Catalan Aubergineseggplants Recipes

CATALAN AUBERGINES/EGGPLANTS

Steps:

• Prepare the eggplants/aubergines by peeling them and cutting into cubes (about 1-inch).
• Heat the oil in a frying pan add the cubes and sauté for a few minutes
• Add the chopped onion, crushed garlic and paprika to the eggplant/aubergine in the frying pan and fry over a low heat for a further 5 mins
• Add the chopped tomatoes; season with salt and pepper
• Cover the frying pan and cook for a further 15 minutes (checking that the eggplant/ aubergine is well cooked and tender).
• Place in a serving dish and garnish with a chopped fresh parsley.

CATALAN STUFFED AUBERGINES (EGGPLANT)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C, 400F, gas mark 6; lightly oil a shallow ovenproof dish large enough to hold the aubergine halves.
• Fry the onion and garlic gently in half the butter, until translucent; meanwhile, scoop out the aubergine flesh taking care to leave the shells intact.
• Chop the flesh into small dice and mix with the onion, garlic, hard-boiled eggs, breadcrumbs and parsley; season to taste.
• Pile this mixture into the aubergine skins (it helps to press down the first few spoonfuls for each shell) and arrange in the dish; dot with the remaining butter then bake for approximately 40 minutes (if the stuffing looks as if it is getting a bit dry during cooking, cover with foil).
• Garnish and serve.

ITALIAN GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH BASIL AND PARSLEY (MELANZANE GRIGLIATE AL BASILICO E PREZZEMOLO)

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Brush eggplant lightly with olive oil on both sides. Stir together remaining olive oil, garlic, and salt in a small bowl.
• Arrange eggplant slices on the preheated grill and cook, turning occasionally, until tender and browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Arrange grilled eggplant on a platter. Brush with the olive oil and garlic mixture until eggplant has absorbed the oil. Sprinkle with the chopped basil and parsley and serve.

LOBSTER CATALAN (ARAGOSTA ALLA CATALANA), REVISITED

Steps:

• In a small, non-reactive bowl, toss together the onion, vinegar and and few pinches of salt. Set aside to lightly pickle for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook the lobsters in it for 12 minutes. Remove them from the pot and, when cool enough to handle, twist off and crack open the tails, using a kitchen towel to protect your hands.
• Remove the lobster roe (if available) from the place where the tail met the body. It is a coral-red bundle of tiny eggs. As best you can, delicately separate the eggs, taking care not to crush them, and set aside in a small bowl. Remove as much of the tomalley-the greenish substance found alongside the roe and possibly also in the head, that acts as the lobster's liver and pancreas, and which is quite delicious-and add it to the bowl with the roe.
• Remove the meat from the shell and coarsely chop it. Remove the claws, crack them and extract the meat. Extract as much of the knuckle and body meat as possible. Arrange all of the lobster meat on a serving platter or in a serving bowl, cover and chill.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mayonnaise and salt to taste. Fold in the reserved lobster roe and tomalley, taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
• When ready to serve, scatter the pickled onions and the tomatoes over the lobster. Pour the dressing mixture over the lobster and vegetables, and serve immediately.

BAUMANIERE'S EGGPLANT GRATIN (D'AUBERGINES BAUMANIERE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Prepare the eggplants: Peel and cut each eggplant lengthwise into slices one-eighth-inch thick. Use a pastry brush to brush the slices on each side with olive oil and place them on an oiled baking sheet. Bake until light brown on one side, five to 10 minutes. Turn and bake until light brown on the other side, about five more minutes. Check the eggplant frequently and remove the slices to a plate as they brown.
• Assemble the gratin: Cover the bottom of a shallow, five-cup porcelain gratin dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle with minced herbs and cover with a layer of eggplant slices. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Continue in this manner until all of the ingredients are used, ending with a layer of tomato sauce.
• Bake until crispy and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.