Tag Archives: Eggplant

RATATOUILLE

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  • 1 or 2 small zucchini

  • 1 small eggplant

  • 1 large onion

  • 2 cloves of garlic

  • 2 large fresh tomatoes chopped

  • ½ # Italian sausage

  • Olive oil

  • One 6 oz can tomato paste

  •  Parsley, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese

Slowly sauté sausage in bite sized pieces with onion in olive oil.  Add zucchini and egg plant and garlic and sauté.  Add tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper.  Add tomato paste.  Cook for about 20 minutes on low heat.  Sprinkle cheese liberally over top.  Serve.  You can throw anything else you have into this, i.e. green peppers, olives, etc.

RATATOUILLE A LA NICOISE

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  • 1 pound eggplant, peeled

  • 1 pound zucchini, unpeeled

  • 1 t. salt

  • 6 tablespoons flour

  • ½ to ¾ cup olive oil

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped

  • 2 green peppers cut into ½” strips

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, drained, cut into ½ inch strips

  • 6 T. parsley

  • 3 T. fresh snipped dill

  • 3 T. fresh grated Parmesan cheese or more

  • 1 T. fresh basil

  • 1 T. capers

Cut eggplant crosswise into slices ½ inch thick, then cut each slice into strips about 1 inch long.  Quarter zucchini length-wise, then halve crosswise into 2 to 3 inch lengths. Place eggplant and zucchini in medium bowl, sprinkle with salt, and toss lightly.  Allow to stand 30 minutes.  Drain off all liquid, rinse vegetables and
dry thoroughly with paper towels. Toss gently in flour.

Heat 3 T. oil in 12” skillet over medium-high heat until very hot.
Add half the eggplant and zucchini and sauté until golden.  Transfer to bowl.  Add 3 more tablespoons oil and sauté remaining eggplant and zucchini.  Add to
bowl.  Place about 2 more Tbs. oil in same skillet and sauté onion, green pepper and garlic briefly, about 3-4 minutes.  Add tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste and cook about 5 minutes longer.

Place 1/3 tomato-onion mix in oven skillet and sprinkle with 1/3 each of parsley, dill, cheese, and basil.  Top with half of eggplant-zucchini mixture.  Continue
layering, ending with herbs and cheese. Cover and simmer gently over low heat 10 minutes.  Uncover, add capers and continue simmering 30-45 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

EGGPLANT SPREAD FROM SANTORINI

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  • 1 large or 2 medium egg plants (white is best if you can find it)

  • Juice from 1 large lemon

  • 2 cloves garlic (or more if you like) minced

  • 3 T. very finely chopped parsley

  • 3 T. plain unflavored yogurt

  • 2 T. mayonnaise

  • 2 T. ground walnuts

  • Olive oil to taste – about ¼ cup

Roast the eggplant with skin on after pricking skin with fork.  Temperature about 375 degrees. When soft, about 30 -40 minutes, cool and peel, removing as many seeds as possible. Put pulp into food processor and start adding rest of ingredients.  Keep tasting adding a little more of things as your palate tells you to do so until you get a pureed dip that you like.  You can also consider adding capers
or onion.

EGGPLANT GRATIN (serves four)

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  • 1 ½ pounds of eggplant, unpeeled, sliced ½ inch thick

  • ½ cup ricotta cheese

  • 2 extra large eggs

  • ½ cup half and half

  • 1 cup fresh ground Parmesan cheese

  • Kosher salt

  • Fresh ground black pepper

  • A cup of good bottled marinara sauce

Heat oven to 425 degrees

Heat about 1/8 inch olive oil in a very large frying pan over medium heat.  When oil is almost smoking, add several slices of eggplant and cook, turning once, until they are evenly browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Transfer cooked eggplant slices to paper towels to drain.  Add more oil, heat it and add more eggplant until all the slices are cooked. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, eggs, half and half, ½ cup of Parmesan, ¼ t. salt, and ¼ t. pepper.  In a glass Pyrex dish, place a layer of eggplant slices, then sprinkle with Parmesan, salt and pepper and spoon on marinara sauce.  Next add a second layer of eggplant, more salt and pepper, the ricotta mixture and finally grated
Parmesan on top.  Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 10 minutes; lower the heat to 375 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes or until the custard sets and the top is browned.  Serve warm.