Nigel Slater’s recipe for aubergines with herb cream on sourdough

Cut 2 large aubergines (about 500g total weight) into 2cm cubes, tip into a colander placed over a bowl and scatter with a little salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. This will help the aubergine flesh to relax and take up less oil.

In a large, preferably nonstick sauté pan, warm 250ml of olive oil, then add the aubergine. Peel 3 cloves of garlic, then slice them thinly and add them to pan. Let the aubergine cook with the oil and garlic for about 10 minutes, partially covered by a lid, turning the pieces over from time to time so they colour evenly. Roughly chop 15 basil leaves and about 30 of parsley. Add them to the aubergine and set aside.

Make the herb paste: mix together 4 tbsp of mayonnaise with 150ml of sour cream. Stir in 1 tsp of Dijon mustard, 2 tsp of capers, 20 parsley leaves, a dash of white wine vinegar or tarragon vinegar and a little salt and black pepper. Taste and sharpen the flavour with more vinegar if you wish. Make 8 small pieces of toast either from a baguette or a sourdough loaf, then spread with the herb cream. Pile the aubergine on top and serve. Enough for 2

The aubergine and basil is worth thinking about as a fragrant sauce for pasta. Toss with a small variety pasta, such as orecchiette or gemelli, adding a splash more of olive oil and a little lemon juice as needed.

There is also possibility here for a tart filling. Take a sheet of puff pastry, trimmed to 20 x 30cm, place on a baking sheet, then using a sharp knife, score an inner rectangle 2cm in from the edges without going right through to the baking sheet. Brush the outer rim with a little beaten egg, then bake at 200C/gas mark 6 for 20 minutes. Pile the aubergine and basil filling into the central rectangle, bake for a further 15 minutes and serve warm.

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