roasted & creamed aubergine … in southern france

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My standard information nowadays … We are still in Southern France resp. Northern Spain …

It is hot, really hot … & for dinner it’s most of the days a cold affair: fresh bread, ham, cheese … & some dip (or more than a single dip!). So I remembered my aubergine dip …

In the past: Aubergines (aka eggplant) & I – we did never become close friends. I’m fond of beautiful aubergines, but coming to preparing them I vividly remember some bitter, salty tastes, some rather undone oily  vegetable … So I always tried to forgo aubergines. I was working hard on Pasta alla Norma,(and I am still!), however, until now there wasn’t any outstanding success. (Especially my better half wasn’t convinced of the test series …)

Today: In the meantime I made peace with aubergines. I often prepare some mix of vegetables like peppers, courgette, onions, aubergines … on a baking tray – it’s a great side dish resp. the basis for a vegetable pasta sauce! Also I created my version of an aubergine dip …

So now the original cooking process for the aubergine dip … w/ my notes concerning being on travel in between.

What do we need?

It’s quite simple:

  • an aubergine
  • Greek yoghurt
  • feta cheese
  • spring onions
  • dried thyme & dried sage
  • ground sweet paprika.

We simply cut the aubergine into slices of about 1 – 1,5 cm.

Start preheating the oven to 175 °C fan.

We place the aubergine slices on a baking tray & spread some olive oil on them before roasting in the oven for 25 – 30 min.

In the meantime we chop the spring onions & start frying them. When beginning to get soft add the feta cheese as well as thyme & sage – not to mention some pepper.

As soon as the feta cheese is becoming soft transfer the mess in a bowl & let it cool down. Add balsamic vinegar.

As soon as the roasted aubergine has cooled down peel off the skin & save the pulp. Add some Greek yoghurt & puree w/ an electric handheld blender.

Finally: Add the rest of the Greek yoghurt & mix. Add the ground paprika & mix. Add the spring onion-feta mess & mix.

At this point … what did I change in Southern France?
I hadn’t any electric handheld blender – so I simply used a fork to mash the really soft aubergine … no spring onions, but white onions … I skipped the ground sweet paprika … I had herbs of Provence instead of any other dried herbs … it was fine!

Almost ready … Drizzle some olive oil over the aubergine cream … All we need now is some fresh bread …

Enjoy!

roasted & creamed aubergine
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Servings: 2
ingredients:
  • 1 aubergine (about 400 g)
  • 3 – 4 spring onions
  • 100 g feta cheese
  • 150 g Greek yoghurt
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp dried sage
  • 1 tsp ground sweet paprika
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (for frying & some more for the aubergine slices)
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • salt & pepper
  • some olive oil for serving – optional
equipment:
  • an electric handheld blender
how to:
  • Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C fan.
  • Cut the aubergine into thick slices (1 – 1,5 cm) & arrange them on a baking tray lined w/ baking parchment.
  • Spread some olive oil over the slices.
  • Then transfer the baking tray in the preheated oven & let the aubergine slices roast for about 25 – 30 min.
  • Chop the spring onions & start frying in olive oil – softly.
  • Crumble the feta cheese & add to the spring onions after about 4 – 5 min.
  • Add thyme & sage as well as pepper.
  • Fry for another 2 – 3 min to soften the feta cheese.
  • Put the mess in a bowl & add the balsamic vinegar – mix well.
  • Afterwards let the aubergine slices cool down before peeling off the skin.
  • Mash the aubergine pulp w/ a fork, add some of the Greek yoghurt & process into a soft cream w/ a handheld blender.
  • Add ground paprika, the spring onion-feta mess & the rest of the Greek yoghurt & mix well.
  • Add salt & pepper to taste.
  • optional: Drizzle some olive oil over the mess.
Notes
Prep time: Any rest resp. cool down periods are not included.
Cook Time: It’s the roasting of the aubergines; frying the spring onions & the feta is another 6 – 8 min in parallel to the baking session. 
Feta cheese: I always use feta cheese made from ewe’s & goat’s milk.
Greek yoghurt: You may substitute Greek yoghurt by sour cream (20%).
Serve the cream at once resp. within 3 – 4 hours. It’s best at room temperature.
Leftovers may be stored in the fridge until next day.

(information on equipment)

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keep it simple. be flexible. always.