Chef Chris Sandford - Mamma’s Little Gem with Mona

Hi everyone and welcome! I am so delighted to introduce to you the First Lady of Plancha, Mona Leone. Mona is Italian-German and is very much a great cook with a number of accolades to her name. When I tell you this lady can cook, I mean just that!

Plancha is all about the flavour, a relatively new concept in cooking here in Ireland at high temperatures with loads of liquids involved. To cook ‘a la Plancha’ means to grill on a metal plate - but if you don’t have a Plancha griddle, you can use a frying pan or griddle pan.

INGREDIENTS FOR ‘MAMMA’S LITTLE GEM’ (serves 3-5 persons)

1 Aubergine cut into ¼ inch slices

French bread, sliced thickly and toasted.

For the marinade:

100 ml olive oil or a good rapeseed oil (e.g. Donegal Rapeseed Oil)

50ml balsamic vinegar, dark colour

1 clove of garlic, pressed

Fresh basil, as much as you like, chopped

METHOD:

First prepare your marinade by mixing all the ingredients together.

Brown the aubergine slices slightly on the Plancha (or a frying pan). Turn them over after one or two minutes and sprinkle with marinade, turning the slices once again.

After a short while add marinade again, and turn. You might want to marinade for a third time before placing the now cooked aubergine slices on the toasted French bread.

See if you can manage without salt, but if you use any, add a pinch of a good salt from the sea or mountains. Serve immediately and even more important: eat immediately!

This is a great, savoury little dish and it is delicious.

Contact Chef Chris on 086 8932225 for info on his cooking courses - private, individual and in the comfort of your own home, hospitality courses, training courses - and for more information on La Plancha cooking.