Recipe: Eggplant and Tomato Gratin with Tomato and Green Pepper Sauce

EGGPLANT AND TOMATO GRATIN

10 tablespoons (heaping) fresh white bread crumbs
5 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 egg whites
2 to 3 dashes of hot pepper sauce
2 eggplants, each about 8 ounces, trimmed and peeled
Oil-water spray*
Tomato, Garlic and Pepper Sauce (recipe follows)

Put the bread crumbs in a shallow bowl with 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the flour in another shallow bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Put the egg whites in another shallow bowl and season with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Beat lightly with a fork.

Preheat the broiler with a shelf about 4 inches from the heat source.

Slice the eggplants on the diagonal, then dredge in the seasoned flour. Dip the slices on both sides into the egg whites and bread crumbs, then dip again in the egg and crumbs. Transfer the pieces to a platter as you work.

Spray a nonstick baking sheet with oil-water spray and place under the broiler to heat.

Put the eggplant slices on the hot sheet and spray the tops. Place in the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until browned and sizzling. Loosen the slices carefully, turn, oil-spray and broil on the other side for another 5 minutes, or until browned and tender.

Meanwhile, heat the Tomato, Garlic and Pepper Sauce.

Lay the eggplant slices in a gratin dish and pour the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and place under the broiler until bubbly.

*To a new, clean plant mister or small plastic spray bottle, add 7 parts water and 1 part oil such as olive, safflower or sunflower. This spray delivers far less oil than commercial oil sprays, and the quality of oil, since you choose it yourself, is high.

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TOMATO, GARLIC AND PEPPER SAUCE

2 red onions, roughly chopped
8 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
4 black olives, slivered off their pits
1 pound red peppers, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups vegetable stock, plus extra as needed
1 1/4 cups dry red wine
4 cans (14 ounces each) chopped tomatoes (or 3 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of sugar (optional)
Juice of 1 lime
Chopped fresh herbs, to garnish

Put all the ingredients, up to and including the red wine, in a wok or heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer briskly for 10 minutes.

Uncover and continue to simmer for a few minutes until the garlic, onions and peppers are tender and the liquid is greatly reduced. Make sure the mixture remains moist: Add a little more liquid if needed. When tender, the vegetables should be cooking in their own juices.

Stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper, and a pinch of sugar if tomatoes are particularly acidic. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until thickened. Add the lime juice and more seasoning, as needed.

Pour the mixture into a blender and blend to a puree. Check the seasoning once more.

Add plenty of chopped fresh herbs, either leaving them as a garnish on top of the sauce or stirring them into it.

Makes 6 servings
Source: The Low Fat for Life Cookbook by Sue Kreitzman