Spiced Peppers And Eggplant Recipes

SPICY STIR-FRIED EGGPLANT AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and sauté over medium-low heat until golden.
• Cut the Japanese eggplants into 1/4-inch thick slices. Or, if using regular eggplant, quarter lengthwise, then into 1/4-inch thick slices.
• Add the eggplant and bell peppers to the pan, followed by the wine, hoisin sauce, ginger, and soy sauce. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the eggplant is nearly tender. Lift the lid once or twice during that time to stir.
• Stir-fry, uncovered, for 5 minutes longer, or until the eggplant is just tender.
• Season to taste with soy sauce and spicy seasoning.
• Serve at once with hot cooked rice or noodles with either or both of the optional garnishes.

SPICY ROASTED RED PEPPER AND EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425F/220°C.
• While the peppers and eggplant are roasting, chop your onions and fresh chili (if you are using a fresh chili). Throw away the seeds and pith of the chili, and remember to only use half. Set aside.
• Put the eggplant and the bell peppers on a baking tray. To prevent exploding, poke a few holes in the eggplant, and one small slit in each pepper, facing up (while the peppers cook, they will fill with juice, and you don't want it to leak out).
• Roast them in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the eggplant is soft. Allow to cool enough to touch.
• Carefully put the peppers in a bowl, saving as much juice as possible, and cut in half. Peel away and discard the skin, seeds and pith.
• Cut the eggplant in half, and use a spoon (a grapefruit spoon works amazing for this if you have one!) to scoop out the flesh into the bowl with the red pepper flesh.
• Put the olive oil in the soup pot on low heat, and add the onions. Cook until soft, but not browned.
• Add the hot chili or chili powder, and cook for few quick minutes.
• Add the eggplant, red peppers, thyme, and paprika, and stir.
• Add about three quarters of the stock (enough to cover the contents of the pot), and simmer for about 20 minutes.
• In a few batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth (you need to use a second pot to keep the pureed and un-pureed soup separate).
• Add more stock to adjust the consistency if you need to.
• Add salt, black pepper, small amounts of oregano and coriander, and more of the other spices and thyme to taste. Add a small dash of lime juice as well.
• Serve hot with a spoonful or two of fresh cream on top, and a spoonful of chopped scallions.

EGGPLANT STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Place peppers in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes to soften, drain thoroughly set aside.
• Pour oil in large skillet, stir in eggplant and garlic
• Cook until eggplant is soft, approximately 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Stir bread crumbs into eggplant mixture; toss until bread crumbs are moistened.
• Stir in basil, parmesan cheese,pepper, goat cheese, parsley and pine nuts.
• Fill softened peppers with filling.
• Place peppers in oiled 9 x 13 pan. Pour about 1 cup water into pan.
• Bake in oven covered for about 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven.
• Cover each pepper with marinara sauce.
• Return to oven for another 10 minutes.