Fried chilli peppers and baby eggplants

You can source various chilli peppers and baby eggplants from farmers’ markets. I’ve used padron peppers from the Curious Croppers at the Clevedon Farmers’ Market, which are predominantly a mild chilli, but the odd one can pack a serious punch, it’s luck of the draw. This dish can be served hot or cold.

Ingredients

5	Eggplants, use baby eggplant (Main)
1 splash	Olive oil, enough to fill up to 2-3cm in the pot
1 squeeze	Lemon juice
1 serving	Flaky sea salt, to salt the eggplant and to season the final dish
10	Chilli pepper

Directions

1. Slice baby eggplants into long, portion-sized strips. Salt and leave in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Wash and dry.
2. Slice chilli peppers down their centre, scoop out and discard seeds.
3. Heat 2-3cm olive oil in a medium-sized pot until hot and fry peppers in batches until blistered and coloured. Remove and drain on paper towels, season with flaky sea salt.
4. Repeat with eggplants. Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice.