Braised Aubergine, Courgette and Tomato Stew
Aubergine and courgette browned until golden, then simmered with onion tomatoes into a soft, rich vegetable braise. A comforting stovetop dinner that soaks up every bit of sauce.
- Total
- 50 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 35
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Simmering
- Savory
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Cut the aubergine and courgette into 2 cm cubes. Cut the pepper into 2 cm pieces. Peel and roughly chop the onion tomatoes.
~10 min
-
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the aubergine in a single layer and cook until golden brown on most sides, about 8 minutes, turning every couple of minutes. Transfer to a plate.
~8 min
Cooking aubergine in a single layer browns it through the Maillard reaction, building deep flavour before it turns soft in the stew.
Searing Get the pan hot and leave the cubes undisturbed until they release easily and are golden; crowding or moving them too soon steams them grey instead of browning.
-
Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and the courgette and pepper. Cook until lightly browned at the edges, about 5 minutes, then push to the side of the pan.
~5 min
Browning the courgette and pepper first keeps them from turning watery and adds a roasted edge to the finished braise.
Searing Get the pan hot and leave the cubes undisturbed until they release easily and are golden; crowding or moving them too soon steams them grey instead of browning.
-
Add the onion tomatoes to the pan with 0.5 tsp salt and 1 piece black pepper. Cook until the tomatoes collapse into a sauce, about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the browned bits from the base.
~5 min
Cooking the tomatoes until they collapse releases their juices and concentrates sweetness, forming the sauce that will coat the vegetables.
-
Return the aubergine to the pan, pour in 100 ml water and stir. Cover and simmer gently until the aubergine is completely tender and the sauce has thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir once halfway.
~15 min
Covering traps steam to tenderise the aubergine while the uncovered finish lets the sauce reduce and thicken.
If the sauce looks thin at the end of step 5, uncover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes more until it coats the back of a spoon.
Simmering Keep the liquid at a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil, and stir once halfway so the aubergine softens evenly without breaking apart.
-
Taste and adjust with the remaining 0.25 tsp salt. Serve hot straight from the pan.
~3 min