Smothered Aubergine stacks - The 1st Shade of Aubergine

Smothered Aubergine stacks with Caramelised Onion & Blue Cheese

Many don’t know how to cook Aubergine and find it rather bland and bitter. But the truth is, Aubergine is so versatile and the colour is so sensual, one can use it as a base for almost any dish.

The first time I made this dish was 3 years ago. I was so delighted with the mélange of flavours that it inspired me to create more dishes with Aubergine. And every time I make it for my guests, I am greeted with the same passionate response.

With Omara Portuondo singing her soulful tunes in the background, I sliced a beautiful purple plump aubergine into 3mm slices and spread it on a tray, sprinkled with salt to remove the barbaric bitterness. After it was dripping with perspiration, I gently patted it dry and lay the delicate slices on a baking tray. I placed some thinly sliced ripe red tomatoes on each aubergine round and sprinkled it with a little dash of Mediterranean spices and extra virgin olive oil. This would settle nicely in a hot 180 degree oven for about 20 minutes or so, just enough time for the oil to sizzle and for me to prepare the chicken.

Using two tender chicken fillets, I sliced it into thin strips and panfryed it together with a sautéed sliced onion, a little garlic, some caramelised brown sugar, a dash of red wine and some ginger soy sauce.

Once the chicken was tender, I turned off the oven and placed a few slivers of blue cheese and feta onto each aubergine and tomato round, leaving it to melt for a few minutes.

I then gracefully positioned a slice of blue cheese smothered aubergine on a bed of fresh rocket leaves, and delicately topped that with a spoon of the caramelised onion and chicken. I repeated this three times, until it formed a resplendent stack and finished it off with a sprinkling of cracked black pepper.

Accompanied by candlelight and the soulful sounds of Lhasa, I then proceeded to leisurely devour this succulent explosion in scandalous abandonment, washing it down with a fine red wine, leaving me totally consumed in unadulterated pleasure.