Cooking Time 25 minutes - Makes 1
This is the best way to have aubergine, in a crispy batter served on top of a roasted feta dip. For those who say they don’t like aubergine, this is a recipe you need to try.
Feta Ingredients
150g feta block.
1 tbsp of honey.
A few fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only.
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced.
Plus milk.
Aubergine Ingredients
1 small aubergine, cut into bite-size pieces.
50 g of cornflour.
50 g of self-raising flour.
100 ml of sparkling water.
Veg or sunflower oil for deep frying.
Method
In an oven-proof dish, add the feta, then top with garlic, fresh thyme, honey, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Pop it into a preheated oven set at 180°C for 10 minutes.
Once out of the oven, place it into a food blender with a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a good splash of milk. Whiz and then check for seasoning. Depending on how smooth you want the feta, keep adding milk. I liked it quite chunky for this recipe.
For the aubergine, mix together the flour along with the water and season. Add the aubergines and lightly coat them in the batter.
Heat 6-7cm oil in a large saucepan and once it reaches 180°C on a digital thermometer, add the aubergines. Do this in batches if needed, as you don't want to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a kitchen paper-lined tray. While still hot, season generously with salt.
Spread the feta dip onto a plate then arrange the crispy aubergines on top. Finish off with an extra drizzle of honey and oil and sprinkle over with some fresh herbs I used chives.