Happy New Year !

I thought I would never see the end of it . Well, when you come to think of it, I do not see the end of it. The 2011-2012 Holidays seem to last forever - not that I would complain about it. Yesterday should have been the ultimate celebratory evening, but the Champagne bottle did not concede. There still is a glass ... for tonight, of course !

After several weeks of hard cooking, drinking and loving, I arrived back in Amman, Jordan, where I will learn Arabic over the next few weeks. I was looking forward to coming home, to say the least. The beautiful Gaggenau oven and stove seemed incredibly lost when I arrived, the fridge was in need of a refreshing fill and the cupboards screamed cans. Naturally, I dragged my mother with me, for a shopping spree at the city's new Spinneys. A beautiful store. Who could have thaught that one day, Mami Nova would be available in Jordan? To thank my mother, who patiently waited while I made my choice between a rough 10 choices of Jordan's Muesli, I had promised her I would make her favourite appetizer. It is an Ottolenghi recipe, but I dare you to give a proper title to it. All the ingredients should be named, as they simply burst, one by one, in your mouth. It is not the eggplant that pushes the saffron to the front, or the pomegranate that reveals the basil's freshness andthe pine nuts' earthy flavours; every single item has its own presence, and titillates the senses. Moreover, this recipe is incredible when prepared here and now - pomegranates are in season, the aubergines are small and flavourful, the pine nuts are grown in the region. And the saffron I brought back from an exotic market in Brussels. Top this apéritief-hapje up with a glass of Champagne, and celebration time will be back around.

Kaabbe's favourite appetizer

For 4 people

Ingredients: 2 aubergines, a few saffron strands, a few basil leaves, 50g pine nuts, olive oil, fleur de sel salt, fresh pepper, several slices of your favourite bread (I would suggest two small pieces for each), the seeds of half a pomegranate / For the sauce: 2 tablespoons plain yoghurt (Greek style), 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon olive oil, a few saffron strands, one crushed garlic clove, salt, pepper

Preparation directions

1) Heat the oven to grill + 180°. Wash the aubergines, and cut them in their length (the slices should be +/- 1 cm thick). Brush them with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Place them on the oven's grill and leave them for 30 min, adding olive oil if necessary and turning them halfway through.

2) Meanwhile, prepare your sauce: mix all the ingredients together and adjust the seasoning.

3) Grill the pine nuts in a pan. Leave aside. Wash the basil and cut the bigger leaves into pieces.

4) When your aubergines are on the verge of being perfect, grill a few bread slices (not too much, it is always better to grill them at the last moment). Arrange a tray with all your ingredients: you should have basil leaves, pine nuts, the saffron sauce, pomegranate seeds, the soft and coloured aubergine slices, the bread slices. Place some extra salt and pepper on it.

5) Let everyone help himself: on top of a piece of bread, place a an aubergine slice. Drizzle with some sauce, add a basil leaf, a few pomegranate seeds and pine nuts. If necessary, season. Everything should hold on the bread slice... And have a go!

Happy 20 12 !

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