Eggplant Bruschetta
My boyfriend’s mother, Sanatani, LOVES eggplant with a passion (but it’s got to be well cooked)! I’ve known her since my childhood, and i grew up with her and her whole family, so she is my other dear mama and mentor! She is a great cook and i have definitely learned a great deal from her. So the other day i was at her house and i decided to treat her a dinner with a juicy eggplant bruschetta. This was an experiment that actually turned out delightful and i was happy to see her content and smiling. Mother’s are the best! And it’s awesome when you have more than one!
3 long asian eggplants
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 diced onion
6 diced sweet mini bell peppers; yellow, red & orange
2 minced celery sticks
2 grated carrots
2 TB of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of cilantro
1/2 cup of mint leaves
3 tomatoes; diced
1 tsp of sugar
greek feta cheese for topping
Halve the eggplant lengthwise and then split in half. In a saucepan at a high flame, put 1 TB of oil and add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, bell peppers, 1/2 mint, and 1/2 of the cilantro. Stir for about 2 minutes until they are a bit golden and wilted and add the eggplant, stirring for another minute. Add water enough to cover the eggplant and boil till the water is almost evaporated. Remove the eggplant and in the remaining water add the 3 diced tomatoes and cook till it has reduced into a chunky sauce and simmer. Meanwhile in a nonstick pan at a medium flame, add 1 Tb of oil and spread all over the pan, add the eggplant facing the sliced part down and cover for about 10 minutes, remove the lid and if you can prick the eggplant with a fork it is nicely cooked. Turn the eggplants so they can cook on the bottom, sprinkle the sugar evenly and cover for 5 minutes. Turn facing down on a medium high flame for a couple of minutes to caramelize the sliced top. Check to see if they have a golden color to them, and are soft but not mushy. Turn off the eggplant and check the tomato sauce, add the remaining cilantro and mint and turn off. Place a couple of eggplants, facing the sliced part up, and add the sauce carefully on top, sprinkle with feta and fresh cilantro and serve immediately!
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