EG OVE MAKES V HOW... R G E S O H IN R EE S DAR THIS MEAT-FR F O R A T S E H T
StUFF IT! Darrin is chef director of Ashburton Cookery School, having started his culinary career at none other than Gidleigh Park. He has plenty of experience in teaching as well as in cooking, and used to be a college lecturer before taking up this position 13 years ago. Ashburton, which is located just down the M5 in Devon, is a cookery school with rooms, offering everything from half-day classes to short breaks and even professional qualifications. It uses ethically sourced, local ingredients on its courses, showing pupils how to put them to work in accessible and practical recipes – just like this meat-free aubergine number...
STUFFED AUBERGINE with ROASTED VEGETABLES, HALLOUMI and PUMPKIN SEEDS (SERVES 2)
INGREDIENTS
1 small-medium aubergine olive oil 100g sweet potato 100g butternut squash ½ small red onion 1 small courgette 100g halloumi 50g plain flour 1 tsp pumpkin seeds 1 tsp sunflower seeds 1 tbsp coriander, chopped 30ml sweet chilli sauce thick Greek yoghurt
METHOD
– Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/ gas mark 7. – Cut the aubergine in half lengthways, then cut around the edge with a small knife and make incisions through the flesh in a crisscross pattern. Sprinkle with a little salt and leave for 30 minutes to extract any bitterness. – Dry the aubergines with a piece of kitchen roll and place into a hot frying pan with a little oil, flesh side down. Remove from the pan when golden brown, place onto an oven tray, and cook for 20 minutes. – Meanwhile, cut the sweet potato, squash, red onion and courgette into small pieces. Place in another baking tray and coat with a little oil. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, or until soft. – Slice the halloumi and pass each piece through the flour to coat. Then pan fry in a little oil for 3 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool. – When the aubergine is cooked, remove it from the oven and turn the temperature down to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Scoop out ¾ of the flesh and roughly chop. – In a big bowl, mix together the roasted vegetables, about half of the roughly chopped aubergine flesh, seeds, chopped coriander and sweet chilli sauce. Toss gently to mix well. – Place the mix inside the roasted aubergine shells and top with a few slices of the pan-fried halloumi. – Roast in the oven for approx. 15 minutes, or until nice and hot. – Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and serve with a quenelle of Greek yoghurt on the top and a sprig of coriander to garnish.
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✱ ASHBURTON COOKERY SCHOOL, Old Exeter Road, Ashburton, Devon TQ13 7LG; 01364 652784; ashburtoncookeryschool.co.uk
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