Friday 1 July 2011

Italian parsley and garlic sauce: Lightly Smoked Aubergine or Fish

Lightly Smoked Aubergine
Lightly Smoked Aubergine with Feta
Cod Fillet with Parsley and Garlic Sauce
What do you serve the vegetarian when you want to eat fish? When I eat fish I often serve the Vegetarian this aubergine dish as the texture of the aubergine, when grilled until black and then the skin removed, is similar to fish and it has a slight smoky taste. I also find the way is looks and is eaten, by slightly tearing the aubergine apart, is also a similar technique to eating fish. As an extra treat I often crumble a little cheese over the top of the aubergine. Feta is the Vegetarians favourite as it adds a salty taste and a new texture to the dish.

Serves: 1 Vegetarian, 1 Pescatarian


 
V: 1 large aubergine, a small chunk of feta cheese. 
P: 1 Fish fillet, Sea Bream or Sea bass are my favourite but I was too late at the fish monger and had to get cod this time. 1-2 cloves of garlic Handful, parsley leaves, finely chopped Extra virgin olive oil Sea salt and black pepper Lemon juice, to taste
Gently heat the garlic and parsley in a little olive oil and set aside. Re-heat again just before serving.



V: Slice indentations into the aubergine skin and place under a grill for approx 30minutes, turning it every 5-7 minutes. The skin will be a dark colour and the aubergine should eventually feel soft but not too collapsed inside. Transfer to a plate and leave to cool slightly before removing the skin with a knife (the fun and satisfying task). 
Drizzle with the parsley and garlic sauce, a squeeze of lemon and crumble over a little feta before serving.  

P: With a knife gently remove the scales from the skin of the fish and use your fingers to test the skin is smooth. Slice a few indentations into the skin and gently rub with a little olive oil.  Heat a non-stick frying pan until really hot and place the fillet if fish skin side down. Use your fingers or a spoon to gently hold it in place for 30 seconds. Turn the heat to medium and leave to cook through for 5 minutes or until the fish has almost completely cooked through- you will notice this by the colour changing. When there is only a small amount of transparent flesh left quickly turn over the fish for 10 seconds. 

Drizzle with the parsley and garlic sauce and a squeeze of lemon before serving.
Serve with Italian Roasted Potato Slices and asparagus.

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