Eggplant Ragout Recipes

ROASTED EGGPLANT RAGU WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high flame and roast the peppers until charred on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a lid or towel and allow to cool.
• Use a knife to poke the eggplant in a few places to help steam escape while roasting so the eggplants won't explode in your beautiful kitchen. Please poke them :-)
• You can use the same skillet you roasted the peppers on to cook the eggplants or broil both the peppers and eggplants until charred. Allow them to charr nicely on all sides then transfer to a bowl until cool enough to handle.
• Use your hands to remove the peels from both the roasted peppers and eggplants and discard the core.
• Transfer to a cutting board and dice the peppers. Finely chop the eggplant and set aside until needed. (Alternatively you can use a food processor if you prefer a smooth texture, we like it more rustic).
• Preheat a large skillet or pot over medium flame. Add a splash of water and saute the onion until translucent. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another minute or so until you can smell the fragrance.
• Stir in the smoked paprika, oregano and mushrooms and cook a few minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add in the roasted peppers, eggplant and the San Marzano tomatoes together with the red wine. Give everything a good stir and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 45 minutes on low flame until the sauce has reduced and thickened to your liking. Season to taste with the sea salt.

EGGPLANT RAGOUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Wrap each eggplant in aluminum foil, place on a cookie tray and bake in the 400-degree oven for 1 hour, until the eggplants are very soft throughout.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. When it is hot, add the onions and saute them, covered, over low heat for about 4 minutes, until they are tender. Add the garlic and herbes de Provence, and cook 1 minute over medium heat. Stir in the wine, salt and pepper.
• Remove eggplants, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Add the pieces to the saucepan, mixing them in well. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and boil gently over low heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately, or cool, refrigerate and serve cold.

EGGPLANT AND VEGETABLE RAGOUT (ŞAKşUKA)

Steps:

• Prepare the eggplant: Cut off both ends and using the edge of a vegetable peeler or a paring knife, remove the skin in alternating strips going from top to bottom. Do this gently, saving as much flesh as you can.
• Cut the eggplant into bite-sized rectangular chunks about 2 inches long. Put the chunks of eggplant in a large mesh strainer or colander and salt well, turning with your hands to salt all sides. Let the salted eggplant rest for about 15 minutes while you prepare the other vegetables. This removes the bitterness.
• Coarsely dice the peppers, red onion, and zucchini.
• Once the vegetables are ready, pour about 2 inches of oil in a deep frying pan or saucepan and turn the heat on high. While the oil is heating, wash the eggplant in the strainer with cold water, turning it with your hands, until the salt is removed. Drain it well and blot off the extra water with paper towels before you fry them.
• Fry the eggplant until tender and just beginning to brown at the edges. Do the same with the squash. Strain out the fried vegetables and drain them on a thick layer of paper towels. Let them sit for several minutes to make sure as much oil as possible drains away.
• In the meantime, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and fry the onion, garlic, and peppers until tender.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer until the tomatoes are soft and begin to break down.
• Remove the lid, stir it well, and let the sauce simmer until most of the liquid is reduced. It should be the consistency of jarred pasta sauce.
• In a mixing bowl, add the eggplant, squash, and tomato sauce and stir together well. Put the şakşuka in a serving dish and chill for several hours. Just before serving, spoon generous amounts of garlic yogurt over the top.

ITALIAN EGGPLANT RAGOUT

Steps:

• Scoop out center and seeds of eggplant halves. Cut eggplants into 3/4 inch dice. Toss with salt in bowl and let it stand for at least 20 minutes. Drain off the fluid that collects, rinse well, and pat dry.
• Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and saute until softened (about 5 minutes.) Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, and eggplants. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes, or until eggplants are tender but not mushy.
• Stir in capers and sugar, and cook 2 minutes more. Fold in parsley, and season with black pepper.

TOMATO AND EGGPLANT RAGOUT

Steps:

• Place diced eggplant in colander. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 1 hour; rinse with cold water.
• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook half of the eggplant in oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with another 1/4 cup olive oil and remaining eggplant.
• In same skillet, heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-low heat. Cook onions in oil about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds; add celery and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add cooked eggplant, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper; heat to a slow simmer. Cover; cook 20 minutes. Stir in parsley.

MARIO'S EGGPLANT RAGU

Steps:

• Sprinkle the eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt and drain in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse, pat dry and cut in 1/4-inch dice.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the eggplant, peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cover. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and cook, uncovered, stirring, for 5 minutes. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the basil and let sit for 5 minutes before serving with pasta or polenta.

EGGPLANT RAGOUT

Steps:

• Add the oil, onion, and garlic to the pot, saute until tender.
• Add everything else.
• Simmer 30-40 minutes (or more, make sure the potatoes are done).
• Eat with a good friend.

RAGÚ® NO-FRYING EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place bread crumbs in medium bowl.
• Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, then bread crumbs. Arrange eggplant slices in single layer on lightly oiled baking sheets. Bake until eggplant is golden, about 25 minutes.
• Evenly spread 1 cup Sauce in 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Layer ½ of the baked eggplant slices, then 1 cup Sauce and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; repeat layers. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 45 minutes.
• Remove foil and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.