9 Ottolenghi recipes to make you fall in love with aubergine (2024)

FAQs

9 Ottolenghi recipes to make you fall in love with aubergine? ›

Cut widthways into round slices, 2cm thick, and place in a large bowl. Mix well with 70ml of oil, ½ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper, and spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for 40–45 minutes, until dark golden-brown, then set aside to cool.

Cut widthways into round slices, 2cm thick, and place in a large bowl. Mix well with 70ml of oil, ½ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper, and spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for 40–45 minutes, until dark golden-brown, then set aside to cool.

Place the aubergine slices in a sturdy ovenproof pan. Brush lightly with oil, then sprinkle over ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a little sea salt and black pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until softened and charred, adding the spring onions, garlic and cherry tomatoes halfway through.

From this, Ottolenghi has developed a style of food which is rooted in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean traditions, but which also draws in diverse influences and ingredients from around the world.

Brining can be used instead and has the added advantage of helping the eggplant keep its shape when it's cooked, whether your recipe calls for baking, frying, or grilling. This technique of soaking sliced or chopped eggplant in salt water is particularly useful when making grilled eggplant.

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

It's best to avoid other members of the nightshade family like potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes. Also, fennel and cilantro can be problematic when planted close to eggplants.

Bad eggplant looks wrinkly and dull-colored. Squishy texture and a rotten odor are other common signs of bad eggplant. Fresh eggplant lasts 2-3 days at room temperature, 5 days in the refrigerator, and 8-12 months in the freezer. Eggplant that turns brown after you slice it is okay to eat.

Eggplants prefer cool, dark environments, like a pantry or wine cooler, and their optimum storage temperature is around 50 degrees F. Eggplant will last between five and seven days in the refrigerator as long as the skin hasn't been removed or damaged.

My favourite seasonings include ginger, garlic, lemon, salt, pepper, oregano, Italian herbs, paprika or soy sauce. If you have a favourite, give it a try! Score eggplant slices with a knife, making shallow indents before adding the seasoning.

What is the best way to eat aubergines? ›

Like most vegetables, aubergine can be fried, grilled, roasted, steamed or even boiled. It's also happily stuffed, or, blitzed – there are SO many ways to make this bulbous vegetable sing. Most commonly, it is fried or roasted, though we've included recipes which see them boiled below (Thai green curry we love you).

Yotam Ottolenghi is a famous Israeli born British chef who is well known for his group of delis, as well as cookbooks and TV appearances.

About us. Ottolenghi began in a small shop in Notting Hill, London in 2002. Chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi were at the helm, creating a unique deli, restaurant, and bakery setting, which soon became a clear reflection of our obsessive relationship with food.

The deli quickly gained a cult following due to its inventive dishes, characterised by the foregrounding of vegetables, unorthodox flavour combinations, and the abundance of Middle Eastern ingredients such as rose water, za'atar, and pomegranate molasses.

Spread out the aubergine in a roasting tin or on a baking sheet (you may need to use two) and drizzle with the oil. Turn the pieces over with your hands and season. Roast for 15-20 mins, turning the slices halfway through cooking, or until they are dark golden on the outside and soft inside.

Today, eggplants are bred not to have that kind of bitterness," Jenkins explains. She does call out one outlier though. "The only exception is when you deep fry it. I tend to soak the slices in a bowl of water with a couple of tablespoon of salt for about 30-45 minutes.