Chef Loyiso’s Fried Aubergine with Goat’s Cheese

Ingrédients

• Serves 2
• 200 g goat's cheese
• two large aubergines
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• Baleia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• salted butter
• sea salt flakes
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• fresh oregano
• fresh basil
• Chili Oil:
• chopped red chili
• Baleia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Leek Ash:
• 4 leeks (cut in half lengthwise)

Préparation

1. 1

   Make the Leek Ash by placing the leeks on a baking tray

2. 2

   Dry off in the oven preferably overnight at 50 degrees C

3. 3

   Once dry, blend into a dust

4. 4

   Make the Chili Oil by pouring a generous amount of oil into a saucepan and add the chillies

5. 5

   Let it infuse on a low heat for 10 - 15 minutes

6. 6

   Once infused, drain the chilies from the oil and let it set. (Small bubbles will have formed so let it set to settle them down.)

7. 7

   Slice and sprinkle the aubergine with salt and set aside for an hour

8. 8

   (This helps draw out the water out, as they tend to carry a lot of water)

9. 9

   Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C

10. 10

    Rinse the aubergine slices and dry them out with paper towel

11. 11

    Have a pan heated on high heat and sear off the aubergine slices with olive oil and butter

12. 12

    Season with sea salt flakes and pepper and set aside

13. 13

    Prepare the tomato sauce by heating a good glug of olive oil in a saucepan

14. 14

    Add the tomatoes, cumin, black pepper, salt and chopped oregano

15. 15

    Let it simmer until reduced by half

16. 16

    Have two oven proof shallow wide bowls ready and spoon the tomato sauce as a base, followed by layering the aubergine slices, overlapping on each other

17. 17

    Sprinkle with salt and then generously with the goats cheese

18. 18

    Place into the oven and bake for about 15 - 20 minutes until melted and golden

19. 19

    Garnish with basil leaves, sprinkle with leek ash and drizzle with some chili oil