I was in a Spanish food market last week, when a man pointed a dark purple object at me and said: "What do I do with this?" I was tempted to tell him what truly came to mind, after he had been so rude in his approach to me. But, in brief, I gave him some ideas for how he might get the best from the aubergine that he was waving around in such a violent fashion.

I managed to drive him away by telling him that the aubergine is part of the nightshade family, and that it came to Spain from India via, of course, North Africa. When I began telling him how the Moors used it in their cooking, he made a rude gesture and left. Charming! His loss.

Berenjenas con Miel (aubergines drizzled with honey) is just one of the dishes I am a big fan of. There are many enjoyable aubergine-based dishes to be had all across Spain, since the fruit grows widely on both the mainland and island regions. This recipe comes from the Balearic Islands, where aubergines benefit from the mild climate. It is also known as Tumbet and can be served hot or cold. The choice is yours.

Ingredients

  • 3 aubergines
  • 4 potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 2 large zucchini, sliced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1 kilo of ripe tomatoes, skinned and diced
  • pinch of sugar
  • pepper
  • salt
  • 250 ml of olive oil

Preparation

  1. Slice the aubergines and lay the slices in a large strainer. Sprinkle them with salt and leave them to drain for one hour.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a deep frying-pan. Fry the slices of potato until golden brown. Transfer them to a casserole and sprinkle with salt.
  3. Fry the aubergines lightly in the oil, then drain and arrange them as a layer on top of the potatoes.
  4. Lightly fry the zucchini in the oil and place these on top of the aubergines. Season lightly with salt. Keep the vegetables hot.
  5. Pour away all but a small amount of the frying oil. Fry the garlic in the remaining oil until golden.
  6. Add the diced tomato and begin to cook lightly, while stirring.
  7. Pass the sauce through a sieve, or purée it with a hand blender. Season it with salt, pepper, and sugar.
  8. Pour the sauce over the vegetables in the casserole dish and serve.