Turkish Vegetarian Eggplant Appetizer With Garlic And Walnuts Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with olive oil.
• Brush eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and place on the baking tray in a single layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until soft and browned, about 20 minutes, turning slices over once after 10 minutes. Transfer slices to a large serving place, brush with vinegar, and sprinkle with salt. Let cool.
• Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat and cook garlic until softened and fragrant without browning, about 3 minutes.
• Mix parsley and walnuts in a bowl. Add sauteed garlic and a little bit of olive oil to make a paste. Mix well, season with salt, and spread the paste onto the cooled eggplant slices.

Steps:

• Trim ends off the eggplant. With a vegetable peeler, cut off alternating strips of skin. Cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes, place in a colander over a large bowl and toss with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to 3 hours, rinse well and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible; do not break cubes up.
• In a large skillet or saucepan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the eggplant cubes and move them around occasionally, until they are rather tender and somewhat browned, about 7 minutes. Remove from the pan with tongs, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan. Set aside.
• Add remaining oil to the pan with the onions and pine nuts and stir occasionally, until the onions are transparent and some pine nuts are lightly browned, 7 or 8 minutes.
• Return eggplant to the pan with the tomato, raisins, sugar, cinnamon, cumin and pepper. Mix well, then turn heat to low. Cover the pan and cook until the eggplant is very tender but still in distinct pieces, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring once or twice, until the liquid is somewhat thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from heat and let sit uncovered until it is at room temperature, about 45 minutes. Stir in the dill and parsley, adjust the seasonings to taste and serve, accompanied by yogurt and lemon wedges for squeezing.