Berenjena A La Veracruzana Mexican Eggplant In Sauce Food

BERENJENA A LA VERACRUZANA - MEXICAN EGGPLANT IN SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the peel from the eggplant and cut into approximate 1/2 to 3/4 inch strips. Add them a handful at a time to a colander, salting them well between layers, until all of them are in the colander. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow them to "sweat" their bitterness out and lose liquid.
• While the eggplant is in the colander, make the sauce. In a large, heavy pot (I use my Le Creuset), heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until just translucent. Add the garlic and chiles, stir well, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for an additional 7-10 minutes until onion is soft.
• Add the tomatoes and stir well. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes and the liquids are reduced by about half.
• Rinse the salted eggplant and drain well.
• Add all the remaining ingredients (including eggplant) to the pot, stir well, and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes until eggplant is well-cooked and the sauce is the consistency that you like (you may want to remove the cover for the last 5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit). Remove bay leaves.
• Serve with polenta rounds or squares (or some other favorite method of prepared polenta), drizzled with a little crema. Enjoy!

RED SNAPPER VERACRUZANA (HUACHINANGO A LA VERACRUZANA)

Steps:

• To Prepare the Sauce:.
• Heat oil in saucepan. Brown 3 garlic cloves and discard. Mince remaining garlic.
• Brown garlic and onion in oil. Add tomatoes, olives, capers, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, marjoram, salt, pepper and chilies.
• Simmer 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Sauce will be thick. Remove from heat and set aside. Use as directed.
• To Prepare the Fish:.
• In blender or food processor, blend lime juice, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, oil, salt and pepper to make a marinade. Place fish in large baking dish and pour marinade over it. Cover and marinate about 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove fillets from marinade and place in another large baking dish. Bake until fish is done, about 15 minutes, basting with some of the tomato sauce occasionally. Do not overcook.
• To serve, place fillets on a platter and cover with remaining sauce, which has been warmed. Any extra sauce can be served on the side, accompanied with white rice.

CHEESY AUBERGINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450.
• Spray baking sheet with oil and place eggplant slices on it in a single layer. Spray the tops of the eggplant with oil. Bake until soft when pressed about 15-25 minutes.
• Meanwhile , in a small pot, combine tomato sauce, chiles, onions, cumin, garlic powder and olives. Bring to a simmer, then simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
• Turn oven down to 350 when eggplant is done.
• Arrange half the eggplant slices in a single layer over the bottom of a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Spoon half the sauce over eggplant and sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat layers ending with cheese.
• Bake at 350 until heated through and bubbly (about 30 minutes).
• Top with sour cream if desired.

SNAPPER A LA VERACRUZANA

Steps:

• ONIONS:.
• In large sautépan, heat oil and butter or margarine, over medium-high heat; brown the onions, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
• Add raisins and sugar and cook another 2 minutes.
• Add vinegar, salt, pepper, & red pepper flakes, if adding, simmering until almost no liquid remains.
• SNAPPER FILLETS:.
• Rub fillets with salt and pepper and use 1/4 teaspoon cumin.
• In large skillet, heat olive oil, adding fillets and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer to serving plates or platter.
• Add garlic to pan and sauté for 1 minute.
• Stir in onions, reserving 1/2 cup for the bread, along with olives, capers, tomatoes, raisins, sherry and vinegar, stirring constantly until some of liquid evaporates.
• Add herbs. stock and remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin and continue cooking until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce heat, gradually, adding butter or margarine and adjusting the seasoning.
• Spoon over snapper and top with toasted bread and reserved onions.
• Serve with fresh asparagus. Yummy!

BERENJENAS EN ESCABECHE - MARINATED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Trim the ends off the eggplant.
• Cut in in half lengthwise, and then lay it flat side down and cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices.
• Put the slices layer upon layer in a roasting pan.
• Salt each layer with coarse salt and let sit for 2 hours. (The salt draws out the bitterness and moisture from the eggplant.)
• After two hours, drain and rinse the eggplant.
• Put the eggplant, the vinegar and the water in a stock pot and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat to a simmer and cook the eggplant until it takes on a translucent look, about 35 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
• When the eggplant has cooked through, drain off half of the vinegar/water and put the rest, along with the eggplant, in the bowl with the oil mixture. Mix well.
• Refrigerate until cold.