How to prepare lovely aubergine (eggplant)

Hard to imagine anything worse than undercooked, tough, bitter, inedible eggplant.
So please, if this has been your experience in the past, forget it now.
The eggplant recipe below is both easy and delicious.

The secret: two steps.
A prep bake in the oven. Then a short fry in a pan.
You can do the oven part whenever you have a little time and the oven is hot.
Then, when it is convenient, finish it off.

WHAT YOU NEED

an aubergine
a little olive oil
salt, pepper and maybe some cajun spices


ALL YOU DO IS:
1. cut off end of aubergine, slice in half lengthwise, throw in hot oven skin up for 18 minutes, let sit.
2. when cool, slice aubergine into two inch (about) pieces
3. spice a large, non-stick frying pan (that's right! salt, pepper and put cajun spices in the pan), then drizzle in a little olive oil on a medium-high heat, throw in aubergine pieces
4. let fry quietly until brown, then turn over (about 3-4 minutes)
5. turn off heat, let sit. put in serving dish and cover under dinner.



TO SERVE
Uncover! Makes lovely side dish with meltingly creamy interior!

Succulent oven-baked beef bourguignon

This one pot dish is tender and rich. Perfect for family or company on a harsh winter night.

WHAT YOU NEED
2 lbs beef from an inexepensive cut, in medium sized pieces
3 slices of bacon, chopped (lardons)
4 onions, halved (or a dozen tiny onions)
4-6 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery sticks, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced thin, either fresh or frozen
a little oil and butter
some peppercorns
2-3 cups of water
1/2 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 bottle of dry red wine
1 bay leaf
thyme
salt, pepper, pinch of flour
a large thick bottomed stove and oven proof pot with a lid 


ALL YOU DO IS:
(in an oven proof pot) 
Heat a little oil and butter in the pot, throw in the bacon and beef and brown on all sides
Remove beef  and add onion, carrot, celery, garlic and mushroom, fry lightly
Sprinkle flour, salt and pepper on beef and stir.
To pot pour in wine, water, add 1/2 chicken bouillon cube, bay leaf, thyme and stir, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom
Add beef and cover, bring to boil briefly
Heat oven to 360°F
Remove pot from stove and place in oven for 2-3 hours.  (The meat will be tender after 2 hours; but the sauce will be thicker and more intense at 3)
Turn off oven and let sit in warmth until you are ready to serve (No rush--you can serve this several hours later.  It only gets more tender!)


TO SERVE
Remove the peppercorns, bay leaf and thyme,
Serve with steaming hot rice or your favorite pasta!

It's astonishing how easy and delicious this dish is.  All you need is a little time.

Juicy pork roast with tasty gravy

This recipe, adapted from one we loved in France, is easy, inexpensive and fine enough for company.

WHAT YOU NEED
1 large pork roast, preferably from the fattier "echine" cut
2 slices of bacon
1 onion diced
mushrooms, sliced, either fresh or frozen
a little oil and butter
some peppercorns
2-3 cups of water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
thyme
a large thick bottomed pot with a lid (best of all if you have an oven-going dish)
recommended: prepare rice separately at the end of cooking as a sauce absorbing side

ALL YOU DO IS:
heat a little oil and butter in the pot, throw in the pork roast and brown on all sides
remove pork roast and throw in bacon, onion and mushroom, fry lightly
add water, chicken bouillon cube, bay leaf, thyme and stir, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom
place  pork roast on top and cover, simmering on a low heat for 90 minutes
If your pot can go in the oven, place it a a warm oven for another 30 minutes. If it can't, turn off the stove and let the roast sit covered for another 30 minutes. (This extra time will make the meat so tender you can cut it with a spoon.)

TO SERVE
remove the peppercorns, bay leaf and thyme,
slice the roast elegantly on a platter and cover with sauce, serving some on the side as well
serve with steaming hot rice

This sauce is ridiculously delicious and simply makes itself!