Persian sweet-and-sour ratatouille of fruit and vegetables

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Persian sweet-and-sour " ratatouille " of fruit and vegetables

1/4 cup olive oil

2 very large onions, peeled

2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper

3 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely chopped

1 eggplant (1 pound), peeled

1 1/4 pounds quinces (about 2 large) or green cooking apples, peeled,

quartered and cored

2 medium zucchini

3 medium carrots, peeled

2 large tomatoes

2 large boiling potatoes, peeled

16 dried apricots, coarsely chopped

12 pitted prunes, coarsely chopped

1 1/4 teaspoons Persian Spice Mix (recipe follows), or see note

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

1 cup tomato juice

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

 

 

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 F.

 

Cut onions, quinces or apples, tomatoes and potatoes into slices 1/8

inch thick. Slice eggplant into rounds 1/4 inch thick. Cut carrots and

zucchini crosswise at a diagonal into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

 

Put the oil in the bottom of an oven-safe nonstick pan or casserole

dish. Add a layer of slightly overlapping onion slices (some slices

will be left over), then sprinkle pepper, a pinch or two of the salt

and some of the chopped garlic over top of the layer. Repeat,

sprinkling pepper, salt and garlic on top of each of these layers:

eggplant (some slices will be left over), quince or apple, zucchini,

carrot, the remaining onion and eggplant (in a single layer), tomato

and potato. Scatter the chopped apricots and prunes over top of the

dish; finish with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

 

In a small bowl, combine the Persian spice mix, turmeric, lime juice

and tomato juice.

 

If you have used a stovetop-safe pan or dish, put it over medium heat

for 10 minutes; otherwise, omit this step.

 

Next, pour tomato juice mixture evenly over top of layered fruit and

vegetables, cover, and put in oven for 1 hour 45 minutes.

 

Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes. Then, drain the liquid

from the pan or dish into a smaller saucepan, using the pan lid or a

plate upturned over the pan to keep the fruit and vegetable layers in

place. Boil the liquid in the saucepan until it has reduced to about 1

cup. Season with salt if necessary.

 

Sprinkle parsley over top of the vegetables and serve the reduced

liquid on the side as a sauce.

 

Serves 6 to 8.

 

Note: Instead of the Persian spice mix, substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground

cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom and 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin.

 

Author: Adapted from " Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian, " Madhur

Jaffrey (Clarkson Potter/Publishers New York, 1999)

Source: Herald Tribune

Formatted by Chupa Babi in MC: 12.13.06

 

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