Serve eggplants a la Provencale with French bread as a light lunch or as a vegetable accompaniment.
ingredients
serves 4 - 6
3 medium eggplants
salt
4 - 5 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound tomatoes, peeled and chopped
freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
4 tablespoons fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons Butter
method
1. Wash eggplants, trim off both ends and cut into slices. Place in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Press down with a plate and leave to stand for 1 hour so that the excess moisture drains off.
2. Wash in cold water and dry on kitchen paper.
3. Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C (350°F).
4. Heat oil in a skillet and fry eggplant slices until golden brown on both sides. Drain.
5. Fry tomatoes in oil remaining in the pan, or add a little more if necessary, and season well with salt and pepper. Add garlic.
6. Transfer to a shallow casserole.
7. Overlap eggplant slices on top of tomato mixture in casserole.
8. Mix breadcrumbs with parsley and sprinkle over top of dish. Dot with butter.
9. Cook, uncovered, in centre of oven for about 30 minutes, or until top is crisp and brown.
more information
Usually cheapest in the summer, eggplant is a vegetable new to some people but is not difficult to prepare. Inside the lovely purple skin, it has a spongy flesh rather like a dryish marrow and when cooked the flavour is delicate but distinctive. The skin is not always eaten but is left on in some recipes for appearance. Make sure fat or oil is hot enough when frying or the eggplant will absorb large quantities. When cooked, the flesh turns to a clear grey green and the small seeds are visible throughout.
