Tomato And Eggplant Tian Food

EGGPLANT AND TOMATO TIAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant slices, season with salt and cook until golden on both sides.
• Remove to a plate and repeat with the onion slices.
• Rub a baking dish with the garlic halves, then discard.
• In the baking dish, layer the eggplant, onions, and tomato slices, alternating the vegetables in rows with slices overlapping.
• Drizzle a little more olive oil on top.
• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until heated through and the tomatoes are soft but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the baking dish and set the oven to broil.
• Remove foil and sprinkle the tomatoes with the shredded cheese. Broil to melt and brown the cheese, about 2 minutes.

VEGETABLE TIAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.
• Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm.

TIAN

Steps:

• In a pot, boil 2 inches of water for blanching tomatoes. Place an 8- or 9-inch cast-iron skillet on a burner over low heat, and add butter to melt.
• Peel the potatoes, and slice on a Japanese mandoline into 1/4-inch-thick disks, then arrange in a single layer circle covering the bottom of the cast-iron skillet with its melted butter, keeping the skillet on the burner and leaving the heat on while you start to build the tian.
• Add a second layer of potato slices, and season with salt and pepper, add a drizzle of olive oil and cover with a lid to slightly steam while you slice the yellow onion.
• Peel the onion, then slice into even 1/4-inch or thinner rounds. The Japanese mandoline is sometimes too narrow to use for this, so you may have to use a sharp knife and do it manually.
• Layer abundantly half the onion rings evenly around the pan on top of the steamed potatoes, season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil, and recover the pan with a lid while you slice the zucchini.
• Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and layer half of them in concentric, just-overlapping shingled circles over the onions to create a neat layer. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with oil and recover with the lid while you blanch the tomatoes.
• Season the now-boiling water with a few good pinches of salt, and drop the tomatoes into the boiling water. As soon as their skins split - about 30 seconds - retrieve the tomatoes and run under cold water to quickly cool enough to handle; set aside.
• Build another ring of potato around the tian on top of the now-steaming zucchini, this time just a single layer. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and recover with the lid to steam a bit while you slip the skins off the tomatoes.
• Layer the other half of the onions as before, season and drizzle and replace the lid as before, while you split the tomatoes in half horizontally with a small sharp knife.
• Add final layer of zucchini to the tian, and season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Cover, and let steam while you heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Place the tomatoes around the top of the tian evenly, and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top evenly. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. (If your skillet threatens to bubble over, slip a sheet pan underneath to prevent any burned wreckage in the bottom of your oven.)
• With a spoon, baste, and drizzle the pan juices that accumulate in the tian over the top when you remove it from the oven at the end. Allow the tian to cool, settle and kind of meld for an hour before eating.

SQUASH, EGGPLANT AND TOMATO TIAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Halve one peeled garlic clove and rub the bottom of a large baking dish with the cut side of the garlic. Coat the bottom of the dish with 2 tablespoons oil.
• Arrange vegetables in the dish, alternating them and overlapping them. Season with salt and pepper as you layer the vegetables. Scatter thyme on top and drizzle with remaining oil to coat generously. Add remaining garlic cloves, sliced, evenly over the top.
• Bake 25 minutes, then baste vegetables with the oil. Continue baking until tender and browned in places, about 25 minutes more. Serve warm.

EGGPLANT TIAN

Steps:

• Arrange one layer of eggplant on a tray or baking sheet lined with paper towels and sprinkle with some kosher salt. Turn eggplant over and salt other side. Cover eggplant with a layer of paper towels and top with another layer of eggplant, sprinkling with some kosher salt. Repeat layering with paper towels and remaining eggplant and kosher salt and let stand about 20 minutes. (Paper towels will absorb liquid from eggplant.) Preheat broiler.
• On an oiled baking sheet arrange one layer of eggplant and broil about 3 inches from heat until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Using tongs or a spatula, turn eggplant over and broil until pale golden and tender, about 2 minutes more. Transfer cooked eggplant to a platter and broil remaining eggplant in same manner.
• In a large non-stick skillet cook onion in 1 tablespoon oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until soft and pale golden, and transfer to a bowl. Add spinach to skillet and sauté over moderately high heat, tossing and turning with tongs, until wilted. Season spinach with salt and pepper and stir into onion.
• In a blender, pureé basil, garlic, and 6 tablespoons oil until smooth. Season basil mixture with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. and generously brush a 10-by-3 inch round cake pan with some oil. Line side and bottom of pan with a layer of eggplant. Brush eggplant with some basil mixture and spread some spinach mixture evenly over eggplant. Layer some tomato slices over spinach mixture and brush with some basil mixture. Repeat layering with remaining eggplant, basil mixture, spinach mixture, and tomatoes in same manner, ending with a layer of tomatoes.
• Bake eggplant tian in middle of oven 20 minutes. Cool tian in pan on a rack 1 hour and invert onto a shallow serving dish. (Some liquid will drain from the tian.)

FRENCH TIAN D' AUBERGINES - GRATIN OF AUBERGINES/EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 F/230 C or Gas Mark 8.
• Lightly grease the Tian or an oven proof dish with olive oil.
• Cook the aubergine slices in hot olive oil, turning as necessary until they are golden brown on both sides & well cooked through. Drain them well on absorbent paper & allow to cool before assembling the Tian.
• Cheese Custard: Beat together the cottage cheese, grated Italian cheese, eggs & crème fraiche. Season with salt & black pepper to taste.
• Mix the tinned tomatoes with the passata & add the grated or finely chopped garlic.
• Now you can start to assemble the Tian - start with a little of the tomato sauce & then some aubergine slices; tear the basil leaves into small pieces & scatter over with basil flowers if available. Keep layering the dish with the tomato sauce & aubergines & fresh basil until all the ingredients have been used.
• Pour over the cheese custard & decorate with the freshly sliced tomatoes. Bake in the oven for 35 - 45 minutes until golden brown & bubbling. Allow to cool & serve in slices. Delicious with fresh green salad leaves & crusty bread.

TIAN PROVENCAL WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush a shallow 2-quart baking dish with oil. Bring milk and 2 1/2 cups water to a simmer in a medium pot. Whisk in polenta; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared dish, spreading in an even layer.
• Layer half of leek, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes over polenta. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Scatter with half of cheese. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients, omitting cheese.
• Bake 30 minutes. Press vegetables down with a spatula; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until vegetables are knife-tender and edges are caramelized, about 35 minutes more. (If cheese is darkening too quickly, tent with foil.) Let cool slightly before serving.