Red Pepper And Eggplant Soufflé Recipes

EGGPLANT AND RED PEPPER TERRINE

Steps:

• Blacken and peel the red peppers: Arrange the red peppers on a broiling pan and place them under a hot broiler so that their upper surfaces are about 1/2 inch from the heat. Broil for 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the peppers are blistered and black on all sides. (You can alternatively blacken the peppers directly over the open flame of a gas cook-top, holding them and turning them with tongs.) Place them in a bowl and cover the bowl with a plate. Let the peppers steam in their own residual heat inside the bowl for 10 minutes. Then peel them (the skin will slide off) and remove the seeds. Note that Trader Joe's makes an excellent bottled cooked red pepper that can be used as a shortcut to the above step.
• Grill the eggplants: Heat a grill or grill pan until very hot. Cut the eggplants into 1/2-inch slices and lay out flat on a large flat surface such as a baking pan. Brush the slices on both sides with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Cook the eggplant slices on the grill, covered, for 4 minutes on each side, until they are nicely browned and softened. If your grill does not have a lid, make a tent-like lid of aluminum foil and place it over the eggplant as it cooks.
• Blanch the parsley: While the eggplant is grilling, soften the parsley by blanching it in boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds. Remove, cool under cold water, drain.
• Build the terrine: Line a terrine mold (loaf pan) with plastic wrap. Arrange a layer of eggplant in the bottom of the mold and top it with about a third each of the red pepper pieces, parsley, and cheese. Repeat, beginning and ending with a layer of eggplant, until all the ingredients are used. Cover with plastic wrap and press down on the wrap to compact the mixture. Refrigerate. At this point you can make the terrine in advance and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
• Prepare the sauce: Place the garlic and tomatoes in a blender and blend until smooth. Push the mixture through a food mill (fitted with a fine screen) over a bowl. Add the remainder of the sauce ingredients. Mix well.
• Serve: To serve, pour some of the sauce on a large platter and un-mold the terrine in the center. Cut it into slices and serve with the remainder of the sauce. Adapted from Jacques Pepin's Today's Gourmet II: Light and Healthy Cooking for the '90s .

SPICY RED-PEPPER AND EGGPLANT CONFIT

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut peppers into 1-inch pieces. Toss together all ingredients in a large roasting pan, then spread evenly. Roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 1 hour. Cool before serving.

GRILLED EGGPLANT, PEPPERS AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Prepare a bed of hot coals in a charcoal grill, or heat a stovetop grill to medium-high. Arrange eggplants, onions and peppers on a baking sheet. Paint vegetables lightly on both sides with olive oil.
• Working in batches, grill all vegetables on both sides until softened and lightly charred, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. When all vegetables are cooked, chop them into rough chunks and place in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and the vinegar. Season well with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add capers and toss again.
• Transfer mixture to a serving dish and sprinkle with oregano and crushed red pepper. Serve at room temperature.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND BELL PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining olive oil to the skillet; add eggplant and bell pepper. Saute until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomato, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper; cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Return sauteed onion to the skillet. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Transfer eggplant mixture to a baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Cool before serving, about 1 hour.

RED PEPPER AND EGGPLANT SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter well and chill 8 1 1/4-cup souffle dishes.
• Place eggplants on baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes, or until soft. Meanwhile, roast red peppers by placing them atop an ignited gas burner, turning often until skin blackens; if you do not have gas burner this can be done under electric broiler.
• Scoop flesh and seeds from the eggplant when it has cooled slightly and place it in colander. Wash blackened skin off peppers, then core and seed. Set aside.
• Place eggplants and peppers in food processor or blender. Add ricotta, cumin, jalapeno peppers, coriander, salt and pepper. Puree well. Taste for seasoning and transfer to bowl.
• Add yolks to mixture and combine well with wire whisk. In another bowl whisk whites until they form soft peaks. Fold 1/4 of whites into mixture, then remainder. Do not overwork. Taste for seasoning.
• Place souffle dishes on baking sheet and fill to rim with mixture. Before placing in oven run thumb around rim of each to remove any overflow, which could cling and prevent souffle from rising fully. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.

ROASTED RED BELL PEPPERS WITH EGGPLANT (FUNGHETTO)

Steps:

• For the peppers: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Spray a small baking dish or baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Arrange the peppers, cut side-up, on the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake until the peppers are tender but still holding their shape, about 20 minutes.
• For the eggplant: Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add the eggplant in batches and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
• For the filling: Combine the cooked eggplant, tomato-basil sauce, olives, capers, salt and pepper in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.
• For the topping: In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Spoon the filling into the bell peppers and sprinkle the topping over the filling. Drizzle with the olive oil and broil until a golden crust forms, 2 to 3 minutes.

ROASTED RED PEPPER AND EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce eggplants all over with fork. Transfer, cut side down, to baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove peel and discard. Cut eggplants into large pieces. Rinse eggplant pieces under running water. Drain well. Set aside.
• Char bell peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel, seed and coarsely chop peppers.
• Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and leek and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in eggplant, peppers, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in basil and thyme. Cool slightly.
• Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter and lemon juice; stir over low heat until soup is heated through, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Transfer to large bowl; garnish with Parmesan.

HERBED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; butter or oil a 1-1/2 quart baking casserole or souffle pan.
• Over medium heat in a large skillet (with a cover) or round French oven (my Le Creuset works wonderfully well), melt butter and oil together, then add the onion, celery, and garlic and saute over low heat until the onion is translucent.
• Sprinkle in the flour and stir well until incorporated.
• Add the basil, oregano, and thyme and saute, stirring, until flour begins to brown.
• Add the milk and the diced eggplant.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, until the eggplant is very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes; check the mixture every 5 minutes or so and stir, adding water or broth to keep the bottom of the skillet moist.
• Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl; allow to cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and 4 egg yolks and stir well to coat.
• Add yolk mixture to the eggplant mixture and stir well; set aside.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the eggplant mixture.
• Pour soufflé mixture into the buttered casserole or soufflé pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until it is a nice golden brown and is puffy.
• Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes, then serve immediately.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND RED BELL PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly oil a foil-lined baking sheet. Place bell peppers, cut-sides down, on the baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until beginning to char, about 45 minutes.
• While peppers roast, score eggplant flesh deeply in a diamond cross-hatch pattern with the tip of a knife. Press on the edges of the halves to open the cuts and sprinkle salt over the surface and into the cuts. Set aside, cut-sides up, for 30 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently squeeze the eggplant over the sink to extract the salty juice and wipe them dry with a paper towel. Brush each half with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange each half, cut-side down, on the lined baking sheet.
• Remove bell peppers from the oven and cover with a dish towel. Let stand for 5 minutes. Leave the oven on.
• Roast eggplant in the preheated oven until tender, about 45 minutes. Peel, seed, and slice the peppers while eggplant is roasting.
• Whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic, garlic, and chili sauce together in a separate bowl. Slice 4 artichoke hearts; reserve any remaining artichoke hearts for another use.
• Let eggplant cool for at least 20 minutes before handling. Turn flesh-side up. Use a kitchen knife to scrape the flesh from the skin. Divide the flesh along the score lines into cubes. Discard skin.
• Combine eggplant, bell peppers, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl. Sprinkle with pepper. Pour dressing over vegetables and mix together. Garnish with basil leaves.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND RED PEPPER GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut eggplant into small dice (1/2 to 3/4 inch) and toss with salt to taste. Place in a colander in the sink and let sit for 20 minutes, then drain on paper towels and blot to remove liquid that has accumulated on the surface. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
• Line a baking sheet with foil and oil the foil with olive oil. Lay the diced eggplant on the foil in 1 layer. Roast in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dice are soft when pierced with a knife and browned in spots. Remove from oven and carefully fold foil up over the eggplant slices (be careful not to burn yourself!). Crimp the edges of the foil so that eggplant is hermetically sealed in a big foil packet, and allow eggplant to steam for another 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove from the foil. Place in a colander or strainer set over a bowl again and allow eggplant to drain for 30 minutes, or preferably, overnight (uncovered) in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin. Heat remaining oil over medium heat in a medium size skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic, thyme and cumin and continue to cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant. Remove from the heat.
• If the diced roasted peppers are very moist, drain in a strainer and then place on paper towels and blot. Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in milk and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in eggplant, roasted peppers, onion mixture, chives and parsley and combine well. Stir in cheese and optional rice and combine well. Scrape into prepared baking dish.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

EGGPLANT AND RED PEPPER BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix red bell pepper, onion, and garlic in a large mixing bowl; season with basil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the pepper mixture; toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
• Brush eggplant slices with olive oil to coat thinly.
• Spread about 1/3 of the pepper mixture into the bottom of a square glass baking dish; top with a layer of about 1/3 of the eggplant. Repeat layering twice more. Top final layer with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is browned and the vegetables are bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes.