[CH] Recipes for eggplant and scarlet runners
Jim Weller (jweller@ssimicro.com)
Mon, 12 Aug 2002 22:01:38 -0600
From: "Helen L. Gillis" <HelenGillis@earthlink.net>
Subject: [CH] Recipes??
> I will shortly be inundated with eggplants and was wondering if anyone
> had a good recipe or two. We're growing the standard Italian type, as
> well as a white, and an asian type. Tired of the usual parm's etc.
> We've also got loads of scarlett runner beans...so please dust off
> those recipe boxes! Thanks! Helen
I like the way they do eggplant in Mediterranean countries. Casseroled
with tomatoes, onions, peppers and perhaps zucchini. Plus assorted other
vegetables of choice, even scarlet runner beans. Depending on where you
go it's called Ratatouille (France), Briami (Greece), Ajvar (the
Balkans), Capanata (Italy), or Ghivech (Romania). The traditional
recipes use bell peppers and aren't hot but this dish takes well to
additional peppers, powders or sauces of any sort.
Here's the Spanish version:
---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
Title: Escalivada (Catalonian Vegetable Medley)
Categories: Tnt, Spanish, Vegetables, Grill, Wine
Yield: 4 Servings
1 Eggplant, peeled and sliced
Salt
6 c Pure olive oil for frying
5 tb Extra virgin olive oil
1 lg Onion, chopped
1 Green bell pepper, peeled,
Seeded, quartered
8 Ripe firm plum tomatoes,
Peeled, seeded, cut in half
Freshly ground black pepper
To taste
For the vinaigrette sauce
(whisked together):
1/4 c Extra virgin olive oil
2 tb Red wine vinegar
1 Garlic clove, peeled and
Finely chopped
1 tb Finely chopped fresh parsley
Leaves
Salt and freshly ground
Black pepper to taste
Escalivar means "to cook in hot ashes." Typically the vegetables in an
escalivada are grilled, and the dish is served with grilled meats.
Mountain shepherds were adept at packing their rucksacks with some
cheese and wine, perhaps, and building a hardwood fire near a
revetment of their sheep's pasture where they could grill a medley of
vegetables. Some writers call this a Catalan- style ratatouille but
escalivada more closely resembles the Tunisian salata mishwiyya, to
which it may be historically related. The excellence of this dish
comes from absolutely fresh vegetables. Since not everyone has a
grill, I provide this alternative to grilling; otherwise, pull out the
grill and follow the variation below.
1. Lay the eggplant slices on some paper towels and sprinkle with
salt. Leave them to drain of their bitter juices for 30 minutes, then
pat dry with more paper towels.
2. Preheat the frying oil in a deep-fryer or an 8-inch diameter
saucepan with a basket insert to 375 degrees F. Fry the eggplant
slices in batches until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper
towels and let cool. Let the frying oil cool completely, strain, and
save for a future use.
3. In a large stove-top and ovenproof casserole, heat 1 tablespoon
extra virgin olive oil over a medium heat, then cook the onion until
translucent, 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the eggplant
slices, bell pepper, tomatoes, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Mix gently. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil over the
vegetables and bake uncovered for 1 hour. Let cool, then serve with
the vinaigrette poured over.
Variation: Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill for 15
minutes on high. Grill the whole unpeeled and uncored green pepper
until its skin blisters black, about 45 minutes. Slip off the skin,
remove the core and seeds, and cut into quarters. Pat dry the eggplant
after leeching its bitter juices, brush with olive oil, and grill
until the pieces have attractive grid marks, about 10 minutes on each
side. Boil the whole onion in water to cover for 10 minutes. Peel,
split in half, brush with oil, and grill for 30 minutes over a low or
dying fire until it is browned and easily pierced with a fork. Mix the
grilled pepper, eggplant, and onion and serve with the vinaigrette.
Clifford A. Wright
-----
Jim in Yellowknife