Hi Mamta - can we ask questions here?

I looked for things to do with a big aubergine but all your recipes seem to be for the small ones.

Or have I missed some?

In the end I just coated it in ground spices then fried in oil/butter until it released its own liquid. Worked well.

Hello Steve

Of course you can ask qursyions here.

With the exception of perhaps stuffed aubergines, almost all my aubergine recipes use either small aubergines or large ones chopped small. If you want any specific recipe, do let us know, we will try to help you out here.

Mamta

As Mamta says, big aubergines are good for stuffing. We hollow out the insides, cut into dice, add diced mozzarella, olive oil and herbs, then cook in the oven, adding slices of mozzarella near the end, browned under the grill.

Served with a spiced-up Mediterranean tomato-based sauce and noodles, this is one of our favourite lunch dishes.

Lots of people grow aubergines here on the Med coast, but we've had no success, because of our arid location. We'll see what this year's deep tub system produces.

Slugs: what a drag! Snails: some of them are edible here.

Phil

Phil

I was actually saying the reverse, that I make stuffed ones from small/narrow ones. However, your idea of hollowing out the big ones and stuffing them is excellent, I must try it soon. Thanks for the suggestion. Do you parboil them before stuffing or simply cook them in the oven?

Mamta

Or you could make Aub Caviar with the pappy ones?

Sorry, Mamta: I misinterpreted you.

No, we don't parboil the aubergines: we scoop out the raw augergine, and cook the stuffed aubergines in the oven, with a little olive oil on the base of the ovenproof dish. It's best to cut fairly close to the edge of the aubergine (i.e. not leave the aubergine casing too thick: a quarter of an inch will do, I think, but I no longer think in inches). Otherwise it takes forever for the outside of the aubergine to cook.

Best, too, to keep the aubergine cubes small (quarter inch), and the mozzarella cubes the same size. Dried oregano or basil works well in the stuffing mix, and it's good to add a little olive oil to the stuffing.

Once it's all cooked, on go the thin slices of mozzarella, under the grill until browned and crisp.

We serve it with Chinese noodles and a spicy tomato sauce (i.e. a Mediterranean tomato sauce with chilli powder added at the beginning of the cooking).

We also have a lovely sliced aubergine and pesto recipe, given to us by vegetarian friends. But that's a little more tricky, since it calls for frying.

Phil