Donald Links Eggplant Casserole Recipes

DONALD LINK'S EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• For the béchamel: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add milk, salt, white pepper and nutmeg, and whisk to combine thoroughly. Cook, whisking frequently, until thickened and smooth, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• For the casserole: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, and thoroughly coat both sides with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and black pepper. Roast until fully cooked, 12 to 15 minutes, then remove from heat but do not turn off oven. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, sauté merguez until browned and fully cooked. Remove from heat and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
• Oil an 8-by-11, 2-inch-deep baking dish. Spread one-third of béchamel in baking dish. Top with half the eggplant, then half the fontina and half the merguez. Coat with half of the remaining béchamel. Top with remaining eggplant, fontina and merguez. Spread with remaining béchamel and the Parmesan.
• Bake until hot, bubbling and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to rest for a minute or two, then serve.

EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the eggplant and cook halfway through. Add red pepper, celery, and onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until vegetables begin to wilt. Add the basil leaves. Remove from heat. Add Parmesan, cream, bread crumbs and salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
• Place skillet in the oven and cook until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve with grilled lamb chops.

EGGPLANT AND HERB CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a baking dish or gratin dish (14-by-9 1/2 oblong or 10-by-6 rectangular).
• If using fresh plum tomatoes, plunge them into a pot of boiling water for 10 seconds, lift out with a slotted spoon and remove the skins. Core and cube them to yield 4 cups.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a saucepan, and saute the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the plum tomatoes (or canned tomatoes), then the tomato paste. Add the oregano, basil and thyme.
• Stir well, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes, adding salt and freshly ground pepper if necessary.
• Meanwhile, place the flour in a bowl. Dredge the eggplant slices in the flour. Use the rest of the olive oil, little by little, to saute the eggplant slices over medium heat -- about 2 minutes per side, or until lightly browned.
• Pour a layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of the baking dish, and layer some cooked eggplant over that. Alternate the rest of the sauce and eggplant in layers. Arrange eggplant slices over the top. Cover with sliced mozzarella. Bake for 1 hour or until the surface is golden brown.