Caponata and Sopranos Re-run

We recently started watching again The Sopranos. I guess it was an inevitable result of the lack of some serious action in our lives,which is mostly full of wet nappies and teething issues at the moment. The best company to watch Tony Soprano's killer lines is Sicilian Caponata with bread and some fine red wine.
Here is the easy recipe :

§ 100g green pitted olives
§ a handful of capers drained and chopped
§ 4 medium aubergines, chopped
§ salt and ground black pepper
§ extra virgin olive oil
§ 1 big red onion chopped
§ 30ml red wine vinegar
§ 3 medium tomatoes chopped
§ a tbsp sugar or honey
§ handful parsley chopped

1. Sprinkle the aubergines with salt and leave to drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
   
2. Heat some of the olive oil in a saucepan and brown the aubergine on a moderate heat for 10 minutes. When cooked, set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
   
3. In a separate saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil and sauté the onion along with the tomatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the olives and cook for 20 minutes.
   
4. Add the cooled aubergine and the capers.
   
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the red wine vinegar and sugar. Add this to the pan and cook for 10 minutes or till the red wine vinegar has been absorbed.
   
6. Transfer to a large bowl, add the chopped parsley and mix well.
   
7. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to serve.
8. Serve hot or cold.
   

Apologies for the bad iphone photo, it looks like I have -temporarily- lost my lovely camera. It must be somewhere between those unused nappies and the rattles.

Stuffed Aubergine Rolls

Ingredients
• 2 aubergines, cut length ways into 0.5cm/¼ in thick strips
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil, for brushing
For the filling
• 150g/5oz ricotta
• 150g/5oz buffalo mozzarella
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
For the sauce
• 250ml/8fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 450g/1lb cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
and a bit of honey
Preparation method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4.
2. Season the aubergine slices well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and brush with oil.
3. Griddle for a couple of minutes on each side in a hot griddle pan, or until golden-brown grill marks are formed. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.
4. For the filling, mix the ricotta, mozzarella, nutmeg and spring onions together in a bowl.
5. Lay out all of the slices of aubergine onto a clean surface. Place about one teaspoon of filling at the bottom edge of each one.
6. Roll up the aubergine slices, like a cigar, around the filling, then rest them seam-side down on a plate.
7. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a pan and add the cherry tomatoes.
8. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down.
9. Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic and honey. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
10. Spoon some of the sauce into the bottom of an ovenproof dish.
11. Carefully place the aubergine rolls, seam-side down onto the sauce, and spoon over the rest of the sauce.
12. Transfer to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese begins to melt.
13. To serve, spoon the rolls onto plates.

photo taken from the bbc website and recipe from there too but slightly altered

Back To Auberginia

Baked aubergines are the simplest tastiest dish for spring in the book.
Just wash them, get rid of the top and bottom bit and cut them in little triangle pieces. Spread olive oil into a baking tray and place the pieces in, add a generous amount of salt, splash with more olive oil, crushed garlic and dried herbs like marjoram and basil and leave in the oven for an hour on medium heat (about 180 degrees). Halfway remember to add pepper.
I made this last night, told my boyfriend on the phone about it and by the time he got back home I had eaten the whole lot! I think he will not forget easily. So I m cooking it again today.