CHILE
medium eggplant, weighing about 1 pound alt
Serves 2
tablespoons vegetable oil ½ pound chopped pork or beef medium onion, finely chopped clove garlic, chopped medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
tablespoon tomato purée tablespoon red wine vinegar tablespoons parsley or fresh coriander, chopped alt, freshly ground pepper tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and score with a small sharp knife in both directions at ½-inch intervals. Sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes. Squeeze the eggplant gently to remove the bitter juice, rinse quickly in cold water, squeeze again, and pat dry. With a grapefruit knife cut round the eggplant, leaving a ½-inch shell. Pull out the esh and cut away any bits left in the shells. Chop the eggplant coarsely and set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the pork or beef with the onion and garlic until the onion is soft and the meat lightly browned. Add the eggplant and sauté, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes longer. Add the tomatoes, the tomato purée, vinegar, parsley or coriander, and salt and pepper. Stir to mix and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Spoon the mixture into the eggplant shells, sprinkle with the cheese, and arrange on a baking sheet or in a baking pan. Bake in a preheated moderate (350° F.) oven for 30 minutes. Variation: For Berenjena Rellena con Queso (Eggplant Stu ed with Cheese), sauté 1 medium onion, nely chopped, in 3 tablespoons butter. Add the chopped eggplant and sauté for a few minutes longer. Stir in 1 cup freshly made breadcrumbs, 1 cup grated Münster or cheddar cheese, 2 ounces ham, coarsely chopped, salt, pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, and 1 egg, lightly beaten. Pile the mixture into the eggplant shells, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, dot with butter, and bake in a preheated moderate (375° F.) oven for 30 minutes. Serve with Môlho ao Tomate (Tomato Sauce), this page. Variation: For Berinjela com Camarão (Eggplant with Shrimp) from Brazil, sauté 1 medium onion, nely chopped, 1 clove garlic, chopped, 1 small fresh red or green pepper, seeded and nely chopped, and the eggplant in 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil until the onion is soft. Stir in ½ pound raw, coarsely chopped shrimp and sauté for 1 minute longer. Add 1 cup freshly made breadcrumbs, ½ cup chopped parsley or fresh coriander, 1 cup tomatoes,