
Slow Roasted Red Pepper Glazed Aubergine
Serve aubergine in a contemporary way with this recipe.
- Serves: 4 |
- Difficulty: moderate
- Prep Time : 6:30 hours |
- Cook Time : 2:15 hours


Ingredients
Aubergine
4 large aubergine
sea salt
Tomato Red Pepper Glaze
3 red peppers roasted whole, skinned and pips
removed, reserve all the juices that run free
1 whole onion, peeled and roasted
2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
60 g brown sugar
1⁄3 C (80 ml) red wine vinegar
100 g sundried tomatoes, drained
salt and pepper
Mushroom Duxelle
40 ml olive oil
1 chilli, split in half lengthways
1 sprig thyme
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
600 g button mushrooms, sliced in half
10 g parsley, chopped
10 g chives, chopped
1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) sour cream
Pommes Fondant
4 large potatoes
salt and pepper
100 g butter
200 ml chicken stock (plus 100 ml if needed)
3 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed once with the side
of a knife
Steamed Mushroom Salad
200 g assorted mushrooms, cut but
kept chunky
5 tsp (25 ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) chives, chopped
little lemon zest
20 leaves flat leaf parsley, picked
1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
¼ C (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
pinch salt and pepper
extra flat leaf parsley, to garnish
Method
Aubergine
Steam the aubergines whole for about 45 minutes, remove from the steamer and slice in half lengthways. Place the aubergines in a baking tray flesh side up. Place a second tray of the same size on top. Weigh down with something of moderate weight and leave for about 6 hours.
Remove from the oven and cut the aubergines into rectangles measuring by 4 cm x 7 cm. (Tip: use the off cuts to make a yummy baba ganoush).
Tomato Red Pepper Glaze
Place the peppers and the onion in a small saucepan with olive oil, roasted pepper juices and sugar.
Allow to cook until the sugars start to caramelise slightly. Add the vinegar and continue to reduce, add the tomatoes.
Use a hand blender to blend to a smooth paste Pass this mixture through a sieve or chinoise and then place back into the saucepan over the heat and reduce to a thick paste, while stirring continuously. Adjust the seasoning; you are looking for a sweet and sour tomato/pepper ketchup taste. Allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 110 ºC.
Spread a smooth layer of the glaze on top of the brinjal layer and bake for 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cut into rectangles measuring by 4 cm x 7 cm.
Mushroom Duxelle
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the chilli, thyme, garlic, bay leaf and mushrooms
and bring to a slow sizzle, gently cook at a low heat. Continue to sauté mushrooms until cooked through and until all of the liquid has evaporated. Season and set aside until cooled.
Finely chop the mushroom mixture either by hand or by pulsing lightly in a food processer. Do not purée though. Add parsley and chives and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. If necessary, add a little sour cream to help bind.
Pommes Fondant
Peel the potatoes, and cut into rectangular pieces 2 cm wide x 2 cm high and 7 cm long (you should be able to get about two per potato). Season each piece.
Heat a quarter of the butter in frying pan and start to cook the potatoes, continue to cook until golden brown on both sides. Do not move too much while cooking. Slowly add the stock, thyme, garlic and remaining butter to the pan, cover with a lid. Continue to cook until all of the liquid has been absorbed and evaporated. Potatoes should be soft when pierced with a knife. Add more stock if needed.
Steamed Mushroom Salad
Heat a small saucepan with a tight fitting lid until very hot. Add all of the ingredients to the saucepan at the same time.
The steam caused from excess heat will cook the mushrooms very quickly, remove from the heat and keep the lid on, steam until cooked – about 5 minutes.
To Assemble
Place a bed of mushroom duxelle onto a serving plate; place a square of baked brinjal on top (alternatively the slice of baked brinjal can be plated directly onto the plate and the duxelle served on the side).
Add a potato fondant to each plate and top with the steamed mushroom salad.
Add a quenelle of mushroom duxelle and garnish with flat leaf parsley.