Let Food be Your Medicine GRILLED AUBERGINE SALAD
Full of vitamins , minerals and dietary fibre and with the potential to lower cholesterol and help manage weight , aubergines are a great choice for salads , stews and beyond . The modern aubergine owes its origin to the wild version that is native to South East Asia . Prior to the middle ages it was introduced in Africa before spreading throughout Europe and the Middle East . Continental Europe owes the best aubergines recipes to its Jewish population at the end of the Middle Ages .
This recipe takes a bit longer than I would like to prepare , but I promise it ’ s so worth it !
INGREDIENTS
‣ one big round-ish aubergine
‣ 4-5 garlic cloves
‣ wine vinegar
‣ extra virgin olive oil
‣ fresh or dry mint
METHOD
‣ slice the aubergine as thinly as you can
‣ heat up a grill pan and when it ’ s hot enough place the slices on it , keep the slices on until cooked through
‣ place the grilled slices at the bottom of a deep dish and work in layers : one layer of aubergines , covered with one spoonful of vinegar , two spoonful of olive oil , a handful of chopped up garlic and some mint and then start over with the next layer until you have used up all slices .
Once the dish is full of aubergines , let everything cool down and place in the fridge .
This is a dish best served cold , with all the juices marinating the aubergines to perfection ; perfect for a Summer day , as main dish with some crusty bread or as lovely side dish with a BBQ .
You can make this dish a day or two in advance if you keep it in a Tupperware and the taste will only improve with time-although I wouldn ’ t know , I can never resist eating the whole thing on the same day !
Giovanna Franklin
16