Eunice Power visited Today with Maura and Dáithí to share her recipe for Roasted Aubergine with Feta Cheese and Almond Stuffing with Roast Pepper and Chilli Sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 sweet red peppers
  • 2 teas sweet paprika
  • 1 red chilli and a pinch of chilli flakes
  • 2 cloves of garlic sliced
  • 200mls of olive oil
  • 100mls water
  • 2 large aubergines
  • Olive oil
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
  • 30g of breadcrumbs
  • 60g of flaked almonds - toasted
  • 200g of feta cheese
  • 1 small bunch of fresh coriander
  • Toasted flaked almonds and basil leaves to decorate

Method

  1. Blacken the skin of the red peppers under a grill or over a hot flame, then put them into a bowel, cover with clingfilm, and when cooled, remove skin and scrape out seeds.
  2. Put the flesh into a pan with the paprika, chillies, garlic, olive oil and water. Simmer for two minutes, then whiz with a hand blender until the sauce is emulsified. Leave to cool.
  3. Slice the aubergines lengthways- each aubergine should yield four slices.
  4. Brush each slice on both sides with olive oil and roast them in the oven at 200C until lightly coloured.
  5. Finely chop the red onions and garlic, and fry them in a little olive oil with the cumin seeds until soft. Add the breadcrumbs and cook for one more minute.
  6. Toast the almonds briefly in the oven or on a dry pan.
  7. Crumble the feta cheese and chop the coriander, then gently mix these with the almonds and cooked onion.
  8. Divide the stuffing in 4 and pack on four slices of aubergine
  9. Place the remaining slices on top – almost like a sandwich.
  10. Place filled aubergine on baking tray lined with parchment and bake for 10-15 minutes at 170C.
  11. Serve one stuffed aubergine per person with some of the pepper sauce poured over the top at room temperature.
  12. Decorate with basil and toasted almonds.