Before we fall inevitably for the deep, deep peace of mounds of fluffy winter veg, let's have one final hurrah for the hurly-burly of the autumnal veg patch. Aubergines, with their creamy flesh and beautifully glossy, purple skins, are botanically a fruit, a member of the solanum or nightshade family, along with tomatoes and potatoes. They're believed to have originated in India more than 4,000 years ago, where their mild flavour and spongy texture meant they paired wonderfully with strong spices. They arrived in Europe through the Moors' invasion of Spain and via Italian trade with the Arabs. But we weren't exactly grateful.
Like the tomato, for centuries Europeans thought aubergines were inedible, growing them as an ornamental plant and enjoying their dainty purple flowers and dramatic fruits more than their flavour. They were considered unhealthy, poisonous even – in fact, the Italian name, melanzana, comes from Latin malum insanum, or crazy fruit. During the 15th century, we learned, if not to love them, then at least to eat them, though it's only in the last century that their delicious potential has been fully explored in western kitchens.
Aubergines go beautifully with the produce that thrives in the same regions, in other words garlic, tomatoes, capers, basil and peppers. In France, they're a vital component of ratatouille, along with peppers and tomatoes; they play a starring role in Sicilian caponata, that combination of aubergine, celery, tomatoes and capers; and they are at their velvety best in southern Italian melanzane parmigiana, the meltingly delicious dish of layered aubergine, tomato and cheese; and, of course, Greeks love moussaka (see today's recipe). From Turkey comes one of the world's most poetically named dishes, imam bayildi, or the priest fainted – aubergines stuffed with onions, garlic and tomatoes. Legend has it that he fainted either because he was overcome with the deliciousness of the dish, or because he was astonished by how much expensive oil his wife used in making it.
The imam's reaction to the capacity of aubergines to soak up oil like an enthusiastic sponge brings us to the biggest question often asked about them: to salt or not to salt? Traditionally, salt was scattered over sliced aubergines to encourage any residual bitterness to seep out, but generally speaking, modern varieties aren't as bitter, so don't require salting. The only exception I make is when I'm going to fry them or want to roast them to a creamy softness, as in moussaka or parmigiana, because salting does seem to deter them from soaking up such a gargantuan amount of oil. The other tip is always to add cold aubergines to very hot oil – never cold oil to hot aubergines.
I love aubergines so much I've even begun growing them. This may seem a daunting task because they require so much sustained sunshine, but a combination of polytunnel or greenhouse and careful selection of varieties more suited to our climate makes it possible and rewarding. If you're thinking of giving them ago next year, I've had success with Black Beauty, Moneymaker and pretty, white-flecked Rosa Bianca. Slim Jim is a smaller variety, so doesn't need such sustained warmth to ripen, making it a more reliable cropper inour sometimes less-than-sunny climate. Companion planting with basil will help deter red spider mites and aphids, and provide you with a suitable kitchen companion, too (the basil, not the bugs).
Baba ganoush
Roasting the aubergines over a flame gives them a wonderful smoky flavour. Serves four to six as a starter.
3 aubergines
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Salt
4 tbsp tahini
Juice of 2 lemons
½-1 tsp chilli flakes
50g Greek yoghurt (optional)
1 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Finely chopped parsley (optional)
Roast the aubergines over a barbecue or over the flames of a gas ring (use tongs to turn them frequently) until the skins are blackened and the flesh soft. Alternatively, prick all over with a fork, place in a roasting tin and cook in a hot oven (200C/400F/gas mark 6) for 25-40 minutes, depending on size. Leave to cool slightly, then peel.
Put the flesh into a bowl and mash to a rough paste with the garlic and alittle salt. Stir in the tahini, lemon juice and chilli, whirl in the yoghurt, if using, and spoon into a bowl. Scatter with cumin, trickle over some olive oil and scatter with parsley. Serve with warm pitta or flatbread.
Moussaka
Few dishes are better at cheering up a crowd on a cold autumn day than a bubbling, golden moussaka. I prefer the texture of chopped leftover roast lamb in the dish, but lamb mince works well, too. Serves six.
3-4 medium aubergines, cut lengthways into 5mm slices
2-3 tsp salt
3-4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 large onion, finely chopped
Around 750g leftover roast lamb, coarsely minced or finely chopped, or use fresh, minced lamb
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 small glass red wine
Any gravy/juices left over from roasting the lamb
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp chopped parsley
For the topping
2 whole eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
150ml milk
250g Greek yoghurt
1 pinch paprika
100g kefalotyri cheese (or mixture of parmesan and gruyère, grated)
Sprinkle the aubergine slices with the salt and leave in a colander for half an hour or so, to leach out their juices. Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and cook gently for 10 minutes, until softened. Raise the heat a little, add the lamb and cook, stirring, until onion and meat are lightly browned (if using lamb mince, you'll need a higher heat to get it nicely browned). Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, tomato purée and wine. Let the mixture bubble for a minute or two, add any gravy or lamb juices you may have, and a wine glass of water, if required. Season and simmer for 30 minutes, until it becomes a rich, moist sauce, adding a little more water if it dries out too much. Adjust the seasoning to taste and stir in the parsley.
Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Rinse and pat dry the aubergines, then brush on both sides with the remaining oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes, until browned and tender. Remove and season with black pepper. Turn down the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
For the topping, whisk together the whole eggs and egg yolk in a large bowl. Bring the milk to a boil and pour it on to the eggs, whisking constantly. Mix in the yogurt, paprika and a pinch of salt and black pepper, then stir in the cheese.
Brush a large, rectangular ovenproof dish with olive oil and arrange a third of the aubergine slices over the base. Cover with half the meat sauce, then another third of the aubergines, then the rest of the meat. Add a final layer of aubergines, pour over the cheesy topping and bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown on top. Leave for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
Aubergine involtini
These rolls make a great starter. Turn them into a main course by lining them up in a gratin dish brushed with olive oil, pouring over passata, dotting with mozzarella and baking until bubbling. Makes about 20.
4 large aubergines
Salt
Olive oil
Cut the aubergines lengthways into 6mm-thick slices, sprinkle with salt and leave in a colander to drain for 20 minutes. Rinse, then dry with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Brush the slices with oil and cook in batches until charred, with pleasing stripes on the outside, and soft inside. Drain on kitchen paper, put acouple of spoonfuls of your chosen filling on each one and roll up.
Five stuffings for your involtini
Soft goat's cheese, toasted pine nuts and chopped basil.
Crumbled feta, chopped, toasted hazelnuts, raisins and mint.
Cooked chickpeas, lightly crushed and mixed with cumin, garlic and dried chilli flakes.
Brush with pesto or tapenade then add torn strips of mozzarella.
Ricotta mixed with cooked and shredded spinach, grated parmesan and a few gratings of nutmeg.
Fancy coming to River Cottage for a festive Friday night in December? Readers get a 10% discount; go to rivercottage.net, or contact Alex on 01297 630302.
