In old Provençal cookbooks, eggplant doesn't just end up in ratatouille. I came across two fairly similar preparations that smell of tall herbs and cicadas. In both recipes, the same steps show up: salt, drain, lightly fry, then bring the eggplant together with tomato, garlic and parsley.
Provençal Eggplant
Provençal Eggplant
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 400 g (14 oz) ripe tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Method
- Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise.
- Lightly score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern, without piercing the skin.
- Salt the surface generously and let drain for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Pat the eggplants dry, then press them gently to remove some of their water.
- Heat a little olive oil in a large pan and cook the eggplant halves, flesh-side down first, until they start to brown.
- Turn them over and continue cooking for a few more minutes. They should still be a bit firm.
- Meanwhile, peel the tomatoes (blanching them for a few seconds makes this easy), roughly deseed them, then chop.
- Cook the tomatoes over low heat with the chopped garlic, parsley, salt and pepper until you get a fairly thick mixture.
- Arrange the eggplants in a baking dish and spoon the chopped tomatoes over the top.
- Finish cooking for 20 to 25 minutes in the oven at 180°C (350°F), until the eggplants are very tender.
- Serve hot, warm, or cold.
Provençal Eggplant Ragout
Provençal Eggplant Ragout
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 500 g (1.1 lb) tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Method
- Peel the eggplants if their skin is thick, then cut into slices about 1 cm thick.
- Arrange them in a bowl or colander, sprinkling with salt as you go.
- Let drain for 1 hour.
- Drain, pat thoroughly dry, then fry the eggplant slices in small batches in olive oil until lightly golden.
- Set them on paper towel.
- Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce: cook the sliced onion gently in a little olive oil.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sauce has reduced well.
- Add the eggplant and continue cooking over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, just long enough for it to soak up the sauce without falling apart completely.
- Serve hot or warm.
Two recipes, one shared principle
Good to know
In both preparations, salting and draining the eggplant matters: it removes some of the water they contain and helps them hold together better during cooking. The amount of oil might look generous, but this is old-fashioned Provençal cooking, after all!
