Cheat's Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Ciabattas

Try saying that five times fast: 

Cheat's Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Ciabattas

Cheat's Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Ciabattas

Cheat's Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Ciabattas

.... 

Okay, you get the idea. Quite a mouthful eh? In more ways than one too. These ciabattas are simply fabulous and the perfect weekend food. Besides being tremendously easy to make, they pack a powerful flavour punch that, if you're anything like me, will leave you very, very satisfied. The best way I can describe it, is that it feels like taking a bite of Italy with all that basil, tomato and mozzarella action. Hey, it's even in the Italian flag's colours. Bellissimo!

Verlaque's** fruit infused olive oil really shines in this dish, rendering the aubergine both beautifully soft and with a wonderful mix of sweetness and tartness. It definitely have my vote for favourite new South African product. Even if you use regular olive oil though, the smoky aubergine, loud & assertive basil, garlicky sundried tomato pesto and strings of gooey white mozzarella will ensure that the memory of these ciabattas stay with you for some time.

Cheat's Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Ciabattas

Adapted from Epicurious

Serves 4

The cheat's version uses bought sundried tomato pesto instead of requiring you to make a tomato sauce from scratch. If you buy a good quality pesto I think it tastes even better this way. It goes without saying that an extra-garlicky pesto is almost a requirement...

If you must you can sub the Verlaque Splash with a good quality extra-virgin olive oil, but do try and get hold of it, the flavour is quite extraordinary.

1 large aubergine, cut into thickish round slices 

3 - 4 tbsp (45 - 60 ml) Verlaque Lemon Infused Olive Oil with Cranberry Splash Balsamic Reduction & Pomegranate

1/2 tsp  (2.5 ml) salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) sundried tomato pesto

4 individual sized ciabattas (or buy 2 and cut in half or 3rds)

12 fresh basil leaves

100g sliced mozzarella

freshly ground black pepper

1. Place aubergine slices in an oventray, sprinkling with the olive oil and salt. The aubergine should be generously coated on both sides with the oil. Place in the oven at 180C and bake for approx 15 minutes until soft.

2. At this point you can let your aubergines rest in the sauce for a while to intensify the flavours (I left mine overnight and they were amazing!) or you can proceed directly to the next step.

3. Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat on a stovetop. Place the aubergine slices onto the griddle (if you've left them overnight they will be very soft, so handle with care). Grill for a minute or two each side to firm up and impart delicious smoky flavour (and attractive griddle marks).

4. Meanwhile, halve your ciabatta and toast in the oven (you can also use the griddle pan for this). Also, switch your oven back on (180C).

5. Spread one half of the ciabatta with the sundried tomato pesto, then top with basil leaves. You'll want to cover the whole surface with basil leaves. Lay some aubergine slices on top and follow that with mozzarella slices. Cover with the other half of the ciabatta. Repeat with the other three ciabattas. 

6.  Place in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese and serve warm.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 549.4 , Total fat 15.4 g, Saturated fat 4.1 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.0 g, Monounsaturated fat 8.6 g, Cholesterol 14.5 mg, Sodium 564.7 mg, Potassium 28.0 mg, Total carbohydrate 11.0 g, Dietary fiber 0.3 g, Sugars 1.3 g, Protein 8.8 g

Good source of: Calcium 16.4 %, Phosphorus 11.7 %

** Full disclaimer: Verlaque's product was included in the goodie bags at the 2010 SA Food Blogger's conference, so I received it for free. However I was neither asked nor paid to endorse them. I simply love the product and will definitely go on to buy it once I've used up the last little bit.

Bokkom, Lemon & Basil Risotto with Fried Aubergine Slices

We recently visited Paternoster and while there I had a delicious dish of homemade pasta sheets layered with chillies, bokkoms and toasted breadcrumbs. In fact I was so taken with the bokkom flavour, that I bought some to take home with me (vacuum packed to give our nostrils a fighting chance...). I confess, they were lying on the kitchen counter for a few days, staring at me accusingly, then I unceremoniously dumped them in the kitchen cupboard, for later usage.

A few days later I started scouring the internet and racking my brain for risotto ideas and happened upon a recipe for a risotto with anchovies, mint and fried aubergines. And so I started thinking that bokkoms (at least to me) are somewhat similar to anchovies and wouldn't the preserved lemon that I made for the previous Daring Cooks challenge be a perfect complement to the flavours?

However I had another hurdle awaiting me  - the challenge demanded that we make our own stock. Yes, from scratch. At first I wanted to take the easy way out and make some vegetable stock. I really did not feel up to handling a chicken carcass. In the end though, I bullied myself into roasting a chicken (my first time) and making stock from the chicken bones and reserved skin. The things I do in the name of science... I stuffed the chicken with one of my preserved lemons which infused the whole bird with a deliciously lemony flavour. That was enough to convince me to make a lemony chicken stock too.

It was a simple affair really - add chicken bones, reserved skin, remainder of preserved lemon (plus some extra) and the leftover chicken juices at the bottom of the roasting pan to a pot, add a roughly chopped carrot and celery stalk, some onions, a bit of salt and top up with water. And voila! In about three hours you have a flavourful chicken stock. And it makes your whole house smell pretty good too.

As for the risotto - it was heavenly. The bokkoms added just the right note of saltiness and bite to the creamy risotto and the preserved lemon peel and basil delivered the final touches. I will admit that I never could understand the hype about homemade chicken stock, but I think it really made a difference in the end result. Bon appetit!

Oh and before I forget, the official challenge checking line:

The 2010 March Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Eleanor of MelbournefoodGeek and Jess of Jessthebaker. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make risotto. The various components of their challenge recipe are based on input from the Australian Masterchef cookbook and the cookbook Moorish by Greg Malouf.

Bokkom, Lemon & Basil Risotto with Fried Aubergine Slices

Adapted from About.com: Homecooking

Inspired by a meal prepared by Sardines on Toast (blogger/chef at Oep ve Koep, Paternoster)

Serves 4

1 medium aubergines, cut into strips

3 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 bokkoms, sliced finely*

1 3/4 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

6 cups lemon chicken stock

3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

3 tbsp butter

1 tsp preserved lemon peel

1. In a large saucepan, heat two tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat, add the aubergine and fry until well browned and tender, about 8 - 10 minutes. Reduce the heat as needed to keep the aubergine from burning.

2. Heat the rest of the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, garlic and bokkoms and saute for 2 minutes. 

3. Add rice and stir for a few minutes to coat the rice with oil.

4. Add wine and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Stir constantly until all the wine is absorbed. 

5. Add the chicken stock, a half cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed before adding more stock. The whole process will take about 20 -25 minutes for the rice to be cooked al dente. 

6. Stir in the basil, butter and lemon peel. Spoon the risotto into individual serving bowls, and arrange the fried aubergine slices on top. Sprinkle with more basil and lemon peel if desired. Serve at once. 

* If you aren't lucky enough to be able to personally buy some bokkoms (dried salted mullet) on the West Coast of South Africa, I would imagine that you might be able to get away with using bacalao (dried salted cod). I have not tasted bacalao myself though, so you might want to use your own discretion on that one. Otherwise, use anchovies as per the original recipe.

Greek Green Bean Stew

(Updated from the archives) 

It has been Hot with a capital H for the past few days in Cape Town and surrounds. So hot in fact, that I have avoided my kitchen at all costs, preferring to eat cold fruit directly from the fridge, soak in cold baths and lounge in front of the fan. This morning we woke up to a slight reprieve from the heat. As someone so eloquently stated on Twitter: "Dear Cape Town...after much debate, Hell would like to thank you for returning its weather...have an awesome day now." 

Unfortunately  my menu plan for the week did not take the weather into account and so I had a choice between Greek Green Bean Stew or homemade Turkish dumplings last night. *Note to self: check 7 day weather forecast when planning meals.* Needless to say the stew won. I just could not face folding little pieces of dough around mince last night. No sirree, not happening. 

Instead, I chopped up some aubergines, greenpepper, beans, tomatoes and onions, threw it in my wok with some olive oil and relaxed on the balcony with the wind (from the fan) in my hair and an ice cold G&T in my hand. Okay it wasn't a G&T, but soda with triple sec does not sound half as glamorous, does it?

The stew was not heavy at all, but rather like a ratatouille. In fact it's pretty perfect for the slightly overcast weather today. See I braved the elements so you can have weather appropriate meals. It's a tough job...**

Greek Green Bean Stew

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 medium onion, cubed
1 green bellpepper,cubed
2 medium aubergine, cubed
300g green beans, topped, tailed & halved
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp sugar
salt & pepper, to taste
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
a few capers (optional)

1. Sprinkle aubergine with salt and leave to rest in a colander for about 30 minutes. Wipe dry and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in a tablespoon of oil until soft, but not browned. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and saute the aubergines over medium heat until just cooked.
4. Add the beans, tomatoes and onion & greenpepper mix to the aubergines. Sprinkle with herbs, cinnamon and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover and let simmer until the beans are tender and the tomatoes have thickened into a sauce.
5. Serve while hot, scattered with feta and capers if using.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 219.2 Total Fat 9.9 g Saturated Fat 2.5 g Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1 g Monounsaturated Fat 5.6 g Cholesterol 8.8 mg Sodium 298.0 mg Potassium 993.8 mg Total Carbohydrate 31.0 g Dietary Fiber 9.2 g Sugars 1.3 g Protein 6.4 g

** Donations for G&T gladly accepted
***PS: Excuse the crappy picture quality - I blame it on bad lighting.

Stuffed Aubergines on Tomato Sauce Tagliatelle

Say you need to impress the future in-laws with your cooking skills.

"My what?" "I don't have those."

Of course you do. Or at least you can pretend that you do. *Cue sneaky smile.* Trust me on this one, when you place this dish in front of the in-laws they'll think you're the next Nigella. Or Jamie. Or {insert name of your favourite celebrity chef here}. Even though you just mixed a few things together out of some packets and tins. Your secret's safe with me. Leaving you free to go forth and multiply schmooze.  

Oh! And don't forget to buy a bottle of good wine. It tends to smooth over those awkward moments. Another one you can trust me on.

Stuffed Aubergines on Fresh Tomato Tagliatelle

Serves 4

2 medium aubergines

salt & pepper to taste

150g low fat chunky cottage cheese
3 tbsp red pepper chutney

10 almonds, chopped
250g fresh tagliatelle

1/2 cup tinned italian tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

fresh coriander or parsley, chopped (optional)

1. Cut aubergine in half, salt lightly and steam in a bamboo or conventional steamer until soft. Scoop the inner flesh out, leaving a rim around the edges in tact. 

2. Mix the scooped out aubergine flesh with cottage cheese and chutney, season to taste and scoop back into the aubergine shells. 

3. Place aubergine halves on a baking tray and grill in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

4. Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle until al dente (5 - 7 minutes). Warm tinned tomatoes in a small pan and mix with tomato paste. Drain the pasta, then toss with the tomato sauce.

5. Divide the pasta between two serving plates, place half an aubergine on top of each serving of pasta and scatter with herbs.

Serve immediately.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 376.9 , Total fat 5.1 g, Saturated fat 1.4 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.1 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.8 g, Cholesterol 3.0 mg, Sodium 261.0 mg, Potassium 788.5 mg, Total carbohydrate 66.2 g, Dietary fiber 9.5 g, Sugars 6.4 g, Protein 17.9 g

Good source of: Manganese 24.0 %, Folate 15.3 % Vitamin B6 15.3 %

Roast Aubergine Tart with Caramelised Red Onions

Now doesn't that look festive? A great contender for all those relaxed lunches that lie ahead in the next few days of celebrations. Let the countdown to Christmas begin! And let me tell you, it tastes just as good eaten straight out of the fridge. Not that I would ever... um... do that.

Roast Aubergine Tart with Caramelised Red Onions

Serves 6

1 large aubergine, sliced thinly

1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil

3 medium red onions, sliced thinly

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 x quantity pizza dough

2 tbsp basil pesto

100g creamcheese log, sliced into rounds

salt, to taste

balsamic reduction, to taste

1. Toss aubergine with 1 tbsp olive oil, spread out onto a baking tray and roast at 180C for 15 - 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil in a medium sized frying pan, add onions and cook over medium high heat until starting to soften slightlyTurn heat down. add sugar and balsamic, cover with lid and cook for a further 15 minutes. Remove lid, turn heat up again and cook another 5 - 10 minutes to gently caramelize the onions. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Roll dough out into a rectangle large enough to fill a casserole dish - dough should not be too thin. Transfer dough to a greased casserole dish, smoothing into all the corners and up the sides of the dish. Spread the bottom with pesto, then scatter with onions and top with aubergines. Finish off by seasoning to taste with salt and finally add creamcheese rounds on top.

4. Bake for 15 minutes at 180C, then adjust heat for grilling and return to oven for another 5 minutes until gently browned on top.

5. Drizzle with balsamic reduction, cut into slices and serve while still warm or lukewarm.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 338.8, Total fat 11.3 g, Saturated fat 4.4 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.7 g, Monounsaturated 3.4 g, Cholesterol 19.5 mg, Sodium 97.3 mg, Potassium 332.7 mg, Total carbohydrate 51.2 g, Dietary fiber 4.4 g, Sugars 0.2 g, Protein 8.5 g

Good source of: Thiamin 31.6 %, Folate 30.6 %, Manganese 26.8 %, Selenium 26.6 %, Iron 16.7 %

Aubergine, Bulghur & Lentil Salad with Fresh Salsa

Things I love about Christmas:

• Christmas cheer (and Christmas carols!)
  
• Spoiling my loved ones
• Sunny days & the prospect of achieving that elusive bronze glow (okay who am I kidding on this one... I'm usually the one who blinds the rest of humanity with my still snow white legs by the end of summer)
• (Over)indulging in food of every kind and, more to the point, sinful desserts of every kind

 Things I don't like about Christmas:

• Having to listen to other people's Christmas cheer while I'm working/sleeping
• The mad rush in the mall trying to find Christmas gifts that will a) be appreciated and b) not break the bank
• Achieving a lobstery red glow in the summer sun whilst in pursuit of a bronze glow
• Starting the New Year 1 dress size larger owing to all the (over)indulgence of the festive season

I don't have satisfactory solutions to the first 3 issues (yet), but I think I've found the solution to the last one. Yes sirree, my body is stockpiling on VVM's at the moment so that I have a buffer for the overindulgences that is bound to follow in the days to come. This salad is a prime example of a VVM. (Very Virtuous Meal) The unexpected bonus? It's also mighty tasty. The variety in textures - nutty chewy grains vs creamy aubergines vs crunchy veggies - ensures that this combo is anything but boring.

Aubergine, Bulghur & Lentil Salad with Fresh Salsa

Adapted from Food & Wine

Serves 6 - 8

1 cup dried lentils
1 tsp salt
1 cup bulghur
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 medium aubergine, finely diced
2 tsp sambal oelek
1 tbsp fruit chutney
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped coriander
1 medium yellow bellpepper, finely diced
3 medium tomatoes, finely diced
1 cucumber, finely diced
salt & pepper to taste
baby salad leaves, optional
sweet chilli sauce, optional

1. Add lentils, salt and 3 1/2 cups of boiling water to a medium sized pot. Bring to the boil, then turn down heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add bulghur and cook another 10 minutes until both the lentils and bulghur is cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool down slightly
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan. Add onions and garlic, saute 2 - 3 minutes, then add aubergine along with the rest of the oil. Fry for 3 - 4 minutes, then add sambal oelek, chutney and 1 1/2 cups of water. Season to taste with salt and cook over medium-high heat until liquid has been absorbed and aubergine is soft.
3. Add the aubergine to the lentil/bulghur mixture and stir through gently. Add to this the chopped up herbs, taste and adjust seasoning if required. Set aside.
4. In a seperate bowl assemble the salsa by mixing the yellow bellpepper, tomatoes and cucumber. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. To serve - arrange salad greens on plates, top with a generous spoonful of the lentils and some salsa and drizzle with sweet chilli sauce

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 250.5, Total fat 4.8 g, Saturated fat 0.6 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.6 g, Monounsaturated fat 2.9 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 377.5 mg, Potassium 666.7 mg, Total carbohydrate 42.4 g, Dietary fiber 11.7 g, Sugars 1.0 g, Protein 11.1 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 74.4 %, Folate 41.0 %, Manganese 28.8 %, Iron 17.2 %

Baigan Ka Bharta (Aubergine Curry)

This is very different from the Indian food I normally eat. Yes, it contains some of the same flavours, but somehow the mix of ingredients (or maybe it’s the aubergine base?) amounts to something lighter. More exotic. Superbly tasty. The eggplant almost melts in your mouth, so soft is it, and the tomato-onion sauce beautifully complements it. Definitely a keeper. 

Baigan Ka Bharta (Aubergine Curry)

Adapted from food-india.com

Serves 3 - 4 (as main meal)
Serves 6 (as side-dish)

2 tsp sunflower oil
2 large aubergines, quartered and sliced
salt to taste
1 medium onion, very finely chopped (I use food processor for this)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp garam masala powder
2 medium tomatoes, pureed
1/2 cup water

1. Toss aubergine with 1 tsp oil and some salt, then roast in oven at 180C for 20 minutes or until soft.
2. Heat the remainder of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, sauté for 3 minutes, then add garlic and spices.
3. Cook another 1 minute, then add tomato. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Add aubergine, mix gently to combine. Add water, cover and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve, sprinkled with slivered almonds with some steamed rice on the side.

Nutritional info (per main dish serving): Calories 139.5 , Total fat 3.7 g, Saturated fat 0.5 g, Polyunsaturated fat 2.1 g, Monounsaturated fat 0.7 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 17.9 mg, Potassium 930.1 mg, Total carbohydrate 26.6 g, Dietary fiber 9.9 g, Sugars 0.1 g, Protein 4.5 g
Good source of: Manganese 32.9 %, Vitamin C 24.8 %,

Spaghetti 'a la Espanola'

Participating in Blazing Hot Wok's Regional Recipes - Spain has got me thinking about the flavours of Spain - sweet bellpeppers, juicy tomatoes, tangy olives. And so, with that in mind, I threw a couple of ingredients together and came up with this pasta dish, which has, what I'd like to think of as a bit of a Spanish flavour.



I might be completely off the beaten track here, but let's indulge me okay? And besides, I can't think of a better name for this one. So Spaghetti 'a la Espanola' it is!

Spaghetti 'a la Espanola'

Serves 4 - 5

1 medium aubergine, chopped into small cubes

1 small greenpepper, chopped into small cubes

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 tbsp olive oil

a dash of salt and a grinding of black pepper

1/2 cup red split lentils

3/4 cup water

1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes, Spanish style*

1 tsp olive oil

250g extra-lean bacon, finely diced

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp paprika

1/4 tsp chilli powder

65g pitted green olives, halved

300g spaghetti

*if you don't have this where you live, just use a regular tin of tomatoes and up the other spices

1. Arrange eggplant, greenpepper and onion on a baking tray. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and massage through to combine. Place in oven at 180C and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, put the lentils into a microwaveable container. Add the tomatoes and a cup of water, mix to combine everything and microwave on high for 20 minutes.

3. Place spaghetti in a pot of boiling salted water and cook for 10 minutes.

4. In a seperate frying pan, heat 1 tsp of oil. Add bacon and fry for about 5 - 6 minutes until browned and crispy. Add garlic, fry for another minute, then add eggplant mixture as well as the lentil mixture. Add enough water to loosen the sauce (1/2 - 1 cup). Add paprika and chilli, as well as the green olives. Cook for about 2 minutes to combine flavours and heat through. Serve, spooned onto the spaghetti.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 429.1, Total fat 9.3 g, Saturated fat 1.4 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.4 g, Monounsaturated fat 3.9 g, Cholesterol 41.6 mg, Sodium 708.6 mg, Potassium 544.8 mg, Total carbohydrates 63.2 g, Dietary fiber 8.1 g, Sugars 1.2 g, Protein 24.2 g, GI 37 (low)

Good source of: Vitamin C 27.3 %, Selenium 19.2 %, Folate 12.9 %, Manganese 12. 6 %

Silky Aubergine with Asian Flavours

I didn't believe Jamie Oliver when he said that steamed aubergine was a fantastic thing. In my mind it couldn't be anything else but mushy and rather flavourless. Surely it needed to be fried in oil or at least roasted in the oven with a drizzle of oil to be properly appreciated?



Turns out Jamie was right. Steaming the aubergines renders them light, flavourful and most of all silky-silky. Oh and the onion! I forgot about the onion. I was a bit skeptical as I layered the onion in with the beans, but thought oh what the heck. But to my surprise it came out beautifully soft (but not too soft) and sweet. And can you believe the whole meal is done in less than half an hour? With ZERO fat? Yowzer. I'm curious to see what other culinary delights my bamboo steamer has to offer!

Silky Aubergine with Asian Flavours

Serves 4

2 medium aubergines, cut into cubes
200g young green beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 medium onion, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
jasmine rice, to serve

1. Place aubergine into a large colander, sprinkle with some salt and let rest for about 10 minutes to draw out the juices. Pat dry.
2. Meanwhile, heat some water to boiling point in a large frying pan. Place your bamboo steamer in the pan and layer the aubergines onto the steamer trays. Cover and steam for about 5 minutes until soft and silky.
3. Remove aubergines and set aside. Layer beans and onion pieces onto the steamer trays and steam for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through (but not mushy).
4. Remove the steamer from the frying pan, throw out any remaining water and add the vegetables to the pan. Mix together with the garlic, teriyaki sauce and soy sauce, and cook for a minute or two over medium heat, to blend the sauces together.
5. Serve warm over sticky jasmine rice.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 82.1 Total Fat 0.5 g Saturated Fat 0.0 g Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g Cholesterol 0.0 mg Sodium 1,698.4 mg Potassium 392.0 mg Total Carbohydrate 18.0 g Dietary Fiber 5.0 g Sugars 3.4 g Protein 3.3 g

Good source of: Manganese 21.1 %

Aubergine, Goats Cheese & Butternut Stacks

The dorm where I used to stay in varsity used to serve this quite regularly and this is my approximation of it. It's very straightforward and surprisingly tasty for it's simplicity.

Aubergine, Goats Cheese & Butternut Stacks

Olive oil, for frying
2 medium eggplants, sliced into thickish rounds
2 small butternuts, sliced into thickish rounds (I normally just use the "front" part of the butternut, reserving the big seeded part for something else, so as to get solid circles as big as the eggplant slices)
3 or 4 tomatoes, sliced thickly
goat's cheese (or feta), sliced into rounds
salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Salt the eggplant and let rest for about 20 minutes in a colander. Pat dry. 3. Fry the eggplant in batches in a little bit of olive oil until soft.
4. In the meantime, steam the butternuts until cooked through.
5. To assemble - Arrange butternut circles on a baking tray, place a slice of goats cheese on top of each butternut circle, top with a slice of eggplant and finally top with a slice of tomato. Season with salt & pepper and bake for 15 - 20 minutes.
6. Serve warm.

Moroccan picnic

TheHusband and I had an indoors picnic for Valentine's Day ('cause you know, that's just how we roll...). 

 

On the menu were the following:

- Lemony garlicky chicken wings, because what says amor better than garlic? Huh?

- Flatbread, that turned out more bread than flat

- Dukkah, olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dunking said bread into (and boy did we dunk!)

- Black olives in a minty balsamic marinade

- Sparkling red wine, courtesy of JC Le Roux

- Fried halloumi, firm favourite of TheHusband

- Roasted red pepper and aubergine cubes dressed with even more balsamic (notice a trend here?)

Let's just say it was the perfect recipe for some spicy romance!

Grilled, Stuffed Chicken Fillets

This is so easy to make, but looks quite impressive. And, provided you don't overcook it, the chicken is deliciously juicy with the fillings.

Grilled, Stuffed Chicken Fillets

Deboned chicken fillets
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Mozzarella cheese/your favourite flavour cream cheese
Green pepper
Sundried tomatoes
Aubergine

1. Preheat the grill to 190C
2. Slice the fillets in half, horizontally, but don't cut quite through. Rub in with oil, season with salt & pepper.
3. Now, slice up all the ingredients for the filling into thinnish slices, the same width as the chicken breasts.
4. Proceed to stuff the chicken fillets with layers of the ingredients, finishing off by skewering the top and bottom parts of the fillets together with toothpicks.
5. Arrange on a baking tray and grill for a couple of minutes on each side, until cooked to your liking.

The toothpicks can be removed just before serving, if you wish, the chicken parcels will retain their shape.

Variations:

A couple of ideas for other fillings have sprung to mind, and although I haven't yet tried it, I can't imagine that it wouldn't be brilliant. Feel free to play around with the fillings....

• Dried apricots with onions & goats cheese
• Mushrooms, olives & blue cheese
• Bacon and tomato

OR drizzle a little salad dressing over the chicken parcels, before grilling. I've tried it with a balsamic vinegar dressing and it was great.

Gnocchi with Ratatouille & Feta

This is such a simple dish but it's really good. If you haven't made it yet... well what are you waiting for?

Gnocchi with Ratatouille & Feta


Serves 4

1 aubergine, cubed
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 babymarrows, thickly sliced
200g mushrooms, sliced
1 onion
garlic
salt & pepper
a pinch of sugar
herbs - dried or fresh (basil, thyme, parsley)
feta cheese (black pepper is a nice addition)
olives (optional)
approx 1 1/2 cup potato gnocchi

1. Cook the gnocchi in a pot of boiling, salted water.
2. Meanwhile, start making the ratatouille. Saute the onions, with the garlic and mushrooms, until see-through. Add the egg plant, and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. Add the baby marrows, cook for another 5 minutes, finally adding the tomato. Season well with salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar and herbs.
3. Simmer, with the lid on until everything is soft and the tomato has formed a sauce. Add olives, and serve over gnocchi, with feta cheese sprinkled on top.

TIP: For a quicker version - use a tin of ready-made ratatouille. Heat it up with a teaspoonful of chopped garlic and some herbs and continue as above.

Nutrional info (per serving): Calories 479.7 Total Fat 19.2 g Saturated Fat 4.8 g Polyunsaturated Fat 1.6 g Monounsaturated Fat 10.9 g Cholesterol 16.7 mg Sodium 1,990.5 mg Potassium 846.2 mg Total Carbohydrate 66.7 g Dietary Fiber 5.5 g Sugars 3.4 g Protein 14.2 g