Vegetables: GRATIN D'AUBERGINES by Recipe Cottage

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	GRATIN D'AUBERGINES

		(Eggplant Custard Gratin) 3 elongated eggplants about 1-1/2 lb total weight, cut lengthwise into slices 1/2 inch thick. salt olive oil as needed 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 lb tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped 1/4 lb grousse or ricotta cheese 2 eggs 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup heavy whipping (double) cream freshly ground pepper fresh basil leaves Sprinkle the eggplant slices on both sides with salt, spread them out on a tray and leave for 30 minutes. Sponge dry with paper towels. In a large frying pan, pour in olive oil to a depth of 1/4 inch and place over medium heat. Fry the eggplant slices, in batches, in the hot oil until golden and tender at the stem ends, turning once, about 10 minutes. Add more oil to the pan as needed. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off any oil. Preheat an oven to 450=B0 . In the same frying pan, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and cook gently until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes and salt to taste and increase the heat to high. Toss until the moisture from the tomatoes evaporates, about 15 minutes. Set aside. In a mixing bowl break up the ricotta cheese and the eggs with a whisk. Add half of he grated cheese, cream, and salt and pepper to taste and whisk to the consistency of a pourable cream. Line a 6 cup gratin dish with about half of the eggplant slices in a single layer, pressing them in place. Grind over some pepper. Tear basil leaves into fragments and scatter over the eggplant. Sprinkle lightly with half of the remaining grated cheese and then spread over the tomato mixture. Arrange the remaining eggplant slices on top in a single layer, pressing the firmly in place. If there are a few extra slices, press them on top. Pour over the cheese-egg mixture and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. Place in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350=B0. Bake until the custard surface is swelled and golden with no depression in the middle, about 30 minutes. Serve hot. - - - - GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE (Easy to make and may be prepared ahead of time.) 1 pound goat cheese 1 teaspoon ground oregano 1 teaspoon minced garlic salt and pepper 2 medium sized eggplants olive oil 24 basil leaves, about cream goat cheese, oregano, garlic and salt and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator about 20 minutes before assembling. Cut eggplants horizontally into slices 1/2 inch thick, about 12 slices per eggplant. Purge eggplant by standing 1 layer of slices upright against inside of colander and sprinkle with salt. Repeat procedure until all eggplant is salted. Place deep dish under colander to collect drippings and let eggplant steep about 30 minutes. Before cooking, rinse and pat each slice dry with paper towels. Brush slices with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Grill eggplant over extremely high heat, approximately 2 minutes on each side, or until translucent. Remove eggplant from grill. Place 1 basil leaf on eggplant slice. Spoon or pipe goat cheese mixture onto slice and fold into cone shape. Repeat procedure until all eggplant is gone. Serve at room temperature. Makes 8 servings. 220 calories 246 mg sodium 2 mg cholesterol 19 grams fat 3 grams carbohydrates 11 grams protein 0.26 gram fiber - - - - GRILLED EGGPLANT SALAD WITH ONION AND CUCUMBER 2 small (1 lb) eggplants, cut into 3/4 inch thick slices 1 medium (1 lb) European Cucumber, thinly sliced 1 small (1/2 lb) red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup cider vinegar 2 Tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt In a bowl, cover cucumber and onion slices with ice water. Quickly squeeze slices to bruise lightly, then cover and chill 30 minutes to an hour. Drain. In a bowl, mix the cucumber, onion, vinegar, sugar and salt. Cover and chill up to 4 hours. Brush eggplant slices lightly with olive oil and grill them on a hot barbecue. Cover barbecue, open vents, and cook until slices are well browned (be careful not to burn them) and soft when pressed, 10 - 15 minutes. Turn slices and grill other side. Spread chilled cucumber and onion mixture on serving platter and top with warm grilled eggplant slices, cut into quarters. ------ Oven Fried Eggplant 6 Tablespoons all purpose flour 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ 3 Tablespoons sesame seeds 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 large egg whites 1 Tablespoon water 1 Large eggplant (1 pound) peeled, and sliced 1/4 inch thick 2 Tablespoons olive oil 4 lemon wedges 1. Preheat the oven to 450=B0. Lightly grease a baking sheet. On a large plate, combine the flour, wheat germ, sesame seeds, and salt. In a shallow bowl, stir together the egg whites and water. Dip the eggplant slices first in the egg white mixture, then in the flour mixture to coat. Arrange on the baking sheet; drizzle each slice with the oil and bake for 10 minutes. 2. Lower the oven temperature to 400=B0 and bake 10 minutes longer. Turn the eggplant slices over and bake another 10 minutes or until crisp, golden and tender. Serve with lemon wedges if desired. Serves 4. - - - - Eggplant and Tomato Hors-d'Oeuvre Aubergine a la Turke (Eggplant, tomatoes, onions, peppercorns, olive oil) A la turque here means a general mediterranean style. Eggplant is often served this way in the south of France. Peel an eggplant and slice it rather thinly. Salt the pieces, pile them together and let them stand under pressure for 1/2 hour, and drain off the liquid. Peel and slice 6 large ripe tomatoes and 3 or 4 onions. In the bottom of a shallow baking dish arrange a layer of onion slices, put a layer of eggplant over the onions, then a layer of tomato over the eggplant. Sprinkle in a few whole peppercorns and a little salt. Keep this up until you have used all of the vegetables, finishing off with a layer of tomato slices each neatly decorated with a round of onion. Fill all the corners and empty spaces with bits of tomato. =46ill the dish just to the top layer of tomato with olive oil, and bake it in a 250=B0 oven for 3 hours or more. Baste the juices over the top several times. Serve chilled. Notes: The recipe is dependent on the finest, freshest ingredients possible. Home grown tomatoes are best. Be sure to use a very flavorful grade of extra virgin olive oil, and the freshest Java peppercorns are best. Use enough olive oil to bake, and baste frequently. Do not overfill the dish with olive oil, or it will bubble over. The first time I baked this dish, it baked for 3 hours, the next time I had to let it go five hours. Depends a lot on your oven. Before chilling dish, it might be best to pour off some of the olive oil and save. It would be great to saute zucchini or other vegetables to use over pasta. 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