Pickled or Cured Eggplant

Ingredients:=

1. 0.5kg of eggplant
2.  1- 2 teaspoon salt (for degorging)
3. ½ cup white vinegar
4. ½ cup water
5. 6 garlic cloves (left whole or cut in half)
6. 1 tablespoon dried oregano
7. Ground Pepper to taste
8. 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
9. fresh hot pepper(s), or 1 medium red capsicum
10. 1 whole bay leaf
11. Extra Virgin Olive oil to cover

or for alternate method:-

      1 to 2 cups apple cider vinegar


Method:

1. Cut eggplant into strips or steaks and place on a trivet or in a large metal colander,liberally salt and place a weight on top of the eggplant and degorge for a few hours.
2. Remove the eggplant and squeeze any remaining liquid out of the eggplant.
3. In a large pot, bring the vinegar and water to a boil and add the eggplant. Cook for 2-3 minutes only, to retain its crunch.  Alternatively, cover eggplant with apple cider vinegar and marinate for 2 - 4 days in a cool place.
4. Drain with weights or squeeze by hand and remove all excess liquid.
5. Place all the ingredients into a1litre jar and cover with extra virgin olive oil completely submerging the eggplant.  Place a weight to keep it submerged if needed.  Ready in 2 - 3 days, but improves with age.  Refrigerate after opening.  Use the leftover oil for salads or aromatic cooking.
6. Warning.  Ensure all equipment is completely clean (sterile) to avoid contamination/poisoning.

Inspiration:  The Italian Life for Everyone ; Green Earth Institute

Cous Cous with Char-grilled Mediterranean Vegetables

Israeli Cous Cous with Char-grilled Mediterranean Vegetables

02/03/2016 , 8:25 AM by Brad McCahon

Chef - Barney Burge

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

2 cups Israeli or Pearl Cous Cous
4 cups chicken stock
1 eggplant
1 red capsicum
2 tomatoes chopped into large chunks
1 small red onion finely diced
1 clove garlic finely diced
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil


Method

1. Prepare the eggplant by cutting into thick discs, brush with olive oil and place on BBQ or under grill until golden and softened.  Cut into large chunks and set aside.
2. Cut capsicum into 4 cheeks and place skin side down on BBQ or skin side up under grill.  Remove when skin is blackened and blistered.  Pop into a plastic bag and allow to steam for a few minutes then remove skin and slice into strips.
3. Heat olive oil in a large pan and saute onion and cumin seeds for 2-3 minutes until onion becomes opaque.
4. Add garlic and saute for a further minute.
5. Add Cous Cous and paprika to onion mix and stir for 2 minutes until well coated.
6. Add heated chicken stock and simmer for 8 minutes.
7. Add prepared eggplant, capsicum, tomatoes and chopped parsley.
8. Turn out onto a serving dish and garnish with a little more parsley.

Vegetable Tagine

I love this dish.  It is quite  versatile and is amicable to a " kitchen sink" mix.  I often double the recipe and using it as a simmer sauce for tagines or poaching.  The image on the left is just such a doubling "kitchen sink".

So here is the "normal" recipe with the simmer sauce version at the end:-.

Serves 6 stand alone.    Preparation time 25 minutes.  Cooking time approx 40 minutes.

Ingredients:-

1 Tbs coriander seedsi
1 Tbs cumin seeds
1 Tbs caraway seeds
1 tsp - 2 tsp Harissa mix or paste:  Optional for extra zap!
1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 large brown onions (400g), finely chopped
2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbs tomato paste or
2 cups (500ml) water
800g diced tomatoes (un-drained, if canned)
600g pumpkin, chopped coarsely
8 (240g) yellow squash, quartered:
200g baby green beans, trimmed and halved
300g chick peas, cooked (or canned, drained and rinsed).

Method:-

Crush coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds in a mortar and pestle.
Heat oil in large pan, cook garlic and onion, stirring often until onion soften.
Add crushed seeds (and Harisa Paste), paprika, salt, pepper and ginger and cook until fragrant.
Add tomato paste, water, tomatoes and pumpkin and bring to boil
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
Stir in squash, beans and chick peas and simmer covered until squash is tender.

Server over couscous or rice.

My simmer sauce alternative makes about 8 liters, which can be jarred, frozen etc...

To make my famous simmer sauce, I omit the tomato paste, squash and green beans; double everything else above and use tomato puree, zucchini and eggplant as well; and simmer it down a little so that the pumpkin is almost  gone.

Simmer Sauce Ingredients:-

2 Tbs coriander seeds
2 Tbs cumin seeds
2 Tbs caraway seeds
2 tsp - 3 tsp Harissa mix or paste:  Optional for extra zap!
2 Tbs olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 large brown onions (400g), finely chopped
4 tsp sweet paprika
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
700ml (680g) of tomato puree if doubling for a simmer sauce.
4 cups (500ml) water
1.6kg diced tomatoes (un-drained, if canned)
1.2 kg pumpkin, chopped coarsely
2 zucchini and
1 eggplant
600g chick peas, cooked (or canned, drained and rinsed).

Simmer Sauce Method:-

Crush coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds in a mortar and pestle.
Heat oil in large pan, cook garlic and onion, stirring often until onion soften.
Add crushed seeds (and Harissa Paste), paprika, salt, pepper and ginger and cook until fragrant.
Add tomato puree, water, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant and pumpkin and bring to boil
Reduce heat to slow simmer for 45 - 60 minutes or until pumpkin is almost gone.
Stir in chick peas and simmer covered until peas are tender.

Tonight, I did the simmer sauce, making 8 litres of sauce and then used approx 2 liters with 1 kg of chump chops, which I seared for a few minutes each side and then "targined" for 40 minutes on low simmer.  Delicious!  Enough for 3 of us and an additional serve for my aging mum.  The remainder of the sauce, I will refrigerate, share and take down south to Denmark...