Aubergine Gratin

Aubergine Gratin

Aubergine Gratin 
Most people traditionally think of gratin as a side dish and this can be a side of course but we like to beef the dish up a bit with extra veg to make it bigger and easily suitable and delicious enough to be a main course! 
Serves 2-4

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 large aubergine (350-400g) cut lengthways into 5mm slices
  • 1 ½ courgette cut into 2mm rounds
  • 1 small red onion sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic finely sliced
  • 6 button mushrooms finely sliced
  • 1 tin 400g chopped tomatoes
  • Dash tabasco
  • Salt and pepper
  • 250g parmesan
  • 4 sprigs of thyme
  • 25g basil
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 75g Cashew Nuts

Method

  1. Place the sliced aubergine into a colander and season with salt, leave to drain.
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. 
  3. Add the onion, season with salt and cook until they start to soften.
  4. Add your garlic to the pan.
  5. Stir it all up and cook for a further 4 minutes.
  6. Add your mushrooms and your courgette slices.
  7. Cook for 5 minutes.
  8. They should be slightly browned.
  9. Add your chopped tomatoes and a small dash of water.
  10. Mix the whole thing together well.
  11.  You need to simmer this all then for about 7 minutes
  12. While this is simmering, turn on your grill. 
  13. Make sure all of the moisture is out of your aubergine slices.
  14. You can dab them with kitchen roll and get as much out as possible.
  15. Brush your aubergine slices on one side with olive oil.
  16. Grill olive oil side up for 3 minutes.
  17. Turn and brush other side with olive oil again.
  18. Grill for 2 minutes.
  19. Your slices can be done in batches.
  20. Remove from the grill and season with salt and pepper. 
  21. Take your sauce off the heat and season with salt, pepper, sugar and as much tabasco as you're willing to use.
  22. Preheat your oven to 180 celsius.
  23. Build the gratin.
  24. Take an oven proof dish, whatever shape you like doesn’t matter.
  25. Don’t go too wide for example as this needs to be layered like a boss.
  26. Layer the base with some of your grilled aubergine slices. 
  27. Spoon over and cover with your delicious sauce.
  28. Sprinkle some of your thyme and basil and some of your parmesan.
  29. Repeat these steps until you’ve built a layered gratin.
  30. Parmesan again to finish. I use f*cking loads to be honest.
  31. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
  32. Remove and be warned not to stick your head straight in as it will be very very hot.
  33. Serve it up alongside a nice salad or rice for example.
  34. Top again with more parmesan if you feel up for it.
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