Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place aubergine on baking sheet. Pierce aubergine several times with fork. Bake until very soft and skin wrinkles and cracks, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Cut baked aubergine in half lengthwise. Peel off skin. Place aubergine in sieve and let drain 45 minutes. Finely chop aubergine.

Whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in medium bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add aubergine; toss to coat. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Bring medium pot of water to boil. Add tomatoes to boiling water and blanch 30 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes to bowl of cold water and cool.

Using small sharp knife, pull skin off tomatoes. Core tomatoes and cut in half crosswise; squeeze out seeds. Transfer tomatoes to processor and blend until smooth. Transfer puree to bowl. Mix in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and white pepper. Let coulis stand until any air bubbles have popped, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 cup tomato coulis into center of 4 shallow bowls. Using 2 large soup spoons, form aubergine mixture 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, its a remarkable place owned by one of Frances celebrated female chefs, Reine Sammut. Id love to re-create my first course there, a chilled tomato puree with roasted aubergine."

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