Tag: eggplant
Sicilian Caponata
1 cup mix of black and green olives, pitted
1 tablespoon capers
2 garlic cloves, peeled
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Juice on half a lemon
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ cup fresh parsley
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Puree all the ingredients, except the olive oil, salt and pepper, in a food processor until a paste is formed.
With the motor still running, stream in the oil until a smooth consistency if formed. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Roasted Eggplant with Peas
- 1 medium sized eggplant
Place the eggplant on to a grill or under a broiler. Char the skin from all sides, making sure the eggplant is nice is tender once done- about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep aside and let cool, take skin off and mash with a fork.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 2 tablespoons stems of fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons stems of fresh cilantro
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup peas
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
Heat a heavy saucepan with the oil. Add the dill, cilantro, onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the coriander powder, turmeric, salt and cayenne pepper. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and sauté for an addition 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes. Add the peas, cilantro and dill. Mix well and let cook for 5 to 6 minutes or till the peas are heated through. Check for seasonings and serve warm.
Roasted Eggplant with Peas: Baingan Bhurta
- 2 small eggplants
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Spread the olive oil all over the eggplants and place under a high broiler. Roast until the eggplants are soft and skin is charred and dark brown. Take out and peel the skin off. Take the pulp out, break it apart with a fork and keep aside.
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup green onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup dill, chopped
In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil. Add the white and green onions. Saute on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, eggplant pulp, peas and mix well. Cook on medium heat for 10- 15 minutes. Add the garam masala, salt, cayenne pepper. Taste for seasonings. Garnish with cilantro and dill.
Greek Style Eggplant with Pine Nuts and Feta
This is a yummy dish for meatless Monday. It has delicious roasted eggplant flavored with mint, cinnamon, tomatoes and feta. It is a great side dish or a dip with warm pita bread!
- 1 pound eggplant, I used small ones, sliced ½ inch thick
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Salt
Place the sliced eggplant on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle some salt. Broil under medium heat turning the slices once till both sides are golden brown- about 10 minutes. Take out of oven and keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh
- Salt
- ½ cup dried currants
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup dill, chopped
- ½ cup feta, crumbled
Add the olive oil to a heavy saucepan and add the mint and cinnamon. Cook for 15 seconds on medium high heat and add the onion, garlic and pine nuts. Saute on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and currants. Saute for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the eggplant and salt to taste. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the parsley and dill. Once the dish is completely cooled off, add the feta and mix well. Serve room temperature.
Bulgur Pilaf with Red Pepper and Eggplant
This is a perfect accompaniment for the kebabs from yesterday’s post. I added delicious red pepper and eggplant to the grain and included harissa which is a Moroccan spicy condiment. It was a delicious dish!
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon harissa
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 large red pepper, diced
- 1 small eggplant, diced
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1½ cups bulgur wheat, washed and drained
- 2 cups hot water
- 2 to 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the harissa and tomato paste. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the red pepper, eggplant and jalapeno. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, mix well and simmer on a medium low heat, covered for about 5 minutes. Take the lid off and add the bulgur and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the hot water, bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the bulgur rest for 20 minutes. Take the lid off, fluff with a fork. Add salt and dried mint. Check for seasonings. Serve warm.
Istanbul Day 3- A Palace, Crispy Potato And Grilled Lamb
Day three started with some wind, rain and a delicious Turkish breakfast. We bundled up and headed to the Topkapi Palace, which was walking distance to our hotel. We spent a few hours viewing the Blue Mosque and the Palace. Somehow walking around in museums, etc makes me hungry. We came out and immediately started looking for somewhere to warm and eat. On the way, we found a vendor selling crispy potatoes. He had a machine to cut the potato open onto a stick. He then fried the whole thing and sprinkled it with spices and salt- it was delicious! We stood there for several minutes devouring many sticks of potatoes. 
We also had some of the Turkish pretzel again- this one was not as crispy and fresh as the other one. We finally found a restaurant/cafe and ate some kebabs and lavash and drank some buttermilk.
We then headed to do some shopping. They have beautiful ceramics, rugs and stoles all over Istanbul. The trick is to bring the prices way down by haggling with the vendors- which is a skill I don’t possess but I think I held my own as I shopped.
After a few hours of rest, lots of research, we headed to a restaurant near our hotel called Tria. As we were 9 of us, we decided to order family style and instead of an entree each, we ordered lots of appetizers. They started us off with baskets of lavash, black olives and olive tapenade- delicious!
Olive Tapenade
Meze Platter
We ordered their house red wine which was also delicious. The wine I have had so far has been quite yummy- the problem is that alcohol is not served in the very down to earth eating joints- which is where I like to eat when we travel.
The appetizers kept coming- a plate of meze, which is like eating Turkish tapas. It consisted of lots of interesting things like grated eggplant in a white sauce, lentil kebab, tomato sauce with a kick, a fresh cheese spread, some kind of grilled fish, etc. The grilled squid was yummy as well! We were quite full and satisfied when the grilled lamb over mashed eggplant arrived. I was a bit skeptical about the mashed eggplant- but it was by far the most delicious thing on the table. It was soft, velvety and delicious! Believe it or not we were too full for dessert!
Grilled Lamb
We decided to walk some family members to the tram station which was near our favorite dessert place.. somehow the walk made the idea of dessert more palatable… so we strolled over and sat down for a few sweet things..
Tomorrow, we are off to Cappadocia!!
Eggplant Caponata
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/3 cup currants
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch squares
- Salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup mint, chopped
Heat a frying pan with the olive oil. Add the pine nuts and currants and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggplant and stir. Lower the heat and cover with lid and cook for ten minutes. Take the lid off and add salt and cook for another ten minutes, stirring constantly. Check for seasonings. Add the cilantro and mint. Serve warm or room temperature.