Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2
Page 41
Or 3 Tb minced shallots or scallions
¼ to ½ tsp mixed herbs (herbes de Provence, Italian seasoning, or thyme, oregano, and rosemary)
Big pinch pepper
A 4-inch bowl
A 14-inch pizza tray or jelly-roll pan
A cover, or aluminum foil
Blend the oil, the garlic or shallots or scallions, and the herbs and pepper in the bowl, dip each slice into the mixture, drain, and arrange slices slightly overlapping on pizza tray or pan. Reserve remaining oil mixture for later. Cover eggplant and bake in middle level of preheated 400-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until eggplant is almost but not quite tender; do not let it overcook and turn limp, but it must cook long enough to soften.
3) Tomato and bread-crumb topping
5 to 6 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped (2 cups pulp)
⅛ tsp salt
Big pinch pepper
½ cup dry crumbs from nonsweetened, homemade-type white bread
More oil if needed
When you have prepared the tomatoes, toss gently in a bowl with salt and pepper; drain in a few minutes and spread over the eggplant slices. Sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs and drizzle on oil.
(*) AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE: Recipe may be prepared an hour in advance to this point. Cover loosely and set aside.
4) Broiling and serving
A hot serving platter, or the meat platter
A flexible-blade spatula
About 5 minutes before serving, set eggplant 4 to 5 inches under a moderately hot broiler and let brown slowly to finish cooking. Arrange on platter, again overlapping slices slightly in an attractive design. Serve as soon as possible because eggplant will soften if kept warm.
Other topping suggestions
Sprinkle eggplant with a mixture of bread crumbs, cheese, and parsley, and finish with drops of oil, or mask the slices with the thick cheese sauce described for Broccoli Mornay, and top with a sprinkling of cheese and melted butter. In either case, reheat and brown under a moderate broiler as described in the preceding step.
AUBERGINES EN PERSILLADE, SAUTÉES
[Sautéed Eggplant Garnished with Garlic, Bread Crumbs, and Herbs]
Sautéed eggplant is easier to serve than the preceding broiled eggplant, and certainly easier to finish off at the last moment. It also lends itself to several variations, as you will see. Serve sautéed eggplant with steaks, chops, roast lamb, broiled fish, or broiled chicken. Whole, small baked tomatoes are probably the most attractive additional accompaniment.
For 4 to 6 people
1) Preparing the eggplant
2 lbs. shiny, firm, unblemished eggplant
A 3-quart mixing bowl
1½ tsp salt
A colander
Paper towels
Peel the eggplant. Cut into lengthwise slices ¾ inch thick, cut slices into ¾-inch strips, and the strips into ¾-inch cubes. (You will have around 8 cups.) Toss in the bowl with the salt and let stand 20 to 30 minutes. Just before sautéing, drain in colander and pat dry in paper towels.
2) Sautéing the eggplant
Olive oil or cooking oil
A 12-inch frying pan, preferably no-stick (or an 8-inch pan for sautéing in 2 batches)
The colander set over the drained mixing bowl
Pour a ⅛-inch layer of oil into the pan and heat until very hot but not smoking. Add enough eggplant to make 1 layer. Toss and turn the eggplant frequently, shaking and swirling the pan by its handle; sauté for 5 to 8 minutes until eggplant is tender and very lightly browned. (Eggplant burns easily, and you must keep your eye on it. If it has browned but is not tender, lower heat and cover the pan for 2 to 3 minutes until it is tender.) Drain in colander and return any accumulated oil from bowl to frying pan. Continue with the rest of the eggplant if you are sautéing in several batches.
3) The persillade
The oil
⅓ cup coarse, dry crumbs from nonsweetened, homemade-type white bread
2 Tb minced shallots or scallions
1 to 2 large cloves of garlic, mashed or finely minced
3 Tb fresh chopped parsley
Optional other herbs, such as thyme, basil, or oregano
A hot serving dish
Add more oil to pan to make about 2 tablespoons. Heat to very hot, add the bread crumbs, and toss for a minute or two to brown lightly. Then add the shallots or scallions and garlic, and toss a moment more.
(*) AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE: Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.
Just before serving, reheat pan with bread-crumb mixture, add eggplant, and toss over moderately high heat until eggplant is sizzling. Toss with parsley and optional herbs, turn into hot dish, and serve immediately.
VARIATIONS
Aubergines en Persillade, Gratinées
[Eggplant Baked with Parsley, Garlic, and Béchamel]
Sautéed eggplant tossed with garlic and parsley then folded into a béchamel sauce and browned in the oven makes a fine accompaniment to steaks, chops, hamburgers, broiled chicken, or fish.
For 4 to 6 people
Ingredients for 2 lbs. eggplant in the preceding Master Recipe, Steps 1, 2, and 3
Peel, cube, salt, and drain the eggplant; then sauté in oil until lightly browned. Reserve the bread crumbs, tossing the eggplant with only the shallots or scallions, garlic, and herbs. Set aside.
For 2 cups béchamel
5 Tb flour
4 Tb butter
A heavy 2-quart saucepan
A wooden spoon and a wire whip
1¾ cups milk heated in a small saucepan (a little more if needed)
Salt and pepper to taste
A rubber spatula
A lightly buttered 6-cup baking dish about 1½ inches deep
2 to 3 Tb of the reserved bread crumbs
1 Tb melted butter
For the béchamel sauce (which you can make while the eggplant macerates), melt the butter in the saucepan, blend in the flour, and stir over moderate heat until flour and butter foam together for 2 minutes without browning at all. Remove this roux from heat, and when it stops bubbling, vigorously blend in all of the hot milk at once with wire whip, beating until mixture is perfectly smooth. Return over moderately high heat, stirring with whip as sauce thickens and comes to the boil. Boil, stirring, for 2 minutes, season lightly to taste, and remove from heat. Sauce should be quite thick; if too thick for easy spreading, beat in more milk by droplets. (If done ahead, clean off sides of pan and press a sheet of plastic wrap on surface of sauce to prevent a skin from forming.)
Spread a ⅛-inch layer of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish with spatula, spread half the eggplant on top, and cover with half the sauce. Spread rest of eggplant over this and cover with the last of the sauce. Sprinkle the crumbs on top and dribble melted butter over the crumbs.
(*) AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE: Recipe may be completed to this point and set aside.
To gratiné, if sauce and eggplant are still warm, set 4 to 5 inches under a moderately hot broiler for several minutes, until eggplant is bubbling and crumbs have browned lightly. Otherwise bake in upper third of a 425-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, but do not overcook.
Soufflé d’Aubergines en Persillade
[Eggplant Soufflé]
Fold beaten egg whites into the preceding sautéed and sauced eggplant, and you turn it into a soufflé—not the airy cheese type, of course, but something that puffs dramatically in a wide baking dish with removable collar. Serve it, along with a fine tomato sauce, to accompany boiled beef, roast lamb, broiled or roast chicken, or let it be the main course for an informal luncheon.
For 8 servings
The soufflé base
Ingredients for the preceding 2 lbs. of sautéed eggplant baked in béchamel
Following the preceding recipe, peel, cube, salt, drain, and dry the eggplant; sauté in oil until thoroughly tender and very lightly browned. Toss with the shallots or scallions and garlic.
Chop rather roughly with a b
ig knife on a board. (You will have about 2½ cups.) Fold into the pan of béchamel sauce, along with the chopped parsley. Carefully correct seasoning.
(*) AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTES: May be completed in advance to this point; clean off sides of pan and lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the sauce. You may also fill the mold (next step), cover with a bowl, and bake an hour later.
Assembling and baking—25 to 30 minutes at 400 degrees
1 Tb soft butter
A 6- to 8-cup baking dish about 2 inches deep (such as a round one 10 to 11 inches in diameter, or a casserole)
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Waxed paper
Heavy aluminum foil and 2 straight pins
3 egg yolks
5 egg whites
1½ to 2 cups tomato sauce, or the fresh tomato coulis, Volume I, page 78
Preheat oven in time for baking. Smear butter inside baking dish, sprinkle cheese inside to coat bottom and sides. Shake or knock out excess cheese onto waxed paper and reserve. Encircle circumference of dish with a double thickness of well-buttered aluminum foil secured by pins; foil should rise 1½ inches above rim of dish. Reheat soufflé base, folding over moderate heat. Stir in the egg yolks. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks; stir one fourth of them into the soufflé base along with all but 1 Tb of the reserved Parmesan cheese. Scoop rest of egg whites on top of soufflé base and delicately fold in with a rubber spatula.
Turn the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and set soufflé immediately in lower third of preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until soufflé has risen about double and is nicely browned. (If served as soon as it has risen, the inside will be soft and the soufflé will sink rapidly; if baked 5 minutes more, the soufflé will be drier but will hold up longer. Follow your own preference, but these additional minutes give you some leeway.)
As soon as the soufflé is done, remove from oven, undo aluminum collar, and serve immediately, accompanied by the tomato sauce in a warm bowl.
Pistouille
[Sautéed Eggplant with Tomatoes, Peppers, Garlic, and Basil]
Pistou, a Provençal purée of fresh garlic and basil, is stirred into sautéed eggplant that has simmered with tomatoes, peppers, and onions, making a dish reminiscent of that famous Mediterranean medley, ratatouille, but much easier to produce. Good hot or cold, pistouille can be served with broiled fish, broiled chicken, roasts, steaks, chops, cold roast pork, veal, or lamb, and any leftovers can stuff eggs, tomatoes, or other vegetables.
NOTE: This dish is naturally at its best when fresh basil and local tomatoes are in season. Out of season, use fresh tomatoes plus a tablespoon or so of canned tomato sauce or purée, and if you cannot find fragrant-smelling dried basil, use oregano.
For 4 to 6 people
Ingredients for salting and sautéing 2 lbs. eggplant, as in the Master Recipe, Steps 1 and 2
Peel, salt, drain, dry, and then sauté the eggplant in oil until lightly browned as described in the Master Recipe.
The onion, pepper, and tomato garnish
⅔ cup minced onions
⅔ cup diced green bell peppers
2 Tb olive oil
2 cups fresh tomato pulp (2 lbs. tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped)
A 2½-quart saucepan or another frying pan
While the eggplant is macerating in salt, cook the onions and peppers in oil in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender and translucent but not brown. Add the tomato pulp, cover pan, and simmer 5 minutes to render its juice; uncover pan and simmer over moderate heat for 5 minutes or more until juices have almost entirely evaporated. Set aside.
When eggplant has been sautéed and drained, return it to the frying pan with the tomato mixture and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes to blend flavors and evaporate more liquid. Mixture should form a thick mass.
The pistou
2 large cloves of garlic
A garlic press
12 to 14 large, fresh basil leaves, minced (or about ½ Tb fragrant dried basil or oregano)
A small bowl and a pestle, or small wooden spoon
Purée garlic through press, then mash with the basil or oregano in the bowl to make a smooth paste; fold into the hot eggplant.
(*) AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE: May be completed to this point. Set aside.
3 Tb fresh minced parsley
Reheat just before serving, correct seasoning, and fold in the parsley.
To serve cold
2 to 3 tomatoes
Salt and pepper
3 Tb fresh minced parsley
½ Tb olive oil
Whether the eggplant is cooked and cooled or left over, a little ripe tomato will freshen the taste. Peel, seed, and juice the tomatoes; dice the pulp. Place in a bowl and fold with the seasonings, parsley, and oil. Let stand 10 minutes, drain, and fold into the eggplant.
VARIATION
Aubergines en Pistouille, Froides
[Cold Eggplant à la Grecque with Tomatoes and Basil]
Much the same as cold pistouille, but with a more piquant flavor, is eggplant simmered in a court bouillon, turned briefly in oil to enhance its flavor, then folded into tomatoes that have also cooked in the court bouillon. A final touch is the pistou of garlic and basil, which makes this an especially good cold hors d’oeuvre with sardines, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, anchovies, olives, or other Provençal trimmings.
For the court bouillon
3 cups water in a 3-quart stainless saucepan
1½ Tb lemon juice
3 Tb olive oil
1½ tsp salt
6 coriander seeds
¼ tsp thyme
1 imported bay leaf
2 large cloves mashed garlic
2 lbs. firm, fresh, shiny eggplant
A colander set over a bowl
Olive oil
A heavy no-stick frying pan (10 to 12 inches in diameter if possible)
A serving dish
Combine the court bouillon ingredients in the saucepan and simmer at least 5 minutes, or while you are preparing the eggplant. Peel eggplant and cut into ¾-inch cubes. Place half (4 cups) in the simmering court bouillon, bring to the boil, and simmer 5 minutes. Drain into bowl, return court bouillon to pan, and simmer the rest of the eggplant. Drain, return court bouillon again to pan, boil down rapidly to 1 cup, and reserve. Meanwhile, pour a 1⁄16-inch layer of oil into frying pan and sauté drained eggplant (adding only half if pan is small), using moderately high heat. Shake and swirl the pan frequently by its handle to toss the eggplant, and sauté for several minutes, until eggplant is tender but not browned. Turn into serving dish, leaving oil in pan.
3 to 4 Tb minced shallots or scallions
1½ lbs. (6 medium) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and cut into ½-inch dice (about 2 cups pulp)
1 or 2 cloves garlic
A garlic press
¼ cup fresh basil, minced (or about ½ Tb fragrant dried basil or oregano)
3 Tb fresh minced parsley
Stir the shallots or scallions into the frying pan and cook for a moment, then add the tomatoes and the reduced court bouillon. Boil slowly for 5 minutes, then raise heat and boil rapidly until liquid has almost evaporated and tomatoes are quite thick. Correct seasoning. Purée garlic through press into a small bowl; using a wooden spoon, mash with herbs to make a smooth paste; fold this pistou into the hot tomatoes. Then fold the tomatoes into the eggplant. When cold, cover and chill. Sprinkle on the parsley before serving.
LA TENTATION DE BRAMAFAM
[Eggplant Caviar with Walnuts—A Cold Spread or Filling]
Recipes for eggplant caviar have been around for years, but this is the only one we know that combines eggplant and walnuts. Tremendously easy to do in the electric mixer, this is something you can keep on hand in the refrigerator for a week or more, and use on toast or crackers, or as a dip for cocktail tidbits, as a filling for hard-boiled eggs or tomato shells, or to pass with cold meats or chicken.
For 4 to 5 cups
&n
bsp; About 2 lbs. firm, shiny, unblemished eggplant
An electric mixer
7 to 8 ounces (about 2 cups) ground walnut meats (grind them in an electric blender)
¾ tsp salt, and more as needed
⅛ tsp pepper
1 to 4 large cloves garlic puréed in a press
4 to 6 squirts Tabasco sauce
¼ tsp ground allspice
1 tsp freshly grated ginger root or ¼ tsp powdered ginger
5 to 8 Tb olive oil
Optional, to bring out flavor: ½ tsp monosodium glutamate
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut off green cap and place eggplant (or eggplants) in a shallow roasting dish or pie plate. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until thoroughly soft to the touch. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop flesh into bowl of mixer. Beat several minutes at high speed to purée the eggplant flesh, then beat in the ground walnuts, salt, pepper, garlic to taste, Tabasco, allspice, and ginger. By driblets, as though making mayonnaise, beat in enough oil to make a creamy mass, but not so much as to thin the mixture; it should hold its shape softly when lifted with a spoon. Taste carefully; correct seasoning, adding the MSG if you wish, and the tentation is ready to use.