TUN: Onsa's Eggplant Tajine
Source of Recipe
The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Nancy Harmon Jenkins
Onsa's Eggplant Tajine
2 pounds eggplant
--(2 medium eggplants)
sea salt
2 pounds pumpkin
or
2 pounds Hubbard or butternut squash
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
plus
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces boneless chicken, skinned and
-- cut in bite-size pieces
7 or 8 plump scallions (1 bunch) -- chopped to make
-- 3/4 cup
1/4 cup capers -- well drained
2 long green Italian peppers -- (up to 3)
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese -- grated
6 eggs
Slice the eggplant on the diagonal, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Arrange the slices in a colander, sprinkling each layer liberally with salt. Set a plate on top of the eggplant and weight it (a can of tomatoes works fine for this). Set the colander in the sink for about 1 hour to drain any bitter juices from the eggplant.
Peel the pumpkin or squash and cut in slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Set aside.
Mix the chicken in a saucepan with a tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped scallions. Add water just barely to cover, bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until the chicken is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and add the chicken and scallions to a food processor with another tablespoon of oil, the capers, and a pinch of salt. Process to make a coarse paste--you'll have about 1 1/2 cups when done.
Bring 1 1/2 cups of olive oil to frying temperature (360 degrees) in a deep skillet or frying pan and add the pumpkin slices, a few at a time. Fry on both sides until the pumpkin turns a deeper shade of golden orange, then remove and drain on a rack or in a colander.
Rinse the eggplant slices carefully under running water to get rid of excess salt, then pat them very dry with paper towels. When the pumpkin is done, fry the eggplant slices in the same oil, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a rack or colander to drain well.
Lower the heat slightly and add the whole, rinsed peppers to the pan. Cook, turning frequently, until the transparent outer skin of the peppers has started to lift off and the peppers themselves are softened. Remove and set aside, preferably in a paper bag, to soften.
(The recipe may be done well ahead to this point and the final dish assembled about an hour before you're ready to serve it.)
When you're ready to do the final baking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom of an oval gratin dish with half the drained eggplant slices. Arrange half the pureed chicken over the eggplant and sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of the grated cheese. Arrange the pumpkin slices over this. Beat one of the eggs with a fork in a small bowl and drizzle over the pumpkin. Then add the rest of the chicken, the remaining cheese, and the remaining eggplant slices.
Cut the peppers in quarters lengthwise, discarding the stem and core and any white veins from the insides. Lift away the transparent skin where it's easy to do that (you don't need to be too finicky about this). Slice the pepper quarters lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick and use the slices to make a lattice over the eggplant.
Now beat the remaining eggs together well and pour over the the top of the dish, tilting the dish to get egg all around it. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the tagine is set and firm, lightly browned on top, but not tough and rubbery.
Remove and let sit for 20 minutes or so before serving.
Makes 8 servings as a main course; 10 to 12 servings as a starter
Categories: Chicken, Vegetables, Tunisian
Typed for you by Judi Mae Phelps
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