Aubergine Cannelloni

As I really try to only eat, as my mum calls it, 'happy meat' I can't afford to eat it all the time. Luckily for me I enjoy veggie and The Boy isn't one of those men that thinks a meal isn't a meal unless it's got meat. These are really tasty. If you've got a griddle definitely use it for the aubergines. Makes them taste lovely and smokey.

What you need

4 aubergines

2 tubs of ricotta

1 large bag of spinach

50 g of Parmesan

a generous grating of nutmeg

salt and pepper

1 jar of passata

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 shallot.

pinch of sugar

1 ball of mozzarella 

What you need to do

Slice the aubergines thinly length ways and salt. Leave in a colander to drain for half an hour.

While the aubergines are doing their thing, wilt the spinach and then really squeeze out all the excess water. Chop and then mix with the cheeses, nutmeg and season generously.

Once some of the moisture has come out of the aubergines get the griddle really hot. Lightly oil the aubergines then griddle till charred. Take a spoonful of the cheese and spinach mixture and roll it up  in the aubergine. Fill up a baking dish.

Next make a simple tomato sauce. I simply sauteed some shallots and garlic and then added a jar of passata, a pinch of sugar and seasoned. Pour this over the aubergines and then dot with mozzarella.  Cook at around 190 until the top is golden and crisp.

A little too crispy?

Scotch Egg

Hot dogs and champagne, burgers and lobster and free range fried chicken. Yup, once thought dirty food has had a glamorous makeover. This little revival has been going on for a while now and the scotch egg has also been part of it. Farmers markets and and pubs love them and so do I. Especially with salad cream.

What you need

Sausage meat ( I used 5 free range sausages)
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Seasoning
Panko bread crumbs
5 eggs
Plain flour
1 tbsp milk

What you need to do

Put the eggs in a cold pan. Bring to the boil for 2 minutes then plunge into iced water. Peel carefully!

Remove the skins from the sausages then mix in the mustard, parsley and season. Split the mixture into 4 and then lightly flour the surface of some clingfilm. Put one portion of the sausage meat on the clingfilm and then cover with lightly floured cling film and roll out. Take the top layer of clingfilm off. Nestle an egg in and then, using the clingfilm, bring the sausage meat up around the egg. Twisting the clingfilm at the top you can now roll the clingfilm parcel between you hands to ensure a round shape. Repeat with the other 4 eggs and then chill for about 30 minutes.

Turn your oven on-200c. In the meantime, put some flour into a small bowl and season. Beat the remaining egg in a second bowl and add the milk. Put the breadcrumbs into a third bowl. Dip the egg into the flour, egg then breadcrumbs. I doubled dipped again for a mega crunchy coating!

Heat up some oil in a frying pan (about 2cm deep) then fry till crispy and golden. Finish in the oven for roughly 10 minutes.

Not quite a runny yolk but delicious!