Aubergines: how to char

The more you char your aubergines, the smokier the flesh, and the better your m’tabbal, grilled aubergine and lemon soup and burnt aubergine and tomato salsa will taste. Unless you don’t mind your whole house smelling of burnt aubergines, ventilation is key. Open the windows, open the door, put on the ventilator! We char our aubergines in one of two ways. The first, if you have a gas flame on an open stove top (as opposed to an induction hob) is to put one aubergine over each gas ring, switch the flame on high and leave it there for 15–20 minutes, turning halfway through with long tongs so that all sides get charred. The advantage of doing this is that it is a really quick and very effective way of getting the flesh smoky. The disadvantage is that it can cause a bit of a mess on your stove top if the aubergines leak once they’ve been turned and their skin gets pierced. This mess can either be cleaned up with a bit of elbow grease or minimised in the first place if you cover your stove top with aluminium foil. Make holes in the foil for the gas rings to pop through and then proceed. If you have an induction hob you’ll need to heat up a chargrill pan until it is very hot – sit it on a high heat for at least 5 minutes, until smoking – then add the aubergines directly to the pan. Pierce them a few times with a sharp knife before doing so. This method takes longer than the open-flame option – around 35 or 40 minutes, again turning throughout with long tongs so that all sides get charred – but you will get the same result. At the end of the 40 minutes, transfer the aubergines to a foil-lined tray and place in a hot oven (220°C) for a final 10 minutes. Once charred (whether on a gas ring or hob), place the aubergines in a colander. Once cool enough to handle, slit them open to scoop out the flesh and place in a clean colander. Don’t worry if some of the charred skin sticks to the flesh: this all adds to the smoky flavour. Set aside for an hour or so (or overnight), over a bowl, to drain. You’re then all set for the smokiest of all smoky spreads, soups and salsas.