BBQ ‘Kermit’ Aubergine

- 2 Kermit Aubergines
- 4 Green Tiger Cherry Tomatoes
- 200g New Zealand Spinach
- 200g Samphire
- 100g Pimpernel
- 100g Samphire Mayonnaise (optional)
- 10ml Fermented Green Tomato Juice
- 20ml Dill Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic Oil
- Pine Salt
- Dried Tomato Powder
- Citric Acid

1. Ferment green tomatoes at a 2% salt brine. Do this in a vacuum bag - if you don’t have one, don’t feel bad, get a glass jar and make sure it’s airtight. Let the tomatoes ferment for 1-5 days. If they’re in a jar, you can check (or rather, smell) everyday to see if they’re ready. Once they’re good, juice them in a cold press juicer. You now have fermented tomato juice. That wasn’t too hard, was it?

1. Slice the aubergines into 1cm pieces.
2. Cook them for 1 min in a pan with salted water and 1 tbsp of citric acid (that’s lemon, by the way).
3. Store in fridge to keep them nice and green.
4. Briefly marinate the sliced aubergines in garlic oil and flavor with pine salt (regular salt will do if there are no pines in your area).
5. BBQ the aubergines for a bit, cooking both sides.
6. Dust them with tomato powder and pepper.
7. Put them in the oven (or BBQ fire) and leave for 30-40 min, or until golden brown.

1. Cut the tomatoes into thin slices. Marinate them with pepper, salt, dill oil and the (previously and painstakingly prepared) fermented tomato juice.
2. Blanch the samphire for 10 seconds in boiling water, then put in ice water to cool down.
3. Wash the New Zealand spinach and remove stems.
4. Dress the spinach and samphire with the fermented tomato juice and dill oil. Add pepper and salt to taste.

Arrange the aubergine slices, tomatoes and salad on the plate. Add samphire mayonnaise for extra creaminess. Finish with more fermented tomato juice and dill oil, and top it off with pimpernel, for a bolder look.