Eggplant Baked with Lentils - Diana Shaw - Essential Vegetarian Cookbook

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Eggplant Baked with Lentils

 

Recipe By : Diana Shaw - Essential Vegetarian Cookbook

Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Beans Main Dish

Vegetarian

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

2 medium eggplants, sliced but not peeled

Coarse salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion -- chopped

1 clove garlic -- minced

2 whole cloves

1 tablespoon crumbled dried oregano

1 tablespoon crumbled dried basil

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 cups fresh or canned chopped tomatoes

1 cup uncooked lentils, preferable lentilles -- de Puy

1 cup water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to ta

White Sauce with Jack Cheese

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot

1/2 cup evaporated skim milk

1/2 cup nonfat milk

1/2 cup Monterey jack cheese -- shredded

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Spread the eggplant slices on a nonstick baking sheet (you'll probably need

two), and sprinkle both sides liberally with coarse salt. Set aside for 30

minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add

the onion, garlic, cloves, oregano, basil, and cinnamon. Reduce the heat to

medium and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is soft and limp, about 10

minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir until most of the liquid has

evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes and lentils. Stir in the water. Turn up the heat to

medium-high, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, cover, turn down the heat to

medium-low, and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.

While the lentils are cooking, rinse the eggplant slices with cold water and

pat them dry with fresh paper towels. Spread them on the baking sheets in a

single layer, and bake until soft and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove

from the oven. Turn down the oven heat to 350° F.

When the lentils are cooked, drain off any excess liquid, remove the cloves,

and season with salt and pepper. Spread about ½ cup on the bottom of an 8-inch

baking dish. Top with a layer of half the eggplant. Cover with half of the

remaining lentil mixture, then top that with half of the cheese sauce. Repeat

with the remaining ingredients.

Cover loosely with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue

baking until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 10 minutes more. Let cool on

a rack for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

 

 

White Sauce:

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, keeping the broth at a simmer.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch or arrowroot with 2 tablespoons of the

evaporated milk to make a thick paste. Stir it into the broth along with the

rest of the evaporated milk, nonfat milk, and Jack cheese, and whisk until the

sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

 

 

1001 Things to do with eggplant @

http://home.att.net/~ashburysaubergines/index.html

 

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