Alongside tomatoes and peppers,
\naubergines are some of the favourite vegetables in Romania during the hot
\nsummer months, but they are also used to make preserved spreads for the winter.
\nWhether grilled on an open fire or on the hob, aubergines are easily prepared and
\ncan be eaten as a spread or used as filling for other vegetables. Sliced and lightly
\nfried or stuffed and then cooked in the oven and served with various sauces, aubergines
\nare very versatile vegetables to be eaten both as appetizer and as a main dish.
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Aubergines were introduced to these
\nparts following the Ottoman expansion to Europe. The Turkish way of preparing
\naubergines also spread, and the Turkish names of these dishes are still in use
\ntoday, such as moussaka, which can be made using minced meat. <\/p>\n
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A vegetable version of moussaka only
\ncontains aubergines, potatoes, mushrooms, peppers, onions and sour cream. Here’s
\nthe recipe: You need 6 medium-sized potatoes, 2 medium-sized aubergines, half a
\nkilo of mushrooms, 2 onions and a bell pepper. Dice the potatoes and brown them
\ngently in oil then place them in an oven dish. Cut the aubergines into rounds
\nand fry them in a little oil until they get brown, then arrange them in a layer
\non top of the potatoes. Finely cut the mushrooms, onions and the pepper and again
\ncook them in oil, then add on top of the aubergines. Warm the sour cream to
\nmake it more liquid, then add on top, followed by a pinch of salt and some
\nfinely chopped fresh dill. Put the dish in the oven and cook for some 45
\nminutes. You can also add some hard cheese towards the end. If you prefer a
\nlighter alternative, replace the sour cream with tomato juice, which goes well
\nwith chopped fresh parsley instead of dill. <\/p>\n
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Another popular aubergine dish that
\ncomes from Turkey is imam bay\u0131ld\u0131, or stuffed aubergines, as it is known in
\nRomania. The Turkish name literally translates as the imam fainted, which tells
\nyou how delicious this dish is. Here’s the recipe: You need 2 large aubergines,
\n2-3 onions, half a kilo of tomatoes, a head of garlic, 2-3 bell peppers, 2
\ncarrots, a head of celeriac, a hot chili pepper, a bunch of fresh parsley and
\nsome olive oil. Cut the stems from the top of the aubergines and cut them lengthwise
\nin half. Blanch them in hot water for a minute or two, remove, sprinkle with
\nsalt and allow to drain for half an hour. Meanwhile, slice the onions, carrots,
\nceleriac, peppers, tomatoes and garlic. Fry the onion, then add the rest of the
\nvegetables save the garlic, which is added towards the end. Place the aubergines
\nhalves in an oven tray, cut side up. Press with a spoon to make a hollow and spoon
\nthe vegetable mixture inside, then sprinkle the finely sliced chili and some
\nchopped parsley on top. Put the tray in the oven and cook at medium heat for
\nhalf an hour, then transfer to a plate and add some more fresh parsley.<\/p>\n
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Enjoy!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Aubergines are some of the most popular vegetables in Romania during the hot summer months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":174935,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[45767],"tags":[45904,42707,31833],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-174934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-cooking-show","tag-aubergines","tag-cuisine","tag-romanian"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n