1 medium aubergine Olive oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 6 large tomatoes 250g tub of humous For the sauce : 300ml milk 1 tablespoon cornflour A knob of butter 1 bay leaf 100g cheddar cheese Parmesan cheese Salt & pepper to taste
For years Aubergines always made me think of some dreadful medical condition. I dont know why but you can imagine they didnt cross my mind too much. Luckily for me I had some sliced in a delicious tempura batter somewhere and I was hooked. I still give them a sideways glance and cant help but think…ouch, painful.
Anyway. onwards and upwards. This is a tasty snack. Gather your cookin’ irons togetherbefore you start. Large baking sheet, sharp knife, basting brush, heat proof dish, saucepan, grater, spatula.
Cut a medium aubergine into 1cm slices and place them on a large foil lined baking sheet in a single layer. Brush with teaspoons of olive oil mixed with the garlic. Season lightly and grill for 8 minutes until lighly golden. Now slice the tomatoes thickly and add to the baking sheet, turning the aubergine slices so they are on top of the tomatoes. Again, brush them with two teaspoons of olive oil and grill for a further 8 minutes until tender.
Arrange some of the aubergine slices in a shallow heatproof dish and dot with the humous, place a layer of tomato slices on top and continue layering alternately.
In a saucepan, heat the milk. Mix the cornflour with a little cold milk and add the warm milk. Return to the pan and stir it until it thickens, then add the butter and cheddar cheese. Pour the mixture over the aubergine and tomato. Now sprinkle the parmesan over the top and bake at 180c, 350f or gas mark 4 for 25 minutes.
Serve with a herby salad and warmed olive ciabatta bread.