Aunt Harriets Eggplant Relish Food

CAPONATA: SWEET & SOUR EGGPLANT RELISH

Steps:

• Salt & Rinse Eggplant: Line a jellyroll pan with paper towels. Spread out eggplant cubes and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt. Cover with paper towels. Pace another baking tray on top and add a weight, such as heavy skillet. Let that all stand for 1/2 hour to an hour. (you can cut up the other veggies while you wait) Rinse the eggplant in a mesh colander. Line the same jellyroll pan with more paper towels. Transfer the rinsed eggplant to the tray and pat it dry with another layer of paper towels.
• Saute the Eggplant: Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet (cast iron is best) over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add half the eggplant in a single layer. Leave it undisturbed for two minutes so it browns a bit. Continue to cook, stirring often, for another 5 minutes, until eggplant is brown in spots and starting to soften. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined mesh colander. Add another 1/4 cup olive oil to the skillet and repeat with the rest of the eggplant.
• Add another 1/4 cup olive oil to the skillet. Add the onions, garlic and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until the onions are softened. Add the bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are softened. Add the tomato paste, olives, raisins capers, and 3 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes. Add the eggplant to the skillet. Whisk the sugar and vinegar together in a small bowl and pour into the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature. Caponata will keep for a week covered in the fridge and is best served at room temp after a day of letting the flavors meld.

EGGPLANT RELISH

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add eggplant and tomatoes. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add vinegar, pine nuts, olives, raisins, sugar, and capers; cook (uncovered) over medium-low heat until vegetables begin to break down, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Transfer to a shallow bowl or a rimmed baking sheet; let cool completely. Stir in parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Relish can be refrigerated, covered, up to 5 days.

EGGPLANT RELISH

Steps:

• Cut eggplants in half. Lay them in a baking tray face up. Place bell pepper in baking tray too. Drizzle olive oil over all the vegetables.
• Bake at 400 F, middle rack in the oven for about 15 minutes. Rotate the pepper and continue baking. At about 20-25 minutes remove pepper, flip the eggplant halves carefully and continue baking for another 30 minutes.
• Let both pepper and eggplant cool enough to be handled by hand. Peel pepper, then slice and dice in small pieces. Add to a bowl.
• Scoop the flesh of each eggplant half, remove the seeds where very visible. Then slice and dice the same way. Place on the bowl over pepper.
• Dice tomatoes, onions and mince garlic. Add the desired amount in the bowl over eggplant and pepper. Chop about half a cup of flat parsley and add as well.
• Squeeze 1 lemon over the ingredients in the bowl. Add about 3 tbsps of olive oil. Finally add half a teaspoon of sea salt.
• Mix everything carefully. Taste and adjust lemon, olive oil, salt as needed. Then chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with fresh flat parsley and serve with pita bread:). Enjoy!

AUNT JANE'S EGGPLANT FINGERS

Steps:

• Peel eggplants and cut into 1/2 inch strips.
• Heat oil in deep fat fryer to 375 degrees.
• Dip eggplant strips into milk, then flour. Then dip into milk again and finally into bread crumbs.
• Fry about 12 at a time for 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar.

EGGPLANT RELISH

Steps:

• Serving suggestion: Place the relish on toasted bread spread with sheep's milk ricotta cheese, and top with torn basil and parsley leave, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
• To make the relish: Place the eggplant in a strainer set over a large bowl. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to leech out the bitterness. Rinse quickly and pat dry.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, shallots, garlic, pinch of salt, and eggplant and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the pine nuts, raisins, red wine vinegar, and sugar. Stir to combine.

EGGPLANT RELISH

Steps:

• Prehaet oven to 375°F.
• In a nonreactive saucepan, combine raisins and vinegar. Bring to boiling; remove from heat, cover; set aside.
• With tip of knife, pierce eggplant in 5 or 6 places. Place on foil-lined baking pan. Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until eggplant is soft to touch and collapsing. Remove from oven; cool in baking sheet. When cool enough to handle, chop eggplant; set aside.
• Cook onion and pepper in hot oil 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in jalapeno, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook and stir 3 minutes. Stir in raisin-vinegar mixture, eggplant, tomato and honey. Bring to simmer and cook 5 minutes; cool.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• To serve, let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Stir in parsley.
• Serve with toasted baguetes slices.