Captivating your senses with a symphony of flavors, the tomato and eggplant ragout is a culinary masterpiece that invites you on a delightful gastronomic journey. This hearty and versatile dish, rooted in the culinary traditions of Italy, showcases the harmonious blend of fresh, ripe tomatoes and tender eggplants, simmered to perfection in a rich and savory sauce. Its vibrant red hue and enticing aroma create an irresistible allure, promising a flavor-packed experience.
Embark on a culinary adventure as you explore the diverse recipes featured in this article, each offering a unique interpretation of this classic ragout. From the traditional Italian rendition, where basil and oregano dance in perfect harmony, to the smoky and robust Spanish version infused with paprika and chorizo, these recipes cater to a wide range of palates and preferences.
Unearth the secrets of creating a luscious tomato sauce, the foundation of any great ragout. Discover the art of selecting the ripest tomatoes, ensuring a vibrant color and intense flavor. Learn the techniques for achieving the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness, creating a sauce that tantalizes the taste buds.
Delve into the intricacies of preparing the eggplants, a key ingredient that adds a delightful texture and depth of flavor to the ragout. Discover the nuances of salting and draining the eggplants, a crucial step in removing bitterness and ensuring a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Explore the variations of cooking methods, from slow-simmering the ragout on the stovetop to baking it in the oven. Each method imparts a unique character to the dish, allowing you to tailor the cooking process to your preferences and available time.
Uncover the secrets of creating the perfect accompaniment to your tomato and eggplant ragout. Learn how to cook pasta al dente, achieving that perfect bite that allows the flavors of the sauce to shine through. Discover the art of selecting the right type of bread to serve alongside the ragout, ensuring a satisfying and memorable meal.
Enrich your culinary repertoire with this comprehensive guide to tomato and eggplant ragout. Indulge in the vibrant flavors, explore the diverse cooking techniques, and delight your palate with this timeless classic. Prepare to embark on a culinary journey that will leave you craving for more.
TOMATO AND EGGPLANT RAGOUT
Looking for a French-style stew? Then check out this delicious tomato and eggplant ragout made using Muir Glen® Organic - a wonderful dinner.
Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Entree
Time 2h
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place diced eggplant in colander. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 1 hour; rinse with cold water.
- In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook half of the eggplant in oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with another 1/4 cup olive oil and remaining eggplant.
- In same skillet, heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-low heat. Cook onions in oil about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds; add celery and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add cooked eggplant, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper; heat to a slow simmer. Cover; cook 20 minutes. Stir in parsley.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 350, Carbohydrate 21 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fat 5 1/2, Fiber 8 g, Protein 3 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 1310 mg, Sugar 10 g, TransFat 0 g
EGGPLANT STEAKS WITH PUMPKIN, TOMATO, AND MUSHROOM RAGOûT
Categories Herb Mushroom Soy Tomato Vegetable Roast Vegetarian Dinner Lunch Rosemary Eggplant Pumpkin Fall Vegan Shallot Gourmet Pescatarian Dairy Free Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Kosher
Yield Makes 6 (main course) servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Roast shallots, tomatoes, and pumpkin:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss shallots and tomatoes with 3 tablespoons oil in a large roasting pan and season with salt. Roast until tomatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 25 minutes. Transfer tomatoes only to a large bowl.
- Add pumpkins with salt to taste to shallots, tossing to coat with oil in pan. Roast until pumpkins are just tender, about 30 minutes, then add vegetables to tomatoes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 200°F.
- Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners. Add water and 1/2 cup wine and deglaze by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up any brown bits. Reserve liquid.
- Cook soybeans while vegetables roast:
- Cook soybeans in boiling salted water until just tender, about 1 minute (3 minutes for lima beans), then drain. When cool enough to handle, shell soybeans, discarding pods.
- Prepare eggplant:
- Cut 2 (2-inch-thick) crosswise slices, or "steaks," from thickest part of each eggplant and season generously with salt and pepper. (Reserve remaining eggplant for another use.) Brown 3 eggplant steaks in 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, about 5 minutes on each side.
- Add 1/4 cup wine to skillet and simmer, covered, turning once, until eggplant is very tender and wine is absorbed, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a small roasting pan. (If wine is absorbed before eggplant is tender, add water, a few tablespoons at a time, and continue cooking until tender.) Repeat with remaining 3 eggplant steaks. Keep eggplant warm, uncovered, in oven.
- Make ragout:
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté mushrooms with garlic, rosemary, and salt to taste, stirring, until golden and any liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Stir in reserved deglazing liquid and simmer until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add roasted vegetables and soybeans and cook, stirring, until heated through. Stir in vinegar.
- Serve eggplant steaks topped with vegetable ragout.
ITALIAN EGGPLANT RAGOUT
Pulled from an old issue of vegetarian times. I used to be pretty leary of eggplant, but this was enchanting. Good on its own; better with pasta or rice.
Provided by Umberle
Categories Stew
Time 1h
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Scoop out center and seeds of eggplant halves. Cut eggplants into 3/4 inch dice. Toss with salt in bowl and let it stand for at least 20 minutes. Drain off the fluid that collects, rinse well, and pat dry.
- Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and saute until softened (about 5 minutes.) Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, and eggplants. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes, or until eggplants are tender but not mushy.
- Stir in capers and sugar, and cook 2 minutes more. Fold in parsley, and season with black pepper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 196.5, Fat 5.9, SaturatedFat 0.8, Sodium 2632.2, Carbohydrate 32.9, Fiber 10.8, Sugar 8, Protein 6.5
EGGPLANT RAGù WITH CAPERS AND BURRATA
This eggplant dish is a lot like pasta alla Norma, minus the pasta. Instead, it's the large, crisp chunks of eggplant that star, enrobed in basil-scented marinara sauce and topped with a melting, creamy mix of burrata and ricotta. In this recipe adapted from the chef Amy Brandwein of Centrolina in Washington, D.C., the cubed eggplant is topped with crunchy, salty eggplant chips, sliced ultrathin and deep-fried until golden. But if that's one step too many when you're cooking this at home, feel free to leave the chips out.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories vegetables, side dish
Time 1h
Yield 3 to 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until onions start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until lightly caramelized, another 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Use your hands to break up the tomatoes in the can, squishing them into the skillet. Pour in the tomato juices. Fill tomato can halfway with water and stir that water into the skillet. Add half the basil leaves, season with salt and black pepper to taste, and red-pepper flakes, then simmer vigorously until tomatoes break down and sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the broiler, and place the rack 4 inches from the heat source.
- Cube 1 1/2 of the eggplants into 1 1/4-inch cubes (about 7 cups). Save remaining half an eggplant for garnish. Arrange cubed eggplant in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss eggplant thoroughly with remaining 4 tablespoons oil, then season to taste with salt.
- Broil eggplant until browned on one side, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the pieces and broil until browned and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. (If your eggplant starts to burn, move the baking sheet to a lower rack.)
- To make the garnish of eggplant slices, slice remaining eggplant lengthwise into long, thin 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place flour on a plate, and generously coat both sides of each eggplant slice.
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 inch of oil to 350 degrees. Fry eggplant, in batches, until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through. Transfer to a separate paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
- In a medium bowl, fold together burrata and ricotta.
- To serve, gently stir broiled eggplant into tomato sauce until evenly coated. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the eggplant is warmed through. Transfer to serving bowls, and spoon burrata mixture on top. Garnish with remaining basil leaves, crisp eggplant slices and the capers if you like.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 472, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 37 grams, Fat 32 grams, Fiber 13 grams, Protein 16 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 1332 milligrams, Sugar 17 grams
QUINOA CAKES WITH EGGPLANT-TOMATO RAGù AND SMOKED MOZZARELLA
Provided by Lillian Chou
Categories Cheese Tomato Side Vegetarian Quinoa Eggplant Bell Pepper Pan-Fry Healthy Simmer Gourmet Pescatarian Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Makes 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Make quinoa cakes:
- Bring water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan.
- Meanwhile, wash quinoa in 3 changes of water in a bowl, then drain well in a fine-mesh sieve.
- Stir quinoa into boiling water and return to a boil, then simmer, covered, until quinoa is dry and water is absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes, then stir in egg.
- Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and lightly brush with oil. Lightly oil a 1-cup dry-ingredient measure. Pack enough quinoa into measure with a rubber spatula to fill it two-thirds full. (If spatula becomes sticky, dip in water.) Unmold onto baking sheet and gently pat quinoa into a 4-inch-wide patty with spatula. Make 3 more quinoa cakes, brushing measure with oil each time. Chill cakes, uncovered, at least 15 minutes.
- Make topping while quinoa cooks and chills:
- Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in a colander and drain 30 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of eggplant to extract liquid, then pat dry.
- Cook eggplant, onion, garlic, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, roasted peppers, and water and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very tender and mixture is thick (if dry, thin with a little water), about 10 minutes.
- Cook quinoa cakes:
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Carefully add quinoa cakes and cook, turning once carefully and adding remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons oil, until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes total (pat cakes to reshape with cleaned rubber spatula while cooking if necessary). Transfer to plates.
- To serve:
- Return eggplant ragù to a simmer and stir in parsley and half of mozzarella, then simmer, stirring, until cheese just begins to soften, about 30 seconds. Spoon over quinoa cakes, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
MARIO'S EGGPLANT RAGU
Provided by Molly O'Neill
Categories dinner, main course
Time 1h
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Sprinkle the eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt and drain in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse, pat dry and cut in 1/4-inch dice.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the eggplant, peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cover. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and cook, uncovered, stirring, for 5 minutes. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the basil and let sit for 5 minutes before serving with pasta or polenta.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 396, UnsaturatedFat 30 grams, Carbohydrate 17 grams, Fat 37 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 840 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams
Tips:
- Choose ripe, flavorful tomatoes for the best results.
- Roasting the eggplant beforehand intensifies its flavor and gives it a smoky, slightly caramelized taste.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking the eggplant and tomatoes. This will prevent them from cooking evenly.
- Season the ragout to taste with salt, pepper, and other herbs and spices as desired.
- Serve the ragout over pasta, rice, or polenta for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Conclusion:
This tomato and eggplant ragout is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways. It's perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal, or it can be dressed up for a special occasion. With its bold flavors and hearty texture, this ragout is sure to please everyone at the table.
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