Nasu Dengaku

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and line a tray.

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2. Score the cut face of each aubergine half in a diamond lattice, cutting about 1 cm deep without going through the skin.

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3. Brush generously with the oil — aubergine drinks it, so be less careful than usual — and season with the salt.

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4. Lay them cut side down on the tray and roast 20 minutes, until the flesh has collapsed and a knife meets no resistance.

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5. Meanwhile whisk the miso, mirin, sake, sugar and vinegar in a small pan and simmer 2 minutes, stirring, until it thickens to the consistency of double cream. Take off the heat and stir in the sesame oil.

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6. Turn the aubergines cut side up and spread the glaze thickly over each one, pushing it into the scored cuts.

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7. Grill under a high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, watching constantly, until the glaze bubbles and blackens in patches.

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8. Scatter with sesame seeds, spring onions and togarashi, and serve hot.

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Chef’s Tips

• Do not stint on the oil. An under-oiled aubergine bakes dry and leathery.
• Watch it under the grill without leaving. Miso goes from caramelised to burnt in about twenty seconds.
• White miso, not red. Red is far saltier and will overwhelm the sugar.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed rice
• A cucumber and wakame salad
• Cold sake or a dry riesling

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. Good cold, or reheated 8 minutes at 200°C.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.