Alex MacKay

Stuffed Vegetables with Eggplant Caviar

Ingredients for four
2 small or pointed red peppers, halved and seeded
1 large or two small zucchini, cut into four
1 medium eggplant, cut into four
2 red onions, peeled and halved
4 medium tomatoes (pref. on vine)
¼ cup olive oil
Salt, pepper and sugar

The Eggplant caviar
1 large eggplant, peeled and chopped into chunks
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small fresh red chili, finely chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper

The Tomato Sauce
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small can of chopped tomatoes
1 large bunch of basil
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Olive oil
¾ freshly grated parmesan

Method

Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC)

First roast all of the prepared vegetables for about half an hour until they are soft.

Next sauté the peeled eggplant with the garlic and chili in the olive oil then add the lemon juice and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes until soft. Puree in a food processor and season well. For the tomato sauce, sweat the onion and garlic in the olive oil for about 5 minutes until soft then add the tomatoes and simmer for about ten minutes then puree and season well. Stuff the roasted vegetables with the eggplant puree then top with half of the parmesan and grill. Make a pesto with the remaining parmesan, the basil, pinenuts and olive oil, season it well then drizzle it over the stuffed vegetables and serve with the tomato sauce.

Chocolate Soufflé with Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients for four
3 egg yolks
2 tsp. sugar
2tbs flour
½ tsp. cornstarch
5 tbsp. milk
5 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
2 oz. (75g) 70% chocolate
6 egg whites
100g castor sugar

To line the molds
4 tbsp. soft butter
4 tbsp. grated chocolate

Method

Preheat your oven to 375ºF (190ºC)

First line the mold with the softened butter and grated chocolate. Keep these in the fridge until you need them. Next whisk together the egg yolks with the sugar, flour and cornstarch, boil the milk and cream together with the cocoa then pour this over the egg yolk mixture and whisk well. Return the mixture to the pan and heat, then bring it back to the boil, whisking as you go to make sure there are no lumps. Add the chocolate to this and stir until melted. Transfer it to a round-bottomed bowl and set aside. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks then add the sugar in a slow steady stream. Continue whisking until they are firm. Fold a third of these into the chocolate mixture then add this back to the rest of the egg whites and fold in gently, bake the soufflés for 10-12 minutes and serve immediately with the chocolate sauce.

The Chocolate Sauce
1-1½ water
¼ cup liquid glucose
½ cup sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup 56% chocolate, Grated

Bring the Water to the boil with the glucose, the sugar and the cocoa powder then cook, stirring continuously for 5 minutes, add the chocolate. Stir until it melts completely.