EGGPLANT TÉRRINE, ODESSA-STYLE

EGGPLANT TÉRRINE, ODESSA-STYLE image

Categories Vegetable Side Bake Vegetarian Low/No Sugar New Year's Eve Healthy

Yield 8 to 10 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

ingredients
3 extra large ripe eggplants, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
coarse salt
8 large carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
4 bell peppers, of assorted colors, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 large yellow squash, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
2 yellow Texas onions or 4 medium ones, halved and sliced into thin rounds
1 large can diced or crushed tomatoes
flour for dredging
4-5 whole bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, crushed, chopped, or pressed
olive oil for sautéing
1 1/2 cup good quality shiraz or cabernet sauvignon
fresh ground pepper to taste

Steps:

preparation Wash and slice eggplants without peeling. In a large colander, layer eggplant slices alternately with sprinkling them (sparingly) with coarse salt. Cover with a small plate and place something heavy on top. Set into the sink or a bowl to allow the eggplant's bitter juices to drain, for about an hour. Meanwhile, slice and prepare all other ingredients. In a large skillet, on "medium-high" heat, lightly sauté the onion slices, until barely golden, then add peppers and carrots. Finally add garlic. Saute the mixture "al dente", transfer to a bowl and set aside. Clean and re-heat skillet on "medium". Shake the colander gently to remove any leftover drippings. Do NOT rinse. Dredge squash, zucchini, and eggplant slices in flour, and fry "pancake-style" in batches in a small amount of olive oil, until golden, flipping over midway. Remove the cooked pieces to a plate or a bowl. You will need to add more olive oil to the skillet as you go, because the eggplant tends to absorb it quickly. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. In a greased deep casserole (lasagna-style pan works best), layer the vegetables, starting with a few spoonfuls of crushed tomatoes and a bay leaf, followed by eggplant slices, some carrot-onion-garlic mix, then squash slices, crushed tomatoes and a bit of the red wine. Add a couple of bay leaves. Continue layering, ending with crushed tomatoes and wine, season with ground pepper and top it off with one or two bay leaves. Cover and bake for an hour, then uncover, and bake another 30 minutes to an hour, until very tender and the juices are somewhat thickened, of uniform deep amber color. Remove and cool slightly. Serve hot or cold, with a side of fresh white bread and a glass of cab.