Aubergine Steaks with Ginger and Chilli crust

A healthy and light vegetarian meal. Very simple to prepare (it only involves grilling, mixing, spreading and grilling some more) it looks as delicious as it tastes. Serve with a simple tomato sauce: fry some garlic in olive oil, put some passata (seived tomatoes) in the pan with this and add some Italian herbs - just heat this through and serve.

Ingredients

2 large aubergines
150ml olive oil

for the buttered crust:
4 oz white breadcrumbs
2 fresh red chillis, deseeded and finely chopped
1 inch piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
grated zest of one lime
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
85g / 3 oz melted butter
salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the grill to its highest setting.
   
2. Trim the stalks from the aubergines and cut each in half lengthways, then in half again to make 4 thick slices. Brush each slice liberally with olive oil and grill on both sides until golden brown.
   
3. Mix all the crust ingredients together and season. Spread the mixture evenly over the aubergine steaks and continue to grill until browned. Serve immediately.