Eggplant, a member of the nightshade family, comes in many shapes and sizes. The regular, oval-shaped eggplant should be salted before using; the football-shaped Sicilian eggplant has fewer seeds and a more custard-like texture; small Italian eggplants are good for roasting whole; and the seedless, zucchini-shaped Japanese eggplant is perfect for stir-frying. If you can't find Sicilians, the other varieties can be used. Serve with grilled lamb, chicken, shrimps or scallops. This keeps at least one week refrigerated.
Servings: 6
Ready Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 medium Sicilian eggplant (about 1 ½ pounds, 750 grams)
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon lemon rind, grated
1 cup onions, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Method
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Cut strips of skin from eggplant to make a striped effect and cut eggplant into ½-inch thick slices. Brush with 2 tablespoons oil, season with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, or until browned. Let cool and cut into ½-inch dice.
Combine ginger, paprika, cumin, cayenne and lemon rind.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add spice mixture and cook another 30 seconds. Add eggplant and tomatoes, stir together, reduce heat and cook slowly for 20 minutes or until mixture is very thick. Stir in lemon juice and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Reheat when needed
Lucy Waverman