Eggplant And Veal Pastitsio Recipes

Steps:

• Make shanks:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pat shanks dry. Stir together flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper on a sheet of wax paper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. While oil heats, dredge 4 shanks in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Brown shanks in oil on all sides, turning with tongs, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large (17- by 12- by 2-inch) roasting pan. Add 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and repeat with remaining 4 shanks. Discard remaining flour mixture.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and cook onion, garlic, anchovies, bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add wine and boil, scraping up any brown bits, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, water, zest strips, and remaining teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, then pour mixture over shanks. Tightly cover pan with foil and braise in oven 1 hour. Turn shanks over, cover, and continue to braise until meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours more.
• Remove from oven and skim fat from surface of sauce, then transfer shanks and sauce to a large platter. Discard bay leaves.
• Make gremolata:
• Stir together parsley, grated zests, and garlic and sprinkle over shanks.

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes.
• Stir together tomato paste, sugar, water, and vinegar and add to eggplant with 1/3 cup scallions, then braise, covered, over medium heat until eggplant is tender, about 12 minutes.
• While eggplant braises, gently mix veal, dill, remaining 1/3 cup scallions, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, then form into 4 (4-inch) cakes.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Dredge veal cakes in flour, shaking off excess, then fry, turning once, until golden-brown, 8 to 12 minutes total for medium. 3Divide eggplant among 4 plates and top with veal cakes.

Steps:

• Make lamb sauce:
• Cook onion in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add lamb and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, salt, oregano, cinnamon, sugar, and pepper and sauté, stirring, 2 minutes.
• Stir in eggplant and tomatoes and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is just tender, about 40 minutes. Remove lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Make cheese sauce and cook pasta while lamb sauce is simmering:
• Melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then stir in flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and add garlic clove and whole clove, then bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Add feta, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking vigorously, until cheese is well incorporated.
• Beat eggs in a large bowl and gradually add sauce to eggs, whisking.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente, then drain in a colander. Toss half of pasta with lamb sauce and half with cheese sauce.
• Assemble pastitsio:
• Pour pasta with lamb sauce into a wide shallow 3-quart baking dish, spreading evenly. Spoon pasta with cheese sauce on top, spreading evenly.
• Bake pastitsio, uncovered, in middle of oven until bubbling and top is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; sauté 5 minutes. Add onions; sauté 1 minute. Add wine and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 6 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut four 1/2-inch-thick lengthwise slices from center of eggplant. Mix oil and 2 teaspoons rosemary; brush over both sides of eggplant slices. Place slices on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 5 minutes per side. Top each eggplant slice with prosciutto slice. Set aside. Maintain oven temperature.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and 1 teaspoon rosemary; sauté 2 minutes. Sprinkle veal with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and sauté until just cooked through, about 1 minute per side.
• Place 1 veal scallop atop each eggplant slice. Spoon mushroom mixture atop veal; top with cheese. Bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If using eggplant, cut off ends and slice off two long strips of skin, one on each side. With 1 skin side up, so that each slice will have skin on both sides, slice eggplant lengthwise, 1/4inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dredge lightly in flour. If using zucchini, slice on diagonal, 1/4 inch thick.
• In a 6- to 8-inch ovenproof skillet (see Note), heat 1 tablespoon oil. Brown vegetable slices lightly on both sides, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding pan. Add more oil as needed to keep pan lightly oiled. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle veal or chicken with salt and pepper, and dredge lightly in flour. Melt butter in same pan until it bubbles, then brown meat lightly on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels. Add shallot to pan and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Pour in wine and simmer until syrupy.
• Turn off heat and place pieces of meat in skillet. Lay basil leaves or parsley over them, then arrange vegetable slices on top. Spoon tomato sauce over, sprinkle cheese on top, and pour about 2 tablespoons water (more or less, depending on thickness of tomato sauce) around edges of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until meat is cooked through and liquid in bottom of pan is thickened. Sprinkle with torn basil or chopped parsley; serve with crusty bread.

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant into 1" pieces, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for 30 minutes.
• Rinse the eggplant under cold water, drain, and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Heat the oil in a large pan and add the eggplant.
• Cook until lightly browned, then remove the eggplant from the pan.
• Heat the extra oil in the same pan.
• Add the veal, onions and garlic and cook until browned all over. You may have to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan.
• Add the spices, garlic and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add the undrained diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water and wine.
• Stir until combined and simmer, covered, over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Add the eggplant and simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until the eggplant and veal are tender.
• Add the lemon juice, olives, parsley and sugar with the salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer until heated through.