Spiced aubergine with goats' cheese and rocket leaves

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
800 grams Aubergines
230 millilitres Vegetable oil
2½ Cm cube of fresh ginger; peeled and coarsely
; chopped
6 larges Garlic cloves; peeled and coarsely
; crushed
50 millilitres Water
1 teaspoon Whole fennel seeds
½ teaspoon Whole cumin seeds
350 grams Ripe tomatoes; peeled and finely
; chopped, or 1 x
; 400g tin
Tomatoes plus 1tsp sugar
1 tablespoon Coriander seeds; freshly ground
¼ teaspoon Ground turmeric
A pinch of cayenne pepper; (more if you like)
1 teaspoon Salt
55 grams Raisins
85 grams Soft goats' cheese
125 millilitres Cream
Rocket leaves to garnish

Directions

Cut the aubergines into 2cm thick slices. You will need 12 slices, or 18 if you decide to do triple deckers. Heat 175ml of oil in a deep 25-30cm frying pan. When hot, almost smoking, add a few aubergine slices and cook until golden and tender on both sides. Remove and drain on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remainder of the aubergines, adding more oil if necessary. Put the ginger, garlic and water into a blender or food processor. Blend until fairly smooth. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan. When hot, add the fennel and cumin seeds.(Be careful not to let them burn.) Stir for just a few seconds, then add the chopped tomatoes, the ginger-garlic mixture, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the spice mixture thickens slightly, about 5-6 minutes.

Add the fried aubergine slices and the raisins, and mix gently with the spicy sauce. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to very low, and cook for another 5-8 minutes. Mix the goats' cheese gently with the softly whipped cream. If the goats' cheese is not soft and fresh it may be necessary to sieve the goats' cheese before gently folding into the cream.

To serve, put one slice of spiced aubergine on to a warm plate and spoon a generous blob of goat's cheese on top. Cover with another slice of aubergine and garnish with a few young rocket leaves and a little cracked pepper. Serve warm.

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Carlton Food Network

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