A little bit of time is required for this recipe, but it is definitely worth the effort. It is a dish we regularly serve at our restaurant Three Blue Ducks and more than once we've caught people licking their plates to savour the last smears of corn. The corn puree is sweet and creamy, and the glazed eggplant is sticky on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside. These gutsy textures are elevated by the crisp cucumber and wakame salad.
Serves 4.
Creamed corn
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 eschallots, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
20 cent sized piece of ginger, finely grated
3 coriander stalks, finely chopped
6 corn cobs, kernels cut off
350ml water
350ml buttermilk
Place a large saucepan on high heat. Add the sesame and vegetable oil, eschallots, garlic, ginger, and coriander stalks, and cook until soft. Add the corn kernels and cook for a further 8-10 minutes.Then, add the water allow it to reduce for 10 minutes. Add the buttermilk and season. Finally, remove from the heat and blitz the mixture in your food processor.
Teriyaki-glazed eggplant
100ml soy sauce
100ml Japanese mirin wine
25g brown sugar
½ carrot, blackened on a barbecue
½ white onion, blackened on a barbecue
2 cloves garlic, blackened on a barbecue
1 piece of ginger about the size of a golf ball, blackened on the barbecue
2 large eggplants, sliced into quarters lengthways
Preheat the oven to fan-forced 180 degrees. Place a small saucepan on low and add the soy, mirin and brown sugar. Stir until the brown sugar has melted and then reduce to a low simmer. Add the blackened vegetables and allow the mixture to reduce by half. We're looking to have about 100 millilitres of liquid left, which should take about 20 minutes. Next, strain the liquid to remove the garlic and vegetables. Brush the eggplant with the teriyaki glaze and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Cucumber and wakame salad
¼ bunch shallots, finely sliced
100g wakame
½ bunch coriander, roughly chopped
2 cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthways on a mandolin
2 long red chilies, sliced julienne
1 lemon, juice and zest
½ tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp dark sesame seeds
1 tsp white sesame seeds
Add the shallots, wakame, coriander, cucumber, and chili to a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and zest, fish sauce and sesame oil to a separate bowl and mix well. Mix the dressing into the salad and garnish with sesame seeds.
TIP: To prevent the eggplant from sticking to your tray, make sure you cook it on parchment paper. It may seem obvious but the act of trying to remove sticky teriyaki glaze will make you want to throw out even your most favourite baking tray.