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["Preheat oven to 400 degrees.", "Place aubergine on baking sheet.", "Pierce aubergine several times with fork.", "Bake till very soft and skin wrinkles and cracks, about 45 min.", "Cold slightly.", "Cut baked aubergine in half lengthwise.", "Peel off skin.", "Place aubergine in sieve and let drain 45 min.", "Finely chop aubergine.", "Whisk 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in medium bowl to blend.", "Season to taste with salt and pepper.", "Add in aubergine; toss to coat.", "(Can be prepared 6 hrs ahead.", "Cover and chill.)", "Bring medium pot of water to boil.", "Add in tomatoes to boiling water and blanch 30 seconds.", "Using slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes to bowl of cool water and cold.", "Using small sharp knife, pull skin off tomatoes.", "Core tomatoes and cut in half crosswise; squeeze out seeds.", "Transfer tomatoes to processor and blend till smooth.", "Transfer puree to bowl.", "Fold in remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp.", "extra virgin olive oil, salt and white pepper.", "Let coulis stand till any air bubbles have popped, stirring occasionally, about 45 min.", "Spoon 1/2 c. tomato coulis into center of 4 shallow bowls.", "Using 2 large soup spoons, form aubergine mix into oval and set atop coulis.", "Repeat, placing 3 ovals in each bowl.", "Garnish each with 1 fresh basil sprig.", "This recipe yields 4 first-course servings.", "Comments: One of the most memorable meals of my vacation in Provence was at the one-star Auberge la Feniere,"" says Jacqueline Ross of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.", """Set in the Luberon hills outside the town of Lourmarin, it's a remarkable place owned by one of France's celebrated female chefs, Reine Sammut.", "I'd love to re-create my first course there, a chilled tomato puree with roasted aubergine."""]
