EGGPLANT FERESH
1 Large Eggplant (or 2 small)
1-2 Tbs Olive oil (or cooking spray)
½ Lemon Juiced and zested
1 Small Can of tomato juice
¼ Cup Diced green peppers (or red or combination)
¼ Cup Dry white wine
2 Fresh Tomatoes, diced (or 1 small can)
½ tsp Dried basil or parsley
¼ tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Sugar
Pinch Saffron
Peel eggplant and slice into ½" slices.* Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Sauté eggplant slices until brown on both sides. Then, add lemon juice and rind, tomato juice, and enough water to keep everything from sticking**.
Lower heat to a simmer. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Break up the eggplant into thick chunks and give mixture a good stir. (Add more water if you like more sauce.) Serve over rice, couscous or orzo. Enjoy!
Servings: 2
Cooking Tips
*If eggplant isn't as fresh as you'd like, salt both sides and let drain for about 20 minutes to an hour. Rinse or scrape the salt off with a knife and pat slices dry with paper towels.
**Optional: As a variation, prepare beef or lamb meatballs ahead of time and add them to the dish here. Elisabeth's meatball recipe: ¾ lb. ground beef or lamb, mixed with ½ small onion and 1 garlic clove, minced; salt and pepper to taste - make meatballs small (1" diameter), sauté, drain on paper towels to remove fat, set aside. Note: You can also use leftover lamb or chicken instead of meatballs.
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