Aubergine with Butterbean Stew and Crispy Onions – Bar & Kitchen
Aubergine and butterbean stew
Good, better, best

GOOD: to save time, skip making the crispy onions and serve with ready-made onion rings instead. Battered or breaded both work well.
BETTER: recipe
BEST: as an add-on to the dish, fry slices of halloumi with the aubergine. Charge customers extra for this cheese addition.

Aubergine with Butterbean Stew and Crispy Onions

Food Main Courses Dairy-free Vegan Vegetarian

This flavour-packed vegan main makes a great special for summer

10 Servings
Ingredients
For the aubergine:
3 aubergines
1 OXO Vegetable Stock Cube
100ml olive oil
5g oregano
For the stew:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp cumin seeds
800g tinned chopped tomatoes
1 OXO Vegetable Stock Cube
500g butterbeans, drained
200g green beans, 2cm pieces
For the onions:
100g McDougalls Plain Flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
2 onions, cut into rings
½ tsp salt
100ml unsweetened plant milk
vegetable oil for frying
Method
  1. Cut the aubergines into 10cm x 2cm steaks. Dice the trimmings and reserve for the stew.
  2. Crumble the stock cube into the oil and add the oregano, mixing thoroughly. Then drizzle over the aubergine slices to marinate.
  3. For the stew: add the oil and onions to a pan on medium heat and lightly fry for 5 mins. Add the garlic, carrot, and celery and cook for a further 5 mins.
  4. Next add the smoked paprika, cumin seeds, tomatoes, 500ml water, stock cube, butterbeans, green beans and reserved aubergine trimmings. Simmer for 20 mins until all the vegetables are tender.
  5. Fry the aubergine steaks in a hot griddle pan for 4 mins each side, or until cooked through.
  6. To make the crispy onions, mix the flour, paprika and turmeric in a medium bowl. Place the onion slices in the seasoned flour, then dip into the milk then back into the flour. Then shallow fry in hot oil until golden.
  7. Divide the stew between the bowls, top with an aubergine steak and serve garnished with the crispy onions.