Recipe: stuffed aubergines with almonds and parsley

Moors is a new cookbook by Ben Tish, in which he shares modern Mediterranean dishes with Arab – Moorish – influences. From vegetarian dishes to ribs, from breakfast to cocktails; it’s all beautiful. And delicious too!

In Tish’s own words: “Every cook automatically loves aubergines, but only with the right techniques can you bring out the best in them. A bland, watery aubergine is a waste of time and of the vegetable itself.” In this recipe, you char them beautifully black, then continue cooking them in the oven. You can make your own labneh to serve with them, but they’re also delicious with ordinary yoghurt. You can find preserved (salted) lemons at Moroccan and Turkish shops.

How to make the stuffed aubergines

• • • Heat the oven to 190 °C/170 °C (fan) or light your barbecue.
    • Lightly prick the aubergines with a fork.
    • If you’re preparing them in the oven (rather than on the barbecue), hold them individually over a gas flame using a long fork to blister the skin all over. If using a barbecue, cook the aubergines on the hot coals, turning them with tongs until the skin blisters and is charred.
    • Set them aside.
    • Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over low heat and cook the garlic until tender and lightly browned.
    • Add the fenugreek and bread and fry for 3 minutes, or until the bread is brown and the fenugreek is fragrant.
    • Put the mixture, along with the parsley, almonds, olives, red wine vinegar and olive oil, in a food processor.
    • Pulse for 1 minute until you have a coarse mixture.
    • Put it in a bowl.
    • Stir in salt, pepper and preserved lemon.
    • Cut the aubergines open from the stem to the bottom, but no deeper than two-thirds of the way, so that the halves remain attached.
    • Put the filling into the cavities.
    • Drizzle and sprinkle them with oil, salt and pepper.
    • Wrap each aubergine in aluminium foil and place them on a baking sheet in the oven, or put them back on the barbecue (next to the coals and with the lid closed).
    • Leave them for about 25 minutes; the flesh should be very soft.
    • Remove the aubergines and let them rest for 10 minutes before opening the parcels and serving (the opened foil adds a rustic touch).
    • Serve with labneh or ordinary yoghurt.

Title: Moors
Author: Ben Tish
Price: €29,99
Publisher: Kosmos

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