba Ganoush abound but I have never come across anything like this before. It is positively delicious, excellent as an hors d’oeuvre to pick at, as a side dish with yoghurt for roasted meats or slapped on top of a thick slice of bread with salami and capsicum.

Ingredients
Serves 6

• 2 large aubergine
• 2 large ripe tomatoes
• 3 tablespoon ghee** or oil
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teapsoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

Method

• Wash and dry the aubergine and tomatoes
• Dice the aubergine and tomatoes
• Heat the ghee / oil over medium heat and gently fry the onion and ginger until they are soft and start to go brown
• Add the turmeric, chilli, salt and garam masala, and mix thoroughly allowing the wonderful aromas to develop
• Add the aubergine and tomatoes, stir well, add about 2 tablespoons of water
• Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and cook until the vegetables become soft, stirring occasionally (approximately 40 minutes)
• Cook until the liquid evaporates and you have a thick puree
• Serve hot or cold, delicious with Indian yoghurt

* I buy a 20 liter tin of Campania brand Canola Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Blended Vegetable Oil. The 4 liter costs around $16.00 and the 20 liter tin is a bargain at $50.00. Call Campania on 0359 2799 for stockists; Casa Iberica at 25 Johnston St, Fitzroy, Ph: 9419 4220 however do supply these items. This product is an exceptional and affordable cooking oil.

** Do try and get hold of some ghee for this dish, it offers such a rich, buttery flavor in cooking. Ghee can be purchased from Indian grocers as can all the spices listed in this recipe.

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