Italian Vegetable and Potato Stew

(recipe adapted from May All Be Fed: Diet For A New World by John Robbins)

1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, with leaves, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium boiling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 cup black olives, pitted and chopped

Place the eggplant in a colander and toss with 1 tsp. of the salt.  Let stand for 1 hour to draw out the bitter juices.  Rinse well, drain, and pat dry with kitchen towels.  (I didn't rinse or dry...)

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large pot.  Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic.  Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes with juice, vegetable stock, 1/2 tsp. salt, and the red pepper flakes;  if using dried basil, add it now.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the olives and, if using, the fresh basil, and continue cooking to blend the flavors, about 5 minutes.  Serve the stew hot.

(Very tasty and fairly simple to make.  The salting of the eggplant needs a bit of wait time.  The recipe called for pan frying the eggplant before adding to the dish, but I just threw it right in and the results were fine for me.)

Greek Eggplant Dip

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet)

2 lbs. eggplant (2 medium)
1/4 cup diced white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 Tbsp. minced fresh oregano leaves (I used 1 tsp. dried oregano)
3 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 baguette or crusty loaf of bread

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Do not peel the eggplants, but pierce them in several places with a fork.  Place the whole eggplants in an ovenproof glass dish.  Bake for 40-50 minutes, until very soft.  The skin may scorch slightly.  Remove the eggplants from the oven and set aside to cool.  When they are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise and scrape the pulp from the skin.

Place the eggplant pulp in a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop; do not puree.  Drain off any liquid that may separate from the pulp.  Add the onion, garlic, parsley, and oregano and pulse to combine.  With the machine running, add the lemon juice and olive oil.  Don't overprocess - the resulting mixture should be a thick, slightly chunky puree.  Transfer to a serving bowl and chill for several hours.

Serve with sliced or chunked bread (toasted if desired).

(This was a hit at the island Christmas party, 2018.)

Zucchini Eggplant Rolls

(recipe from Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine)

Eggplant slices:
1 large eggplant
Salt
Olive oil

Tomato sauce:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried)

White bean puree:
One 15-oz. can cannellini beans
1/4 cup pine nuts (I used walnuts)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, and basil are nice)

1 zucchini, cut into 3-inch matchsticks
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Rinse the eggplant.  Cut off the top and bottom ends, so that the eggplant can stand vertically on a cutting board.  With a long knife, cut it vertically into slices 1/4-inch thick.  The first and last slices will have too much skin for easy rolling, so those will not be needed.  Choose your best eight slices (I used all of my slices) and gently rub both sides with salt.  Place them in a colander in the sink and allow them to drip for 30 minutes.  This tenderizes the eggplant and removes its bitterness.

While the eggplant sits, prepare the tomato sauce.  Saute the garlic in olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, red pepper, salt, and black pepper.  Lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes, breaking tomatoes apart with the back of the spoon.  Stir in basil.  Simmer over very low heat while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Preheat the over to 350F and return to the eggplant slices.  Rinse them under the faucet and pat them dry.  Brush both sides with olive oil and place on a baking sheet.  Roast for 20 minutes, until the thinner parts of the slices are golden brown.

While the eggplant roasts, prepare the white bean puree.  Put all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until uniform and smooth.  (If you have any leftover, this puree also makes a great spread for crackers and tomato sandwiches.)

When the roasted eggplant slices are cool enough to handle, assemble the rolls.  Thinly spread about a tablespoon of white bean puree across a slice of eggplant, then lay 3-4 (or more if thin) zucchini matchsticks across one end.  Beginning at that end, roll the eggplant up and place it in a baking dish, seam down.  When all of the rolls are in place, spoon the tomato sauce over them and top with breadcrumbs.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden.  Serve with pasta, risotto, or polenta.

(A bit of an effort, but very delicious!  So flavorful!)

Eggplant Pasta Salad with Kalamata Olives

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler & Mindy Toomay)

2 small eggplants (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
7 green onions
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (I use coconut oil for cooking)
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried red chili flakes
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. mirin (or sherry)
1 lb. dried rigatoni
1/2 cup slivered kalamata olives
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Peel the eggplants and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick strips about 3 inches in length.  Trim all but about 2 inches of the tops from the green onions.  Cut in half lengthwise, then into 1-inch pieces.  [I just sliced the green onions on a diagonal.]

Heat 2 Tbsp. of the coconut oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and chili flakes and stir to distribute in the oil.  Add the eggplant, green onion and bell pepper; stir.  Sprinkle with the oregano and 1/4 tsp. of the salt.  Stir and saute over medium heat 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are tender and browning nicely.  Transfer to a large bowl.

Whisk together 1 Tbsp. olive oil, the lemon juice, vinegar, mirin, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt.  Pour this dressing over the eggplant mixture in the bowl, cover, and set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours so the flavors can blend.

Bring several quarts of water to a boil.  Cook the pasta until al dente.  Cool briefly in a bowl of cold water, drain very well, and toss with the eggplant mixture, olives, and parsley.

Baked Eggplant with Tomato Chutney

(recipe from Eat Up Slim Down 2010, Prevention Magazine)

1 medium eggplant
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided (I used coconut oil)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/4 cup pine nuts (I used walnuts)

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Coat a 13" x 9" baking dish with cooking spray.  Cut the eggplant into 1/2" slices and brush with 1 tsp. of the oil.  Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper; lay the slices in the baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the eggplant is tender.

Heat the remaining oil in a nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, stirring, until softened.  Add the vinegar and basil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the pine nuts.  Spoon over the eggplant and bake for 10 minutes.

Dalma (Lentil Stew with Coconut)

(recipe from Saveur magazine)

1 cup toor dal (yellow pigeon peas), rinsed, soaked (I used split yellow peas)
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 carrot, cut into 1"pieces
1 plum tomato, minced
1 small Japanese eggplant, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 small Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
2 1/2" piece ginger, peeled and mashed into a paste (I minced it)
1/2 small daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1" pieces (I used a watermelon radish)
salt, to taste
1 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut (I used dried unsweetened coconut)
3 Tbsp. sugar (I used less honey)
1 tsp. asafoetida (I used 1/2 tsp. minced garlic, 1/2 tsp. onion powder)
1/4 cup ghee (I used coconut oil)
1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 small green Thai chile or a Serrano, halved (I chopped finely)

Bring dal and 8 cups water to a boil in a 6-qt. saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium; stir in turmeric, carrot, tomato, eggplant, potatoes, ginger, daikon, and salt; cook until dal is mushy, about 45 minutes.  Stir in coconut, sugar, asafoetida; cook 15 minutes.  Melt ghee in a small skillet; cook cumin seeds and chile until seeds pop, 1-2 minutes; stir into stew.

Roasted Ratatouille Couscous

(recipe from The Washington Post)

Olive oil or non-stick cooking spray
1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb.), cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes
1 lb. zucchini, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch squares
2 medium onions, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch dice
2 tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch dice (I didn't seed my tomatoes)
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups uncooked couscous (I used brown rice)

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil or spray.

In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onions and tomatoes.  Add 1/3 cup of the oil and salt and pepper to taste and toss the vegetables to coat.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, keeping the vegetables in one layer.

Roast until tender and just beginning to brown, 60 to 70 minutes (or less - keep an eye on them), stirring every 15 minutes and turning the pan midway through to ensure even cooking.  Transfer to a large serving bowl and set aside.

Prepare the couscous (or rice) according to package directions.  Add the cooked couscous and the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil to the roasted vegetables and stir to combine.  Adjust the seasonings to taste.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Eggplant Spread

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 large eggplant
1/2 sliced green onion (I used three scallions)
1 cup peeled diced Roma or other meaty tomato (I used canned diced tomatoes)
3 Tbsp. chopped parsley
3/4 cup olive oil (optional - I did not oil the eggplant before baking)
3 Tbsp. wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Oil the skins of the eggplant and bake them on a baking sheet at 375F until tender, about 50 minutes.  Cut off the stems and discard the skin.

Chop the eggplant, onion, tomato, and parsley in a food processor or on a cutting board with a large knife.  Pulse or chop until the mixture is fine but not pureed; it should have some texture.  Stir in the vinegar, salt and pepper.  Chill until serving time and serve with crackers or crusty bread.

(I made this for the neighborhood get-together at Penny and Dick's next door, and everyone loved it.  Different than a typical babaganoush-type creamy dip: this one is lively and tangy and fresh due to the tomatoes and vinegar.)

"Health Starts Here" Spicy Vegetable and Potato Curry

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

1 small onion, chopped
2 serrano peppers (remove seeds for a milder curry), chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 small cinnamon stick
1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground turmeric
3/4 tsp. ground coriander
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 large tomatoes, chopped, or 2 cups canned diced tomatoes
1 small eggplant, diced
3/4 lb. yellow potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/4 tsp. salt, to taste
1/3 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

In a blender, combine onion, peppers, garlic and broth and blend until smooth.  Set aside.

Place a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and coriander; stir constantly until fragrant and then add broth mixture.  Simmer for 1 minute and then stir in coconut milk and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil and stir in eggplant, potatoes, and salt.  Lower heat, cover the skillet and simmer until potatoes and eggplant are tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in green beans, cover and cook until beans are tender, about 10 more minutes.  Remove and discard cinnamon stick.  Serve garnished with cilantro.

(As usual, this tasted better and better after a few days, when the flavors meshed.  I'm trying to eat only vegetables, no grains, so I basically ate this as is, though I'm sure it would be lovely served with rice or quinoa.  A hearty veggie dish, comforting.)

Melintzanosalata (Eggplant and Parsley Dip)

(recipe from Saveur magazine)

2 lbs. eggplant (about 2 large eggplants)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 green bell pepper, cored and roughly chopped
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper, to taste
toasted pita, for serving

Build a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to high.  Grill eggplants, turning, until charred and soft, 18-20 minutes.  [I just roasted the eggplants whole in the oven for about an hour.]  Let cool.  Peel eggplants; scoop out seeds.  Chop eggplants; drain in strainer for 30 minutes.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat.  Add peppers; cook for 10 minutes.  Add jalapenos and continue cooking until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to bowl of food processor along with reserved eggplant, remaining oil, parsley, vinegar, and garlic.  Process until slightly chunky.  Season with salt and pepper.  Chill to meld flavors.  Serve with pita.

(Tangy!  I did not strain my eggplant, which cut time, but my dip ended up a little too watery.  Also, since I just roasted in the oven instead of grilling, my dip may not have been as smoky as intended.  But I enjoyed this, nonetheless, eaten on rice crackers and tortilla chips, as I'm trying to avoid wheat.)

Ratatouille Barley Salad

(Recipe from 101 Cookbooks)

Serves 8.

1 cup pearled barley (can also use quinoa, farro, bulgar, rice, etc.)

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. agave nectar

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2" slices

about 3 zucchini, 1/2" coins

olive oil & lemon pepper for cooking

2 cups baby tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup finely chopped basil

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

salt, as needed

Rinse the barley.  Put it in a pot with about 3 cups of water.  Bring it to a boil then down to a simmer, add a few pinches of salt and cook for about 25-30 minutes until tender.  Drain any excess water and transfer the grains to a big mixing bowl.  Add the minced garlic and a pinch of salt while the grains are still hot, and stir.  Add the oil, vinegar, and agave and stir to coat.  Set aside.

Heat a hearty drizzle of olive oil in a cast iron pan over medium heat (you can alternatively grill the eggplant and zucchini).  Add the zucchini and a generous sprinkle of lemon pepper and saute until well charred and cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Transfer to the barley bowl.  Rub lemon pepper or similar seasoning on all sides of the eggplant.  Sear the eggplant in the pan; this will have to be done in two batches.  Cook both sides with a bunch of seasonings until the eggplant starts to soften and then add a drizzle of oil.  (Turns out a bit less greasy this way.)  Let the eggplant cool slightly.  Chop it into 2" chunks and add it to the barley bowl.  Add the halved tomatoes, basil, parsley and toss everything to mix.  Taste for salt and pepper and maybe a bit more vinegar, if you prefer.  Serve at room temperature.

(I chopped the zucchini and eggplant into small, bite-size chunks, put on a baking sheet with drizzles of oil and sprinklings of lemon pepper and roasted them in the oven to cut down on frying in oil.  This salad is delicious!)

Summer Harvest Ratatouille

(recipe from WholeFoodsMarket.com)

Serves 10

3 bell peppers, assorted colors, seeded, cored, and cut into thick wedges
1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch slices
2 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch slices
2 medium zucchini, cut lenghtwise into 3/4-inch slices
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1/2 cup pitted Nicoise or other black olives
5 large tomatoes (about 2 1/2 lbs.), chopped
1 large onion, chopped
7 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp. chopped marjoram or oregano
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, or to taste

Preheat oven to 425F.  Have ready a nonstick baking sheet or a regular baking sheet lined with parchment paper (you may need two baking sheets).  Place peppers, eggplant, squash and zucchini on sheet(s).  Roast vegetables, turning them once halfway through cooking, until browned, 30 to 40 minutes.  Cool vegetables slightly, then coarsely chop.

Meanwhile, combine broth and olives in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a heavy pot and add tomatoes, onion, garlic and pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer until tomatoes are very soft, about 20 minutes.

Add roasted vegetables and marjoram to pot; cover and simmer, stirring once or twice, until flavors blend, about 10 minutes.  Stir in parsley and vinegar; cook 5 minutes more.

(serve with rice, pasta, or any grain)

Spaghetti with Let-My-Eggplant-Go-Free! Sauce

(recipe from The Wednesday Chef, online)

Serves 3 or 4

1 lb. eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
2 sprigs thyme or oregano, chopped (I used dried)
1 c. stock or water
2 Tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes, minced
6 leaves basil, sliced thinly
salt and pepper
1 lb. spaghetti

Lightly salt the slices of eggplant, stack them back together and let sit for 20 minutes.

Put the olive oil in a wide, heavy saucepan, add the garlic cloves, and set over low heat.

Dry off the eggplant, cut it into chunks.  When you start hearing the garlic sizzle a little and can smell it, drop in your eggplant and stir to coat it all with oil.  Turn up the heat a little bit to medium high and add the thyme or oregano and stir.  When the eggplant is turning translucent and softening, add the liquid, let it come to a boil, and turn it back down to medium-low.  Let it bubble for a bit and cover it, leaving a crack for steam to escape.  Stir once in a while so that the bottom doesn't stick.

After about 20 minutes or so, the liquid in the eggplant pan should be mostly evaporated and the eggplant should be soft and melting.  Mash it with a fork or spoon, and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Toss the eggplant puree with the spaghetti that you cooked al dente.  Stir in the minced tomatoes and basil.  You can drizzle on some more oil.  Serve immediately.

(Made for Justin on 8/26/11, a peace offering after our Wednesday night fight.  We ate it with a simple salad of greens, tomatoes, radishes, and mustard vinaigrette (left over from the potato salad) and some focaccia.  Justin surprised me with potato salad for my lunches.  We watched the movie Flesh & Bone and drank a lovely organic red table wine.  This eggplant sauce wasn't as flavorful as I'd thought it would be.  I used whole wheat fusilli, which cradled the sauce nicely, but perhaps the whole wheat was too overpowering for the sauce.  Also, next time I'd add more garlic, sundried tomatoes, and oregano.)