Tomato And Eggplant Tian Food

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.

TOMATO AND EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a medium (10 to 11-inch) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the eggplant and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Add a little more olive oil if the eggplant is sticking.
• Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot, add the onions and fennel, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, stirring often. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, fennel seeds, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Pour the can of whole tomatoes, including the liquid, into a food processor and pulse until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes and the liquid to the pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

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.

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.)

ROASTED EGGPLANTS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with foil. Cut cross-hatch marks over the cut side of the eggplants. Arrange the eggplants and the Roma tomatoes cut side up on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Whisk 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 teaspoons of garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of oregano in a small bowl to blend. Stir in the diced tomatoes. Season with salt. Spoon the oil mixture over the eggplants. Sprinkle the eggplants with salt and pepper.
• Stir the bread crumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 teaspoons of garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of oregano in another small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the Roma tomatoes.
• Bake until the vegetables are tender and the bread crumb topping is brown, about 30 minutes.

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.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATO STACKS

Steps:

• In a large bowl toss the eggplant slices with 1/4 cup kosher salt. Using your fingertips, evenly distribute the salt on both sides of each slice. Place the eggplant in a colander set over a large bowl or sheet pan to catch juices. Set aside for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with heavy-duty foil.
• Rinse the eggplant under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
• Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on one baking sheet. Brush olive oil on 1 side. Brush with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
• Drizzle the other pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the minced garlic.
• Roast the tomatoe slices until they are very soft and just beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes, without turning. Bake the eggplant slices until they are tender and well browned, 20 to 30 minutes, without turning. Let the tomato and eggplant slices cool until you can handle them with your fingers.
• Make a short stack starting with eggplant on the bottom, 1 slice mozzarella, and then tomato. Top with another piece of eggplant. Warm stacks in the oven until mozzarella lightly melts. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

LEG OF ROASTED LAMB ON POTATO, EGGPLANT, AND TOMATO TIAN

Steps:

• Toss half of tomato slices with onions, eggplant, garlic, oregano, potatoes, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Transfer to an oiled shallow 3-quart casserole, spreading evenly. Arrange remaining tomato slices on top. Roast, uncovered, in middle of oven 30 minutes.
• Prepare lamb:
• Trim lamb of all but a 1/4-inch layer of fat. Cut small slits all over lamb with a sharp small knife and put a slice of garlic into each slit. Rub lamb with some lemon juice and season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
• After tian has been roasting 30 minutes, put lamb on top of vegetables. Roast in middle of oven 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F.
• Continue roasting, basting meat with cooking juices (baste with remaining lemon juice during last 30 minutes of roasting) until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat (do not touch bone) registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer meat to a cutting board, cover tian with foil, and let meat stand 15 minutes before carving. Spoon off any excess fat from tian and discard. Serve tian with lamb.