Recipe: delicious cheesy aubergines with salsa roja from the new book Mezcla

In Spanish, mezcla means something like mix or blend. It is used to describe music, art and dishes alike. In Mezcla, the first solo cookbook by Ixta Belfrage, who previously co-wrote Ottolenghi’s cookbook Flavour, Ixta shares her favourite ‘mezcal’ of ingredients and flavours from Brazilian, Mexican and English cuisine. These aubergines buried under cheese are one such dish: flavourful, quick and ideal for a weekday.

Ixta: “Inspired by melanzane alla parmigiana, but different. This version contains no Parmesan and, entirely in keeping with the Mezcla idea, the sauce has taken a very Mexican turn. I use the same salsa roja recipe as for the Chiles rellenos – a handy sauce to have in stock. These cheesy aubergines are already very easy to make, but they’ll be on the table even faster if you already have the salsa in the fridge. Serve with salad and toasted bread for mopping up the sauce, or serve them with pasta or polenta.”

How to make the cheesy aubergines with salsa roja

• Preheat the oven to 230 °C.
• Score the flesh of the aubergine halves crosswise down to the skin, but do not pierce through the skin.
• Place them cut-side up on a large baking tray and rub them with oil and salt – approximately 3 tablespoons of olive oil and ¾ teaspoon of fine salt in total. Bake them in the oven for 35–40 minutes and rotate the tray halfway through so they cook and colour evenly. The aubergines should be completely tender and nicely browned on top… I repeat: they should be nicely browned! Even if you think they might be getting too dark, don’t be afraid to let your aubergines colour properly.
• Meanwhile, make the salsa roja. Fry the first 10 ingredients (everything except the water and tomato purée) for 15 minutes in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, until the tomatoes have broken down and the onions are tender and golden brown. Lower the heat to medium or medium-low if the sauce starts to burn. Discard the habanero (or press it flat against the side of the pan if you like spicy food, see note). Pour the salsa into a blender, add the water and tomato purée, and blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Mix all the ingredients for the cheese mixture together in a bowl.
• Remove the aubergines from the oven once they are tender and nicely browned. Pour some salsa roja over them and spoon the cheese mixture on top. Return them to the oven for 6–8 minutes (still at 230 °C), or until the cheese is bubbling and has golden-brown spots.
• Let the aubergines cool for a few minutes, drizzle with oil and serve.

Title: Mezcla
Author: Ixta Belfrage
Price: €32,99
Publisher: Fontaine uitgevers

Read also:

• Also love aubergines? Here’s how to check whether it’s still good
• Delicious vegetarian: this aubergine recipe
• Do you really need to salt aubergine?