Aubergine Timbales

My beloved mother is of rather a contradictory nature. She hates aubergine, yet this is one of her favourite dishes. Maybe she’s not contradictory so much as foolish: this is a woman who said in December “I’m going to buy a chicken because I really fancy some turkey sandwiches”. Indeed.

However silly she is, she is quite right to approve of this meal. A few years ago I was home for the summer between jobs and rather than succumbing to bone idleness, I set myself the challenge of cooking a new recipe every day. This was the most challenging thing I’d ever made at the time. The mere mention of Gordon Ramsay terrified me, and the pictures of such a prettily presented dish looked miles out of my league. Imagine my astonishment, then, when mine turned out just like the pictures. It was a great achievement, and a dish that my mother occasionally requests for special occasions, and as Mother’s Day is fast approaching, it seems like the ideal moment to share it. Be bold – it really is surprisingly simple to make.

Aubergine Timbales

Gordon Ramsay recipe, serves 6

Ingredients:

olive oil

2 large aubergines, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, finely chopped

1 courgette, finely chopped

6 shallots, halved and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

6 vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered

2 tbsp stoned black olives

1 tbsp capers

25g shredded basil leaves

25g grated vegetarian Parmesan

300g goats’ cheese, sliced into 12

200g baby leaf spinach

6 tbsp vinaigrette

50g pine nuts, toasted

Method:

1. Pour in enough oil to cover the base of a large frying pan. Fry the aubergine slices for 2-3 minutes until softened. Season, then drain on paper towels – this will probably need to be done in batches.

2. For the filling, add 2-3 tbsp oil to the pan and fry the pepper, courgette, shallots and garlic over a high heat for 3-5 minutes.

3. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook until evaporated.

4. Add the tomatoes, season, and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is softened but not too saucy.

5. Remove from the heat and mix in the olives, capers, half the shredded basil and all the Parmesan. Set aside to cool slightly. Preheat oven to 200C.