Eggplant And Mushroom Tahcheen Recipes

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Place eggplant, zucchini, onion and mushrooms in a 2 quart casserole dish. In a small bowl combine the tomato paste with the water, and stir in garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetables and mix well.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally. Add water as necessary if vegetables begin to stick; however, vegetables should be fairly dry, with slightly browned edges.

EGGPLANT AND MUSHROOM TAHCHEEN

Steps:

• Pre-heat your grill to medium-high.
• Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear, then leave to soak in a large bowl of water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. (Don't worry about the large amount of salt here, the rice has a very short time to absorb the water and the final result won't be too salty.) Add the rice and cook for 4-5 minutes over a medium heat. Taste to test; the rice should be soft on the outside but still hard and firm in the middle. Drain, then rinse with tepid water to stop it cooking any further and set aside.
• Make a saffron liquid by using a pestle and mortar to grind the saffron strands with a pinch of sugar and then add the boiled water. Leave to steep.
• Drizzle the eggplant slices with some sunflower oil and season generously with salt. Grill for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the eggplants are cooked through.
• Meanwhile, make the rest of your filling. Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil with 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan and fry the onion for about 10 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan along with the turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
• Lightly toast the cumin seeds in a small pan for a minute and then crush them with a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder, and add them too. Cook until the mushrooms are soft and then take off the heat.
• Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the yogurt, saffron liquid, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Fold the rice in until it is evenly coated with the yogurt and saffron.
• Rub 1 tablespoon butter over the base and sides of a 10-cup ovenproof glass dish. Spoon half of the rice into the dish and press it down evenly. Add a layer of eggplants and mushrooms and finish with a final layer of rice.
• Dot with the remaining butter, cover the dish tightly with foil, and bake for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the base of the tahcheen is crisp and golden brown.
• When the tahcheen is ready, remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly while you make your topping. Melt the butter in a small frying pan and fry the barberries, pistachios, and sugar for 2 minutes until the sugar has melted and the dried fruit has plumped up.
• To serve, run a butter knife around the sides of the tahcheen to separate it from the dish. Place a large board over the top and quickly invert the whole thing. Garnish with a sprinkling of the barberry and pistachio topping.

MUSHROOM-EGGPLANT BISQUE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onions and saute until tender, about eight minutes. Add the garlic and chopped mushrooms and saute another few minutes, then stir in the thyme.
• Add the eggplant and stock or water and simmer gently until the eggplant is tender, about 20 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool briefly, then puree in a food processor, a blender or a food mill. Depending on the capacity of your machine, you may have to puree the soup in several batches.
• Return the puree to the saucepan. Add the milk, bring to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the sliced mushrooms. Simmer five minutes longer, then serve, garnishing each portion with a sprig of thyme.

EGGPLANT WITH MUSHROOM STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8-inch square baking dish.
• Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving shells about 1/4 inch thick. Chop pulp and place into a colander. Sprinkle with salt and let eggplant pulp drip for 30 minutes. Blot moisture from eggplant pulp with a paper towel.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir eggplant pulp and onion in the hot butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir bread crumbs, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, and black pepper into the eggplant mixture until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture into eggplant shells.
• Bake in the preheated oven until eggplant shells are tender, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with Swiss cheese, return to oven, and bake until cheese has melted, about 5 more minutes.