The Gluten Free Edge

Eggplants have been showing up in the local farmers markets and the crops must be abundant because we are receiving homegrown eggplant donations at The Caring Place food pantry. It’s good to know that some plants are thriving in this record-breaking heat and that the wildlife hasn’t eaten all of it.

A few days ago I went to water the pitiful chewed-down stubs of my Ruellia (Mexican Petunia) and a little cotton tail rabbit broke out of the bushes and ran off into the adjoining karst. Later I came back to the garage from pulling weeds and a young Bewick’s wren was trying to homestead in there. The deer have gnawed every plant possible and possums are especially bad about digging something up and spitting it out (searching for grubs) leaving you with another dead plant. Plants just don’t revive after that kind of treatment no matter how much first aid you provide.

So I am very grateful for eggplant and fresh tomatoes and pulled out a very old and simple recipe from my recipe box. Fresh garlic and eggplant are essential components and it is a bonus if the tomatoes are fresh too. But canned or even sauce will work if that is what you have. Garlic powder will probably do if you don’t have fresh but the fresh garlic really makes a difference in this recipe. If you happen to have onion and green and/or red bell peppers to add then this becomes the classic French ratatouille!

The recipe says bake it at low temperature in the oven but I made it stove-top this weekend so as to add as little heat as possible inside the house; there is plenty enough of that outside.

Yummy Eggplant Goodness

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large, peeled eggplant, diced
(leave the peeling on if you prefer)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
or 2 cups fresh diced peeled tomatoes
1/2 – 1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon oregano
Pepper to taste

Heat the Olive Oil with Garlic

Heat the olive oil with the minced garlic until it is slightly bubbling and wonderfully fragrant – you want the garlic to release its oils but don’t allow it to brown. Add the tomatoes. Crush the tomatoes and stir all together over medium heat until the mixture just begins to simmer.

Prep the Eggplant

Add in the prepared eggplant and seasoning. Stir to thoroughly mix the eggplant with the tomatoes. Simmer covered with the lid adjar (to reduce stovetop spatter) over low heat until most of the water evaporates from the eggplant and the mixture is thick and very rich. Stir occasionally while it is cooking so the eggplant cubes cook evenly.

This is wonderful as a side dish, over rice or quinoa, or as a pizza topping. It could probably be used as a dip if it were mashed or slightly blended to break apart the bigger chunks of eggplant.

Elsie says 'Eat your veggies!'

 

 

 

 

This recipe is shared with Ricki’s Wellness Weekends at Diet, Dessert, and Dogs.Gretchen