Recipes for Health: Two Eggplant Bruschettas

Here is a Tuesday Two-Fer for eggplant tapas.

Sicilian Bruschetta

Photo: Lisa Romerein; Styling: Rori Trovato

Ingredients

· 1 loaf (1 lb.) crusty Italian bread such as ciabatta, cut into 1/3-in.-thick slices

· About 6 tbsp. olive oil, divided

· 1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2-in. dice (about 4 cups)

· 2 tablespoons minced garlic

· 1 cup chopped celery

· 1 cup chopped red bell pepper

· 1 cup chopped green olives

· 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar

· 1/4 cup tomato paste

· 1/2 cup raisins

· 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

· 2 teaspoons kosher salt

· 2 teaspoons sugar

· 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

· 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

· 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

· 1 cup ricotta cheese

Preparation

· 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lay bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with about 2 tbsp. oil. Bake until toasted and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

· 2. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook eggplant, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

· 3. In the same pan, cook garlic in remaining 2 tbsp. oil, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add celery, bell pepper, and olives, stirring to combine, and cook until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup water, the vinegar, tomato paste, raisins, and pine nuts and cook until heated through. Stir in reserved eggplant, salt, and sugar, then mix in herbs.

· 4. Serve caponata with ricotta on the toasted bread.

· Make ahead: Chill caponata up to 2 days and store toasts airtight up to 2 days.

· Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Sunset
MAY 2009

· Calories: 275

· Calories from fat: 59%

· Protein: 8.2g

· Fat: 18g

· Saturated fat: 3.2g

· Carbohydrate: 29g

· Fiber: 2.8g

· Sodium: 715mg

· Cholesterol: 10mg

Yield: Makes 5 cups (enough for 12 servings, plus leftovers)

Eggplant w/Mint Bruschetta

Photo: Scott Peterson

Ingredients

· 1/3 cup olive oil

· 1 small red onion, diced

· 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

· 1 medium eggplant, diced

· 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

· 1/2 teaspoon dried red chile flakes

· 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

· 6 mint leaves, chopped

· Basic Bruschetta (see recipe)

· Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Preparation

· 1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute, then add eggplant, salt, chile flakes, and pepper. Stir to coat with oil and turn heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until eggplant is soft, about 20 minutes.

· 2. Stir in mint. Let mixture cool to room temperature and spoon onto bruschettas. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

· Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving with bruschetta.

Jennifer McIlvaine, Bruschettina, Ballard, Columbia City, and Edmonds, WA, Sunset
AUGUST 2006

Amount per serving

· Calories: 284

· Calories from fat: 79%

· Protein: 2.3g

· Fat: 25g

· Saturated fat: 3.5g

· Carbohydrate: 13g

· Fiber: 1.7g

· Sodium: 459mg

· Cholesterol: 0.0mg