One Solitary Aubergine

I'd bought it for something.  That much I know.  Even right now, very late summer (I'm resisting with all my might the word 'autumn' even though the summer we've had here in Wellington has been so generous, so outstanding, so everlasting, that we really will have no right to resent the onset of the cooler months) when everything is at its very ripest, overspilling with scents and sugar, I know I'd bought this aubergine for something and not just "I'll think of something to do with this".  Something specific.

But, with my advancing years and my ever-changing schedule and with my propensity to change my mind about food on a regular basis, I'd be damned if I could remember what that something was.  Pickle?  Not just one, surely.  Griddled?  We had no opportunity to get the barbecue out over the last couple of weeks.  Roasted?  In this heat?

And so I found myself, alone in the house with any aubergine nay-sayers out working a late shift, eggplant in one hand, brow furrowed, and, as luck would have it, the latest copy of Cuisine Magazine in my other hand.  (While we're on the topic, I should take the opportunity to say that Cuisine has been one of the most surprisingly pleasant discoveries, food-wise, of our move to NZ).  I was one step away from hurtling full-on into senility and actually asking the aubergine, out loud, exactly what I was supposed to do with it, when a germ of an idea took place in the form of a recipe from my eagerly-awaited magazine.

Embracing my beloved Indian spices, it fries an aubergine till soft and fragrant, then douses it in a sharp, versatile yoghurt dressing.  It is quick, and the most serendipitous reason I can think of for finding a lonely, unused aubergine in your fridge.

Aubergine, Chilli & Yoghurt

Adapted from Cuisine Magazine, March 2013

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 small handful coriander leaves and stalks, chopped

1 aubergine, cut into 2cm chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red chilli, finely sliced

0.5 cup greek yoghurt

0.25 cup finely chopped coriander, parsley, mint and basil

In a bowl, mix the coriander, cumin, lemon zest, and coriander leaves and stalks.  Add the diced aubergine and toss to coat.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan.  Gently fry the coated aubergine until soft - about 10 minutes.  Add the lemon juice and chilli, and season well with plenty of salt and pepper.

While this is cooking, mix the yoghurt and herbs together.  Drizzle this over the cooked aubergine.

Serves 1

Breakfast Pancakes

"Why on earth don't we eat this more often" is often heard in our house.  The answer usually is quite simple - I'm either following my ADD cooking instinct, flitting from one craving to another, ticking off new ideas, new ingredients, new trends, new recipes, new combinations: finding one, perfecting it, loving it, then moving on to the next like a ruthless serial monogamist.  When I'm not doing that, I fall back on the old favourites, those 10 or so recipes that most people have up their sleeve, with familiar, soothing flavours.

When it comes to breakfast though, I really have no excuses other than laziness.  I am one of those annoying morning people.  My brain is at its most sharpest around dawn, and no doubt declines rapidly over the next few hours.  I am my own boss, so have the luxury of being able to take a little more time rather than joining the morning rush hour. My appetite is even quite keen first thing.  So why on earth do I default to toast 99% of the time?

These little beauties take about the same time as a slice of toast to make, and are a perfect vehicle for getting a portion of fruit in early doors.  The recipe is so easy to remember - loosely based on a Jamie Oliver recipe I saw him do on tv, and it stuck.  The ingredients are so basic that it's a storecupboard staple, and it keeps for a day in the fridge so tomorrow's breakfast will be even quicker.

It's Pancake Tuesday today so this seems like an apt recipe to share.

Breakfast Pancakes

1 cup Self-Raising Flour

1 cup Milk

1 egg

Fruit (optional) - whatever you have in.  Examples that work particularly well are a grated apple or pear, a sliced banana, or a handful of blueberries.

Butter for frying

Mix all the ingredients for the pancakes together.  Melt about a teaspoon of butter in a non-stick pan.  When it foams, put about a ladleful of batter per pancake in the pan.  When small bubbles appear on the top, flip them over and cook for another minute or so, until golden brown on each side.

Today, I grated an apple into the batter, and added a sliced banana to the pan to caramelise while my pancake was cooking.  I served it with a dollop of Greek Yoghurt and a squeeze of honey.

Makes about 8 pancakes.