Skillet Vegetables with Smoked Tomato Coulis

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Skillet Vegetables with Smoked Tomato Coulis

 

1 eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

4 zucchini or yellow squash, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Smoked Tomato Coulis, recipe follows

 

Spray 4 individual springform pans or a single 1-quart springform pan with spray

cooking oil. Heat a cast iron skillet until it is " white hot. " Your skillet

can't be too hot. Be sure to wear a heavy oven mitt when handling the skillet.

The idea is to quickly cook your vegetables so the outside sears, similar to

blackened fish. One way to test the skillet to see if it is hot enough is to

sprinkle it with water. The water droplets should skitter across the surface

before evaporating. As the skillet is heating, toss the sliced eggplant and

zucchini in large bowl with olive oil, herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper

until well coated. Sear the vegetables in the hot skillet until cooked on both

sides. This does not take long, about 35 to 40 seconds on each side. Although

the skillet will cool off a bit as you cook, so it may take a bit longer. The

vegetables should be tender when you bite into them. Scoop the vegetables into

the springform pans and allow them to sit for half an hour. Serve topped with

Smoked Tomato Coulis.

 

Smoked Tomato Coulis

 

2 tbsps. olive oil

1 medium onion

3 medium carrots

3 cups canned, diced tomatoes in juice

12 smoked Roma tomatoes, quartered

2 tbsps. pickled jalapeno peppers

8 fresh basil leaves

5 cloves garlic

2 bay leaves

 

To begin, heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Cut the onion

into about 8 pieces and the carrots into 4 pieces. Saute these in the olive oil

for 5 minutes or so. To the pot add the tomatoes, jalapenos, basil, garlic and

bay leaves. Cook this over a medium heat for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the bay

leaves and pour the mixture into a food processor. Pulse the blade until the

mixture is a coarse puree, not soupy.

Makes 2 quarts.