Storing Aubergines

[Henwoman]

I have so many aubergines that I don't know what to do with them - do I freeze them ready for moussaka in the future - help needed please?

[The Riff-Raff Element]

You could preserve them as ratatouille or as a confit of aubergines with or without peppers & tomatoes.

Ratatouille recipes are ten-a-penny, and you'll find massess on 'tinterwebthingy. It can be frozen or kept in jars. It's nicely acid, so needs no special precautions against botulism.

The confits are a bit different: basically, you cook the aubergines with onions, garlic and - if liked - peppers in a surplus of oil. This needs to be done slowly until they are thouroghly, meltingly, tender. At this point, tinned tomates can be added, and even some pounded anchovies, and the mixture cooked until fairly dry of water, to make a dish called bouami. This too stores in jars easily.

If peppers and tomatoes are not used then the confit of aubergines and onions can be stored in jars, but more care needs to be taken to ensure against the (very, very, small) risk of botulism. I add just a pinch of citric acid and shove the suff into jars with metal tops just laid over. Then I bung them in the oven at 150°C for 30 minutes before tighting down the lids. That way the confit can be used safely without too much reheating.

[Henwoman]

Thanks, TRRE. I have just remembered that I used to buy stuffed aubergines from a delicatessen in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, and have emailed them to see if they still have the recipe - it's from about 25 years ago so I'm crossing my fingers.

[Henwoman]

Yes! I got a reply from William's Kitchen in Nailsworth. I don't remember breadcrumbs being on top, but may be good this way.

Split aubergines in half longways brush with olive oil and bake till flesh is soft. Cool and scoop the flesh out rough chop and mix with ingredients you like such as tomatoes, cashews, onion, garlic, cumin etc sauté in a shallow pan season to taste and pile back into the skins sprinkle with fresh breadcrumbs, heat and serve.

Just in case anyone else thinks it sounds good enough to cook.