Moreish aubergine salad | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

How to cook aubergine Jamie Oliver? ›

Place the aubergine slices in a sturdy ovenproof pan. Brush lightly with oil, then sprinkle over ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a little sea salt and black pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until softened and charred, adding the spring onions, garlic and cherry tomatoes halfway through.

In the past, recipes called for aubergines to be sliced and salted before cooking to reduce their bitterness. As modern varieties are much less bitter, that is no longer necessary, unless you're planning to fry them – aubergines soak up oil like a sponge and salting helps reduce that.

But, despite the drama surrounding eggplant and its gross, bland, bitterness, it is possible to make this vegetable taste good. (Fact check: eggplant is technically a berry -*eye roll*.) All you need is some umami-loaded oyster sauce, a little sesame oil, and a generous drizzle of sambal oelek.

Aubergine or Eggplant

The British word for eggplant is aubergine, which has French, Catalan, and Arabic origins. Some say the less common white varieties of the typically purple plant led to the name used in the United States, but the terms are generally interchangeable regardless of color or shape.

Older recipes call for salting eggplant to draw out the bitter juices, but today's eggplants are less bitter (unless very large), so salting is largely unnecessary. It will, however, help the spongy flesh absorb less oil and crisp up like a dream.

If the skin is smooth and unblemished you can leave it on. Older aubergines should be skinned however as the skin turns bitter. Use a peeler or sharp knife to remove the skin (as thinly as you can). Use the aubergine straight after peeling, otherwise the flesh will discolour.

Score the flesh with a knife to make a criss-cross pattern. Brush the flesh side with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the aubergines, flesh-side down, in a grill pan or baking tray and grill for 10–12 minutes, until leathery and soft.

A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour. This helps to draw out moisture. Next, rinse and drain any liquid from the sliced eggplant, then pat dry before cooking. This will further soften the eggplant preventing it from soaking up fat while cooking.

If the skin is smooth and unblemished you can leave it on. Older aubergines should be skinned however as the skin turns bitter. Use a peeler or sharp knife to remove the skin (as thinly as you can). Use the aubergine straight after peeling, otherwise the flesh will discolour.