Roasted Eggplant Ragu With Polenta Recipes

ROASTED EGGPLANT RAGU WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high flame and roast the peppers until charred on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a lid or towel and allow to cool.
• Use a knife to poke the eggplant in a few places to help steam escape while roasting so the eggplants won't explode in your beautiful kitchen. Please poke them :-)
• You can use the same skillet you roasted the peppers on to cook the eggplants or broil both the peppers and eggplants until charred. Allow them to charr nicely on all sides then transfer to a bowl until cool enough to handle.
• Use your hands to remove the peels from both the roasted peppers and eggplants and discard the core.
• Transfer to a cutting board and dice the peppers. Finely chop the eggplant and set aside until needed. (Alternatively you can use a food processor if you prefer a smooth texture, we like it more rustic).
• Preheat a large skillet or pot over medium flame. Add a splash of water and saute the onion until translucent. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another minute or so until you can smell the fragrance.
• Stir in the smoked paprika, oregano and mushrooms and cook a few minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add in the roasted peppers, eggplant and the San Marzano tomatoes together with the red wine. Give everything a good stir and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 45 minutes on low flame until the sauce has reduced and thickened to your liking. Season to taste with the sea salt.

ITALIAN EGGPLANT RAGOUT

Steps:

• Scoop out center and seeds of eggplant halves. Cut eggplants into 3/4 inch dice. Toss with salt in bowl and let it stand for at least 20 minutes. Drain off the fluid that collects, rinse well, and pat dry.
• Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and saute until softened (about 5 minutes.) Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, and eggplants. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes, or until eggplants are tender but not mushy.
• Stir in capers and sugar, and cook 2 minutes more. Fold in parsley, and season with black pepper.