Mediterranean Eggplant Steaks And Orzo Salad With Walnuts Oregano And Tomatoes Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450˚ F. Put the potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave, turning the potatoes halfway through, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, thyme, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons water.
• Slice the potatoes and tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Gently toss together in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place in overlapping layers on top of the onion (it doesn't have to be neat). Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the potatoes are soft and the tomatoes are wrinkled and dry, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove to a cutting board and let rest, 5 minutes.
• Finely chop the olives and parsley; toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the vinegar, orange zest and a pinch of salt. Slice the steak against the grain and divide among plates; top with the olive-parsley relish and serve with the roasted vegetables.

Steps:

• Make the eggplant: Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil and harissa, then mix in the eggplant cubes and red pepper to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer vegetables to one of the baking sheets and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and charred in places.
• Meanwhile, make the orzo: Bring a medium pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook to al dente according to package instructions. Drain, add to a large bowl, and mix with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Set aside to cool slightly while you finish cooking.
• Spread the walnuts on the other baking sheet and toast in the hot oven (alongside the vegetables if you have room) for 4 to 6 minutes, until they're fragrant and the skin is papery. (Watch carefully: These burn easily!) Roughly chop.
• To the big bowl with the warm orzo, add the roasted vegetables. Then add the chickpeas, walnuts, olives, herbs and mozzarella. Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust as necessary. Stir in an additional dollop of harissa, if you'd like. Serve over a bed of greens for a more traditional salad.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well.
• Toss orzo with lemon-infused olive oil. Add olives, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, roasted red peppers, pine nuts, and ricotta salata. Toss to combine. Refrigerate to chill and allow flavors to build.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain well. Rinse with cold water and drain well again.
• Combine orzo, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, olives, and Asiago cheese in a large bowl.
• Whisk garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl to make the vinaigrette. Drizzle over the orzo mixture and toss lightly to combine. Add basil and parsley and mix well. Let sit for 20 minutes for flavors to blend, stirring occasionally.

Steps:

• In a nonreactive stewpot, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until translucent. Cut the eggplant into 1inch cubes and add them to the pot. Slice the pepper into 1inchsquare pieces. Crush the tomatoes. Add the peppers, tomatoes, apple juice or water, salt, and fennel to the pot. If using dried dill, add it now. Cover the pot and simmer, stirring frequently, until the eggplant is completely tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the fresh dill, if used, and add the lemon juice and spinach. Simmer for another minute or two until the spinach wilts but is still bright green. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• This tangy stew is delicious over rice or couscous. Serve topped with grated feta cheese, if desired

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain, toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Let cool in the refrigerator.
• Toss the eggplant with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and place in a colander set over a bowl or in a sink. Put several bowls or plates on top of the eggplant and let drain for at least 30 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. In a heavy 10-inch skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and the canola oil over medium heat. Squeeze the excess liquid from the eggplant, blot with paper towels and toss in a bowl with the flour. In two batches, fry the eggplant until the cubes are crisp and golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the prepared baking sheet. (Add a little extra oil to the pan for the second batch, as needed.)
• In a large bowl, toss the orzo with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the lemon juice and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Fold in the olives, peppers, mint, dill, basil and manouri. Taste and adjust for seasoning with additional salt, pepper, lemon juice or olive oil. Just before serving, toss in the fried eggplant.