Tag: Eggplant

Escalopes de veau roussillon

Natalie Hanson

To serve 4.

1 lb of eggplants
A little milk
5-6 Tbsp seasoned flour
2/3 cup of oil (approximate)
4 veal scaloppine
2 oz of Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced
¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp of butter

Sauce tomate 

2 lb of fresh tomatoes or 1 can of italian tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 glove of garlic
1 tsp of sugar
3 slices of bacon
Bouquet garni
Salt, freshly ground pepper

  • Make the sauce first.
  • Place all ingredients in a pan and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes or until tomatoes are tender.
  • Sieve the sauce using a vegetable mill in order to obtain a thick purée.
  • Meanwhile cut the eggplants into ½ inch slices.
  • Dust them lightly with salt and put on a wire rack to drain for half an hour, turning them from time to time.
  • Dry on kitchen paper.
  • Dip the eggplants into milk, then into seasoned flour, and fry them quickly in the hot oil.
  • Arrange the fried eggplants in a bottom of a fireproof dish, pour over the sauce and put aside to keep hot.
  • Flatten the scaloppine, trim them into even shapes and dip in seasoned flour.
  • Fry the scaloppine in a little hot oil, allowing approximately 4-5 minutes on each sides, depending on the thickness.
  • Arrange them on top of the eggplants and sauce tomate and cover with Gruyère cheese.
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, dot with knobs of the butter and place for a few moments under hot broiler.

Eggplant and lamb lasagne

Natalie Hanson

Add the salt, pepper and herbs to each batch of ingredients as you cook them, as it’s easier to taste. Also, for assembling the lasagna, have all the ingredients warm to check for the right consistency.

  • 2 lb of eggplants (about 4 unpeeled eggplants) baked for 1 hour or more in 400°F oven. Prick them with a fork on the top surface so they do not explode.
  • 2 lb of ground lamb, cooked and drained of fat
  • 2-3 large onions, sliced
  • Thyme, salt and pepper
  • 3 packages of sliced mozzarella cheese
  • 1 package of grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1 5 ounce package of parmesan, grated
  • 1 can of tomato sauce (I buy Classico w/ roasted peppers and onions, or sundried tomato sauce)
  • Madeira wine
  • 1 package of oven ready lasagne 

Béchamel sauce

5 Tbsp of butter
5 Tbsp of flour
2 cups of milk
Some salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg

  • Make the béchamel: melt the butter in a medium pan, add the flour and mix well.
  • Slowly add the milk and keep the mixture smooth.
  • Let it come to a boiling point to make sure the flour is cooked.
  • Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
  • Put a thin layer of milk or cream on top to prevent a skin from forming. Reserve.
  • Cook the onions in a heavy skillet until slightly brown.
  • Add salt, pepper and a pinch of thyme.
  • While the onions are cooking, take the pulp out of the cooked and cooled eggplants.
  • Crush the pulp with a fork or crudely cut with a knife.
  • Add the onions and the cooked ground lamb to this mixture.
  • Add half the béchamel sauce, half the grated mozzarella cheese and all of the parmesan cheese.
  • Mix well.
  • Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Put the tomato sauce in the food processor if it is chunky, add a bit of Madeira wine, cook for 10 minutes and reserve.

Assembling the lasagne

  • Butter the whole lasagna dish and spread the remaining béchamel sauce at the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.
  • If there is too much left, add the remaining sauce to the mixture of eggplant/lamb/onion.
  • Put a layer of oven ready lasagne on top of the sauce and layer immediately with 1/3 of the eggplant mixture.
  • Cover with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
  • Repeat one or two more time depending on the depth of your pan.
  • Finish with a layer of lasagne.
  • Cover it with the tomato sauce.
  • Cook for 1 hour at 350°F.  The lasagne can also be frozen at this stage.*
  • When ready to serve, add the remaining mozzarella cheese and cook until brown on top.

* From the freezer, cook the lasagne covered for two hours (325°F) to unfreeze, then proceed the last line.

Yugoslavian vegetable dish

Natalie Hanson

From Ruth Wessels.

Can be made several days ahead (without the cheese on top) and frozen after cooking.  Then return the casserole to the oven, to reheat 30 minutes.  Spread the cheese and brown just before serving.

1 potato, diced
1 medium zucchini, unpeeled and diced
1 medium eggplant, unpeeled and diced
2 green peppers, diced
2 small carrots, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 inch strips
1 Bermuda onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup of shelled fresh peas
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp Tabasco (or soy) sauce                
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
5 large tomatoes, sliced
1/3 cup raw rice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese 

  • Combine potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, green peppers, onion, carrots, peas, and parsley with 1/3 cup of olive oil, salt, Tabasco, and pepper.
  • Line an oiled 9 x11 inch (deep) baking dish with half of the vegetable mixture.
  • Layer with half the tomato slices, sprinkle with rice, and add the other half of the vegetable mixture.
  • Top with remaining tomato slices.
  • Mix the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil with vinegar and pour over casserole.
  • Bake, covered at 350°F for 1-3/4 hours.
  • Sprinkle with cheese and place under broiler until cheese is melted.

Tian d’aubergines

Natalie Hanson

Tian is a provençal word often used to describe a casserole of vegetables which can include meat or fish as well.  Eggplant and tomato is a favorite combination of vegetables in the South of France.

It is a good idea to use a covered casserole dish that can go from oven to the refrigerator or even to the microwave, since this dish can be served hot, cold, or reheated.

2 medium eggplants (or 4 small ones)
4 tomatoes, sliced
2 onions, peeled and sliced
6 Tbsp of olive oil
2 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp of Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

  • Lightly oil a gratin dish and spread the sliced onions at the bottom.
  • Slice the eggplants but do not cut all the way through.
  • Put a slice of tomato between each cut of the eggplants.
  • Slicing the tomatoes in a slant will permit a better fit when layering them into the cuts of the eggplants.
  • Make sure that the top of each tomato is flush with the top of the eggplant to make a nice presentation.
  • Arrange both eggplants, layered with the tomatoes, on top of the sliced onions.
  • Make a vinaigrette sauce sauce by mixing the mustard and vinegar and add the oil.  Season with salt and pepper.
  • Dribble the vinaigrette all over the eggplants.
  • Cook, uncovered, for an hour.
  • Then cover with aluminum foil or with the cover of the dish, and cook for another 45 to 50 minutes.

Ratatouille

Natalie Hanson

This recipe is better when done the day before and reheated.

1 medium eggplant, cubed
4 or 5 small zucchinis, sliced
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 lb of tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 green pepper, cored, seeded and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp basil
Sprig of thyme
1/2 tsp of coriander
Pinch of crushed aniseed
Chopped parsley

  • Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and put let the water drain for 30 minutes.
  • Dry on paper towels.
  • To get the best flavor, you can cook each vegetable separately in a frying pan before proceeding with the recipe.
  • Heat half the oil in a large casserole, add the onion and cook over low heat until soft.
  • In a large pot put the eggplant, zucchinis, tomatoes and pepper.
  • Sprinkle the garlic, herbs, salt and pepper on it.
  • Mix gently.
  • Spoon the remaining oil on top.
  • Cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until vegetables are tender.
  • Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Eggplant provençale

Natalie Hanson

This is a time-consuming recipe but well worth its colorful result.

2 lb of eggplants
2 cups of onions, sliced
2 Tbsps of olive oil
2 cans of peeled italian tomatoes (1lb each)
Thyme, orange peel, saffron, garlic
Salt and pepper
8 oz of sliced swiss cheese 

  • Cook onions in olive oil, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Drain the tomatoes, reserve the juice.
  • Rub the pulp trough a sieve to eliminate the seeds.
  • Stir the pulp into the onions and add herbs, orange peel, saffron, garlic, salt and pepper.
  • Cover the pan and simmer for 45 minutes.
  • The sauce should be thick enough to hold its shape in a spoon.
  • In a big pan boiled some salted water.
  • Cut eggplants in halves then in slices.
  • Blanch the slices in boiling water for 2 minutes and drain on paper towels.
  • Saute the slices in olive oil until slightly browned and put them on a tray.
  • In a gratin dish arrange in layers – slices of eggplants, tomato sauce, and swiss cheese.
  • Repeat until all slices are used.
  • Reheat oven 375°F and bake 35 minutes covered, then 10 more uncovered.
  • Use the reserved juice of the tomatoes if the dish looks too dry while cooking.

See also Tian d’aubergines.

Bohémienne

Natalie Hanson

Although this dish is similar to the Ratatouille, it has eggs in it but no zucchini or peppers. It can be served as an hors d’oeuvre, a vegetable dish, or a filling for a quiche.  Serves 4 to 6 people.

2 medium size onions
2 lb of plum tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
1 medium size eggplant (2 lbs)
1/3 cup of olive oil
Thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper, 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper.
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup of grated swiss cheese
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese

  • Slice the onions as thinly as possible.
  • Peel and quarter the tomatoes and mince 4 cloves of garlic.
  • Peel the eggplant and cut into 4 slices lengthwise.
  • Place in colander and sprinkle with salt,, allow to stand for 30 minutes.
  • Wash salt away, dry with paper towels and cut the slices in 1/4″ cubes.
  • Heat the olive oil in a medium size pan and gently cook the onions without browning them.
  • Add the tomatoes, eggplant cubes, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper and minced garlic.
  • Simmer over low heat, uncovered, stirring once in a while, for 45 minutes.
  • Taste and correct seasonings.
  • Beat 2 egg yolks in a bowl and whisk them into the vegetables.
  • Stir in a mixture of 1/4 cup of swiss cheese and 1/4 cup of the parmesan into the vegetable and egg mixture.
  • Serve hot with a meat dish or room temperature for hors d’oeuvre.

Quiche Bohémienne

Fill a partially baked pâte brisée with the bohémienne mixture. Sprinkle on the grated cheeses. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350°F. Allow to cool before serving.

Poor man’s caviar

Natalie Hanson

This cold appetizer can be used as a dip on a slice of French bread or served on a bed of lettuce.

1 big eggplant or 2 small ones
2 or 3 big tomatoes (canned or cooked)
2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 onions sliced
1 green pepper sliced
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp of dry white wine
2 Tbsp of olive oil

  • If fresh tomatoes are used: remove the seeds and the skin, chopped coarsely and cook gently with salt, pepper, garlic and bay leaf for about 15 minutes.
  • Bake the eggplant with the skin on at 400°F for one hour or until soft.
  • Scrape the pulp of the eggplant in a saucepan and discard the skin.
  • Add 2 or 3 big tomatoes (canned or cooked) to the eggplant.
  • Put the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions and pepper until tender.
  • Add to the eggplant mixture, mix in the garlic and cook slowly until all liquid is evaporated.
  • Add salt and pepper and the wine. 
  • Let cool.
  • Before serving add 2 Tbsp of olive oil and some chopped parsley.

Eggplant caviar

Natalie Hanson

From Yves Parent.
 
1 medium size eggplant
1 big garlic clove (or 2 small ones)
1 lime
4 to 6 drops of Tabasco
1 Tbsp of chopped cilantro
I Tbsp of olive oil (optional)

  • Put the oven on broil.
  • Prick the top part of the eggplant with a fork or knife to avoid bursting.
  • Put the eggplant on an aluminum foil and broil 18 to 20 minutes on each side.
  • Split the eggplant in two lengthwise and scoop out the pulp in a bowl.
  • Add one crushed garlic clove, the lime juice, chopped cilantro, Tabasco and salt.
  • Mix in food processor.
  • Serve chilled with crackers or veggies as an appetizer or hot as a side dish with chicken or salmon.