PicoBlog

Is anyone else consistently disappointed with the size of aubergines at their local?

First off, I should acknowledge that we have attempted to grow aubergines in the past, and I am the first to admit that these puppies can be a challenge to grow to a decent size - even getting plants to fruit at all can be a challenge.

But despite this knowledge, I have to say that this season I’ve been chronically underwhelmed when casting my gaze to the aubergine stand at the super or farmer’s market (in fairness to local Ōtepoti growers, the fact that any of them can grow even a modestly-sized aubergine feels like a small miracle). Like most people, I love a big meaty aubergine, especially when considering they’re sold per item as opposed to weight. When a 250g aubergine costs $6 in the peak of summer it hardly feels worth it.

I’d been thinking that perhaps I needed to adjust my lofty expectations ~ and realise that actually a smaller aubergine may hold better flavour and be a positive sign that the growing environment wasn’t pumped full of growth-encouraging hormones or nasty fertilisers. But low and behold, this past week the well-endowed aubergines have come to the party and can be found lying hefty on the grocer shelves ~ which also makes sense given we’re now at the tail end of the season, so these ones theoretically may have had a longer opportunity to grow. And I was lucky enough to be gifted one of these purple beauties by my mum (see pic above).

On thinking what to do with this beast of an aubergine, my mind was taken back to an instagram post I had seen by NY Times food columnist Eric Kim last year, where he shared his recipe for an Eggplant Parmesan (Parmigiana di Melanzane in Italian, or Eggplant Parmigiana as you’re probably familiar with - no idea why the US insist on just calling it Eggplant Parmesan). I found it comical how he got backlash from various self-proclaimed pundits who had their own opinions on what an Eggplant Parmigiana should be. Who knew that there could be so many interpretations of a dish that is simply layers of cooked aubergine, cheese & tomato sauce.

It appears that some people fry their aubergine first while others bake it before assembly. Some leave the aubergine au naturel, while others dredge it then coat in flour or breadcrumbs. Parmesan is usually included but mozzarella often joins the party. Then there is the making of the tomato sauce which has layers of variable in its own right.

Here’s a link to Eric Kim’s article where he discusses all things Eggplant Parmigiana with a collection of reputable American chefs.

So when placed with the proposition of how I might cook this super-sized aubergine I decided to channel my Eric Kim and make my own plant-based version-esque of the classic Italian dish. Because vegan parmesan is hard to come by and kind of average, I’ve instead opted for a plant-based béchamel of sorts that layers with baked crumbed aubergine & spicy tomato sauce to create something rather magical.

In the back of my head I also had the voice of a lovely woman who attended my recent cooking workshop in Hawke’s Bay, who suggested there need to be more recipes targetted at those who live alone, with smaller portion sizes. Because I just had the singular monster aubergine, this week’s recipe also fits that brief (but could easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd).

Plus scroll to the bottom for the usual seasonal highlights and other foodie reads that may be of interest.

Enjoy,

Alby xx

For when you’re craving Italian comfort food but don’t want to make a big-ass lasagne. This plant-based take on the classic Italian eggplant parmigiana sees layers of crispy crumbed eggplant, a rich classic tomato sauce, creamy miso béchamel and fresh basil come together in a symphony of delicious. While this recipe is designed for small scale cooking (perfect for couples or solo cooks), it can easily be doubled or tripled to feed any number of guests ~ just adjust the final baking vessel accordingly. Cooking times will be longer for reducing the sugo and béchamel too.

Hands-on Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

serves 3-4 as a main, easily doubled or tripled for a crowd

Cost Estimate: $15 ($4-5 per serve)

Crumbed eggplant

500g eggplant (about 2 small-medium or 1 very large)

sea salt

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