Minty Aubergine Goats Cheese Recipes

EGGPLANT WITH TOMATO-MINT SAUCE AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with oil spray. Arrange eggplant rounds on prepared sheets; brush lightly with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 10 minutes. Turn rounds over and bake until tender and golden, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their juices, mint and oregano and simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to 1 3/4 cups, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon half of tomato sauce into shallow 2-quart baking dish. Arrange eggplant rounds atop sauce, overlapping slightly. Spoon remaining sauce over. Sprinkle cheese over. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) AND GOAT CHEESE LASAGNETTE

Steps:

• Directions for the Thick tomato sauce:.
• Heat 3 tblspns olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until hot.
• Add the bell pepper and sauté until brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, if necessary, and the garlic, and cook briefly until light brown.
• Add the onion and cook until brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and stir to mix well.
• Add the tomatoes and their juice, the stock, and bay leaf.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the sauce until thick, about 25 minutes, be sure to stir often to prevent scorching.
• Add the butter, oregano, parsley, and basil and stir well. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Use immediately, or let cool, cover, and refrigerate for several days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
• Directions for the lasgnette:.
• Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch-thick slices. Salt for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and pat dry.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Pour the olive oil into a large skillet to a depth of 1 inch and place over medium-high heat until hot, about 350°F Meanwhile, season the flour with the pepper.
• Dredge the slices in the flour, then dip in eggwhites, and then coat with dry breadcrumbs.
• Fry, turning once, until browned, about 2 minutes total. Drain on paper towels. Note: The oil should be hot enough to bubble while the eggplant is cooking but be careful not to let them burn.
• Add more oil as necessary to maintain the oil at a depth of about 1 inch.
• Spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 2-1/2-quart baking dish. Arrange a layer of eggplant in the dish to cover the bottom completely.
• Spoon on another layer of sauce, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, 1 tablespoon of the parsley and basil, and dot with one-third of the chevre.
• Repeat the layering twice, beginning with eggplant and ending with chevre.
• Do not press down on the layers.
• Top with the remaining eggplant and then another thin layer of sauce.
• Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan (about 3 tablespoons), parsley (about 2 tablespoons), and the breadcrumbs.
• Bake until browned and bubbling, about 20-30 minutes. Do not over-brown.
• Let rest a few minutes before cutting into squares to serve. Serve hot or warm, drizzled with the garlic or basil oil if desired.

GRILLED EGGPLANT AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the olive oil over the slices of eggplant and toss to coat. Grill the eggplants until tender and grill marks appear, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Place the eggplants side-by-side on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, goat cheese, basil, and mint. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
• Cook's note: Plating the eggplant salad this way allowed the cheese to stay bright white. The salt and pepper showed up on it. The herbs remained green and fluffy. The grill marks on the eggplant were distinct.