Aubergine and Sun Dried Tomato. Sauce, Paste, Dip.

Monday is my fridge clean out day prior to the weekly shop on Tuesday and as a result is my favourite cook day of the week - I love perusing the random collection of ingredients in the fridge and inventing a (hopefully) delicious treat.  This week saw an aging aubergine, half a jar of sun dried tomato paste and a spoonful or two of homemade pesto combined into the most delicious pasta sauce imaginable.  

I wasn’t really aiming for a pasta sauce as such, and indeed you could serve the sauce cold as a dip, hot as a side dish, or slathered on toasted garlic rubbed bread, or even spread on a fillet of fish prior to baking.  However, I opted for heating the sauce and then spooned a dollop onto a bed of pasta, then I finished with some olive oil, a little grated parmesan and some torn mint leaves.  It is completely divine and served on pasta would be a perfect for a summer dinner party with a glass of cold white wine and a green salad.  Veggies and carnivores will be equally overjoyed.

Ingredients

1 large aubergine

2 heaped tsp pesto

finely grated zest ½ lemon

1 garlic clove, very finely chopped

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

3 heaped tsp sundried tomato paste

1 tsp red wine vinegar

55 g parmesan, finely grated

salt and black pepper

Method

1. Place the aubergine on a baking tray and under a hot grill for 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally, or until the inners feel soft when you poke in a sharp knife.

2. Split the aubergine in half and scoop out the insides and place in a bowl.  Chop up the flesh with a pair of kitchen scissors until there are no more stringy bits.

3. Add the remaining ingredients to the aubergine and mix well.

Now either heat with pasta or serve cold as a dip.