Warm boot recommendations please

[woffle]

Thought I'd wade in with a really simple recipe that's currently being had at least once a week in our house - either on crusty white french bread, as a sauce on a plain penne pasta (or similar) or as a sidedish with roast lamb. I never used to like aubergine but this I love...

 

For two people + two young children you need - one large aubergine, sprigs of fresh rosemary (the less 'wood' the better), couple of large garlic cloves, olive oil, 1/2 finely chopped onion, tin of chopped tomatoes / jar of passata / handful of fresh, skinned tomatoes. An oven heated to 180 and a roll of oven foil.

 

Slice the aubergine half from top to bottom. Score hatched lines into each half about 1cm apart and stick garlic and rosemary into alternate lines, put a little oil on each half and then put the two back together, making the aubergine 'whole' again. Wrap tightly with foil and put into oven and cook until it's cooked (it'll be soft to the touch - depends on the size but somewhere around 30 mins).

 

When done remove from the oven and let it cool. Whilst it's cooling put a pan on the hob, add some oil and gently soften the onion and, if you're not socializing for a while, some more finely chopped garlic.

 

When it's cool enought not to singe your fingers, take each half of aubergine and scoop out the cooked flesh onto a chopping board. Dependent on your veg you may want to do this via a sieve/drainer as some aubergines can be quite watery. If you're fussed remove all the rosemary or just the most woody rosemary (I lean towards the latter, the more taste the better...)

 

Finely chop the aubergine flesh and it's accompanying roasted garlic and rosemary sprigs into a salsa/chunky puree type consitency. Then add to your now nicely softened onion and garlic. Add the tin/jar/handful of tomatos, season and warm through.

 

Then serve in whatever way you want - I love spooning it on fresh, warm bread but it makes a great vegetarian pasta sauce...

[Rhapsody]

I adore aubergine, great idea that caould be used many ways, thanks woffle!

[The Dogmother]

Me too, there's also a nice Italian aubergine starter, where you slice it and put in a shallow oven proof dish (I do individual ones), pour over a tomato sauce (tomatoes, tom puree, onions, garlic, basil.. liquidised), top with parmesan and breadcrumbs then bake in the oven

[Rhapsody]

aha yes I forget we are both Wops! I will post up my Melzanes Parmigiana recipe soon!

[The Dogmother]

You too? Brilliant!

 

That's what mine is called, when I'm not calling it 'that aubergine thing'

 

I can never type 'aubergine' without thinking of Chris Rea