Aubergines and lemonade

[abstibus]

Can anyone give me some recipes using aubergines where I don't have to salt them beforehand? Preferably with lots of cheesey stuff as well.
However, the last few times I used my grill, I almost set the house on fire, so they would have to be recipes I can do in the oven.
Also, don't eat lamb, so they would have to be either vegetarian or with beef.
I still don't know how to make lemonade! I'm a bit of a culinary disaster.

[Kleiber]

annemollie, honey, you can make a lovely moussaka with beef mince ( I hate lamb mince, so that's what I do). You don't really need to salt aubergines if they're fresh. I used to salt them and it was such a hassle, so one day I tried my recipe without salting beforehand. Result? Absolutely no difference! I've got a couple of nice aubergine recipes I'll post later today & also one for lemonade. See ya.. K xx

[nickmo]

2000 here: http://www.astray.com/recipes/?search=eggplant With beef, lamb, pork. water buffalo, wombat, gnu and all things meaty. Use as a vegetarian dish too of course - worlds nicest curry in the menu then?

Not tried every one of the recipes above - yet... but use discretion with the salting - eg '...boiled in salted water...' won't need to be pre-salted etc.

The reason you salt them is to remove bitterness from the veg......not to season it. So where you have a hearty stew, there will be a good sauce that masks the bitterness - same with a good caponata, moussaka etc...

And lemonade? - no firm measures but try: 3 cups of water in a saucepan with 3/4 cup of sugar. Bring to boil to make a syrup, pour into a jug and leave to cool. You can use honey if you prefer rather than the sugar at this stage.

Then add a cup of fresh lemon juice to the syrup, stir and leave to infuse. You can add less lemon if you use a concentrate rather than fresh squeezed.

Then add slices of fresh lemon - unwaxed of course - to make the jug look pretty to serve...

Then get it all dressed up:- add a touch of fresh ginger - grate and squeeze the juice from fresh ginger root for the best flavour - add fresh mint leaves too - add a slug of vodka or tequila - add crushed ice or ice cubes - add cranberry juice (just a dash in a glass before pouring) to colour.

Hope that helps..

[Kleiber]

That sounds good, nickmo!
Anyway, here's one of my aubergine recipies:
Parmigiana di Melanzane
Serves 2

Make a tomato sauce with 1 chopped onion,1 tin chopped tomatoes & 4 leaves of basil. Fry the onion in olive oil, till soft, add the tomatoes & basil leaves (torn). Mix well & simmer till thick. Season with salt & pepper.
Trim 2 aubergines & slice them into rounds (not too thick). Dust with flour & fry in olive oil, turning, till golden.
Take an oven-proof dish & oil it, then put a layer of aubergine slices in the bottom, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, then cover with mozzarella cheese slices. spoon some of the tomato sauce over this & continue layering in this way till all the ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of sauce & cheese. Bake at 200 degC/400F/ gas 6 for about 30 min, till cheese is melted & golden.

Hope that's cheesy enough for you!! K xx

[TheWinner]

Hi annemollie, Here are two links for you


http://www.scouseveg.co.uk/recipe-page/


http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000479pe rfect_lemonade.php

[abstibus]

Thank you all so much. I can't wait to get back to my own kitchen and try the recipes... I just love aubergines and pumpkin (not necessarily together, but willing to try), so any more recipes you're willing to share would be great.
One question - what's vegan bacon - on the scouseveg website? I've never heard of it before.
Lemonade always makes me think of the Deep South.
Xie Xie!

[nickmo]

Hi A - Deep south? I can hear the banjos even now........put your ear close to the monitor and close your eyes........

Tried doing it with whole baby aubergines? Thats where the 'egg'planty thing comes from - not cos someone thought of eggs when they saw a large purple veg...if you ycan get your hands on them the little white, round ones a really a nice change from the slices / diced purple variety - you can get them in asian shops or some good veg sellers will have them too -

Nice use would be on a bed of couscous with a garlicky, tomato sauce, or baked in cheeses........

Have a look at : http://www.recipezaar.com/56401 if you want a pumpkin and aubergine combination that wows the taste buds....If you get stuck with veg recipes some nice easy ones here: http://vegbox-recipes.co.uk/index.php and why not make up some pumpkin pasta - ravioli filled with an aubergine puree, tomato and goats cheese. maybe?

Make the pasta and add pureed pumpkin to the mix to colour and add flavour, or stuff some with a seasoned pumpkin and some with aubergine....

Both veg team well with halloumi cheese too or use paneer if to hand - dice and grill the cheese, cooko the veg and dress, serve over pasta, salad or maybe red rice?

And vegan bacon is squashed quorn in a slice, and smokey flavoured to kid the non carnivores - has some of the effect, but I go without. It fulfills some of the demand, but for a really nice vegan burger option rather than bacon butty - grill a big, succulent, unctious juicy portobello mushroom til the flavours are oozing then serve in a grilled bun - with salad, cheese grated over and a dash of chili sauce - excellent food and cruelty free too!

Avocado and bacon is a classic pairing and there isn't ano

[nickmo]

Cut off in mid rant! How very dare they!

What was being said - there isn't another option to match the flavours, so unless you eat bacon, not really another alternative to the fakin' bacon stuff....

Ta for now, and off for a mint julep...........aaaah, I can smell the magnolia now....And I still intend to visit Chunky, MS, cos its a really funny name......

[Veggibear]

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/recipe.asp?arti cle=1241

This is one of my favourite recipes (i make it without the currants - but that is just my preference)

[abstibus]

Just want to say to all of you - thank you very much indeed. Looks like I'll have to wait a while for the pumpkins.
Cooker and kitchen still intact!
Annemollie