Eggplant Polenta Stacks With Tomato Sauce Recipes

TIAN PROVENCAL WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush a shallow 2-quart baking dish with oil. Bring milk and 2 1/2 cups water to a simmer in a medium pot. Whisk in polenta; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared dish, spreading in an even layer.
• Layer half of leek, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes over polenta. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Scatter with half of cheese. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients, omitting cheese.
• Bake 30 minutes. Press vegetables down with a spatula; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until vegetables are knife-tender and edges are caramelized, about 35 minutes more. (If cheese is darkening too quickly, tent with foil.) Let cool slightly before serving.

POLENTA WITH HOT TOMATO-EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• If using a broiler, turn on.
• Wash, trim and slice eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Brush with four teaspoons of the oil.
• If using a top-of-the-stove grill, prepare. Broil or grill the eggplant until it begins to brown on both sides. Set aside.
• Mince garlic, and saute in the remaining two teaspoons of hot oil in a saucepan with hot-pepper flakes for 30 seconds.
• Crush tomatoes with your fingers and add them in the pan with vinegar. Reduce heat and simmer until the rest of the meal is complete.
• Bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil in a covered pot.
• Cut the skin from eggplant and cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Add to tomatoes.
• Add polenta, one tablespoon at a time, to the boiling water, stirring well, and cook over medium-high heat until polenta thickens.
• Season the polenta with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, coarsely grate the cheese.
• Spoon polenta onto two dinner plates; top with tomato-eggplant sauce, and sprinkle with cheese. Serve with bread.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATO STACKS

Steps:

• In a large bowl toss the eggplant slices with 1/4 cup kosher salt. Using your fingertips, evenly distribute the salt on both sides of each slice. Place the eggplant in a colander set over a large bowl or sheet pan to catch juices. Set aside for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with heavy-duty foil.
• Rinse the eggplant under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
• Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on one baking sheet. Brush olive oil on 1 side. Brush with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
• Drizzle the other pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the minced garlic.
• Roast the tomatoe slices until they are very soft and just beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes, without turning. Bake the eggplant slices until they are tender and well browned, 20 to 30 minutes, without turning. Let the tomato and eggplant slices cool until you can handle them with your fingers.
• Make a short stack starting with eggplant on the bottom, 1 slice mozzarella, and then tomato. Top with another piece of eggplant. Warm stacks in the oven until mozzarella lightly melts. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

POLENTA STACKS WITH EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• For polenta:
• Bring 2 cups water and salt to boil in heavy small saucepan. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until polenta is very thick, whisking constantly, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese and butter; whisk until melted. Mix in basil. Season generously with pepper. Spread in 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Chill until cold, about 1 hour.(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover, keep chilled.)
• For stacks:
• Preheat broiler. Place eggplant on baking sheet. Brush with oil on both sides; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Arrange 12 tomato slices on large plate (discard end slices). Drizzle each slice with a few drops of vinegar. Sprinkle eggplant and tomatoes with oregano.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil baking sheet. Cut polenta into 25 squares. Place 12 squares on sheet. Top each with eggplant round. Cut cheese into 1/3-inch thick slices; place atop squares. Top each with tomato slice (save remaining polenta and cheese for another use).
• Bake polenta stacks until heated through and cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Top each stack with 1 basil leaf.