Spiced Seared Eggplant With Pearl Couscous Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, cumin, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Heat a heavy pot (2 to 3 quarts) with a tight-fitting lid over medium until hot but not smoking. Add couscous and toast, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer toasted couscous to a bowl.
• Add oil to pot and raise heat to medium-high. When it shimmers, add eggplant, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring often, until onions are softened and golden and the eggplant is browned and slightly shrunken, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir just until fragrant.
• Add tomato paste and the prepared spice mixture and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in toasted couscous, tomato and 1 1/2 cups water, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid, 8 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest 2 minutes. Uncover, stir in paprika and parsley, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt. Serve immediately and dollop with yogurt, if desired.

Steps:

• Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt, place in a colander set over a bowl, and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant and pat dry.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat combine shallots, garlic, sugar, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and 3 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil, cook 1 minute, and remove from heat. Stir in raisins, capers, olives, and 1/4 cup of olive oil; cool to room temperature.
• Heat grill to high and brush grates with vegetable oil. Brush eggplant with remaining 4 teaspoons olive oil. Cook eggplant until charred and tender, turning over halfway through, about 10 minutes.
• Arrange eggplant on platter and spoon shallot mixture over top. Cool to room temperature and serve.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Set a large ovenproof wire rack over a large rimmed baking sheet.
• With a small, sharp knife, starting just below the stem, cut each eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, keeping them attached at the stem. Place them on paper towels and press down on the eggplants to fan the slices out. Sprinkle with salt on both sides and set aside.
• Measure out 2 cups ice water. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the egg yolks and half the water until almost smooth, then whisk in the remaining water. Add a little more water if the batter seems too thick; it should be runny, like glue.
• Place the bread crumbs and seasonings in a medium bowl and lightly mix and crush together with your hands.
• In a large, deep skillet, heat a generous 1/2 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering (about 350 degrees).
• Working in batches, dip eggplants in the batter, dredge in bread crumbs and add to the skillet. Fry until nicely browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat if the eggplants are browning too quickly. Turn and cook until browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to the rack set over the baking sheet and season with salt; transfer the baking sheet with the rack to the oven to keep warm while you fry the remaining eggplant.
• In a wide skillet, heat the marinara sauce over low heat until bubbling. Divide the mozzarella into 8 to 10 piles (one for each eggplant). Pick up and place the piles of cheese in the sauce, spacing the piles out so they melt separately. You may need to do this in 2 batches.
• Divide eggplants on plates. Place a spoonful of sauce next to or on top of each eggplant. Top sauce with melted mozzarella, lifting it out with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, and serve immediately.