Seduced by an aubergine

stickywicket

Am I the only one this happens to? I just can't resist them. They look so beautiful, colourful and shiny that I find it very difficult not to buy them (even though I know their insides are all beige and soft).

However, I only really use them in veggie lasagnes. That's OK. I love veggie lasagnes and Mr SW is happy as long as I pop a chopped chicken breast into one side for him. But I don't want a veggie lasagne every week and, as I won't waste good food, I have to force myself to ignore them in the supermarket. This happens to me with no other veg. The variegated squashes have a pull but I can resist.

What's your favourite veg?

jillyb1

My favourite veg is ( and I realise that I'm unusual in this ) , the brussel sprout . I steam them with a little chopped pancetta and just adore them ! Aubergines look pretty but taste like dirty beige pap so I only eat them oven cooked with a flavoursome stuffing ; not the most healthy .
Jillyb

Numptydumpty

Ring the changes with a vegetable Moussaka.

Peel and slice an onion, 3 tomatoes, and a clove of garlic. Slice an Aubergine and some peeled potatoes thinly.
Heat margarine or oil in pan and lightly fry potatoes and aubergine.
Remove from pan add more margarine or oil and fry onions garlic and tomatoes. Add a tin of baked beans, ground coriander and parsley.
Make a cheese sauce.
In an ovenproof casserole dish, layer up the bean mixture, then aubergine slices, then potatoes, then sauce.
Continue layering, ending with a layer of sauce.
Cover casserole and cook for 1 1/4 hours at 160 C.

Be warned, it can make things very windy! :shock:

Numptydumpty

Forgot to say, my favourite veg, sweet and juicy corn on the cob, or asparagus, or broad beans, or the humble potato, or...........

Numptydumpty

Sorry, left out the sliced mushrooms in the Moussaka recipe :oops: just add them with the onion

dreamdaisy

It's their purple pendulousness, the gloss, the gentle shine, the promise of plump ripe flavours which actually don't exist. I use them in my ratatouille.

Sliced onion, crushed garlic cloves, yellow pepper thickly sliced, courgettes ditto, aubergine chunked, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, a teaspoon or so of cinnamon, dried oregano and basil and a splash of sugar to sweeten the tomatoes. Cook gently on the hob for at least 60 minutes (I employ a simmer ring under my heavy-based pan) and serve with bangers or chicken. DD

mike26

mmm im hungry stickywicket
I think a nice big red pepper stuffed with mushrooms and lean mince
with new potatos i just love um.
mike26 ..your new chef of the week

mig

Plain boiled potatoes and dark green cabbage.


Anyone got a recipe for mushroom soup that doesn't use cream,can't abide the stuff. Mig

stickywicket

I wasn't expecting to get so many recipes which I do intend to try out. Thank you, one and all and, jillb1, I love sprouts too, especially early season ones. I also like them done with chestnuts at Christmas time.

villier

Aubergine is a veg I only like in moussaka, thanks Numpty for the recipe, but one of my favourite is savoy cabbage fried in butter with onion and bacon, I know its calorific but once in a while doesn't go wrong. x


mig am racking my brains for a mushroom recipe the way the chefs used to make it, when the fog lifts I will post it for you. x

Turbogran

I have a slimming world one mig that dosn't use cream let me know if you still want a mushroom soup recipe and I'll put it on here. xx

villier

mig remembered I had this one written down.

Ingredients
2 leeks, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

50g/2oz butter

300g/9 oz mushrooms, sliced

2 -3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only

600ml/1 pint chicken or vegetable stock

Preparation method
1.Sweat the leeks and garlic in the butter for 4-5 minutes or until softened.

2.Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook on high for 2-3 minutes.

3.Pour over the chicken or vegetable stock and cook for five minutes.

4.Blend in a food processor until smooth

mig

Shall try that one.
Yes please Carol. Mig

bubbadog

My favourite veg has to be corn on the cob dripping in butter. And I love Asparagus, my OH goes mad at me when we have a Sunday dinner and he asks me what do you want veg wise and I say asparagus!!

Susiesoo

I just popped out for milk and bread and came back with......a beautiful, shiny aubergine. You are so right, Sticky, can't resist them. It is now cut up ready for a chicken tray bake and looking very unappetising

I like asparagus too. Wouldn't give you a thank you for sprouts or cabbage though.

Susie

Boomer13

Well sticky, I had a very tough time deciding this one as I love most veggies. Asparagus won; not as pretty as aubergine but wins with taste and texture. I think beets come in second...or maybe swiss chard, or...

stickywicket

I do like asparagus but timing can be awkward. I need to have everything else on the plate ready so's it ends up just right, not over-cooked and still hot.

Mushrooms baked with garlic and lemon juice - fantastic.

Susiesoo - not even spring cabbage? Or seaweed?
Gosh, I'm feeling hungry

Boomer13

Yes, over-cooked asparagus is completely ruined. I am hungry too. I love mushrooms, I could eat a plate right now

Right now we have zucchini (I think in the UK you call them something different?) from the garden. They're really delicious sliced thick, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with parmesan and baked in the oven until just cooked. Yum.

stickywicket

I shall try them that way, Anna.

We call them courgettes.

As a calorific treat I can recommend them sliced thinly, ditto tomatoes, ditto cheddar, Place alternate layers of each, slightly overlapping and standing upright, in a shallow dish, sprinkle with basil and/or oregano. Just eat it with a good crusty loaf.

Boomer13

I give that a try, Sticky. Sounds delicious!

dreamdaisy

Sparrow-grass? Nah. Veg dripping with butter? Why? It ruins the taste of the veg. Unsalted butter has a role in life but that does not involve veg.

Raw young sprouts are fab-u-lous daaaaahlings! In fact most raw veg is a winner with me apart from raw purple plumptiousness. UGH.

Right, I'm off to start cheffing which will involve a raw potato for the chef to munch. Bliss. DD

PS Shredded sprouts (gently steamed for a couple of minutes) and then fried with bacon is a traditional Danish Christmas dish.

Susiesoo

I do try to enjoy cabbage...Spring greens I do enjoy a little. With butter. Seaweed I enjoy in a Chinese take-away. Does that count?! I quite like spinach, but having spent more than twenty years trying to persuade three children to eat their greens I now only eat what I enjoy. And although I don't often indulge, I so prefer veg with salted butter. Oh, and definitely no gravy.

DD...sparrow grass? Raw potato? Have I missed something?

Susie

suzygirl

I am loving this thread. I will be making that mushroom soup tomorrow as I have the ingredients, so thank you mig. I do love mushrooms, corn on the cob, spinach and all veg really except curly kale which is spiky even when cooked!

I have enjoyed everyone's recipes for veg and will be trying a lot of them especially the cabbage one and others.

I shall think of one to share myself. I just tend to copy other peoples good ideas!

barbara12

I can resist Aubergines..but lovely shinny peppers ..I cant resist...stir frys..stuffed..raw anyway you like...

stickywicket

stickywicket wrote:

As a calorific treat I can recommend them sliced thinly, ditto tomatoes, ditto cheddar, Place alternate layers of each, slightly overlapping and standing upright, in a shallow dish, sprinkle with basil and/or oregano. Just eat it with a good crusty loaf.

:oops: :oops: :oops: My apologies. Senior moment (or two). I then bake it for about 20 mins in a highish oven or longer in a lowish one. (It all depends what else is in the oven. I don't do precision cooking except with pork and fowl.)

suzygirl

Sticky, we all have them.

I have made the mushroom soup today as I had the ingredients and it was delicious. Had bought the leeks and ready sliced mushrooms reduced I tend to look out for reduced veg as often it is fine to use and makes a nice soup.