Thursday 18 July 2019

So Many Aubergines

Now is when I start to wonder why I have so many Aubergine Plants producing so many Aubergines!


This could be why I grow them...........

 Full of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre and with the potential to lower cholesterol and help manage weight, aubergines are a great choice for salads, stews and beyond. .
Aubergines are rich in antioxidants, specifically nasunin  found in aubergine skin - which gives it its purple colour. A potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger, nasunin has been found to protect the lipids (fats) in brain cell membranes. Cell membranes are almost entirely composed of lipids and are responsible for protecting the cell and helping it to function. The lipid layer is crucial for letting nutrients in, wastes out and receiving instructions from messenger molecules that tell the cell what to do.

Or maybe it's just because I like them and they are very useful in vegetarian dishes.

The first two, several weeks ago now, were used to make a big batch of  my simple aubergine and tomato sauce for pasta.(Recipe on the Recipe page) and 4 tubs were put in the freezer.

Then I ran out of tubs so  I gave 3 aubergines away.

Thought I'd better look for more recipes and  I found this one for a rather large Aubergine Gratin
But I'll need to wait for more tomatoes to turn red first..........and make it a lot smaller as this serves 4 - 6.
  • 3 aubergines sliced thin lengthways
  • 2 medium red onions, very thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 500g waxy potatoes
  • 5 large plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 4 lemon thyme sprigs, leaves picked
  • zest ½ unwaxed lemon
  • 175g soft goat's cheese, crumbled
  • 100g good-quality black olives, pitted and chopped

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat 11 /2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and cook the aubergines in batches, browning on both sides, then lower the heat and cook until they are soft.
  2. Heat another 1 tbsp of oil in the pan and add the onions. Cook over a medium heat until softening, about 10-12 mins, then add the garlic and cook for another few mins.
  3. Slice the potatoes very, very finely.
  4. Brush the bottom of a gratin dish with olive oil, and arrange the vegetables in layers. Start with half the potatoes, then half the aubergine, onions and tomatoes. Sprinkle the thyme, lemon zest, goat’s cheese, olives and seasoning, along with little drizzles of olive oil on the layers as you go. Add another layer of aubergine, onions and tomatoes, again adding the other ingredients as you go. Finish with the rest of the potatoes, arranging them neatly on top. Brush with olive oil and bake for 45 mins. The gratin should be soft, the potatoes tender and the top golden.

 A couple of weeks ago I tried a recipe which involved baking slices of oiled aubergine in the oven for a few minutes then layering up in a baking dish with courgette, tomato and mozzarella cheese finishing with mozzarella  over the top and baking. It was edible but apart from the sliced tomatoes looked like a grey goo! and not a lot of flavour either.

Last week when some freezer tubs were emptied I remembered a Morrisons Thai Red Curry Kit in the cupboard, bought on a whim to try a couple of months ago when I'd noticed it on offer.




Morrisons Thai Red Curry Meal Kit (278g)

I used it to make a big pan of veggie curry with aubergines, tin of tomatoes, courgette, onion, green beans and potatoes.
Very good it was too and a nice colour and flavour change from my usual curry which I make from scratch with curry powder. 1 portion to eat and 4 for the freezer, now I'm out of freezer boxes again.

What next I wonder.

(There is one other reason for growing as I'll be able to use them for one of the classes in Bacton produce show next month!)


Back Tomorrow
Sue




    30 comments:

    1. The Italians eat loads of aubergines and one of my favourite recipes is to slice them then egg and breadcrumb and fry. There is also Moussaka which is gorgeous.

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    2. They look amazing. Could one grow them outide too?
      xx

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      Replies
      1. They need a lot of warmth so depends on the weather without a greenhouse I reckon. They do a lot better in a greenhouse here than they ever did in polytunnels at the smallholding

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    3. Have you tried BAba ganoush, a lovely dip, the Sainted Nigel Slater has a recipe.

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    4. The gratin sounds nice, I grew Aubergines from seed but for some reason they all died, then I bought a couple from the garden centre as I was determined to grow some, they are flowering now so hopefully I might get some in the end.

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      Replies
      1. Hope we get good weather for your aubergines

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    5. Aubergines are such lovely looking vegetables! Unfortunately nobody in my family likes them, so I've never grown them. Yours look wonderful, Sue!

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      1. Shame that no one in your family likes them, I'm not sure if any of my children eat them - never grew them when they were living at home

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    6. One of my favourites. Will have to try the Gratin soon, I think. Shame its all or nothing with them. Have you tried freezing them? I tried it with a glut courgettes and if defrosted and drained well before using it worked up to a point. Aubergine pickle?

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      Replies
      1. Only frozen as part of a sauce.
        I'm going to try the gratin soon now I have tomatoes

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    7. Last time I tried to grow aubergines (in the greenhouse) they had grubs in them. Your garden reports make me feel inadequate.

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      Replies
      1. Sorry about my successful garden!!
        Never had any problem with any infestations on aubergines

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    8. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall does a recipe for Aubergine Boats - just brushed with oil and chilli flakes (and garlic if you want - I often leave it out) and baked. Simple but absolutely delicious.

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      1. Sound almost too simple to be true - I guess thats as a part of a meal?

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    9. Thanks for receipe. Our aubergines are still babies but there are a lot to come. Melons in greenhouse coming along.m

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    10. I have been unable to find full sized eggplant the last few years. Instead the nurseries around here have been selling patio eggplant. Now I ask you what are 3" eggplants good for? I tried pickling them...bleh.

      Enjoy your wonderful eggplants.

      God bless.

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    11. What you made sounds like Eggplant parmigiana what you can do is flour and egg and crumb it and bake in oven or fry and then layer it. Also you can take it and put between a long hard roll and some tomato spaghetti sauce and some cheese and in a toaster oven. Its a popular dish in the North East of the USA as its very Italian influenced up here.

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    12. I dry fry slices of aubergine instead of using bread and have it with my grilled bacon and poached eggs as a healthy breakfast or brunch.

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    13. We call them eggplants. Don't know why. One way I've made them is slice in rounds, lather with mayonnaise on both sides, dip in parmesan cheese and bake at 450. Here's a link to the recipe on another blog which gave me credit for sharing it with them.
      http://twomenandalittlefarm.blogspot.com/2012/08/oven-roasted-eggplant-recipe.html

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      Replies
      1. I love eggplant parmesan. During Lent when I'm trying to cut down meat, it's a favorite. Flavorful. I also would slice zucchini (courgette) thinly with onion and fry it in olive oil. So good.

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      2. I've done boneless chicken breasts like this with the mayo and parmesan and it was delicious. What a great idea to use eggplant! I'll bet it's delicious.

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    14. What next ... looking out for some more freezer boxes at the next car boot sale you go to perhaps 😀

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    15. Gosh, you DO have a good crop! Lovely-sounding recipes and I bet that Red Thai Curry was good. My daughters are the ones who make me Thai food usually but I will have to have a bash myself. Can't eat Aubergines sadly, as they are very high in histamine. Along with so many things I normally eat!

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    16. Well....very interesting nutrition info......I really must make sure to eat them now. Here in Hawaii we grow the long cucumber shaped eggplants so they usually get cut up into a stir fry with some meat and other veges. One plant is enough to keep me supplied. Aloha

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    17. A few years ago we grew eggplants (aubergines) and had such a bumper crop that we got terribly sick of them. I might buy a couple and try the recipe that Marcia mentioned above. A deli around here also offers eggplant slices that have been dipped in egg and coated with breadcrumbs and fried as an "extra" for any sandwich, like adding tomato and lettuce. Delicious!

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    18. Rather than using up all the tubs for freezing meals - it's possible to line the tubs with strong reusable freezer bags. Fill these with totally cold food & freeze still in the tubs. Once frozen you can pull the bags out of the tubs & you have easy to store frozen blocks of wrapped food. Just remember to put them on a plate when you thaw, to support the bag. Alternatively, avoid the bags altogether & simply knock the frozen brick of food out of the tub (they usually come out easily of flexible tubs) and store in one large reusable freezer container/bag with several other similar meals. Just put in a dish to thaw.

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    19. Wow! Your aubergines are amazing! I tried to grow one last year and it was rubbish, but it was in a pot. Maybe I will have another go next year and put them in the soil in the greenhouse.I never used to like them but do now.

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