Potato Stuffed Oval Eggplant Food

ROASTED BABY POTATOES WITH EGGPLANT CAVIAR AND CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a cooling rack into a baking sheet.
• Halve the eggplant lengthwise and score the flesh by making three long cuts down the middle and sides, making sure not to pierce the skin. Salt the eggplant and then place it
• cut-side down on the prepared cooling rack for 30 minutes to release moisture.
• Turn the eggplant over and remove the cooling rack. Using paper towels, dry the eggplant and the baking sheet of any moisture. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes and place back on the baking sheet. Scatter the garlic cloves among the eggplant. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with the smoked paprika and some salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast until the eggplant is completely soft and browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
• Lightly oil a baking sheet. Toss the potatoes in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Place the potatoes cut-side down on the oiled baking sheet and roast until tender, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Scrape the cooled eggplant into the bowl of a food processor and squeeze the roasted garlic out of its peels into the food processor. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, mint and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and puree until smooth. Add the shallot and tomato and pulse to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• To serve, scoop out a cavity in each potato half with a paring knife or small spoon. Fill with the "eggplant caviar" and top with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds.

POTATO-STUFFED EGGPLANTS WITH INDIAN SPICES

Steps:

• Cut eggplant in half longitudinally.
• Place cut side up in microwave and cook on high 5mins or just until soft enough that you can scoop out the pulp leaving a firm shell. Reserve these shells.
• Heat one tablespoon oil and add cumin seeds. Just as they crackle, add ginger, chilis cumin and coriander powders.
• Stir in the potatoes, tomato and salt; cover and cook about 5mins over medium heat.
• Mix in the mashed eggplant, reduce heat and let cook until the potatoes are completely soft.
• Take the eggplant shells and fill each half with this potato-pulp mixture.
• In a small bowl make a paste of the flour and water. Spread this paste in a layer over the potatoes, ensuring the top and sides of the stuffing are completely covered.
• Sprinkle the chopped cilanto over the paste.
• Heat remaining oil in a large skillet, and pan-fry the eggplant in it, stuffing side down. The flour paste will form a shell on it as it fries.
• Turn over and fry the skin side too, until it crisps up.

STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Scoop out the flesh of the eggplant, chop, and reserve. Season shells with salt and pepper, and coat with some olive oil; set aside.
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Saute sausage and garlic until sausage is evenly brown. Stir in the reserved chopped eggplant. Season with parsley, salt and pepper. Pour in wine, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. If mixture is dry, stir in more olive oil. Stuff mixture into eggplant shells, and sprinkle top with remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until eggplant is tender.

VEGGIE-STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Cut eggplant in half lengthwise; remove pulp, leaving a 1/4-in.-thick shell. Cube pulp; set shells and pulp aside., In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion and garlic until onion is tender. Add the mushrooms, zucchini, red pepper and eggplant pulp; saute for 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the tomatoes, wheat germ, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute. , Divide mixture evenly between the eggplant shells; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until shells are tender.

MASHED FIRE-ROASTED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• 1. Flame-char or roast the eggplants, then peel and mash, as per INFORMATION AND SPECIAL TECHNIQUES: __Roasting and Grilling Vegetables, Eggplant.2. Heat the oil in a large wok or saucepan over medium-high heat, add the green chili peppers and onion, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup cilantro and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.3. Mix in the eggplant pulp and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup chopped cilantro during the last 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, dig out the chili peppers and place on top as a garnish (and a warning), and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

POTATO-STUFFED OVAL EGGPLANT

Steps:

• 1. Place the eggplant halves, cut side up, in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook on high 5 minutes, or until quite soft. Let cool and lightly scrape out the pulp, leaving behind a 1/4 inch of flesh along the inside of the shell. In a separate bowl, mash the pulp.2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small nonstick wok or skillet and add the cumin seeds they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the ginger, coriander, and ground cumin, then mix in the potatoes, tomato, cilantro, green chili peppers, and salt. Cover the pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add the mashed eggplant, reduce the heat to low and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the flour and water to make a paste. Fill each eggplant half with the potato mixture and spread a layer of flour paste over the potatoes, making sure the top and sides are well covered by the paste. (For color contrast and visual presentation, this paste should encase only the potatoes inside the eggplants. The paste forms a shell, ensuring that the potatoes remain contained inside the eggplants when we pan-fry them.) Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro on top of the paste.4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and place the eggplants in it, stuffing side down. Pan-fry, watching carefully and reducing the heat, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over and pan-fry the skin side until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve whole, or make 1-inch cuts all the way through the eggplant shell before serving.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.