Spicy Red Pepper And Eggplant Confit Recipes

SPICY RED PEPPER & EGGPLANT CONFIT

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut roasted peppers into 1-inch pieces.
• Toss together all ingredients in a large roasting pan, then spread evenly.
• Roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 1 hour. Cool before serving.
• Cooks' note:.
• Confit can be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature and stir before serving.
• **Cook time does not include letting the roasted peppers steam for 15 minutes, after broiling or allowing the confit to cool before serving.

EGGPLANT AND RED PEPPER BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix red bell pepper, onion, and garlic in a large mixing bowl; season with basil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the pepper mixture; toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
• Brush eggplant slices with olive oil to coat thinly.
• Spread about 1/3 of the pepper mixture into the bottom of a square glass baking dish; top with a layer of about 1/3 of the eggplant. Repeat layering twice more. Top final layer with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is browned and the vegetables are bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes.

EGGPLANT AND TOMATO CONFIT

Steps:

• Roast the eggplant, allow to cool and cut into 1-inch dice.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet and add the onions. Cook stirring, until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir together for another minute, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, eggplant, sugar, anchovies, thyme, basil sprig (but not the slivered basil), salt, and pepper. Stir together and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to very low, cover, and cook, stirring from time to time, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the mixture has cooked down to a thick, fragrant mixture. Pull out the basil sprig. Taste and adjust seasonings. Sprinkle the slivered basil over the top. Serve hot or at room temperature, as a starter, a side dish, or as a topping for polenta, rice, bruschetta or pasta.

SPICY ROASTED RED PEPPER AND EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425F/220°C.
• While the peppers and eggplant are roasting, chop your onions and fresh chili (if you are using a fresh chili). Throw away the seeds and pith of the chili, and remember to only use half. Set aside.
• Put the eggplant and the bell peppers on a baking tray. To prevent exploding, poke a few holes in the eggplant, and one small slit in each pepper, facing up (while the peppers cook, they will fill with juice, and you don't want it to leak out).
• Roast them in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the eggplant is soft. Allow to cool enough to touch.
• Carefully put the peppers in a bowl, saving as much juice as possible, and cut in half. Peel away and discard the skin, seeds and pith.
• Cut the eggplant in half, and use a spoon (a grapefruit spoon works amazing for this if you have one!) to scoop out the flesh into the bowl with the red pepper flesh.
• Put the olive oil in the soup pot on low heat, and add the onions. Cook until soft, but not browned.
• Add the hot chili or chili powder, and cook for few quick minutes.
• Add the eggplant, red peppers, thyme, and paprika, and stir.
• Add about three quarters of the stock (enough to cover the contents of the pot), and simmer for about 20 minutes.
• In a few batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth (you need to use a second pot to keep the pureed and un-pureed soup separate).
• Add more stock to adjust the consistency if you need to.
• Add salt, black pepper, small amounts of oregano and coriander, and more of the other spices and thyme to taste. Add a small dash of lime juice as well.
• Serve hot with a spoonful or two of fresh cream on top, and a spoonful of chopped scallions.

ROASTED RED PEPPER AND EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce eggplants all over with fork. Transfer, cut side down, to baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove peel and discard. Cut eggplants into large pieces. Rinse eggplant pieces under running water. Drain well. Set aside.
• Char bell peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel, seed and coarsely chop peppers.
• Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and leek and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in eggplant, peppers, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in basil and thyme. Cool slightly.
• Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter and lemon juice; stir over low heat until soup is heated through, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Transfer to large bowl; garnish with Parmesan.

SPICY RED-PEPPER AND EGGPLANT CONFIT

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut peppers into 1-inch pieces. Toss together all ingredients in a large roasting pan, then spread evenly. Roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 1 hour. Cool before serving.