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Roast aubergine with an Asian spiced dressing

Aubergine tastes very good with Asian flavorings.  Try my Asian spice dressing for a delightful new slant on aubergine on it’s own.

ROAST AUBERGINE.jpg

4 medium size aubergine
salt
2 to 3 tablespoons/15 to 45 ml extra-virgin olive oil
8 fresh thyme sprigs
lemon wedges for serving

To reduce the aubergine’s ability to absorb oil, salt the cut flesh and letting it sit for 30 minutes or more. Then drain, rinse, pat dry, and proceed with cooking.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.

  • Wipe the aubergine clean and slice them in half lengthwise.
  • With the tip of a knife, score the flesh deeply in a diamond cross-hatch pattern.
  • Press on the edges of the halves to open the cuts and sprinkle salt over the surface and into the cuts.
  • Set aside, cut side down on a draining rack, for 30 minutes.
  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  • Rinse the aubergine to get rid of as much salt as possible, then arrange on the baking sheet cut side up, pour the olive oil over and scatter some thyme leaves over every half.
  • Roast for 1 hour. The aubergine flesh will be a deep brown caramel color.
  • Let cool considerably before handling, at least 20 min.
  • If serving as part of an antipasto platter, serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing.

Asian spice dressing
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon mirin
black pepper to taste

In a small mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients well, cover and refrigerate for 1 – 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Shake well before using.

 

 

STELLA's avatar

By STELLA

I have had no formal chef’s training. Classical piano was my parents’ choice, and that took care of the first 20 years of my life. Journalism and radio followed (my own choices, this time), and these opened many doors for me into different countries, people, cultures — and, of course, foods. In a six week series on radio I used it as a platform for my love of food and shared lots of interesting recipes and food news with listeners.
My earliest memories of food come from the family kitchen at home; I can still remember the wonderful smells of the dishes my mother prepared. I became aware of the flavors of her creations at an early age. Some I enjoyed and preferred, while others depressed me with their lack of interesting flavors. My mother was a good cook, but not a gourmet, and sadly this often showed. What I did appreciate was that she always involved me in the preparation, sharing her knowledge of nutrition, flavor, color, and the harmonies of each plate she dished up. She was also a genius with leftovers and quick meals when unexpected guests arrived. This is one of the things that stands out in my mind, and it inspired me to create wonderful dishes from leftover foods myself.

I carried on with the tradition of carefully planning meals to combine nutrition, color and flavor, while at the same time offering variety and elegant presentation. In the process, I developed a passion for seeking out the best available products, adhering to each season’s offerings, and treating it with the respect it deserves, which eventually became part of my daily culinary life and travels. I did these things not because I wanted to become a chef, but to satisfy myself, family and friends with creations of gorgeous food and exciting flavors. All of which, I hope, is reflected in this blog.

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