The Aubergine – The Essential Mediterranean Vegetable

Aubergines, originally native to South East Asia, are now grown all over the world in many different varieties, such as the glossy deep purple bulbous ones common to the Mediterranean, which are larger than the small  tubular Asian variety. Like the tomato, the aubergine is a fruit, but always used as a vegetable.

While it is not exactly heavy in vitamins, it does contain a lot of minerals and is low in sodium, calories and fat. When buying aubergines, they should be firm, with a taut shiny skin and a bright green stalk end. They store well in the fridge for four to six days.

When using aubergines, to avoid discoloration, cut just before cooking and, in the past, recipes told you to slice and salt before cooking to reduce the bitterness. This isn’t really necessary now unless you plan to fry them, since salting causes them to absorb less oil.

They can be cooked in many ways: in such classics as moussaka, imam baildi and ratatouille; roasted and pureed with garlic, and they also feature in many Indian and Arabic dishes.

A simple, adaptable and tasty recipe is melted cheesy aubergines; for four people you will need:

3 tbsp olive oil
2 large firm aubergines cut in half length ways
4 tomatoes sliced
Cheese (use mozzarella, slices of mature cheddar, blue cheese, or almost any cheese of your choice)

Pre heat the oven to 180°C. Put the aubergines onto a baking tray, drizzle the oil over them, and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes until soft. Put tomatoes and cheese on top of the aubergines, season with salt and pepper and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese has softened. Scatter some fresh herbs on top and serve with a crisp green salad. To adapt this recipe you can add sliced onions, mushrooms, courgettes or any vegetable of your choice – it is so easy and delicious.

Another easy recipe creates a spicy dish for which you can use either chicken or pork, and make it as hot as you want. For four people you will need:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 aubergine, diced
600g lean pork or chicken breast, cut into large cubes
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into strips
3 tbsp of your favourite curry paste or curry powder. Less if you want a milder version.
400g can chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Heat the oil in a large casserole and fry the onions, garlic, red and green peppers gently until soft. Add the pork or chicken and fry until brown on the outside, then add the aubergines and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the curry paste or powder and the tomatoes and mix well. If it looks too thick add a little water, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Put into the oven and cook for one hour until the meat is cooked and tender.

Serve with boiled rice and some crusty bread.

COOKING TIP

For healthier meals, substitute honey for sugar in recipes. Start by substituting up to half of the sugar called for. With a little experimentation, honey can replace all the sugar in some recipes.

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Για υγιέστερα γεύματα, αντικαταστήσετε μέλι για τη ζάχαρη στις συνταγές. Αρχίσετε, αντικαθιστώντας μέχρι και τη μισή από τη ζάχαρη που απαιτείται. Με ένα μικρό πειραματισμό, το μέλι μπορεί να αντικαταστήσει όλη τη ζάχαρη σε μερικές συνταγές.