An Aubergine Kinda Day

Tune of the Moment: Do you ever hear a song and wish you wrote it? This happens to me all the time. It's like song-envy but without the negative connotations. And I tend to listen to these lusted-after gems on repeat, until I can't stand them any longer and need a month's hiatus from hearing them. Then, after the month is up, they creep up on iTunes shuffle and I fall in love all over again. How delicious to rediscover the toe-curling, hair-raising amazingness of a song monthly! Almost as delicious as Levain's chocolate chip cookies...almost.


A couple of songs fit the bill-and they are varied and a half. Here they are in no particular order:

Spencer & Antfood, "Trek" 

(discovered because of the Emirates advertisement)

Carly Rae Jepson, "Call Me Maybe"

(a fellow jazz musician introduced me to this song and I. AM. IN. LUST.with this ditty)

Wunderkind Anthony Da Costa, "St Therese"

(He's 21. It's just good music. It's that simple. And it's scary that he's 21 and one of millions in the USA. Freeeak me out.)

Most people read the newspaper (in paper form or electronically) while drinking coffee in the mornings. I drink green tea (sometimes spiked with jasmine) while reading food blogs. A friend of mine asked me today if I'm a vegetarian or vegan. As of january I'm no longer a vegetarian-it lasted 6 months, pretty good innings for me. However, I still try to stick to a plant-based diet. It's just better. In every which way. It's considerably easier having multiple sources in the protein department and after going a tad overboard on my reunion with hamburgers and grilled chicken, I've found more of an equilibrium. I also spoke to my sister who, while against trends, let alone vegetarianism, confessed she and her husband live a largely veggie existence. So, after a wonderful trip to SA (where I maxed out on Nando's chicken and boerewors rolls-yuuuum) I've started finding renewed veg inspiration on the blogisphere.


The first bright (green) idea was from Recipe Rifle-a blog written by Londoner Esther Walker (who, incidentally is married to foodie Giles Coren). Her writing is very, very funny. Acerbic. Catty. Honest. Her food isn't always as entertaining-she reports the mishaps as well as the triumphs-but every now and then there's a good idea. I had a nearly-off bag of spinach that needed my attention so I tried out the spinach roulade and it made me very, very sad indeed :( Ok, so maybe roulades need to be made for the masses and not for one. But it still flopped beeeg time. I still ate it though. And it was still quite yummy. But my freezer is now overflowing with Garden Lite soufflés. They don't come with a side of Nicky-love though. Just saying.

Sad, sad soufflé.

The following blog-lead culinary adventure was from this  blog, written by holistic heroin Sarah Britton. A staunch vegetarian, oft vegan, I usually read, drool over and ogle her posts but seldom cook anything she's described. Her photos are gorgeous and the information she provides about nutrition and science is interesting. I'm not 100% what entice me to try a recipe, but I do tend to adopt concepts or ideas as opposed to full-length recipes. And thanks to my incredibly intuitive, creative and savvy mum (who always knows what flavors will match up and tantalize your tastebuds with surprise), I've got an ok idea of which items can be substituted or how a recipe can be tweaked to include more greenery (there can never be too much greenness on a plate). So, with that spirit I was itching to try Sarah's recipe for aubergine/eggplant/brinjal. I adore, completely LOVE eggplant but struggle to cook it to perfection without using a frying pan or oodles of oil (that it speedily laps up).

This recipe calls for roasting/baking said brinjal for 35-40 minutes, I think the scoring also helps, and you can go to town on topping it. I opted for sautéed garlic/lemon spinach and kale, home-roasted red peppers, and goats cheese feta. Her version includes a spicy tahini sauce, honey and more greens-I'll try this next time fo' sho'.

Aubergine n' Greens

(From "My New Roots")

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 large aubergines

plenty of fresh greens  (arugula, watercress, spinach, purse lane)

olive oil

good finishing salt, such as Maldon

fresh mint

goat’s feta (cow feta also works)

liquid honey 

3 Tbsp. sesame seeds

pinch crushed chili flakes

1 lemon

Spicy Tahini Sauce (see recipe below)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 °F/200°C.

2. Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant. Remove from pan to cool.

3. Cut each aubergine in half lengthwise. Score across the flesh on a 45° angle and then repeat in the other direction to achieve a diamond pattern (this allows the steam to escape). Drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes until the flesh is very soft and golden.

4. While the aubergines are roasting, make the Spicy Tahini Sauce.

5. Remove aubergines from the oven, crumble a bit of feta on each half and turn on the broiler. Broil just until the cheese softens and takes on some colour (watch the aubergines carefully so they don’t get too dark). Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

6. Serve aubergines on a bed of greens doused with lemon juice. Sprinkle with roasted sesame, crushed chili flakes, flaky salt, lots of mint, a generous drizzle of honey and the Spicy Tahini Sauce.

Not sure the pic does it justice but it was v delis. Fact.