Grilled aubergines with chilli and honey
Well-oiled aubergine slices – grilled until really soft and yielding – make a delicious, velvety sponge for the flavours of honey, lemon, chilli and thyme. Other herbs would work well here too, giving the dish a subtly different character – try parsley, basil, mint or coriander. As seen on the River Cottage Veg TV series and taken from the River Cottage Veg Cookery Book
Prep 5mins Cook 30mins Servs 4
Method
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Slice the skin off the aubergines, then cut across into 1cm slices. Place on a foil-lined grill tray. Brush liberally with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on one side, then flip the slices over, brush with more oil and season with more salt and pepper. Keep grilling until the slices are a deep golden brown all over and very tender, flipping them again if you need to. This will take around 15-20 minutes.
Transfer the grilled aubergine slices to a plate or dish, layering them if you need to and sprinkling each layer with chopped chilli and thyme leaves. Trickle with a little honey and lemon juice. Leave for at least 10 minutes until tepid or, even better, 30 minutes until cool, by which time the juices will have run and mingled a little.
Add more salt and pepper if you think it necessary, then serve as a starter, with bread, or as part of a mezze spread
Ingredients
3 medium aubergines (about 750g), trimmed
Olive oil, for brushing
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
A few sprigs of thyme, leaves only
A little clear honey, to trickle A little lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper