Baked Sesame Eggplant Subs With Fire Roasted Tomato And Red Pepper Sauce Food

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATO SUBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a small pot, heat about 1/2 cup of the extra-virgin olive oil with the crushed garlic, rosemary sprigs, and red pepper flakes. Let the oil infuse over low heat for a couple minutes.
• Meanwhile, arrange cooling racks over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Trim the tops and bottoms of the eggplants and thinly slice the eggplants and the tomatoes. Brush the eggplant with seasoned oil, using a pastry brush, and arrange the slices on 1 of the racks. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on the other rack and season both the eggplant and tomatoes with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast until the eggplant is tender and slightly shriveled up, about 15 minutes.
• While the eggplant and tomatoes roast, add the basil, parsley, nuts, Parmigiano, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, stream in about 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil to form a thick pesto. Arrange about 1/2 cup of arugula leaves on each sub roll bottom. Top with layered slices of roasted eggplant, mozzarella, and roasted tomatoes. Spread some pesto on the roll tops and set in place. Cut the subs in half and serve.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• For the Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce:
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the red peppers and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Return the mixture back to the pot, add the parsley, basil and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes longer and season with honey, if needed.
• To dry out the bread crumbs:
• Preheat the oven to 300 degree F.
• Evenly spread the bread crumbs on a large baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, turn the oven off and let the bread crumbs sit in the oven for 30 minutes or until just dry.
• Raise the temperature of the oven up to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 15 by 10 by 2-inch baking dish and set aside.
• Place the bread crumbs into a large shallow bowl. Add the herbs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. In another medium shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and 2 tablespoons of water together.
• Season each eggplant slice on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour, tapping off excess, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the bread crumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the egg plant to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
• Heat 1/2-inch of oil in 2 large straight-sided saute pans over medium heat until the oil reaches a temperature of 385 degrees F. Working in small batches, fry a few of the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
• Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with some of the tomato sauce and arrange 1/2 of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with some of the sauce, grated mozzarella, fontina, Romano cheese and some of the basil. Repeat to make 3 layers ending with the sauce. Top with the fresh mozzarella and remaining Romano and bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

ROASTED EGGPLANT SALAD WITH SOY, SESAME AND CHARRED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pour the olive oil into a baking sheet and top with a single layer of eggplant slices. Turn to coat both sides with the oil and sprinkle liberally with salt. Place in the center of the oven and roast until completely tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and arrange in a single layer on a serving platter.
• Place the peppers directly on the burners of a gas range or grill and char on all sides, rotating with a pair of tongs. Remove from the heat and place them in the refrigerator to cool, 10 minutes. Use a paper towel to wipe off the charred skin. Remove the seeds and slice the pepper flesh into thin strips. Arrange over the top of the eggplant.
• Whisk together the soy, ginger, sesame oil, vinegar and garlic in a medium bowl. Taste for seasoning. Sprinkle the vinaigrette over the eggplant and peppers and top with the sesame seeds.

SUPER EGGPLANT SUBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Heat a small pan with extra-virgin olive oil and cracked garlic in it over medium low flame. Trim ends of eggplants and remove a sliver of the skin off of 1 side, so the eggplant sits flat for you to slice it. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange the eggplant on cookie sheets. When garlic sizzles in oil, using a pastry brush, brush both sides of sliced eggplant. Season eggplant with salt and pepper and roast in hot oven 15 minutes or until tender. Turn eggplant once.
• Take a couple of tablespoons of remaining extra-virgin olive oil and place in a second pan, a medium skillet, over medium high heat. To hot garlic oil, add remaining chopped garlic and red onions. Saute the red onions and garlic 2 to 3 minutes then add chopped fire roasted tomatoes and tomato sauce then season with salt and pepper. Lower heat and allow sauce to thicken.
• Remove eggplant from the oven. Get split sub rolls ready to fill, arranging the split rolls on a broiler pan. Preheat broiler to melt cheese on subs. Pile layers of cooked eggplant, roasted tomato sauce and torn basil into sub rolls, equally dividing ingredients. Top subs with grated cheese and smoked mozzarella cheese. Melt cheeses under the broiler. Serve subs hot.

SESAME EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Cut a Japanese eggplant (which is longer and more slender than the usual hulking kind) into small cubes and steam until tender. Dress with sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, the juice of half a lemon and salt to taste.

SPICY SESAME EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat broiler. Slice eggplant into 3/4-inch-thick rounds; cut each round into 3/4-inch-wide strips. Transfer to a broiler-proof rimmed baking sheet; toss with coarse salt and ground pepper.
• In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients; drizzle over eggplant, and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer.
• Broil, tossing once, until eggplant is browned and tender, about 15 minutes.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant in pieces a half an inch thick. If using the large purple variety, sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for one hour. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Meanwhile, make the red pepper sauce. Soften the onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the garlic, tomatoes, peppers, garlic and herb bouquet. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and cook slowly for about 20 minutes, or until the peppers are soft. Remove the herb bouquet and puree the peppers in a food processor until smooth. Cool to room temperature and correct seasoning.
• Preheat coals. Brush the eggplant slices with remaining olive oil and grill until charred. Arrange on a long serving dish in one or two rows, season with pepper to taste and pour the sauce along the middle of the slices. Sprinkle with basil and serve.