Samfaina stuffed aubergine rolls

4 servings

Quantity Ingredient
2 larges Globe eggplant
⅝ cup Olive oil; divided use
2 \N Red bell peppers
1 small Onion; findely chopped
2 \N Cloves garlic; crushed
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
½ teaspoon Paprika; preferrably
\N \N Hot smoked paprika
8 \N Basil leaves; roughly chopped
1 tablespoon Chopped flat-leaf parsley
\N \N Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Honey
1 \N Plum tomato; seeded and diced
12 \N Pitted black olives
1½ teaspoon Small capers; rinsed
2 tablespoons Olive oil
\N \N Mixed salad greens; to garnish

AUBERGINE ROLLS

DRESSING

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C/Gas 6).

1) Cut one aubergine (eggplant) lengthwise into 10 1-cm thick slices.

Discard the two outer slices. Prick the other aubergine all over with a fork and brush with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Wrap in foil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.

2) Add the whole peppers to the baking tray and brush with a little more of the oil. Return to the oven and cook for a further 20-25 minutes until pleasantly charred.

3) Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the 8 aubergine slices, in batches, for about 3 minutes on each side until browned (and pliable). Remove and drain on kitchen paper (paper towels).

4) Remove the baked aubergine from the foil, leave until cool enough to handle, then chop coarsely. Heat the frying pan again, add the onion and garlic and cook over a moderate heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light golden. Add the spices and cook for a further minute.

5) Skin the peppers, remove seeds, then chop the flesh. Add to the onion mixture with the chopped baked aubergine, basil and parsley and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste. Divide the filling between the fried aubergine slices and roll up to make 8 neat parcels. Keep warm.

6) To make the dressing, warm the vinegar and honey together in a small pan. Add the tomato, olives and capers and leave to infuse for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the olive oil.

7) To present, place two aubergine rolls on each plate, and spoon a little dressing over and around them. Serve with the salad leaves arranged neatly on top.

89% CFF PER SERVING: 489 calories, Fiber 4g, Carbohydrate 13g, Fat 48g, Protein 3g.

Paul Gayler, executive Chef, The Lanesborough Hotel, Hyde Park Corner, London. Paul draws on flavors from around the world, especially the Orient and the Mediterranean -- he calls his style 'Eurasian'. Cookbooks: Virtually Vegetarian (Harper Collins); Great Value Gourmet (Orion Books); A Passion for Cheese (Kyle, Cathie). And there are two more books this year: The Ultimate Vegetarian Cookbook (Dorling Kindersley, due out in May 1999) and A Passion For Vegetables (Kyle Cathie, due in October 1999) Recipe featured in BBC Good Food magazine, March 1999.

NOTES : Samfaina is a Spanish salad, similar to a ratatouille. Here, it makes a colorful filling for small aubergine parcels. The dressing provides a tangy contrast to rich smokiness of the roasted vegetables.

Preparation 20 minutes; Cooking 50 minutes; Serves 4. Vegetarian, Entree, Entertaining, Restaurants Units were converted from metric.

Recipe by: Paul Gayler, Exec Chef, Lanesborough Hotel, London Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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