Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Eggplant Stewed with a Touch of Balsamic Vinegar

I love eggplant~~I like it baked whole, then scooped out and mixed with a little salt and lemon juice. Baba ganoosh! I love it sliced, dregged in Italian style bread crumbs and fried. I make a spread for rye bread from eggplant, greenpeppers, carrots, tomato, onions and olive oil. Called Baklazhan. That recipe came from my mother.
This is a little break from the normal fried eggplant fare.
Makes a lovely antipasto item.
Balsamic Eggplant Slices
1 medium eggplant, sliced very thin
1/2 large tomato
1 clove garlic, minced
Olive oil
salt
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

You will slice the eggplant thin, and spread out the slices onto a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for about 30 minutes. Place more paper towels over top and press out the bitter juices. Wipe off as much salt as you can. I don't rinse my eggplant slices, as they will be placed directly onto oil in a skillet.
Place these slices into a skillet coated with olive oil and simmer, covered with lid, along with sliced tomato, and minced garlic until tender. Add 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar toss over all and serve warm or cool as antipasto.