Ways to cook aubergine

Former Member

I have salted an aubergine... Drizzled with olive oil and put chopped garlic on top... Then am going to put tomato slices and cheezly (vegan cheese) on it and bake...

No idea how it will taste...

How do you cook aubergine?

Former Member

I like it in curries, or I slice it thinly and layer it with tomato sauce with cheese on top and bake. I don't like it roasted. I made moussaka once and it was lovely

My boyfriend only likes it when its really soft so i usually saute (sp?) it and then cook it in stock or sauce until its really soft.

you've just reminded me of a recipe that i bookmarked ages ago and never got round to trying!
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4419/aubergine-and-tomato-grill

Former Member

I love aubergine, and cook with it at least twice a week. We usually have it in curries, or I make veggie kebab skewers, and oh man I love it in Thai green curry, too. That said, the easiest thing though is to cut it into cubes and roast it in the oven with courgettes, crushed garlic, whole cloves of garlic and mixed peppers. After about 20 mins I add some pine nuts and cherry tomatoes and finish roasting for maybe another 15 mins depending on your oven. Then I just stir all the veggies into cooked pasta and top with black pepper and parmesan. You have to watch out though, the aubergine absorbs a lot of oil.

My latest favourite is this, though:

Bulgur, aubergine and halloumi

2 medium onions, chopped up
12oz coarse bulgur wheat
12oz aubergine, cubed into bite-size chunks
1 1/2 pints vegetable stock (my fave is Marigold's bouillon but whatever you have)
8oz halloumi cheese, cubed
Sunflower oil

Fry the onions in sunflower oil over a medium heat until they're soft. Add bulgur wheat, mix, then add boiling veg stock, stir through and season. Cook (covered) over a very low heat for about 15 mins until tender. Then fry the cubed aubergine in hot olive oil until golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.

Add the aubergine to the bulgur wheat with a little of the olive oil if necessary, along with the cubed halloumi. Heat through very gently until cheese is soft and "squeaky". I love me some halloumi

I make lots of houmous using aubergine. Really good for the kids - they are mad for it and it's so easy to make.

Houmous

800g soaked chickpeas/2 400g tins of chickpeas, drained
1 aubergine
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Juice of a lemon (or use less, to taste)
150g sun dried tomatoes
8 tablespoons Olive Oil

Cut the Aubergine in half lengthways and roast in a hot oven for about 45 minutes. Scoop out the middle and chuck it in the food processor. Add the chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, garlic and about half the lemon juice and whizz up while adding in the olive oil (through the pouring hole thingy... don't leave the lid off unless you like mess! Whizz up till it's fairly smooth. Add more lemon juice to taste.

This makes bucket loads and is fabulous, it's a case of trial and error with garlic/lemon/oil amounts. Depends what your tastes are. I've added chilli when I've fancied a bit of a kick to it, left the tomatoes out when I've forgotten to buy them, just messed around with it as I've got more familiar. We love it on pitta breads and with sourdough. Going to whip up another batch tomorrow :thumb:

Former Member

Mmmm I'm going to try that houmous!!

Former Member

I must try the one with houmous. I usually don't like aubergine, but I had them fried in batter once and they were really, really good. I don't have the recipe, unfortunately, but it was just a normal kind of batter.

Former Member

Ah, the egg plant. The meat eaters refuge when a vegetarian comes to visit

Former Member

Hmm, I'm looking forward to seeing how good a substitute it is for tahini in the houmous.

Former Member

i lurrrrve aubergine so much - i quite often bake it in teh oven for about 20 mins and then put a mixture of toatoes, onions and corgetes on top that i've cooeked ina pan on the stove and then add that on top and bake it for about another 10 - you can either cut the aube in half or into slices - if you slice it though it needs less time in the oven to start.

Errrm i will write proper instructions when i'm less dizzy...

Former Member

Big Gay wrote: »

Hmm, I'm looking forward to seeing how good a substitute it is for tahini in the houmous.

Yeah, it's definitely different but my husband doesn't like tahini so I usually make it this way to keep the peace

Hyacinth Girl - I didn't like aubergine either, for a long time. When I first became veggie it was always the meat-free option in restaurants and at people's houses (as Big Gay so rightly pointed out), and I guess they didn't know much about cooking with it as I always found the texture really off-putting. When I cook with it myself it's always delicious, but I only got back into it by chance... about a year ago my sister in law gave me a recipe for aubergine crisps that she'd made when we visited. They are SO delicious I decided to give the purple demon another chance. I know a lot of people get put off something and then can never bring themself to go back but... I'm really glad I did!

Former Member

There are hundred different options to prepare and cook aubergine. Mine is remove trash can lid, put aubergine into it, put lid back on, cook meat. sorry if it's not helpful.