Turkish Aubergine Meze Recipes

TURKISH VEGETARIAN EGGPLANT APPETIZER WITH GARLIC AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with olive oil.
• Brush eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and place on the baking tray in a single layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until soft and browned, about 20 minutes, turning slices over once after 10 minutes. Transfer slices to a large serving place, brush with vinegar, and sprinkle with salt. Let cool.
• Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat and cook garlic until softened and fragrant without browning, about 3 minutes.
• Mix parsley and walnuts in a bowl. Add sauteed garlic and a little bit of olive oil to make a paste. Mix well, season with salt, and spread the paste onto the cooled eggplant slices.

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.