Recipe: Lobster Medallions with Braised Aubergines (Eggplant) and Mashed Potatoes

LOBSTER MEDALLIONS

2 lobsters, cooked
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
6 spring onions, white part, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme or chopped parsley
juice of 2 lemons and rind of 1

Cut the meat from the lobsters into medallions and set aside.

In a frypan, saute the spring onions until they are soft then stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Toss in the medallions and heat through.

Serve with sprigs of thyme or parsley.

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BRAISED AUBERGINES

4 medium size aubergines (eggplants), peeled and cubed
300 g (10 1/2 oz) "passata" (strained tomatoes)
100 ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup) dry white wine
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 fresh chilli
2 tablespoons dried chives
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried basil
Salt

Spoon measures are American spoons, that is standard cook's measuring spoons used in USA. The best plan is to regard 2 American teaspoons or tablespoons as 1 English teaspoon or tablespoon (eating spoons)

Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over a low flame, covered, stirring occasionally. Add some warm water, if necessary. Keep on cooking until aubergines are just tender, but still crisp and crunchy and the mixture thickens. Serve hot.

Note:
You can use fresh herbs instead of dried ones and a little onion, if wished. In this case add fresh basil in the last minutes of cooking.

With the same ingredients you can prepare a sauce. In this case you have to cut aubergines in little pieces and cook them for a longer time (35-40 minutes).

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MASHED POTATOES

1 Kg (2 1/4 lb) potatoes
125 g (4 1/2 oz) unsalted butter
Milk
Salt

Steam potatoes. Peel and puree them with a vegetable mill.

Put mashed potatoes together with butter and salt in a saucepan. Cook over a gentle flame until butter is well melted.

At this point begin adding cold milk gradually, stirring. It's impossible to say what is the right quantity of milk: it depends on many things. But mashed potatoes must be soft and dry!