Mediterranean Eggplant Steaks Food

EASY GREEK-STYLE EGGPLANT RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place eggplant cubes in a colander over a large bowl or directly over your sink, and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 20 minutes or so to allow eggplant to "sweat out" any bitterness. Rinse with water and pat dry.
• In a large braiser, heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions, peppers, and chopped carrot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, then add garlic, bay leaf, spices, and a dash of salt. Cook another minute, stirring until fragrant.
• Now add eggplant, chopped tomato, chickpeas, and reserved chickpea liquid. Stir to combine.
• Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes or so. Stir often. Remove from stove top, cover and transfer to oven.
• Cook in oven for 45 minutes until eggplant is fully cooked through to very tender. (While eggplant is braising, be sure to check once or twice to see if more liquid is needed. If so, remove from oven briefly and stir in about 1/2 cup of water at a time.)
• When eggplant is ready, remove from oven and add a generous drizzle of Private Reserve EVOO, garnish with fresh herbs (parsley or mint). Serve hot or at room temperature with a side of Greek yogurt or even Tzatziki sauce and pita bread.

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT STEAKS AND ORZO SALAD WITH WALNUTS, OREGANO AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat grill pan to medium-high. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place a pot of water on stove to boil for pasta. Salt water and cook orzo to al dente.
• Brush the eggplant steaks lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and season liberally on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill 3 to 4 minutes for small eggplant and 4 to 6 minutes for large eggplant, turning occasionally, until the steaks begin to become tender but are not fully cooked.
• While eggplant cooks, defrost spinach in microwave on defrost setting, 7 to 8 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet and add roasted peppers and garlic. Squeeze the spinach dry and separate as you add it to the skillet. Season the spinach with salt and pepper and heat through. Stir in olives and remove from heat. Place the eggplants on baking sheets. Top each steak with a few forkfuls of spinach mixture. Spread a few rounded spoonfuls of hummus evenly across the steaks on top of the spinach, covering it completely in a thin layer. Toss the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and parsley. Divide the bread crumbs and scatter them over the steaks on top of the hummus. Bake to brown bread crumbs, 5 minutes or so.
• Toast walnuts while you cut up the tomatoes and place in a bowl. Cool nuts slightly, chop and add to tomatoes. Add the zest and juice of a lemon, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, feta and oregano. Drain pasta, toss with tomato mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve 2 steaks per person with orzo alongside.

FLANK STEAK WITH BALSAMIC ROASTED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Put a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 450˚ F. Combine the eggplant, red onion, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes in a large bowl and toss to coat. Spread out on the preheated pan and roast, tossing once, until browned around the edges and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar; toss gently.
• Meanwhile, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water and a pinch of salt in a food processor or mini chopper. Pulse until mostly smooth (it should be the consistency of a thick pesto; if it's too thick, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time). Adjust the seasoning, if needed.
• Season the steak all over with salt, pepper and the herbes de Provence. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the steak and cook until well browned, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 4 to 5 minutes for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board to rest 5 minutes.
• Toss the basil with the eggplant; season with salt, if needed. Divide among plates. Slice the steak, divide among the plates and top with the sun-dried tomato mixture.

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT STEAKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut eggplant lengthwise, 1 inch thick.
• Brush eggplant steak with extra virgin olive oil.
• Season with salt and pepper on each side.
• Grill 3-4 minutes for small eggplant or 4-6 minutes for large eggplant, turning occasionally, until tender.
• Defrost spinach in microwave, then squeeze dry when cooled.
• Heat 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in skillet.
• Add spinach and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and heat thoroughly.
• Place eggplants on a greased baking sheet.
• Top each steak with a thin layer of spinach mixture, then hummus.
• Toss breadcrumbs, parmesean cheese, and parsley flakes with 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
• Put breadcrumb mixture on top of steaks then bake til brown, about 5 minutes.

MEDITERRANEAN STEAK AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450˚ F. Put the potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave, turning the potatoes halfway through, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, thyme, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons water.
• Slice the potatoes and tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Gently toss together in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place in overlapping layers on top of the onion (it doesn't have to be neat). Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the potatoes are soft and the tomatoes are wrinkled and dry, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove to a cutting board and let rest, 5 minutes.
• Finely chop the olives and parsley; toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the vinegar, orange zest and a pinch of salt. Slice the steak against the grain and divide among plates; top with the olive-parsley relish and serve with the roasted vegetables.

EGGPLANT STEAKS WITH CHICKPEAS, FETA CHEESE AND BLACK OLIVES

Steps:

• To make the Balsamic Marinade: combine the first 5 ingredients, slowly adding the oil and stirring briskly to combine well. Set aside.
• Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Place a vegetable grilling rack on the grill. Or preheat the broiler.
• To make the Eggplant steaks: cut the eggplant lengthwise into four 1/2" slices to resemble steaks. Brush the steaks with the marinade.
• Grill or broil the eggplant for 2 minutes on each side, or until tender but not soft. Remove from the heat, and place 1 steak on each serving plate.
• Put the chickpeas, tomatoes, feta, olives and oregano in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir to combine well. Add some marinade, and stir again.
• Toast or grill the pita bread, cut into pie-shaped wedges and set aside.
• Spoon 1 or 2 scoops of the tomato-olive mixture onto each eggplant steak with some mixture pooling onto the plate. Sprinkle with vinegar, place several pita wedes on the plate, and serve.