Provençal aubergines

This is a staple at Le Bistrot du Paradou. I am told by Mireille that almost every traveller who comes to Provence wants to eat this classic dish of aubergines bathed in a rich tomato sauce. These aubergines absorb less oil on frying as they are salted, drained and rinsed before cooking. In Provence, basil is very much part of cooking and is often blended into olive oil and then drizzled abundantly over vegetables, giving them a delicious, summery f