Aubergine recipes - Our favourite aubergine recipes so you can make the most out of your organic aubergines

aubergine recipes

Here's a collection of aubergine recipes from our weekly newsletters, and some lovely ones you've sent in. If you'd like more please have a look at our recipe index! To find out about our aubergine producers and order yours click here.

Aubergine Preparation
Aubergine Loaf
Aubergine Salad
Summer Aubergine
Stuffed Aubergines with A Coriander Dressing
Garlic Aubergine
Organic Roasted Vegetable Tart
Ratatouille
Roasted Vegetables
Tomato and Aubergine Gratin
Aubergine Pancakes
Aubergine and Lentils
Tempura Aubergine
Baba Ghannouj with Pitta Crisps
Aubergine and Mozarella Baguettes
Breaded Aubergine Rounds
Aubergine and Smoked Sausage Tomato Sauce
Aubergine Caponata
Aubergine and Parmesan Bake
Chinese Barbecued Aubergine Salad
Melanzana
Aubergine, mint and chilli burgers
Aubergine fritters with rosemary and aged balsamic
Aubergine and Cardamom Bruschetta

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Aubergine Preparation

Before cooking with aubergines you may want to sprinkle the flesh with salt and leave for 15-30 minutes to remove bitter juices. Rinse and dry before continuing with your recipe.

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Aubergine Loaf

• 350 g (12 oz) aubergine
• 3 eggs
• 75 g (3 oz) breadcrumbs
• 50 g (2 oz) grated cheese
• Basil, 2 tbs freshly chopped
• 100 ml (4 fl. oz) olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas Mark 6 Cut the aubergine into pieces and mince in the blender. Put into a bowl. Whizz all the rest of the ingredients in the blender and fold in the minced aubergine. Bake in a greased loaf tin for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for a further 15 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the centre. Cover with a cloth for 10 minutes, then turn out of the tin. Slice and serve.

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Aubergine Salad

• 1 aubergine
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 green pepper
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Place the aubergine and pepper on a baking tray and roast until the aubergine has softened and the pepper charred. Once they have cooled down, peel and cube them. Mix together the tomatoes, onion, cucumber and parsley with the roasted vegetables. In a jar, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt and pepper for the dressing. Shake well then pour over the salad and toss it once again.

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Summer Aubergine

• 1 medium aubergine cut into slices
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1/2 green pepper, de-seeded and diced
• 1/2 medium chilli, diced
• 1/2 onion, peeled and diced
• 1/2 fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• Juice of 1 lemon

Rinse and cut into 1cm cubes. Mix the aubergine with about half of the garlic. Sauté the aubergine in a small amount of water until very soft OR seal the aubergine, garlic and water in aluminium foil and cook on a barbeque or grill until soft. Allow the aubergine to cool and them mix with the remaining ingredients. Leave for 15-20 minutes to cool to room temperature and then serve.

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Stuffed Aubergines with A Coriander Dressing

• Aubergines
• 30 ml lemon juice
• 50 g couscous
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes
• Mint sprigs
• 15 ml pine Nuts
• 4 spring onions

• Coriander Dressing:
• 1 cm piece fresh root ginger, grated
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 150 ml yoghurt
• Lime juice
• 2 tablespoon fresh coriander

Cut the aubergines in half lengthways and score the cut sides deeply, but being careful not to damage the skins. Place scored side up on a baking sheet. Rub the lemon juice into the flesh and sprinkle with a little salt. Bake in the oven at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 for 20-30 minutes until the flesh is soft and tender. To prepare the couscous, put it into a bowl and pour on 150ml (1/4 pint) of boiling water and leave to soak. It will be ready when it fluffs up. Chop the sundried tomatoes, mint, pine nuts and spring onions. Mix these all together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Scoop the flesh from the cooked aubergines and chop up finely. Run a fork through the couscous to separate the grains and then add the aubergine and other stuffing ingredients into to the mixture. Stir until all the ingredients are combined. Spoon the filling into the aubergine shells. If serving hot, put back into the oven and cook a further 15 minutes. If serving cold, allow chilling in the refrigerator. Prepare the dressing by mixing the ginger and garlic together with the yoghurt, lime juice and coriander. Chill, and spoon over the aubergines when they are ready.

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Garlic Aubergine

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 220g mushrooms, cut into quarters or halves
• 1-2 aubergines, cut into cubes
• 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
• Salt and pepper to taste.

In a large pan sauté the onions in the oil over medium heat until soft and sweet. Add the mushrooms, aubergine, garlic and water. Keep on medium to high heat stirring occasionally until the water is boiling (about 2 min). Turn down the heat to simmering point and cover for about 1/2 an hour or until the aubergine is done. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste. Reheat when ready to serve.

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Organic Roasted Vegetable Tart

• 1 aubergine
• 1 red pepper
• 1 small onion
• 500 g plum tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2-3 tablespoons olive Oil
• Sea salt
• Fresh thyme
• 250g shortcrust pastry

Preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas Mark 6 Cut the aubergine into chunks. Cut the peppers in half and de-seed. Place all of the vegetables in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and the thyme and roast for about 40 minutes. Line a 20cm tart tin with the shortcrust pastry; bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden. When done, spoon in the vegetables and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Serve while still warm!

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Ratatouille

The best thing about Ratatouille is that it is easy to make and always popular.

You can use this basic idea and add any of your leftovers, like carrots, artichoke, mushrooms or fennel.

• Aubergines
• Courgettes
• Onions
• Red or green peppers
• 4 large tomatoes or 400 g tinned tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil
• Salt
• Black pepper

Cut aubergine and courgettes into approximately 1 inch slices. Chop the onions roughly, de-seed the peppers and chop them too. Skin the tomatoes by first plunging them into boiling water for a couple of minutes, and then removing the skins. Quarter them, and extract the seeds. Rinse the aubergine and courgettes. Pat with a kitchen towel to dry. Now fry the onions and garlic gently in the olive oil in a large pan until soft. Cut the aubergine and courgettes into chunks and add them to the pan. Add the basil, salt and pepper (fresh ground black pepper will give the best result) and simmer very gently for about 30 minutes. After that time add the tomato flesh. Leave the lid off and cook for a further 15 minutes. Enjoy! You will be pleased to know that not only is this recipe tasty, it's packed full of vitamins!

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Roasted Vegetables

• 1 aubergine, cut into strips lengthways
• 2 medium courgettes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 red onions, peeled and sliced
• 200g mushrooms, cut into halves
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• Organic olive oil to coat

• For the dressing:
• 6 tablespoons of organic olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• Chopped fresh basil and parsley to taste
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 220°C/ 425°F/ Gas Mark 7. Arrange the vegetables, except the mushrooms, in a single layer in a roasting tin. Brush with some olive oil. Bake in the oven until they soften and begin to char around the edges. At this point add and brush the mushrooms and then bake for a further 10 minutes. Discard the garlic and arrange the rest of the vegetables in a dish. Mix together the ingredients for the dressing and then pour over the vegetables. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

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Tomato and Aubergine Gratin

• 1 medium aubergine
• 150ml olive oil
• 450g ripe tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas Mark 6. Cut the aubergine into 3 mm thick slices. Heat half of the oil in a fry pan and fry each of the aubergine slices in batches until golden brown on each side. If the pan becomes dry, add more oil. Drain on kitchen towel. Halve the tomatoes. Arrange to tomatoes and aubergine in a shallow ovenproof dish. Season with salt and pepper and then sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 10-15 minutes until browned. Leave to stand for a few minutes before serving.

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Aubergine Pancakes

A tasty, substantial savoury pancake. Serves 4.

• 1 aubergine
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 50 g (2o z) flour
• 4 tablespoon vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper

Prick the aubergine all over and roast it on a baking sheet at 175°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 30-35 minutes. Let it cool, then scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl and mash it with a fork until it is smooth. Sauté the garlic and onions in a non-stick pan (with water or a little stock if desired). Add this to the aubergine. Add the flour, baking powder, eggs, stock, parsley, pepper, and salt, and mix it all thoroughly. Coat a frying pan with a little oil and heat it to a medium heat. Add spoonfuls of the batter to the pan and cook until golden.

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Aubergine and Lentils

Meaty chunks of aubergine and lentils simmered in tomatoes and herbs…serve over basmati rice with a green salad and some crusty bread. Serves 4.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium aubergine, peeled, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tin of tomatoes diced, or equivalent of fresh tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 185g (6 oz) dry green or brown lentils, cooked, (reserving 100 ml of cooking liquid)
• salt to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and sauté the aubergine for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with water if it sticks. Add the onion, tomatoes, oregano, garlic, and pepper and sauté 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and honey, and stir thoroughly. Add the lentils and cooking liquid, and simmer for about 15 minutes, adding a little water if the sauce seems too thick. Season to taste with salt, and serve.

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Tempura Aubergine

• 1 egg
• 120 ml water
• 150 g of flour
• 1 aubergine

Mix the egg, water and flour together to make a light batter. Slice the aubergines quite thinly and dip into the batter. Deep fry in hot oil immediately, until the batter is golden brown. You can also use whatever other vegetables you like! Eat alone, or serve with a chilli dipping sauce.

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Baba Ghannouj with Pitta Crisps

This Middle Eastern dip makes a lovely snack or side dish. It is made with sesame Tahini, which can be found in most grocers. Serves 4.

• 1 medium aubergine, halved lengthwise
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons Tahini
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint or parsley, finely chopped
• 2 pitta breads, cut in half and brushed with oil

Place the aubergine flesh side up on a baking tray, and bake for 20 minutes at 190°C, 375°F until the flesh is soft. Peel and discard the skins. Place the aubergine, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt, and stir in the herbs. Bake the pitta pockets in a single layer for 10 minutes or until golden, and serve together.

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Aubergine and Mozarella Baguettes

Serves 4.

• 1 aubergine, sliced lengthwise into 8 pieces
• 4 thick slices of mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 a jar of sundried tomatoes in oil, sliced thin
• 2 handfuls of spinach, lettuce or rocket, shredded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• Enough baguette for four sandwiches, cut in half

Rub the aubergine slices on both sides with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook under the grill until tender (about 10 minutes), turning once. Place 2 aubergine slices on the bottom half of each baguette and top with cheese. Whisk the oil, vinegar and garlic in a bowl, season with salt and pepper; add greens, dried tomatoes and basil; toss. Divide among the sandwiches; close each with the top baguette slice.

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Breaded Aubergine Rounds

A great use for aubergine and eggs, Italian style! Serve with roasted chicken and salad. Serves 4.

• Plain flour in a medium bowl
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten, in a separate medium bowl
• 90 g dry breadcrumbs, in a separate medium bowl
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 handful finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 medium aubergine, cut into thin rounds crosswise
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 200 ml tomato pasta-style sauce, or red pesto
• 2 handfuls grated mozzarella cheese

Season the breadcrumbs with a little salt and pepper and stir in the Parmesan. Dip an aubergine slice in the flour so it's covered on both sides, then coat with egg, letting any excess drip off. Now cover it in bread crumbs. In a large frying pan, heat ¼" oil over a medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Fry the aubergine slices in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side, then put them on a plate to drain off any extra oil. Preheat the grill, arrange the rounds on a baking sheet, top them with sauce and mozzarella, grill until cheese melts and serve!

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Aubergine and Smoked Sausage Tomato Sauce

Serve with pasta, rice, couscous, lentils, mash, a toasted baguette, chickpeas, polenta, cabbage, wilted greens, Spanish tortilla or risotto. Approximately 4 servings.

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium aubergine, cut into big bite-sized chunks
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 450 g cooked smoked sausage, bite-sized chunks
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes with liquid
• 2 heaped tablespoons tomato puree
• 60 ml red wine
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the aubergine, onions and garlic and sauté until they are just browned, about 10 minutes. Add the sausage, tomatoes, puree and wine. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the aubergine is very tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover the pan and simmer for a few minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

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Aubergine Caponata

Try this mouthwatering Italian relish as a spread on a baguette, or as a side to lamb or grilled fish, for 4.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 450 g unpeeled aubergine, small diced
• 1 large handful finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped drained capers
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar or sherry
• 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2 handfuls chopped tomatoes, or equivalent tinned

In a medium frying pan heat half the olive oil over a medium-high heat until it's hot but not smoking, then add the aubergine and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until it is tender. Transfer the cooked aubergine to a bowl. Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the onion for 3 minutes, then add the olives, capers, vinegar, sugar, raisins, pine nuts and tomatoes and cook, covered, for 5 minutes until all the ingredients are heated right through. Combine all the ingredients and let it cool; the caponate can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

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Aubergine and Parmesan Bake

A moreish meal to serve with bread and side dishes of your choosing. Add more cooked veggies, too - tomato sauce makes a great hiding place! Serves 4-6.

• 2 medium aubergines, sliced lengthways, 1.5cm slices
• 1-2 handfuls flour, on a plate
• 4 eggs, whisked and placed in a shallow bowl
• 152-200g fine dried breadcrumbs or wheatgerm
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon each oregano and thyme
• 500-700ml prepared tomato pasta sauce
• 400g Mozzarella (or Cheddar/Swiss/hard goat’s cheese), grated
• 2 handfuls grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 190C/375F/gas 5. Lightly oil a baking tray and a large rectangular lasagne dish. Combine the breadcrumbs with herbs on a plate. Dip each aubergine slice into the flour, covering both sides; then in the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Spread the prepared slices on the baking tray and the pan, and bake until tender (about 20 minutes). Remove from oven and pile them on the baking tray. without cleaning the pan, ladle some tomato sauce into the bottom. Add a layer of aubergine slices, and cover with more sauce. Arrange some mozzarella over the sauce, then repeat the layering until you run out of ingredients. Top with the Parmesan. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.

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Chinese Barbecued Aubergine Salad

We don’t need sun for a barbecue! The sauce makes the dish, so you’re free to experiment with different veggies – and a thinly sliced barbecued steak wouldn’t go amiss… Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

• 2 medium aubergines, cut into thick bite-size strips - (about the same size as 2 chunky chips)
• 1 medium onion, cut into 6-8 wedges
• 2 large handfuls of one or a mix of the following: courgette, pak choi, peppers, fennel, cut like the aubergine
• 160ml olive or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (available in supermarkets)
• 2 tablespoons honey 60ml rice or white wine vinegar
• 120ml chicken stock
• 100ml soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons each cornstarch & water, combined

Place vegetables in a bowl with 80ml oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Barbecue or grill until marked and cooked through but not soggy, 5-10 minutes (pak choi only needs a minute). Meanwhile, heat 80ml oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add hoisin sauce, honey, vinegar, stock, soy sauce and sesame oil; bring to the boil. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Place barbecued vegetables in a bowl, drizzle with sauce and toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!

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Melanzana

Melanzana simply means 'aubergine' in Italian. This is a classic dish - one I used to make at Quo Vadis a few moons ago. We paired it with lamb, but I like to treat it like a wheat-free, veggie lasagne and simply add a side of salad to it. Serves 2

• 1 large aubergine
• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 4 fresh tomatoes, cut into 1inch dice
• 1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
• 1 red pepper
• 1 medium-sized courgette
• A small white onion
• A handful of fresh basil, plus extra leaves to garnish the top
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 100g piece of Parmesan cheese, freshly grated To serve: Baby gem lettuce dressed with natural yogurt, herbs, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil

Preheat your oven to 180C.

Cut the aubergine into thin slices, about 1/2 cm thick. You want to draw some of the moisture out to improve the texture and stop them disintegrating whilst cooking. The standard way to do this is to sprinkle salt on the slices and leave them to dry in a colander 30 minutes to 1 hour. Once de-moisturized, heat 1tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, nice and hot, and carefully fry all the aubergine slices until they are golden brown on both sides, adding more olive oil if needed. Depending on the size of your frying pan and the amount of, this may well have to be done in several batches - don't just pile all the slices up on top of each other! After frying, place the slices on kitchen paper to absorb some of the oil.

Thinly slice the onion and then cut into a small dice. Do the same with the pepper and the courgette - you want, roughly, a 1cm dice for each vegetable - but you don't have to be exact. Add 1tsp olive oil to the pan you used for the aubergine and fry the onion for 2 minutes. Add the pepper and courgette and cook, over a medium/low heat for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still bright, fresh-looking and colourful. Add the fresh and tinned tomatoes, along with the splash of aged balsamic. Roughly tear the basil and add it to the sauce. Simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes - you want some of the water to cook out of the sauce, giving you a nice, thick consistency. Now comes the assembly. Get a smallish, shallow ovenproof dish and add a nice blanket (2-3 tbsp should do) of tomato sauce. Sprinkle over a handful of the freshly grated Parmesan and then top with a layer of the aubergine slices (overlap the aubergine pieces ever so slightly as you create your layer). Repeat until all the ingredients are used up. You want your top layer to consist of a thin layer of tomato sauce topped with loads of Parmesan and a few whole, fresh basil leaves.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is nice and golden. To serve, place the dish on a cutting board in the centre of the table and serve with a simple salad of baby gem lettuce leaves dressed with natural yogurt mixed with freshly chopped herbs (chives, parsley, tarragon), a squeeze of lemon juice, a crushed and finely chopped garlic clove, a splash of olive oil , sea salt and pepper.

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Aubergine, mint and chilli burgers

I'm not a vegetarian but I love veggie food, and I think it's good for our bodies and the planet to reduce the amount of meat we eat each day. These burgers are actually vegan (bar the suggested dollop of yogurt) but they actually appeal to complete carnivores. Serves 4.

• 1 medium-sized aubergine
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ lemon
• 400g chickpeas, well drained
• 2 spring onions, cleaned and thinly sliced (white and green parts)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and pounded in a pestle and mortar
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
• 75g fresh breadcrumbs
• Plain flour, for shaping
• Sea salt To serve:
• Pitta bread
• Sliced cherry tomatoes
• Little gem lettuce leaves

Preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas Mark 6. Clean the aubergine and cut into 1inch cubes. Season with a pinch of sea salt. Toss in the 1tbsp olive oil. Peel and finely chop the garlic clove. Add to aubergines and toss the garlic through using your hands. Grate the zest from the lemon half and squeeze over a bit of juice. Roast the aubergine for 15-20minutes, until tender. Once cooked, pulse in a food processor (skin left on) with the chickpeas you have a course mixture. Add remaining ingredients (apart from the flour) and pulse until incorporated. Divide the mixture into 8 and, with well-floured hands, shape into burgers. Chill for half an hour.

Preheat the barbecue or grill. Brush the burgers with the oil and barbecue or grill for 4-5 minutes on each side until they are piping hot throughout. Serve in large toasted pittas (use 2 burger patties per pitta), along with some little gem lettuce leaves, fresh tomato and a dollop of natural yogurt.

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Aubergine fritters with rosemary and aged balsamic

This is a variation on a previous aubergine burger recipe. Last time, I had mint and chilli to spice up the aubergine mix, this time it's earthy rosemary and tangy balsamic. They make lovely falafel-like fritters. Serves 4 as a main. It's also worth noting that this recipe freezes well - freeze once you've made the mix - just before shaping them into fritters as the fritters will stick together upon defrosting.

• 2 medium-sized aubergines
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 400g chickpeas, well drained
• 2 tbsp pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/2 large or 1 smallish white onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
• 100g fresh breadcrumbs
• Plain flour, for shaping
• Olive or rapeseed oil for shallow frying
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper To serve:
• Abel & Cole's red chilli jam

Preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas Mark 6. Place the aubergines in the hot oven and roast until cooked right through to the centre - sometimes they 'pop' or 'explode' in the oven but this is ok - please don't have a heart attack when you hear the loud 'boom' in your oven: it should be ok, if not a tad bit messy! It takes 20-35 mins to roast the aubergine. Once cooked, scoop the flesh out and place in the bowl of a food processor (do this in two batches if your processor is on the small side - halving all the other ingredients in two batches as well). Blitz with the olive oil, garlic, lemon, chickpeas, olives, onion, and rosemary. Mix well. Once you have a fairly soft mix, stir in the paprika and the balsamic. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Fold in the breadcrumbs. Then, chill the mixture for half an hour. Then, scoop out by the tablespoon and shape into falafel-like fritters. Coat in flour and shallow fry in olive oil until golden on all sides. Serve with Abel & Cole's new red chilli jam.

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Aubergine and Cardamom Bruschetta

Cardamom adds a fantastic aromatic edge and sweetness to the aubergines. Don’t be put off by the quantity required here - it isn’t overpowering! Serves 2 as light meal or snack.

• 1 smallish aubergine
• 15 cardamom pods
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 10g flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 4 thin slices Pain de Campagne
• 100g Abergavenny goat’s cheese

Prepare and light the barbecue or preheat the grill to medium. Using a sharp knife, remove the aubergines' leafy top. Cut lengthways into 3-5mm slices. Set aside. Using a pestle and mortar, lightly crush the cardamom pods. Remove and discard the green outer husks, leaving only the black seeds behind (it should produce ½-1 tsp). Crush these lightly.

In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice and half the chopped parsley together. Add the prepared cardamom seeds, season and mix together well. Now add the aubergine slices and toss in the dressing until evenly coated.

Cook the aubergine slices in batches on the barbecue or under the grill for 3 minutes on each side, or until just tender.

Keep the aubergine warm while toasting the bread until golden. Spread the toast generously with the soft goat’s cheese. Then, top with the aubergine slices. Drizzle with any remaining dressing or extra olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and garnish with a lemon wedge. Eat while still warm.

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