Meatballs by any other name...would be Kofta

They're Lebanese so the meat is lamb, the flavouring allspice and the accompaniment bread! These ones where made lovingly with lamb, spice & pomegranate syrup but you can buy Kofta mix at Middle Eastern butchers - Lebanese rissoles! But the highlight of this dish was the eggplant hiding beneath these moorish meaty Kofta.

Whole eggplants are blackened over an open flame in the way Baba Ganoush is prepared. Once cooked and cooled the skin is carefully removed in chilled water and extra juice is squeezed out. Then finely chop the eggplant and warm it in a pan, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg add lemon juice to taste. To finish fold in some soft goats cheese - I used my favourite, Meredith marinated goats cheese. Absolutely delicious!

I know its winter but the contrast of crisp salad was perfect for this dish - cos, tomato, cucumber, freshly picked and chopped parsley & mint, dressing and some spicy little Lebanese pickled wild cucumbers just for fun!

Good-bye 2009...hello 2010

The year finished as is customary with a plethora of seafood, turkey, ham and trifle accompanied by way too much champagne (yes French) and Aussie bubbles. Christmas and New Year traditions run strong and heaven forbid if the Christmas pudding (made to my grandmothers recipe - yes that includes suet) did not appear on the 25th of December each year, although the partakers seem to have duly accepted my Drambuie 'twist' to the custard which adds to its rich lusciousness.

….and before the year finished I finally made it to Gigibaba! Yum, yum, yum all the wondrous flavours of Turkey – the complexity of the smoky eggplant ‘salad’ truly exciting and the capsicum butter on the steamed prawns – wow! The desserts are just an incy mouthful but again combinations to savour like the dried apricots filled with pistachio nuts and rosewater infused cream. A bit tricky to find - Gigibaba, 102 Smith St Collingwood.

Eggplants, aubergine & brinjal....

Does eggplant belong in Laksa? - two trusty Malay foodies say no, but is seems to be used by all my favourite Laksa makers! Laksa King includes eggplant in its beautifully balanced chicken incantation.

As the season for this fabulously versatile vegetable approaches my list of loved eggplant dishes is ever expanding.......

11 eggplant dishes to cook or seek out!

1. Fried as a garnish in Laksa
2. Braised in Thai green chicken curry (purple striped or small green Thai variety)
3. Smoked over the open flame for Baba Ganoush
4. Spiced with pea’s in Baingan bharta

5. Fried in olive oil and layered between rich passatta and stracchino cheese in Eggplant Melazani

6. Yaki nasu - baked eggplant with miso

7. Marinated olive oil fried slices as part of an Antipasto

8. Whole marinated baby eggplants filled with walnuts on a Mezze

9. Layered with potatoes and minced lamb in Moussaka

10. Sautéed with onions, garlic, zucchini, capsicum, & tomatoes in Ratatouille

11. Bouranee Baunjan - Afghani eggplant with yogurt sauce
 Laksa King 320 Racecourse Rd, Flemington.

 Happy Eggplanting!!!!