food to glow

The practically drinkable marinade for this easy recipe – an assembly job, really – is also a perfect soaking juice for sliced portabella mushrooms, tofu, tempeh and seitan. For dehydrating, dry according to your machines instructions – you want it still flexible not completely desiccated  And, the mayo really is the best I’ve tasted. Don’t skip it unless of course you are making your own ‘real’ mayonnaise instead. xx

“VBLT”

1 heavy aubergine/eggplant

3 tbsp soy sauce, tamari, shoyu or coconut aminos (I use Clearspring Organic Tamari) – low-salt if you can find it

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1 tbsp olive oil (I use smoked olive oil)

Slightly rounded ¼ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp onion powder

The rest: juicy ripe tomatoes, lettuce, avocado mayo (see below) and good bread or wraps (gluten-free if needed – such as Warburton’s new one from the Newburn Bakehouse range) for three or four people

Avocado Mayo

1 perfectly ripe avocado

¾ tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp apple cider vinegar

small pinch each of sugar and salt

1. Take the aubergine/eggplant and carefully cut long slices, about ¼” thick or less. I find it easiest to initially stand it on one end and slice down then, when it gets thinner and less steady, to lay it on its side and carefully slide the knife from one end to the other. Set the slices aside for now.

2. Make the marinade by adding everything but the aubergine to a small bowl and whisking until glossy and blended. Pour the marinade into a ‘ziploc’ plastic food bag (or into a ceramic dish) and add the aubergine slices. Seal the bag and gently handle it to get the marinade in all the nooks and crannies. Leave for at least an hour, turning occasionally. I have left mine overnight and it was absolutely fine.

3. Now, if you are making the mayo, put all of the ingredients into the small bowl of a food processor and blitz until smooth. Taste and adjust if necessary. Cover and set aside.

4. When the aubergines are well flavoured from their little umami bath, heat a griddle pan over a lowish flame, take some of the slices, shake them over the bag and lay them on the hot griddle. Leave them to heat and cook, turning them as they get griddle marks. You want them thoroughly cooked but not burned, so you will need to keep a close eye on them, adjusting the temperature as you see fit. Baste frequently to really let those aubergines carry the flavour as they cook. Carry on with the rest of the slices. You will have some marinade left. Don’t drink it, you will want it for another batch.

5. Slice your bread – toasting if you wish – slice the tomatoes and tear the lettuce. Assemble the sandwiches by smearing some of the avocado mayo on each piece of bread, laying on the lettuce and tomato slices and generously loading on the soft and maple-smoked aubergine bacon. Enjoy immediately.

Notes: keep the leftover marinade for another batch of bacon or add to a stir-fry – it will keep up to a week; any leftover aubergine bacon can be gently reheated in a warm pan; you may wish to adjust the seasoning of the marinade but do try it this way first as it is pretty well-balanced for sweet, salt, smoky and umami.