Confit of Eggplant and Garlic

Confit of eggplant and garlic (serves 2 to 3)

Modified from Thomas Keller's Masterclass.

Ingredients:

2 eggplants

1 whole garlic, in cloves

2 teaspoons of thyme (optional)

2 teaspoons of parsley (optional)

Oregano leaves (optional)

Balsamic vinegar

Canola oil

Salt

Instructions:

1) Remove the ends of the eggplant (they tend to be bitter), then slice it to half length-wise.

2) Score it, then salt them liberally to help extract the water and remove the bitterness. Place them (skin-side up) on some kitchen towels, and let it rest for 20 to 25 minutes.

3) Place them (skin-side up) on a baking tray, add the garlic in and herbs in.

4) Heat up some oil (to around 120 degrees Celcius), then drizzle them over the baking tray, ensuring that you almost cover the eggplant.

5) Place the baking tray into the oven at 150 degrees Celcius for 1 hour.

6) Halve the eggplant pieces and place them on a plate. Add some of the garlic back, drizzle some balsamic vinegar, add some finishing salt, and some oregano leaves. 

Note that since the oil has not reached its flash point, it can be reused. 

Glazed Carrots

Glazed carrots (serves 2 to 3)

Taken and summarised from Thomas Keller's Masterclass. It is slightly different because he recommends using bunch carrots, which are quite difficult to find in Singapore. So I modified it using our normal carrots, which are much larger.

Ingredients:

3 carrots

1.5 teaspoon sugar

4 to 5 small cubes of butter

2 teaspoons white vinegar

Parsley

Finishing salt

Instructions:

1) Cut the carrots in an oblique shape by rolling the carrot and cutting it. It is crucial to keep every piece as similar in size as possible, so it will cook uniformly.

2) Place the carrots in a pan uniformly. Add the sugar in, add some water to barely cover the carrots, and finally the butter.

3) Turn on the fire to high and stir the carrots occasionally. After around 7 minutes, turn the heat down and monitor the carrots closely. Once there is little resistance in the carrots (use a knife), the carrots should almost be done. 

4) Now add the white vinegar in and cook it for just a short while more. You can add a bit more water if the carrots seem a bit dry.

5) Add some parsley, mix it well, then add some finishing salt. Serve.