Eggplant Soufflé With Cilantro Sauce Food

HERBED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; butter or oil a 1-1/2 quart baking casserole or souffle pan.
• Over medium heat in a large skillet (with a cover) or round French oven (my Le Creuset works wonderfully well), melt butter and oil together, then add the onion, celery, and garlic and saute over low heat until the onion is translucent.
• Sprinkle in the flour and stir well until incorporated.
• Add the basil, oregano, and thyme and saute, stirring, until flour begins to brown.
• Add the milk and the diced eggplant.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, until the eggplant is very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes; check the mixture every 5 minutes or so and stir, adding water or broth to keep the bottom of the skillet moist.
• Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl; allow to cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and 4 egg yolks and stir well to coat.
• Add yolk mixture to the eggplant mixture and stir well; set aside.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the eggplant mixture.
• Pour soufflé mixture into the buttered casserole or soufflé pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until it is a nice golden brown and is puffy.
• Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes, then serve immediately.

SPICY ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH TOMATOES AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil rimmed baking sheet; place eggplant halves, cut side down, on sheet. Roast eggplant until flesh is soft, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. Using spoon, scoop pulp from eggplant halves into medium bowl; mash. Discard skins.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add ginger and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and next 4 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes to blend flavors. Add eggplant and stir until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.)

TWICE-COOKED EGGPLANT WITH CILANTRO-SESAME PESTO

Steps:

• 1. To roast the eggplant: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• 2. Toss the eggplant with the oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spread on an 18-by-13-inch half-sheet pan. Roast, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely. (The eggplant can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours.)
• 3. To make the pesto: With the machine running, drop the garlic through the feed tube of a processor to mince it. Add the cilantro, lemon juice, sesame oil, and sesame seeds and process until pureed. With the machine running, pour the olive oil through the feed tube to make a smooth sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The pesto can be covered tightly and stored at room temperature for up
• to 4 hours.)
• 4. To make the mayonnaise: Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside for up to 1 hour.
• 5. To finish the eggplant: Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add the oil and swirl the wok to coat the sides. Add the eggplant and spread it out in a single layer. Let cook until the underside is seared, about 1 minute. Stir-fry until hot, about 1 minute more. Remove the wok from the heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the pesto, the pine nuts, the cilantro leaves, and the sesame seeds. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with the mayonnaise, and serve hot, with the remaining pesto passed on the side. (Leftover pesto is delicious stirred into plain steamed rice or used to flavor vinaigrette.)

RED PEPPER AND EGGPLANT SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter well and chill 8 1 1/4-cup souffle dishes.
• Place eggplants on baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes, or until soft. Meanwhile, roast red peppers by placing them atop an ignited gas burner, turning often until skin blackens; if you do not have gas burner this can be done under electric broiler.
• Scoop flesh and seeds from the eggplant when it has cooled slightly and place it in colander. Wash blackened skin off peppers, then core and seed. Set aside.
• Place eggplants and peppers in food processor or blender. Add ricotta, cumin, jalapeno peppers, coriander, salt and pepper. Puree well. Taste for seasoning and transfer to bowl.
• Add yolks to mixture and combine well with wire whisk. In another bowl whisk whites until they form soft peaks. Fold 1/4 of whites into mixture, then remainder. Do not overwork. Taste for seasoning.
• Place souffle dishes on baking sheet and fill to rim with mixture. Before placing in oven run thumb around rim of each to remove any overflow, which could cling and prevent souffle from rising fully. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.

CUMIN-SCENTED EGGPLANT WITH POMEGRANATE AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Stir 5 cups water and 2 1/2 tablespoons sea salt in large bowl to dissolve salt. Add eggplant slices. Place plate on eggplant to submerge; let soak 1 hour. Drain eggplant; pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté eggplant until brown in spots and softened, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining eggplant, adding more oil by tablespoonfuls as needed; arrange eggplant in single layer on baking sheet.
• Mix cumin and cayenne. Sprinkle eggplant with cumin mixture. Roast until golden and cooked through, 30 minutes.
• Remove eggplant from oven; sprinkle with garlic. Arrange eggplant on platter and drizzle lightly with pomegranate molasses. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and cilantro over. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• *A thick pomegranate syrup; available at some supermarkets, at Middle Eastern markets, and from adrianascaravan.com.

EGGPLANT SOUFFLE

Steps:

• 1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
• 2. Peel & Cube Eggplant. Sauté in butter & a little water until tender. (I use enough water to keep from sticking and let it cook out.)
• 3. Mash eggplant & add onions.
• 4. Beat eggs with milk, salt, pepper & catsup, and then combine with eggplant & onions.
• 5. Toss flour and bread crumbs with cheese and add to other ingredients.
• 6. Pour in greased casserole, top with additional bread crumbs or French fried onions if desired.
• 7. Bake @ 350 for 45 minutes or until set.

EGGPLANT SOUFFLE AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Pare and cube the eggplant. Boil in salted water for 15 minutes. Drain well and mash.
• Add eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, and 3/4 cup cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Blend well and put in a greased casserole dish.
• Mix crackers and melted butter and sprinkle on top of casserole. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

BROILED EGGPLANT WITH CILANTRO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Halve eggplants lengthwise. Brush cut sides with 1/4 cup oil and season with salt. Arrange as many eggplants, cut sides up, as will fit in 1 layer on rack of a broiler pan and broil 2 to 3 inches from heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn oven setting to 450°F. and move pan to middle of oven. Roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 12 minutes. Repeat with remaining eggplants.
• Blend remaining 1 1/2 cups oil and remaining ingredients in a blender until emulsified.
• Serve eggplants at room temperature, drizzled with vinaigrette.
• To make 6 servings: Follow the directions above using the following ingredient amounts:
• 6 small (4-oz.) eggplants
• 8 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice