Food For Thought: Dwarf Aubergines

At 26, Tom Aikens was the youngest recipient of two Michelin stars; today he is one of the most exciting chefs working in the UK. In 2003 he opened Tom Aikens Restaurant and in 2006 Tom’s Kitchen(both in Chelsea).

Tom’s first cookbook, Tom Aikens: Cooking is hugely popular and he is currently working on his second book. Watch this space...

This time of year we go crazy for sun ripe aubergines – and interestingly, the Italian name for them, Melanzana comes from the Latin for ‘crazy apple’!

Especially fun to cook with are dwarf aubergines, but make sure you buy the kind that are mature at that size, rather than just premature aubergines. The flavour is much better in the dwarf species, and the darker the skin the better. They can be substituted for regular aubergines in any recipe, and often have an even more intense flavour and a lovely texture.

• Dwarf aubergines make for great little canapes. Slice them in half, length-ways, and brush with olive oil on the cut side. Grill for 3 minutes in the oven, then season and dress with finely chopped garlic, rosemary and thyme and a drizzle of balsamic before baking for another 5 minutes at medium heat.
• The old Italian favourite Melanzana Parmigiana looks lovely when made with discs of the dwarf aubergines, and is so simple to prepare – cheat by using a quality ready made organic tomato sauce.
• Try a Spanish twist: Half the aubergines lengthways and insert a 5mm thick slice of hard goats cheese or mild manchego like a sandwich filling with some seasoning and bake in a tray in the oven for 8 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of balsamic and honey dressing.

Other seasonal ingredients to look out for:

Greengages
Samphire
Cherry tomatoes
Grouse
Crayfish

And Tom’s final word this fortnight: Forman & Field do the most delicious Crayfish Cocktail with crayfish tails, smoked salmon and kata caviar; a delicious starter / canape served on something crispy like a melba toast.

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