Best In Season - September - written by Chef Consultant, Celia Brooks
Auber-genius
I’m convinced that anyone who does not like aubergines must have eaten one that was undercooked, then banished it for life. An aubergine simply must, absolutely, categorically be thoroughly cooked or else it is quite horrible tasting and so tough it’s impossible to cut with a knife and fork, let alone chew. I’d just as soon serve someone a raw potato as I would a raw or even slightly undercooked aubergine – i.e. never. If I taste an undercooked aubergine in a restaurant, I am immediately suspicious of the kitchen staff and the rest of the food on my plate.
That said, it responds to every cooking method with finesse - roasting, BBQing, char-grilling, and frying of course, but even steaming in the microwave transforms the watery cells in its spongy structure to reveal its smoothly pulpy and flavourful character.
To salt or not to salt? I’ve known some people to shy away from cooking aubergines because of this laborious step - sprinkling cut pieces of aubergine lightly with salt to draw out the juices for about 30 minutes before cooking. I have experimented with this hundreds of times over the years and my conclusion is firm. You only need to salt them first if you are frying them in oil.
Here’s why:
Firstly, any “bitter” juices which aubergines may have contained in the past – a compound which also makes some people’s mouths tickle – has been bred out of the modern aubergine, so traditionally the salting before cooking was essential to draw this element out.
Secondly, the salting does change the texture of the flesh, collapsing its watery cells, which has the effect of preventing them from absorbing too much oil. So my conclusion is: if, and only if, you are frying aubergines and want a crisp rather than oil-laden result, do salt them first. Any other cooking method (roasting, char-grilling, steaming etc.) does not require you to perform this step. But do add a little salt during other cooking methods or to the final result, to enhance the flavour.
Here are two easy aubergine classics, both of which are fried, so I do recommend the salting step for these. Below them, a gorgeous main-course salad - no salting required. Enjoy!
Aubergines in yoghurt: A simple and classic Middle Eastern style salad. Cut aubergines into thin rounds, and salt for 30 minutes. Pat dry, then batch fry in olive oil until golden. Cool and cover with a sauce of thick yoghurt mixed with crushed garlic, a little lemon juice, salt and pepper. Finish with fresh mint leaves.
Honeyed aubergines: Cut aubergines into 1cm / ½ inch thick rounds and salt for 30 minutes. Pat dry, then batch fry in olive oil until golden. Serve drizzled with honey, cane molasses, or my favourite – date nectar.
Warm Salad of Sweet & Sour Aubergines
with Cheese & PistachiosFrom “SuperVeg” by Celia Brooks
Aubergines are like sponges; they are fabulous for soaking up flavours. Here they are first cooked by char-grilling to impart a smoky tone, then they drink up a dousing of wine and honey. This main-course salad is a festival of taste and texture. It can be plated individually or artfully arranged on a platter for sharing.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 large or 3 medium aubergines
60-90 ml extra virgin olive oil
100ml dry vermouth or white wine
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons runny honey
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g crumbly or soft cheese, such as feta or goat’s cheese, broken into chunks
2 large handfuls young spinach leaves
4 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (substitute an aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze / syrup if pomegranate molasses is unavailable)
To serve:
handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
75g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Method
1) Slice the stem off the aubergines. Stand them on the severed end and slice downwards, shaving off and discarding the first and last bit of skin. Make slices 1cm / ½ inch thick. Brush each slice on both sides with olive oil.
2) Cook the aubergines in batches. Heat a char-grill pan until very hot. Lay the aubergines in the pan and cook each side until translucent and striped with black. Allow to cool slightly, then cut the cooked aubergines into long strips about 2cm / 1 inch wide.
3) Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat. (If you have used up all the oil, add a couple of tablespoons to the pan.) When hot, add the aubergines and spread them out evenly in the pan. Add the vermouth or wine all at once—stand back as it may splutter at first. Season well with salt and pepper and cook, stirring gently, until the wine has almost completely evaporated. Add the vinegar and honey to the pan and stir. Cook for a couple more minutes, while the juices thicken and caramelise, then remove the pan from the heat.
4) Make a bed of young spinach leaves on each plate and pile the aubergines on top. Scatter the cheese over them. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses, sprinkle with chopped mint and pistachios and serve.
