Fried Aubergines With Molasses
'Berenjenas con miel de caña'
After more than 20 years, I decided to visit Granada again. If I was to write a book about Andalucian food I needed to submerge myself in cities, towns and villages where I could find culture and a unique relationship with food. In Granada it has always been easy to do so. The city has seriously expanded, but the Alhambra is still as it was when built centuries ago: magnificent and unforgettable. In terms of food, Granada, a truly cosmopolitan city, is responding to the demand of a new generation of Spaniards as well as thousands of foreign students and other visitors.
All are looking for modern Spanish food as well as dishes heavily influenced by for example Asia, but the informal way of eating loved by all Spaniards has not changed, nor have some of the dishes associated with traditional food, I am glad to say. In one of the smallest bars in town, Casa Juanito, I found a recipe I needed to include in the book. First the bartender brought me 'una caña' (a glass of very cold draft beer) and a gift from the kitchen: fried pieces of hake cooked beautifully by a woman chef in impeccable whites. Then came the recipe I asked for, Berenjenas con Miel de Caña, which were so crunchy and so utterly delicious.
All are looking for modern Spanish food as well as dishes heavily influenced by for example Asia, but the informal way of eating loved by all Spaniards has not changed, nor have some of the dishes associated with traditional food, I am glad to say. In one of the smallest bars in town, Casa Juanito, I found a recipe I needed to include in the book. First the bartender brought me 'una caña' (a glass of very cold draft beer) and a gift from the kitchen: fried pieces of hake cooked beautifully by a woman chef in impeccable whites. Then came the recipe I asked for, Berenjenas con Miel de Caña, which were so crunchy and so utterly delicious.
Serves
2
Ingredients
- 1 large aubergine, cut into very thin slices
- sparkling water, for soaking
- flour for frying (Spanish harina semolosa de trigo*) or plain flour, for coating
- Spanish olive oil, for frying
- 2 tbsp molasses
- sea salt, to season
Method
Steep the sliced aubergine in bowl of sparkling water with a little salt for about 10–15 minutes. Remove from the water and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Heat plenty of olive oil in a large frying pan (or even better, in an electric deep fat fryer). Coat the aubergine slices with flour and fry them in the hot oil, just enough to take colour. Pat dry gently.
Serve piping hot, lightly drizzled with the molasses.
Note: When vegetables and potatoes are fried in olive oil, the oil can be used again. Once cold, filter the oil through a sieve and keep it in a container. It retains a lovely flavour.
*Harina semolosa de trigo is a special frying flour made from 100% Andalucían wheat flour. This flour is the authentic flour used to fry calamares and make proper pescadito frito.
