Ideas and Flavour Combinations to Use When Cooking with Aubergines and Courgettes

A lovely reader has asked me for some inspiration for using more Aubergines and Courgettes in her meals. Like myself she usually slices and roasts them, which is always delicious, but sometimes you need to make them your star ingredients rather than an addition to the meal. My dipping sauces shown below from previous recipes work well as dressings or dipping sauces with roasted aubergines, courgettes and any other vegetables you enjoy. But here are a few twists and flavour combination that may tempt you the next time you decide to make your vegetables more exciting.

Ideas & Flavour Combinations 

Midweek Moussaka Bowl Food

I miss eating homemade moussaka, it is a labour of love and being time poor a tray may elude me for months, but what I do more often is a quick midweek moussaka and serve it as bowl food. The idea is that it’s the mince, aubergines, courgettes and potatoes are all cooked together a little like a bowl of chilli.

Frying onions and adding in the mince, once it is browned, I add cubed potatoes, aubergine, courgettes and a little tomato paste and stock. This meat and vegetable sauce simmers together until the meat and vegetables have softened. If I have time I’ll make a small pot of cheesy sauce and add a dollop of the bechemel sauce on top of everyone’s bowl. I often skip this step and it is just as delcious.

Greek Style Shepherd’s Pie

The same mixture above can be topped with potato, sweet potato or celeriac mash for a Greek Style Shepherd’s Pie

Aubergine, Courgette, Cauliflower or Broccoli Mash

In a previous post I wrote about Roasting Ahead Vegetables Ideas this can be used to get ahead and have a delicious and unusual mash waiting for you to blend together on one of those days. You can use the roasted aubergine and courgettes as a healthy alternative to potato mash. Add a steamed head of cauliflower or broccoli, blend in the aubergines and courgettes add the herbs and spices to suit the cuisine you are serving the mash with. This make a tasty, nutritious and less calorific alternative to mashed potatoes and not to mention more interesting.

Sumac and Honey Drizzle

A new drizzle over your roasted vegetables can take the dish to a new level. I love the lemony  flavour of the sumac sprinkled over vegetables and once roasted they are finished with a  drizzle of honey. The combination is fresh, lemony and the honey adds a mild sweetness. These vegetables can accompany a dish like chicken, fish or lamb and equally can be added to a bed of salad leaves and topped with crumbled feta as a complete meal.

Teriyaki Aubergines

Aubergines are often used in Chinese cuisine. For a speedy midweek dinner use a bottle of Teriyaki sauce, massaging the sauce into the sliced aubergine which are then roasted and topped with chopped chilli (optional) and golden fried onions, served with egg fried rice (cauliflower or broccoli rice works well too) it is a lovely quick healthy Meat Free Monday meal. If you can afford the calories you could fry the aubergines until golden in oil and add then drizzle the teriyaki sauce just before serving and add the toppings.

Aubergine Ragu Bolognese

Make your favourite ragu bolognese sauce or add your favourite jar sauce and instead of adding mince meat, add diced chunks of aubergine. Allow the aubergine ragu to simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the aubergine starts to soften into sauce. Run this sauce through Courgette Pasta or serve as bowl food.

Aubergine & Courgette Kebab Salad 

Thread skewers of halloumi cheese, peppers, aubergine and courgettes marinade in olive oil and oregano, BBQ or grill the kebabs.  Use the sauces shown in the link below to accompany the Aubergine & Courgette Kebabs. You can also fry the elements of the kebabs separately and add them to a bed of salad leaves of your choice. Served with one of these exciting dressings and sauces on this site. This makes for a delicious midweek dinner or a light lunch of entertaining friends.

I hope this inspires you to add more aubergines and courgettes to your weekly meals and add a few unusual dressings to your next tray of roasted vegetables.