Sicilian Eggplant Caviar Food

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush eggplant with olive oil and roast eggplants at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until soft.
• Saute the garlic and shallots in 2 ounces olive oil over low heat until they are translucent and aromatic.
• After the eggplant has cooled, remove the pulp from the skins, and place in a food processor and process until smooth.
• Place mixture in a bowl and add remaining ingredients along with garlic and shallots. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve with pita wedges

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Roast eggplants: Using a wooden skewer, pierce eggplants all over. Turn two gas burners or a gas grill to high flame; place one eggplant on each. Cook, turning with tongs as each side blackens and softens, until skins are completely black and flesh is falling-apart tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from flame; transfer to a nonreactive baking dish. Place one end of dish on a slant so that the juices can run from the eggplants. When cool enough to handle, peel away all blackened skin.
• Place eggplant flesh in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until pureed. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the onion, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature with pita or rye bread.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA (SICILIAN VERSION)

Steps:

• Toss eggplant with salt and place in a colander set over a bowl. Let sit, about 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is soft and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet. Add eggplant and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in celery mixture, tomatoes, olives, capers, tomato paste, and oregano. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until caponata is thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Season caponata with vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley.

SICILIAN EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prick eggplants all over with a fork, then place on a sheet pan. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Cut eggplants in half lengthwise, and scoop out meat into a saucepan. Simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated and eggplant is dry, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper, and saute one minute. Add anchovies and olives, and saute another minute, stirring continuously. Add tomatoes, and cook a minute more. Add eggplant, and cook two minutes. Add cheese, croutons and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in mint and parsley until well combined. Serve immediately.

CAPONATINA SICILIANA (EGGPLANT, OLIVE, AND CELERY APPETIZER)

Steps:

• Trim the eggplants, cut them into 1-inch cubes, and transfer them to a colander. Sprinkle with salt and let them stand for 30 minutes. Rinse, drain well, and pat dry. In a bowl, combine the black olives, green olives, and capers. Cover with warm water and let them plump for 20 minutes. Drain well. In a saucepan of boiling water, blanch the celery for 1 to 2 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and pat dry. In a large skillet set over moderately high heat, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil until hot. Add the eggplant in small batches and cook it, stirring occasionally and adding 3 to 4 tablespoons of water to prevent sticking, until just tender and golden brown. Transfer the fried eggplant to a bowl and, adding oil and water as needed, fry the remaining eggplant. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and heat until hot over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, just until tender. Add the tomato sauce, 2 cups of water, the reserved eggplant, olives, capers, celery, and salt and pepper. Simmer the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and vinegar, stirring until dissolved. Add the sugar mixture to the eggplant mixture and stir to combine. Transfer the caponatina to a bowl, let it cool to room temperature, and chill it, covered, for 1 to 2 days to allow the flavors to blend.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Cut in half lengthwise: 2 medium eggplants.
• Sprinkle the cut surfaces with: Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper, Olive oil.
• Place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast until soft. Test for doneness at the stem end; the eggplant should be very soft. Remove from the oven and let cool. Scrape the flesh out of the skins into a bowl and stir vigorously to loosen into a purée.
• Add: 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper, 1 garlic clove, peeled and pounded to a purée, 2 to 4 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro.
• Mix well and taste, adding more salt and lemon as needed.
• Variations
• Use 2 tablespoons chopped mint in place of parsley or cilantro.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed toasted coriander seeds. To toast, heat whole coriander seeds in a heavy pan over medium heat until slightly brown. Crush in a mortar and pestle or under a heavy pan.
• Add a pinch or two of dried chile flakes.
• For a smoky flavor, keep one eggplant whole and char it over hot coals or the open flame of a burner until tender. Cut in half, scrape out the flesh, and combine with the other ingredients.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR, WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Cook the eggplant in the oven or over a flame as described above. Set aside to cool.
• When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, scrape the pulp from the skin and mash it to a puree. Mix it with the garlic, onion, lemon and 2 to 3 tablespoons yogurt depending on the consistency you would like the mixture. Add the olive oil and sesame seeds. Refrigerate until a half hour before serving.

SICILIAN DEEP DISH EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PIZZA

Steps:

• Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water in a bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
• Lightly spoon 2 3/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife.
• Add flour, oil and salt to yeast mixture, stirring to form a soft dough.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).
• Add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
• Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
• Punch dough down; divide dough in half.
• Roll each half of dough into a 11 inch circle on a lightly floured surface.
• Place the prepared pizza dough into 2 9-inch cake pans that are lightly greased and sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Press dough up the sides of the pan.
• Cover and let rise until puffy-- about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Combine eggplant and next 3 ingredients.
• Place eggplant mixture on a jelly roll pan, spreading evenly.
• Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, or until tender.
• Remove eggplant from oven and increase oven temperature to 400°F.
• Combine eggplant mixture, artichokes and next 6 ingredients, dividing it equally between the pizza crusts.
• Top with cheese.
• Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes or until crusts are lightly browned.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR FOR POTATO BLINI

Steps:

• Halve eggplant lengthwise; score the flesh side of both halves, making a crisscross pattern about 1/4 inch deep. Sprinkle both halves with salt and place scored-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with a second baking sheet and place a heavy object (such as cans or a set of bowls) on top. Let eggplant render its excess liquid at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
• Rinse eggplant, pat dry, and rub with some olive oil. Place halves flesh side down on prepared baking sheet. Transfer to oven and roast until eggplant is very soft and skin is wrinkled, about 1 hour. There should be no resistance when tested with a knife. Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.
• Scoop out eggplant pulp and lightly chop. Place pulp in a double layer of cheesecloth and tie to enclose with kitchen twine, leaving about 6 inches on the end. Hang bundle from a shelf in the refrigerator with a bowl set underneath or place in a colander set over a bowl and refrigerate; let drain at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Remove eggplant from refrigerator and hold cheesecloth bundle over sink; twist and squeeze to remove as much additional liquid as possible. Transfer pulp to the bowl of a small food processor; pulse a few times to break up eggplant. With the motor running, slowly add 2 tablespoons olive oil through the feed tube; continue processing until the color and texture begin to lighten, about 30 seconds.
• Turn the machine off and add garlic, mustard, and salt. With the motor running, slowly add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; continue processing 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Eggplant caviar may be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.