Aubergine slippers

These aubergine slippers make a lovely starter or meze dish.  It reminds one of the sun and warmth of the Mediterranean.

Preparation Time: 20 Mins

Cooking Time: 1½ Hrs

Total Time: 2 Mins

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

2                    Aubergines  - cut in half lengthways       

10 cl               Olive oil    

½                   Onion  - chopped finely          

250 gms          Mince       

                     Pepper      

                     Salt          

10 cl               Wine  - dry white     

1 tbs               Parsley  - chopped    

1 tbs               Parmesan cheese  - grated      

10 cl               Tomato juice           

For the Béchamel

230 ml             Milk         

1                    Bay leaf     

1 thick slice       Onion       

1 blade            Mace        

10 gms            Butter       

20 gms            Flour        

                     Pepper      

                     Salt          

                     Nutmeg  - grated     

Method

To prepare the Béchamel…

Gently heat the milk with the bay leaf, onion and mace.  Remove from the heat just as the milk boils, cover the pan and set aside for at least 30 minutes.  Strain the milk and discard the flavouring ingredients.  Melt the butter over a low heat in a heavy based saucepan.  Add the flour and stir briskly until the mixture is smoothly blended, without allowing it to change colour.  Gradually stir in the milk and bring to the boil, beating well to prevent any lumps forming.  Season with salt and pepper and a little grated nutmeg.  Simmer the sauce gently for 3-5 minutes, stirring from time to time.

To prepare and cook the aubergines…

Nick the insides of the aubergines in a criss-cross fashion.  Coat them with oil, put them in a greased baking tin and allow to bake in the oven until quite soft (about 10 minutes).

Put the oil in a pan and heat.  Add the onion and allow to soften, then add the mince, salt, pepper, the wine and the parsley.  Allow this mixture to cook on a low heat for 30 minutes.  Spread the aubergines

with this mixture and cover it with 1 tablespoonful of the béchamel sauce for each half aubergine.  Sprinkle with the grated cheese.  Add the tomato juice and 2 tbs of olive oil to the baking tin to make a sauce.  Bake for 30 minutes in the oven.

Wine recommendations

A red or a white wine.

Conventional

     Chardonnay

     Côtes du Rhône

Interesting

     Beaujolais Villages

     Chinon

     Riesling