12 Easy Summer Aubergine Recipes To Try Now

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/fan 200ºC/gas mark 7 and boil a kettle. Cut the aubergines in half lengthways and lay on a baking tray, flesh-side up. Slice diagonally into the aubergine, 1cm deep, to create a crisscross pattern. Drizzle 1/2 tsp oil over the aubergine halves; sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook in the oven for 20-25 mins, until soft.

Dice the onion. Finely chop the garlic. Heat a medium-sized pan with 1/2 tsp oil on a medium heat, and cook the onion for 5 mins. Add the garlic, cinnamon, smoked paprika, cumin and lamb mince. Stir. Cook for 10 mins, until the lamb mince is browning.

Meanwhile, cut the pomegranate in half and remove the seeds. Reserve for later.

Add the sundried tomato paste, passata, tomato puree and 150ml boiling water to the pan. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Roughly tear the kale and add to the pan. Simmer for a further 10 mins to reduce the sauce.

Add the coconut yoghurt and 2-4 tbsp cold water to a small bowl. Stir well until it reaches a drizzling consistency.

Remove the aubergines from the oven. Scoop out most of the flesh from the middle using a spoon and fork. Add the aubergine flesh to the lamb mince and mix.

To serve, place the aubergines on warm plates and top with the lamb mince. Garnish with a drizzle of yoghurt and scatter with pomegranate seeds.

There are two ways to chargrill the aubergines: on an open flame on the stove top, or in a chargrill pan on an induction hob followed by 10 minutes in a hot oven. Once cooked, the scooped-out flesh should weigh about 160g. Place this in the bowl of a food processor along with the yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and ½ teaspoon of salt. Blitz for about a minute, until completely smooth, then set aside until needed.

Prepare the cucumber by placing each half on a chopping board, cut side facing down. Using the flat side of a large knife, lightly ‘smack’ them until bruised but still holding their shape. Cut the cucumber into roughly 1cm dice and set aside.

Clean the food processor, then add the parsley, mint, garlic, olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Blitz for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides a couple of times if you need to, to form a smooth paste, then add to the cucumber. Set aside for at least 20 minutes (and up to a day in advance if kept in the fridge) for the flavours to infuse.

Slice each head of baby gem lengthways to make 8 long thin wedges (per lettuce). When ready to assemble, arrange the lettuce on a round platter, overlapping the outer and inner circle to look like the petals of a flower. Lightly sprinkle the wedges with salt and a grind of black pepper, then splatter over the aubergine yoghurt. Spoon over the cucumber, drizzle with the shatta, sprinkle over the chilli flakes and serve.

To make a medium-sized jar of shatta, place the chillies and the salt in a medium sterilised jar and mix well. Seal the jar and store in the fridge for 3 days. On the third day, drain the chillies, transfer them to a food processor and blitz: you can either blitz well to form a fine paste or roughly blitz so that some texture remains. Add the vinegar and lemon juice, mix to combine, then return the mixture to the same jar. Pour enough olive oil on top to seal, and keep in the fridge.

Char the aubergine on a grill or open flame from the hub or griddle or in the grill option in your oven. Make sure you pierce them and oil them first with olive oil to make the steam comes out – the oil will create flavouring smoke.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Mince the garlic, chop the parsley and the lemon thyme finely, season with heavy salt, pepper, lemon and olive oil. Mix it all together.

Remove the aubergine to a bowl, cover with cling film to rest and steam. When you can take their heat, peel them – leaving the tip attached. Then cover with the dressing.

In a saucepan, place the lychees (drained from the tin juices), cover with a slug of wine, lemon juice, dash of salt and olive oil, bring to the boil and remove from heat to get back to room temperature. Then flake them and add to the aubergine.

Place on a serving plate, finish with a drizzle of molasses and a dollop of tahini.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Unroll the defrosted pastry sheet onto a large baking sheet and cut into four pieces, each measuring 11.5cm x 18cm. Using a sharp knife, score a 1cm border around the edge of each piece of pastry. Use enough pressure so the score line is visible, but don't cut all the way through.

Spread a heaped tablespoon of houmous over each pastry rectangle, keeping it within the border. Arrange the aubergine slices on top.

Drain the peppers and divide among each tart, then sprinkle over the slices of red onion. Drizzle one tablespoon of oil from the jar of chargrilled peppers over the top and bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Sprinkle over the Greek basil or lemon thyme and serve with a green salad.

Drain the mozzarella and cut into thin slices. Slice the aubergines into 5mm rounds.

In a deep frying pan, heat two inches of oil until hot. Fry your aubergines in batches until golden on both sides. Remove from the pan and drain on a baking tray lined with kitchen roll.

In a large rectangular baking dish (a pyrex is perfect), make a layer of aubergine slices, overlapping them as you go.

Cover your aubergine base with a thin layer of passata, then top with a quarter of the mozzarella, parmesan and basil.

Repeat the layers in this pattern (aubergine, sauce, cheese) until you’ve used it all up, (don’t worry if you end on a layer of aubergine).

Top with a final dusting of parmesan, a scattering of breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4). Once hot, bake your parmigiana for 30 minutes, or until golden.

Remove your parmigiana from the oven and leave to rest, before serving warm.

Chef’s tip: If you have time to get ahead, your parmigiana will benefit from being left to sit for 4-12 hours after the first bake. This intensifies the flavours and helps the parmigiana layers to firm up. When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat at 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4) for 10-15 minutes, then slide under a hot grill for a few minutes until the top is a riot of golden bubbles.

Heat your oven to 200°C.

Finely slice your onion. Dice your aubergines into small chunks. Finely chop your garlic and parsley.

Heat a saute pan over a medium heat with a little olive oil. Add your sliced onion and cook until softened, about 10 mins.

Drain your lentils, then tip them onto a baking tray. Bake for 15 mins until they have dried out slightly.

Add your aubergine chunks to the same pan as your onions with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Fry for 5 mins until totally soft and tender. Tip in half of your garlic and cook for another 2 mins.

Allow your aubergines and lentils to cool slightly, then tip them into your food processor, along with your onions, 150g breadcrumbs, parmesan, all but a tbsp of your parsley and salt and pepper. Whizz to a paste.

Roll your mixture into 12 equal sized balls. Place them on a parchment lined baking tray, then drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake for 40 mins until crisp.

Meanwhile, make your tomato sauce. Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add your remaining garlic and chilli flakes, and cook for 1 min. Tip in your tinned tomatoes and add a sprig of basil. Simmer for 25 mins until reduced.

Whizz up with a stick blender if you like it smoother, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat your grill to high.

Mix your remaining 25g of breadcrumbs with chopped parsley.

Pour your sauce into a baking dish. Add your meatballs, then tears over your mozzarella. Grate over a little parmesan and sprinkle on your breadcrumbs, then grill for 5 mins.

Top with basil leaves, then serve.