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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Oven Roasted Ratatouille

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Oven roasted ratatouille is a pleasing dish which brings out the taste of the vegetables. Enjoy their succulent sweetness combined with a touch of aromatic rosemary.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large eggplant, cut into 4cm pieces

2 zucchinis, trimmed and coarsely chopped

2 red onions, cut into wedges

1 red capsicum, seeded and cut into 4cm pieces

1 yellow capsicum, seeded and cut into 4cm pieces

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

6 medium sized Roma tomatoes, quartered

1/4 cup chopped fresh continental parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Preheat the oven at 200C. Pour the oil into a large baking dish and heat it in the oven for five minutes. Remove from the oven and add the eggplant, zucchini, onion, capsicums, garlic and rosemary. Toss until the vegetables are coated in oil. Place the tomatoes on top. Bake it in the oven or thirty to forty-five minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove it from the oven once again and season it with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in the parsley before serving.

 

Image from avlxyz

Grilled Antipasto

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Grilled antipasto is a bestseller at parties or cocktails. It is a great dinner starter or after snack. If you have a raclette set, your guests may grill their own vegetables along with cheese, ham and other cold cuts.

 

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1 large red bell pepper

1 large yellow bell pepper

3 large eggplants, sliced

1 large zucchini

2 large white onions, peeled and cut into half

10 pieces fresh button mushrooms, stems removed

Crusty bread, sliced in 1/2 inch thick slices

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Place all the vegetables on a tray.  Drizzle them with olive oil and generously season it with salt and pepper.

Next, preheat the grill and wipe the rack with olive oil. Grill the bell peppers over hot coal or high heat for 6-8 minutes per side or until they are charred. Set aside for five minutes and let it cool. Scrape off the charred skin.

After, grill the eggplant and zucchini slices for 3-5 minutes on each side until they are lightly browned and soft. Pierce them with a skewer to test doneness.

Caramelize the onions by grilling them for ten minutes on each side. The mushrooms go next. Cook them for around five minutes or until tender. Lastly, grill the bread until it is toasted.

Arrange the grilled vegetables on a serving platter and serve with the toasted bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the side.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: Rubber Slippers In Italy

Eggplant and Banana Dip

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Eggplant and banana dip is a Colombian dish also known as bromia. It is a great appetizer with a tangy and sweet flavor. This yummy dip makes a great spread too.

Ingredients:

2 large ripe bananas, peeled and diced

2 large eggplants, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons grated mozzarella

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the guiso:

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon white onions, chopped

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the pita chips:

3 pita breads

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

Olive oil

 

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a baking dish.

Put the eggplants and bananas in the baking dish and drizzle it with olive oil. Place them in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until soft.

While waiting for the bananas and eggplants to cook, heat the vegetable oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Stir-fry the tomatoes, onions and garlic for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. Season it with salt and pepper.

Place the baked bananas and eggplants in a food processor or blender. Process it for 30 seconds or until combines. Do not over process or puree.

Transfer it to a medium sized bowl. Add the stir-fried tomato mixture and mozzarella cheese. Mix well. Put it in a serving bowl.

Next, cut the pita bread into wedges. Place them on a baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle it with salt, pepper and cumin powder. Bake the pita wedges for 10 minutes or until crisp. Transfer to a plate and serve with the eggplant and banana dip. Serve cold, warm or at room temperature.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: missmeng

Fried Eggplant with Chili Sauce

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Fried eggplant in chili sauce or sambal terung is a Malaysian dish that is easy to prepare. The eggplant’s sweetness is a great contrast to the spicy sauce. It is a tasty side to meats, but you can eat it as is too. It is very delicious with white rice.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 eggplants (Asian or Mediterranean variety)

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the chili sauce:

8 pieces dried red chili

2 fresh red chili, seeded

6 shallots, peeled

4 garlic cloves, peeled

3 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons tamarind juice or 1/2 teaspoon tamarind powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

 

Soak the dried chili in warm water for 10-15 minutes or until soft. After, drain them and remove the seeds.

Slice the ends of the eggplants. Cut it into half and then lengthwise. Next, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the eggplant slices in batches for 2-3 minutes per side or until it is browned and wilted. Place the cooked eggplants on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

While frying the eggplants, prepare the chili sauce by combining the soaked dried chili, fresh chili, shallots and garlic in a food processor or blender. Gradually add the oil as you process the ingredients for 1 minute or until you form a paste.  You may also use a mortar and pestle if desired.

In the same skillet, heat three tablespoons of oil and set the heat to medium. Stir-fry the paste for 3-5 minutes or until the oil separates from the paste. Add the tamarind juice, sugar and salt. Stir it for a minute until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Place the cooked eggplants on a serving dish and top it with Chili sauce. Serve immediately.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:   zoyachubby

Moutabel

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Moutabel is a Mediterranean eggplant dip also known as baba ganoush. I find it tastier compared to hummus. I like it so much I won’t mind eating it for snacks every day. I don’t like it spicy, so I do not put any chili; adjust the taste according to what you want.

You can also make moutabel in batches and store them in the refrigerator. They will probably last you around 3 days to a week at most.

 

Ingredients:

4 medium eggplants

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 fresh green chili peppers (optional)

1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

 

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the eggplants in a greased baking dish or tray. Roast it for 20-30 minutes or until the eggplants are tender. After, remove it from the oven and let it cool. Once they are no longer hot to the touch, peel the eggplants or scoop out the meat from the skin.

In a small bowl, combine the eggplant, garlic, chili, tahini, lemon juice and salt. Mash it until all the ingredients incorporate together. If you want better texture, you can blend it the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add olive oil if needed.

Place the moutabel on a plate and drizzle it with olive oil. Serve with pita bread.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: izik

Grilled Eggplant Sandwich

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I love eggplants. I can eat it as is roasted or fried. Here is a quick and easy recipe that is healthy as well. You can lose the mayo or use a fat free one if desired. It is also a good idea to experiment with different types of bread until you find one that suits your taste.

 

Ingredients:

1 small eggplant, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 French bread (6 inches)

1 small tomato, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Salt and pepper

 

Brush the eggplants with olive oil. Season them with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplants for 5-10 minutes on each side or until they are tender and the edges are brown.

While grilling the eggplants, slice the French bread in half. Place them on the grill face down to toast them as well.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and garlic. Take the bread slices and spread garlic mayo on them. Place the eggplant slices on both pieces of bread and top it with to tomato slices, feta cheese and basil leaves. Serve immediately.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: CarbonNYC

 

Eggplant Parmigiano

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Some say that eggplants contain no nutrition, but others disagree because according to them it can treat high blood pressure. The funny thing is it actually contains nicotine. No wonder it is addicting. I like eggplants fried, in stews or in salads. Kidding aside, there is no need to worry because the nicotine content is negligible. You have to consume almost 10 kilos of eggplants to achieve the same amount of nicotine from a cigarette.

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 large eggplants or about 2 pounds of eggplants

1 bunch fresh basil leaves

1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 Spanish onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried

1/2 medium carrot, finely grated

2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450(F) degrees and then grease the baking sheet with olive oil.

Next, cut the eggplant into 1 inch thick slices. If you are using big eggplants you can slice it horizontally to make circles, but if you use the thinner varieties, slice lengthwise. Place them on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake the eggplants for 10-15 minutes or until they turn brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees.

While waiting for the eggplants, prepare the tomato sauce. In a deep saucepan, heat the olive oil under medium heat.  Sauté the garlic and onions for 5-8 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Add the thyme and carrots. Stir-fry for another 5 minutes or until the carrots are soft. Mix in the tomatoes and the juice and let it boil. Make sure to stir it frequently. After, lower the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Continue to stir to avoid the bottom from burning. Season it with salt and pepper.

In a greased baking pan, place one layer of eggplants. Pour some tomato sauce and sprinkle with basil. Place a slice of mozzarella on each eggplant and then add a dash of Parmesan cheese. Continue the same layering process until you use up the remaining eggplants. Top the eggplant layers with bread crumbs. Bake it in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese melts and becomes slightly toasted.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Photo Courtesy Of: jules:stonesoup

Pinakbet

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While researching about ratatouille, I realized that it is very similar to a Filipino dish called pinakbet. Some of the ingredients vary, but it’s the same thing- it is a tomato and vegetable medley. Some add meat, but I prefer it without. Another noticeable difference is the sauce; French ratatouille is flavoured with herbs, while pinakbet uses bagoong or anchovy sauce. The latter can smell a little funky, but just like the fruit durian. You should not judge it because it is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:

6 small bitter melons

4 eggplants

8 pieces of okra

1 head garlic, minced

6 ripe medium sized tomatoes

5 tablespoons anchovy sauce (bagoong) or fish sauce (patis)

3 tablespoons of oil

2 cups water

Slice the bitter melons into 1-2 inch thick pieces and soak in water. Do the same for the eggplants. Slice the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Set aside.

In a casserole, sauté garlic in oil for 1-2 minutes. Pour water into the pot. Add the tomatoes and bagoong. Let it simmer for 10 minutes or until the water is about to boil.

Drain the bitter melons and eggplants. Add them to the pot of boiling water, include the okra. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft, but do not overcook. Add more bagoong if desired.

Serve warm with rice.

Photo Courtesy Of: naotakem

Roasted Eggplants are Heaven

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A revelation, that’s what they were.

See, my husband and I are blessed with the best relatives ever – our family members like to send us fresh fruit and vegetables regularly, and recently we received a particularly large bag of eggplant. After two (delicious) dinners of Eggplant Parmigiana, as well as a couple of stir-fries involving eggplant, we decided we might as well try throwing them on the grill when we were firing up some hotdogs yesterday.

Well. No one told us how eggplant, when roasted over hot coals, magically transforms into one of the most delicious, indescribable vegetables ever. Needless to say, we barely touched our hotdogs, swooning instead over our hot barbecued eggplants like they were caviar and foie gras.

If you haven’t tried roasting your eggplants over an outdoor grill, please please do. It’s really simple. Here’s what you need:

4 medium-sized eggplants
extra virgin olive oil
barbecue skewers or sticks
kosher salt

Fire up your grill until the coals are hot. Salt and thoroughly dry the eggplants. Insert on skewers, and brush with extra virgin olive oil. Grill over hot coals until soft and cooked through.

Peel and enjoy the soft, smooth, amazing flesh.

It’s Finally Friday Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe

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Eggplant Parmigiana.jpgThis one’s a doozie of a eggplant parmigiana recipe, so let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
  • 2 red bell peppers, my favorite
  • 8 slices Mozzarella cheese
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 16 oz can stewed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon basil
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 8 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoon capers
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup Parmesan, grated

What’s Next:

Go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 F, or 175C.

In a large skillet- heat 1/2 cup olive oil on medium high & saute eggplant on each side until saturated with oil- about 8 minutes total.  Grab your 3-quart casserole dish & line with sauteed eggplant. 

In same skillet- saute red peppers until tender and layer over eggplant.  Top with Mozzarella.

Heat remaining oil in skillet & cook onions & garlic until browned.  Stir in stewed tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, brown sugar & tomato paste.  Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add capers and season with S & P.  Pour mixture iver Mozzarella cheese & eggplant.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 25 minutes and you have yourself a true weekend treat.  Enjoy.

Eat well & Laugh often.

Taking on the Eggplant

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Eggplant.jpgI know many of us are not enticed by the eggplant, but it can be a very delicious and interesting veggie.  The eggplant is a species of Solanum native to southern India & Sri Lanka.  It is an annual plant that produces large purple or white ovoids, not the Metamorphosis kind.

Eggplants have been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory, but it appears as if the vegetable has only become known to the Western world for less than 1,500 years.  The many names for eggplant in the Arabic & North African languages and the lack of Greek and Roman names, indicate that it was carried throughout the Mediterranean area by Arabs in the Middle Ages. 

The raw fruit of an eggplant is somewhat distasteful and begs to be cooked immediately.  After the eggplant has been cooked, it takes on a more suitable, flavorful & more tender texture.

Stay tuned for the ‘It’s Finally Friday Eggplant Parmigiana’.

Here’s the recipe.