This is another family favourite — real comfort food. Called begendi in Turkish, it is an Ottoman classic designed to accompany meatballs in a tomato sauce but I have always preferred it on its own, baked in the oven. It’s warming and nourishing, and we love it and our friends love it. Because of its smoky flavour, it pairs with many different whiskies: enjoy it with the sweet, robust Aberlour A’bunadh to extend the feeling of comfort. We often have this dish for supper with a green salad and fresh, crusty bread to mop it up.
Smoked aubergine in a cheese sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients
5-6 medium-sized aubergines
50g butter
2-3 tbsp plain flour
600ml milk
250g cheddar cheese, grated
110g parmesan, grated, plus more for the top
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Place the aubergines directly on the gas flame of your cooker or over a charcoal grill. Cook them, turning from time to time, until soft and the skin is charred (over a charcoal grill, the skin will just toughen instead of charring so, rather than peel them as described below, you just need to cut them in half lengthways and scoop out the flesh). Place the cooked aubergines into a plastic bag to sweat for a few minutes.
2 One at a time, hold them under a running cold tap and gently peel off the burnt skin, taking care to keep the aubergine intact. Hold the peeled aubergine by its stalk and squeeze out the excess water. Place the peeled aubergines on a wooden board, cut off the stalks and chop the flesh to a pulp.
Advertisement
3 In a heavy-based pan, melt the butter. Stir in enough flour to make a thick roux. Add the milk, stirring all the time, until smooth and thick — use a balloon whisk if it’s lumpy. Beat in the cheddar cheese, a little at a time, to make a smooth sauce. Beat in the parmesan a little at a time and season to taste.
4 Tip the aubergine into a baking dish, top with the cheese sauce and sprinkle a generous layer of grated parmesan over the top. Place the dish in the oven for 25-30 min, until the top is browned. Serve immediately with fresh bread.
Taken from Spirit & Spice by Ghillie Basan, £25, Kitchen Press
