aubergine Archives - Page 2 of 2

confit biyaldi

My presentation’s not quite there, but if you squint you might recognise this as the critic-pleasing dish from the Pixar film Ratatouille. That’s technically what this recipe is, but this is it as reinvented by the chef-genius Thomas Keller, who christened it confit byaldi. Spoilers ahoy, but in a scene that should make Heston applaud, as the grouchy critic chomps down he is transported to his mother’s cooking of his childhood. Evoking such memory and inspiration really makes me smile when it comes to cooking. This is a really classy way of improving a truly peasant dish.

The recipe is lifted wholesale from NYTimes so I won’t reiterate the whole thing here. Suffice to say it’s a bunch o’ veg sweated off and topped with discs of other veg. It’s time consuming but really not difficult, and the results are well worth it. Simultaneously sunny, tasty and wholesome, I heartily recommend it.

moussaka

This moussaka posited an excellent time-saver: red pesto as the main gravy indredient. You can’t hold back with moussaka; as a permutation of lasagne as all nations are wont to have, bold flavours work best here. This version oozed lambiness, retaining a lot of that savoury juice that characterizes rich lamb dishes.

The red pesto saved a lot of bother by forming the basis of the sauce, both gutsy and part tomatoey. Persuaded to try again I’d some tomato puree to oomph up that side. In a semi-traditional nod this recipe had a custardy topping, one which I’ve never been oversold on. And this is no exception. A clagginess underscores any flavour advantage you might gain. I’d rather head back to roux territory for the ultimate aubergine topping. And what a star aubergine is here. Meaty, moist and exuding a mediterranean flavour, and somehow always so filling.

Served with leftover courgettes from yesterday, this was a very satisfying meal.