Mexican Eggplant Recipes

EASY MEXICAN EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Cut unpeeled eggplant into 1/2 inch slices and brush all sides with oil (or spray will olive oil) Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, uncovered in 450 degree oven until soft, about 20 minutes. Turn down oven to 350 degrees after you remove eggplant. In bowl, combine tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes, green onions, garlic salt & olives. Salt eggplant more, if desired. Spread a few Tablespoons of sauce on bottom of 1- 1/2 quart casserole dish. Line bottom with half of eggplant, overlapping slightly. Spoon on half the sauce and half the cheese. Repeat, ending with cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Pass sour cream to spoon over individual servings.

BERENJENA A LA VERACRUZANA - MEXICAN EGGPLANT IN SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the peel from the eggplant and cut into approximate 1/2 to 3/4 inch strips. Add them a handful at a time to a colander, salting them well between layers, until all of them are in the colander. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow them to "sweat" their bitterness out and lose liquid.
• While the eggplant is in the colander, make the sauce. In a large, heavy pot (I use my Le Creuset), heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until just translucent. Add the garlic and chiles, stir well, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for an additional 7-10 minutes until onion is soft.
• Add the tomatoes and stir well. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes and the liquids are reduced by about half.
• Rinse the salted eggplant and drain well.
• Add all the remaining ingredients (including eggplant) to the pot, stir well, and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes until eggplant is well-cooked and the sauce is the consistency that you like (you may want to remove the cover for the last 5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit). Remove bay leaves.
• Serve with polenta rounds or squares (or some other favorite method of prepared polenta), drizzled with a little crema. Enjoy!

MEXICAN STYLE EGGPLANT

Steps:

• 1. Roll eggplant in egg and flour. Fry in butter or put in oven until tender.
• 2. In a 1 1/2 quart saucepan combine tomato sauce, green onions, chilies, garlic, and cumin, and let simmer 10 minutes.
• 3. Put eggplant on bottom of a 9 by 13 baking dish and spread sauce mix on top.
• 4. Put cheese on top of sauce and bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly about 25 minutes.
• 5. Serve with sour cream and garnish with black olives and basil leaves.