Eggplant agrodolce

Melanzane agrodolce, or sweet and sour eggplant, is an Italian vegetable dish, translating from ‘agro’, meaning ‘sour’ and ‘dolce’, meaning sweet. This version derives the sweet element from rehydrated currants, rather than primarily sugar, and the ‘sour’ from plenty of red wine vinegar.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups (500 ml) red wine vinegar
• 1 cup currants
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• salt and black pepper
• ½ small bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 6 Japanese eggplants, halved lengthways
• ½ small bunch basil leaves, roughly torn

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, then add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until the onions soften. Stir through the bay leaves, vinegar, currants and sugar and bring to the boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, or until the mixture is jam-like in consistency. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Once cool, stir through the parsley.
   
2. Heat a large frying pan over high heat until almost smoking. Add a drizzle of oil, then cook the eggplant, cut-side down, in batches. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes each side, or until tender. Drain on paper towel, then transfer the cooked eggplant to a bowl. Repeat until all eggplant is cooked.
   
3. To serve, plate the eggplant on a serving platter, drizzle with extra olive oil and spoon over the agrodolce sauce. Sprinkle with torn basil leaves and serve immediately.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Pantry Improv

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G