Winter Skies, Kitchen Aglow

Sometimes being in between seasons is a bother. Do you carry an umbrella on a day that appears to be sunny? Do you leave behind a sweater because it might not be that cold? Do you risk going outdoors at all? Being in a liminal space such as this forces one to second guess. The same applies to cooking at these times of the year. I had one last, good Summer aubergine on hand, but I didn't want baba ghanouj or a smoky aubergine with barbecued meat...I decided to take the best of the Summer and combine it it with something that hints at the colder climes: a touch of cream.

I suppose today's offering is not only a "changing seasons" dish but is one that builds on the notion of compromise, for it marries northern and southern Italian ingredients - well, in my canvas of broad strokes it does.

Aubergine is very popular in Sicilian cooking, where it is used to carry and not compete with the salty and sweet combinations for which the glorious island of volcanic rock is famous: capers, chilis, vinegar, marsala...Aubergine is a recognised ingredient largely because of the international popularity of the Sicilian dishes: pasta alla Norma, a combination of aubergine, ricotta, tomatoes, basil and preferably either of these two pastas maccheroni or paccheri - the dish is named after the grandest work of Sicilian composer Bellini, Norma; and caponata, a fiery relish of fried aubergine and peppers mixed with celery, capers and olives bound with a bittersweet sauce of vinegar and sugar. What I largely associate with southern Italian preparations of pasta are tomatoes. And while tomatoes are also used in northern pastas, I tend to be lulled by the creaminess of their pasta dishes more than anything else - made so usually on account of cheese or cream itself.

Today is one of those grey but not cold days, where there is an autumnal chill in the air, enough of one to make you put on an extra layer, but it is not so cold that you're pining for stew and wearing two pairs of socks. A marriage of summery aubergine and a touch of comforting cream. (And I am sure by now, but especially following my post from 1 March, 2008, you know that fettuccine is my favourite pasta - you use whichever long pasta you prefer.) In the interest of meeting halfway, the hinge of all good and long-lasting relationships, I've added fennel seeds and fronds, which are popular in Roman cooking - the best fennel, itself, is purportedly from Florence, but that is only a minor detail of - remember? - generalisations.

The following recipe can serve four. As is typical of most of my recipes, I give you the steps in the order that I do things, so that the ingredients come together at once, which is easy if this is all you're preparing, which would be more than adequate for lunch.

Aubergine and Fennel Seed Fettuccine

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
500g/16oz aubergine, cut into bite-size pieces
salt & pepper
150ml/5fl. oz cream/heavy cream
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel fronds, chopped
350g/12oz fettuccine
extra parmesan (prepared with a vegetable peeler) and fennel fronds (chopped)

1) Boil water that is heavily seasoned with salt in a large pot.
2) Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add fennel seeds.
3) When the seeds give off an aroma, add the rest of the olive oil and the aubergine pieces. Toss together and cook until aubergine is very soft - 10 to 15 minutes.
4) In the meantime, the water should be boiling, so add pasta to the water. Follow the instructions of the pasta your purchase, if you do not make it yourself, as to when your chosen pasta should be al dente, or to your liking if you prefer it without the slightest resistance.
5) Season aubergine with salt and pepper.
6) Add the cream and parmesan over a very low heat.
7) When the cream bubbles lightly, remove from the heat and add fennel fronds. Stir to combine.
8) By now the pasta should be ready, so drain it in a colander and then add it to the creamy aubergine. Toss together and serve with shavings of parmesan and a scattering of chopped fennel fronds.

Bravissimo!

Well, only if you enjoy the aroma and finish attributed to anethole as I do - fennel, licorice, star anise, sambuca, you name it. Luscious, earthy, smacking of early Autumn in Oceania, this comforts without any gastronomic suffocation. Of course, the perfect match is Sicilian nero d'avola, which is typically medium of body with notes of figs and pepper.

While I eagerly anticipate the Fall bounty to come, I particularly love being caught in-between seasons and blurring boundaries.

Labels: Aubergine, Fennel fronds, Fennel seeds, Italian, Pasta, Sicily

One can always tell when it's Summer at my place - wherever it may be - because it is the time of year that I go mad for aubergines (eggplants) and plums. Their gorgeous purple skins sing to me, as do their plump bodies. Neither requires that much work to cook, but both react very differently to heat. Plums become juicier and more intense, whereas aubergines develop a smokiness. Earlier this year I escaped the chilly and tempestuous New Zealand Winter and spent Summer in the US, where I made a gorgeous Savoury Aubergine "Jam". It was perfect to have on toast, a light and flavourful lunch. Like many during Summer, my diet tends to be comprised of goodies that are quickly cooked - if cooking is at all necessary - because the oven's heat sends me overboard during times of heat and humidity.

Over time, I have come to really appreciate the flexibility of the aubergine. Its mallowy texture can take on many heavy sauces and dressings, whether they be of a base that is soy, sesame or olive oil, and they pair so well with the best of the hardy and hearty herbs: mint and oregano. Mint is too often maligned amongst my friends due to many a bad roast lamb served with overpowering mint sauce that has all too often come from a proprietor of ill-repute. With powerful dressings - especially those that contain garlic cloves instead of minced shallots - mint adds a coolness to the palate. There are myriad uses of this herb, and we only need to look to the Sicilians and Greeks for guidance and inspiration. I hope it makes its way into your salads this Summer as it is the herbal version of a tall glass of anything cold.

To prepare large aubergines, use a vegetable peeler to remove some of the skin in strips so that you are left with a zebra pattern; this is to remove some of the bitterness. To further extract bitterness, slice the aubergines in the desired manner, then layer in a colander with a dusting of salt. Put a small plate over the top layer and weight with a heavy item, such as a canned product from the pantry. After 30 mintues have elapsed, rinse the slices of aubergine and dry them thoroughly. Small aubergines should not necessitate this step before any cooking.

The following makes a great salad for one or two for lunch, or it can be incoporated as a side dish or into a mezze for four. I have very slightly adapted the ingredients to suit what I had at home. Original specifications are in parentheses.

Aubergine with Mint
(From Diana Henry's Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons)

2 aubergines (or 3, if medium-small)
olive oil
salt, pepper

For the dressing:
1 teaspoon vermouth (white wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced (crushed)
1 teaspoon white sugar, superfine
50ml/2 fl. oz extra virgin olive oil
a handful of mint, torn

1) Cut tops and bottoms off the aubergines. You can slice them length-ways or across, as I did. Slices should measure approximately 1 cm/ 1/4".
2) Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
3) You can either put a frying pan or griddle on until very hot, grill on both sides and then turn heat down to cook through. I find this quite laborious as I actually hate having to get out more than one pan when a dish has so few ingredients. So, I lay the slices on a baking tray covered in foil and grilled on both sides. Once grilled, move to middle rack and turn oven on to 180 C/375F until cooked through, approximately 5-6 minutes.
4) Whisk all the dressing together except for the mint.
5) Put aubergines on a serving platter and dress immediately so the aubergine can absorb the dressing. Drop in the torn mint leaves.
6) Leave to soak for a couple of hours and serve at room temperature.

Mint is a herb that is best added at the end of any dish in order to retain its zing, which rings through the smoky aubergine - a perfect match, satisfying in a way that leaves your stomach full and your palate pleased. The dressing is perfectly Sicilian, both sweet and sour. This was lunch for me, but that is because I'm a glutton for aubergine - I would have been happy to share it. Though not the prettiest salad in the world, it packs a punch without a lot of effort. All you need is a few simple ingredients...and, as you know by now, one should always have aubergine on hand over the Summer when it is at its most plentiful. A great way to enjoy the last sweltering afternoon of the year.

Labels: Aubergine, Diana Henry, Mint

I became a convert to aubergine (eggplant) many moons ago after I ate a deconstructed vegetarian lasagne at the now-defunct Skoozi on Victoria Road in Devonport. I have no idea what has happened to the head chef or the proprietor of this great establishment, but my love for aubergine has only grown.

Some people I know cannot stand it, finding the skin rubbery and the flesh strangely spongy. But perhaps they just haven't chosen the right ones at the market or grocery store. There are many varieties: some white, others deep, dark purple; some long and slender, and others with the curves of an hour-glass. Despite the variety, selecting aubergine isn't brain science, so there is no reason to not enjoy this delectable member of the solanaceae family (along with tomatillo, tomato, and gooseberry, to name a few). Look for aubergines with firm, unyielding skin that is shiny. In terms of colouring, ensure that there is no green (unless, of course, they are a variety in which the colour green is part of its make-up, such as ball-shaped Thai eggplant); they should be uniform in colour or pattern (the zébrine variety is zebra-striped white and violet) from the stem to the blossom end. If you pick aubergines that are 6-8oz in weight, you will not have to slice and salt them to extract the bitterness, for they contain fewer seeds.

Aubergine is incredibly flexible. It is just at home as part of a mezze as it is in a main dish, and it is also a highlight of both hot and cold dishes. Native to India, aubergine is a key ingredient of dishes all over the subcontinent as well as Asia and along the coasts of the Mediterranean. One of my favourite preparations of Japanese aubergine is what my angelheart Eric's mother calls Eggplant with Basil, in which half-moon shapped slices of eggplant are first lightly sautéed and then cooked off with garlic in a bath of soy sauce. I am also partial to Mediterranean preparations: the Sicilian Caponata, a sweet and sour relish; Baba Ghanouj, a Lebanese dip of aubergine and tahini; and Patlicanli Pilav, a sweet, sexy Turkish pilaf in which aubergine is baked before being combined with sauteed onions, pine nuts, and rice into which is tossed currants, cinnamon and allspice.

Not quite an aubergine caviar, for this recipe does not require one make a purée, but it is a soft spread that one can smear over toasted bread. If you choose an aubergine that is larger than 8oz, peel and slice the aubergine according to the following recipe, and then salt it generously and allow to sit in a colander for an hour. After said time has elapsed, rinse the slices of aubergine and dry thorougly. This will ensure extraction of bitterness. The dish can be served warm or at room temperature.

Savoury Aubergine "Jam"
(Adapted from Deborah Madison's Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets)

1 pound aubergine
sea salt
pepper, freshly ground
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chile de arból, dried, seeds removed, and thinly sliced
1/2-1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon star anise powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander/cilantro
2 tablespoons coriander/cilantro, finely chopped
juice of 1/2 small lemon

1) Peel wide ribbons of the aubergine skin, then slice into 1cm/1/2" rounds.
2) Heat olive oil in a large sautée pan.
3) Over medium-high heat, add aubergine slices and brown on both sides - approximately 15 minutes.
4) Add garlic and chile de arból and let it meld with the aubergine for one minute.
5) Turn heat down to medium and add 1/2 cup water, star anise powder and ground coriander. Mash the aubergine with the tines of a fork until broken into a jam-like consistency. Add more water to help break it down. If there is too much water left once consistency is reached, turn up the heat to evaporate it quickly.
6) Stir in the chopped cilantro and lemon juice before serving.




This is a smoky spread, augmented by the toasted bread of one's choice. I love the crunchy texture of the bread juxtaposed by the soft aubergine jam. The spices and fresh coriander and lemon provide overall balance and interest. For me, this makes a great addition to mezze, but, on its own, this is light and healthy late-Summer lunch.

Labels: Aubergine, Deborah Madison, Eggplant, Mezze