Eggplant Provencal Recipes

RATATOUILLE PROVENCALE

Steps:

• Pour olive oil into a large pot over high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Reduce heat and add tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, tomato puree, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Uncover and check the level of liquid in the pot. Continue cooking for 30 minutes, uncovered if there is too much liquid, or covered if the amount of liquid looks right.

TRADITIONAL EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• In a colander, toss eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Arrange slices in a single layer on a dish towel and roll up tightly to extract excess water.
• Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring tomatoes and garlic to a boil. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer until thickened, 30 minutes.
• In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Put flour and eggs in two more shallow dishes. Coat eggplant in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Coat with breadcrumbs.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high (a few breadcrumbs should sizzle when added). In batches, fry eggplant until golden brown and tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.
• Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with half the eggplant, overlapping slices slightly, 2 cups sauce, and half the mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

EGGPLANT PROVENCAL

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, saute eggplant in butter for 10 minutes. Add the onion, celery and garlic; saute until vegetables are tender. Add the next seven ingredients; simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in pasta; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

GRILLED EGGPLANT PROVENCAL PANINI

Steps:

• Preheat the sandwich grill.
• In a small bowl, stir the olive oil and garlic together.
• Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with 1 tablespoon of the garlic oil.
• Put the eggplant in the grill; close the top plate, and cook until the eggplant is tender and grill marked, 3-5 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a plate and set aside (the eggplant can be grilled up to 3 hours ahead and kept at room temperature, or covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours; if refrigerating, return to room temperature before assembling the panini).
• Keep the sandwich grill on and wipe clean the grill plates.
• Place the rolls, cut side down, on a work surface and brush the crust sides of the rolls with the remaining 1 tablespoon garlic oil.
• Turn and spread cut sides of the rolls with tapenade, dividing it evenly, then layer 1/4 of the cheese, half of the eggplant, and 2 tomato slices over the tapenade on the bottom half of each roll.
• Divide the remaining cheese on top.
• Cover with the top halves of the rolls, tapenade side down, and press to pack gently.
• Place the panini in the grill, close the top plate, and cook until the bread is golden and toasted, the eggplant is hot, and the cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes.
• Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal and serve immediately.

PROVENCAL EGGPLANT AND SCALLOP PIE

Steps:

• Cut 6 rounds, 1/2 inch thick, from the eggplant. Place on paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand for 1 hour. Peel the remaining eggplant and cut into small dice. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced eggplant and cook until the edges begin to brown. Remove from the pan and place on a baking sheet to cool. Repeat with the zucchini and then the yellow squash, adding oil as needed. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and reserved juice. Lower the heat and add the herbs. Cook 5 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and wipe the pan dry. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Place the eggplant rounds and water in the oil and brown evenly, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir the diced vegetables and 1 tablespoon of parsley into the tomato mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir the remaining parsley into the bread crumbs. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and top each one with an eggplant round. Spoon the vegetable mixture over the eggplant slices. Place the scallop slices over the sauce, overlapping them slightly. Top with the bread crumbs. Bake until the scallops contract and the bread crumbs are brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Divide among 6 plates and serve.