Eggplant with Polenta

Ok, I will stop with recipes (for now) after this one, in order to avoid committing myself to this being exclusively a cooking blog!

Eggplant with Polenta -- and Gamba!

Oven: medium (180 C)
1 Large and deep pan

Ingredients:

Sauce:

1 onion - sliced or chopped

1 Gamba (red pepper) - chopped more or less the same size as the onion

dry or semi-dry wine (red or white)

1 large can crushed or chopped tomatoes

Internals:

1 large eggplant - sliced into rounds and salted

Salty cheese (I like the 16% 'Chemed' Tzfati type, but any feta type will work).

Fresh mushrooms - sliced

Pitted Olives (black / green / greek) -- optional

Polenta topping:

1 Cup cornmeal (the coarser the better).

1 t. salt

4 Cups boiling water

Instructions:

This is a fairly quick recipe (even including the amount of time it takes to read it), so you can turn on the oven to preheat before your start, or just after you finish making the sauce.

Start with slicing and salting your eggplant, by the time you have finished making the sauce they will be ready. 

Depending on how chunky you like your tomato sauce, chop or slice your onions. Saute in a tablespoon or two of olive oil. After a bit add the pepper as well, and turn up the heat -- slightly scorching the onion and pepper gives good flavor, but keep an eye on it so it doesn't go overboard and actually burn. When the onion-pepper mixture looks nice and browned, pour in some wine, rubbing your pan well to disolve any dark sticky spots on the pan (also known as 'fond'). Let the wine reduce a bit, and then add the crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, let cook until it thickens and looks like a sauce, then salt and spice. I like a dash of cinnamon, a bit of hot paprika, dry or fresh ginger, and some oregano or thyme, but anything goes.

Now take your eggplant rounds, rinse and then squeeze out liquid (eggplant is such a sponge!). Arrange the rounds either flat or overlapping in your pan, and put a small slice (or if feta - crumble) of salty cheese on each round. If you have some za'atar (hyssop spice mix) it wouldn't hurt to sprinkle some on top of this. If using olives, stick them here and there between the rounds. Throw your sliced mushrooms over this, and then dump the tomato sauce over all. Smooth down top, pushing anything sticking up under the surface of the sauce.

The polenta is easiest to make in a microwave, which is how I do it. Instructions for those without a nuking chamber will follow.

Put your cornmeal and salt in a microwaveable bowl, and pour in your boiling water. Whisk to combine, then stick in the microwave on full power for a few minutes, checking every once in a while to give another stir and see if it has come to a boil. When it comes to a boil it will also be very thick, a thick cornmeal pudding. Microwave at a boil for another 30 seconds or a minute, then give another good whisking. Pour over the eggplant/sauce, spreading carefully to (try) and seal the edges of the pan (otherwise the sauce boils up and over, which is also fine, but not as nice as a crispy polenta top). After spreading and sealing, take a fork and score the surface of the polenta, to maximise potential crispy edges.

Bake for 40 minutes, testing with a sharp knife to make sure eggplant is done. 

After it is done, optionally you can sprinkle a bit of grated yellow cheese over the top, and put under the grill to brown.

-- Non-microwaved polenta:

Traditionally it is made in a double boiler. If you don't have the equipment or patience for this, you should be able to make it directly on a flame with assiduous whisking and stirring. To minimize time stirring over a flame, try the following:

In a heatproof bowl, mix together your cornmeal and salt. Pour over just enough of your four cups of water to cover. Mix this together, and put the rest of the water to boil in a saucepan. When it comes to a lively boil, pour half of it on top of your cornmeal mixture, whisking all the while, then pour this mixture back into the pan, whisking as well. It should thicken in a matter of seconds. Then pour over the eggplant and proceed.