Egyptian M'saa'a

Extended Shelf Life: Eggplant, Pepper, Tomatoes

My first experiences with eggplants came by way of salvaged eggplants. Since those first moments with the spongy, purple veg I've come to love experimenting and playing with eggplant. Searching through my Kindle brought to the surface this delicious eggplant casserole, it is absolutely fantastic and highly recommended!

Ingreidents/Directions:
Inspired by: Nile Style: Egyptian Style Cuisine and Culture by Amy Riolo

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 Heat 1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute 1 small Onion until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add 1 diced Anaheim Pepper and 6 cloves minced Garlic and cook until golden and aromatic. Add 3 cups Tomatoes, 1 tsp. ground Coriander, 1 tsp. ground Cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Bring tomato mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat, simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened.

While the tomato sauce thickens, prepare the eggplant in a large wide skillet with one inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot (a drop of water sizzles when flicked into the oil is one way to test the readiness), add the eggplant slices and fry on both sides, about five minutes, until golden and soft. Drain cooked eggplants on a wire rack or plate covered with paper towels.

Once all pieces are ready, it's time to assemble the Ma'saa'a/Lasagna/Casserole. In a 9 inch cake pan, oval casserole dish or square casserole dish simply layer ingredients starting with eggplant, followed by sauce and cheese until all the ingredients are used and the dish is full. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes until cheese and sauce bubbles and a crust begins to form around the edges.

Enjoy with rice or crusty bread!

For more on Eggplants and other recipe inspiration check out my more detailed and interactive Squidoo Lens: The Art of Salvaging {Eggplant}

Asparagus and Red Pepper Strata

Extended Life for: Bread, Asparagus, Milk, Parsley and Sun-Dried Tomato Garlic Strata's simply don't receive enough culinary attention. I first discovered the concept while in high school and always enjoy the opportunity to throw old, crummy bread, vegetables, milk and eggs into the same pan, leave it in the fridge overnight and enjoy for the dish for the next days meal. To me, the strata is a lazy man's quiche - and who doesn't appreciate a great quiche!

Ingredients:

2 cups steamed Asparagus, cut to 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup Roasted Red Pepper, diced
1 loaf of day old Bread, crusts removed and torn to pieces
Olive Oil spray
6 eggs
3 cups of Milk
1 cup Shreded Cheese
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons Sun-dried Tomato Garlic or simply 2 cloves of Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Grease a 9X13 pan. Place one layer of bread in bottom of pan, spray with olive oil. Layer in half of Asparagus, Red Pepper, and Cheese. Add another layer of bread, spray with olive oil then add layer of Asparagus, Red Pepper and Cheese. Whisk eggs, milk and spices. Pour egg mix over bread and vegetables, cover and place in fridge for 4 to 24 hours. Set oven to 325 and bake for 50 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired and bake another 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.