show-casing italian eggplant, vine-rippened tomatoes, yellow onion, anaheim and sweet japanese peppers

small chopped yellow onion, anaheim and sweet japanese peppers

small chopped vegetables (just added the tomatoes)

tomato mixture in heavy stainless steel 5 quart pot

cooked onion, peppers, tomato and tomato paste

adding eggplant and garlic to cooked tomato mixture

final, cooked eggplant with tomato/onion sauce

6-8 small italian eggplant (or 2-3 lg eggplant)

1 lg onion (medium chopped)

4-5 chopped tomatoes

2 anahiem pepper (or 1 hotter pepper of your choice)

approx 2 tablespoon tomato paste

vegetable and olive oil

salt (preferably sea salt)

7-8 cloves garlic med chopped

This recipe is very giving on the quantity of the ingredients.  Pay attention to the process and amount of salt.  If you have one less tomato or anaheim pepper, its OK.  Feel free to play around with the amounts.

This dish is very simple and incredibly tasty.  The ingredients are simple, yet full of flavor.  It has always been a favorite of the family.  It  is better served at room temperature, so if you want to serve it for dinner, you can make it the day before or the morning of.  The flavors intensify with time.  Because of the many colors, the presentation is also inviting to the palate.  We usually eat it with pita bread, using the bread as our utensil to scoop up all the juices.  If you have leftovers, this dish also works well if you put it in the food processor just until all is blended (chunks are ok).  It makes a wonderful spread on crackers or crostini bread for appetizers. 

When buying the eggplant, look for a green tip (the greener tips indicate freshness).  Make sure that all parts of the eggplant are firm, not bruised or discolored.  If the eggplant is not firm and green, they tend to be more seedy and bitter.  Italian small eggplant are the best, japanese ones are also good, they are longer in size and have a lighter purple color where as the italian are a darker purple, almost black.

Wash the eggplant and cut the green tips off.  Wash peppers and tomatoes.  As shown in the picture, I use a heavy bottom stainless steel pan, works beautifully since the food doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Chop the onion and any pepper you have (you could also use red pepper if you want).  Start sauteing the onion mixture with about 1/4 cup of vegetable or canola oil.  While the onions cook, chop tomatoes and garlic.  Keep a close watch on the onions, you want them to be translucent but not too brown.  Once they are ready, add the tomatoes and the couple of spoons of tomato paste.  Add the salt, cover the pan and let the mixture cook under low heat.  You want everything to break down and come to a nice sauce.  Keep checking the mixture, you may need to add a bit of water (couple tablespoons)  if it’s too thick.  Taste the sauce, make sure you can taste for the amount of salt.  Don’t be afraid to add if it tastes bland.  Once the mixture has come together nicely, add the eggplant, line them up so they fit comfortably in the pot.  Add the garlic around, cover and let it simmer.  You will need to check it periodically; as the eggplant cooks, it will release water and will cook down.  Try not to mix it too much, gently with a wooden spoon, you can help re-arrange the ingredients by moving the spoon to the bottom and sides of pan.  Remember to keep the lid on, but towards the end (about 15 min), you can keep the lid partially open.  Let it all cook for approx. 1 hr or so, or until all the eggplant is soft and cooked.  Please taste for salt again.  At the end, (once you have turned off the heat)  you can drizzle some extra virgin olive oil (once or twice around the pan).  This gives it an extra rich flavor.  This will feed at least 6-8 people with left-overs. 

This dish is exceptionally wonderful.  It is very healthy, simple and full of flavor.  I buy the eggplant more towards the summer, securing its freshness and lower price.  I use fresh (or home frozen) tomatoes, buy them on sale only.  I find that canned tomatoes have a rubbery texture and don’t break down easily when cooked.  So buy the ingredients on sale, it doesn’ t and shouldn’t be expensive to taste great.  Enjoy with good health.

Eating good, all….ways.