Eggplant Aubergine Olive Relish Recipes

CAPONATA

Steps:

• Toss eggplant with salt, let drain: Toss the diced eggplant with about 2 tablespoons salt and put into a large bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate that just about fits the bowl and weigh it down with a heavy can. Let this sit for 1 hour. Drain the eggplant, rinse with fresh water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Cook onions, celery, garlic: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery, season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion begins to soften - about 5 minutes. Add the garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes more. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
• Sear the eggplant: Wipe the pan with a paper towel, turn the heat to high and add the remaining olive oil. Let this heat until the oil is nearly smoking. Add the eggplant and spread it out in as thin a layer as you can in the skillet. Let this sizzle for 1-2 minutes before stirring, then let it sit for a full minute before stirring again. Cook like this for 5-6 minutes.
• Combine with other ingredients: Add the onion-celery mixture, the tomatoes, olives, pine nuts, capers and red pepper flakes. Stir well. Add the vinegar, sugar and tomato paste and stir once more. Cook, stirring occasionally until eggplant is very soft, about 8 minutes.
• Let cool, add basil, salt, pepper: Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Mix in the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Caponata can be refrigerated, covered, up to 5 days.

EGGPLANT RELISH

Steps:

• Serving suggestion: Place the relish on toasted bread spread with sheep's milk ricotta cheese, and top with torn basil and parsley leave, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
• To make the relish: Place the eggplant in a strainer set over a large bowl. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to leech out the bitterness. Rinse quickly and pat dry.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, shallots, garlic, pinch of salt, and eggplant and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the pine nuts, raisins, red wine vinegar, and sugar. Stir to combine.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) & OLIVE RELISH

Steps:

• Coarsely chop the eggplant and sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Place in a colander and stand for 10 minutes.
• Rinse well under cold water, drain and pat dry with paper towel.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium high heat, add the eggplant, capsicum and garlic and stir to coat with the olive iol.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally,for 30 minutes or until the eggplant has softened and the mixture is thick.
• Transfer the relish to a bowl and allow to stand for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
• Stir in the olives and oregano and serve warm or at room temperature.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) WITH GARLIC CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Salt and sweat the eggplant pieces for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven 400 degrees.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 Tb.
• olive oil, saute onion until limp and golden.
• Add rest of ingredients through salt& pepper.
• Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes, until sauce is thick and chunky.
• Or use any tomato sauce you personally like.
• Best if thick and chunky.
• Boil the unpeeled garlic cloves in water to cover for 2 minutes.
• Can skip, if your cloves are already peeled.
• Drain, hit each clove lightly with mallet or flat side of large knife.
• Peel.
• Place in a small saucepan with stock to cover.
• Simmer for about 45 minutes.
• Replenish stock as needed.
• Whirl garlic and stock in blender until pureed.
• Set aside.
• Rinse and drain eggplant of salt.
• Brush a large baking sheet with 1/4 olive oil.
• Place in oven until hot.
• Place eggplant on hot pan.
• Bake 25-30 minutes.
• Check frequently, turn with tongs after 15 minutes, do not burn or allow to become crisp.
• Looking for soft, golden, and cooked eggplant.
• May need more oil.
• Drain and blot off oil with paper towel.
• Reduce oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat 4 Tbs.
• butter in heavy saucepan.
• Whisk in flour.
• Let roux cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes.
• Whisk in hot scalded milk.
• Cook gently, stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper to taste,.
• and stir in garlic puree.
• Remove from heat.
• Beat egg.
• Beat some of sauce into the egg to temper.
• Beat egg into sauce.
• Taste for seasoning.
• Place half of tomato sauce on bottom of a 2quart pan.
• Spread 1/2 tomato sauce on bottom, top with 1/2 eggplant slices, spread remaining tomato sauce over eggplant, top with remaining eggplant.
• Pour the garlic cream sauce over all.
• Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake 45-60 minutes til golden brown and bubbling.
• Can be vegan leave off cheese.

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT RELISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with racks in middle and upper third.
• Halve eggplant lengthwise and roast, cut sides down, in a 4-sided sheet pan in middle of oven until tender, about 25 minutes. Cool.
• Turn on broiler.
• Halve peppers lengthwise, then stem and seed. Coat outsides of peppers with olive oil, then broil, cut sides down, in 4-sided sheet pan 3 to 4 inches from heat until well charred, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Peel peppers and coarsely chop.
• Scrape flesh of eggplant into a bowl, discarding skin. Stir in peppers, remaining ingredients (including 2 tablespoons oil), and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.