Imam Bayildi - the Imam Fainted

Ver nayce - baked aubergine for people who don't like vegetarian food. This is the minimal version.

• 1 aubergine
• 2 cans tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 1 fist of parsley (chopped)
• 1 pinch dried tarragon (important)
• Olive oil
• Pepper
• Salt
• One medium-sized oven dish (at least about 4cm deep)

We'll be making a sauce, and while that's reducing, we'll pan fry the aubergine, then we'll combine the two in the oven dish.

So - start by making a basic pasta-style sauce: finely chop the onions and garlic and sweat them down in some oil until translucent. Then add the tomatoes. Reduce it all over a bubbling heat by at least a third, which may take about 30-40mins or so. Add the tarragon and some pepper at the end, and then stir in about half the parsley. Take off the heat and set aside.

While the sauce is reducing, cut the spiky bit off the aubergine and slice it length ways into two equal parts. Cut a slit into each right the way through (be careful not to cut them in two though). Put some olive oil in a frying pan and fry the halves on a medium heat until they are soft, but still a bit firm (about 15mins). They will soak up a fair it of oil if you let them. Leave them until the sauce is ready.

Place the softened aubergine halves face up in the dish and pour the sauce all around and over them so they are covered. Sprinkle the remaining parsley over it all, splosh some olive oil over it too, and cover the dish loosely with tin foil.

Put in a medium oven at about 200C for about 30-45mins. Remove from the oven and let the whole thing cool until it reaches blood heat. Allow about an hour for this, then serve with plain rice, some salad, and stuff.

Please try to cool it down to blood heat. The flavour of the aubergine will come through and meet the tarragon in an almost spiritual way. Serve too hot (or too cold) and it just tastes like a bland chunky pasta sauce.

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