GZ Tai-Tai

Fried Eggplant Sticks

 

When my Argentine friend taught us how to make the Lentil Stew we also made these eggplant sticks. I loved them! Sorry no photo.

 

Fried Eggplant Sticks

 

2 medium size eggplants

2 large eggs, beaten

Salt

3 cups cracker crumbs

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Peel the eggplant and cut lengthwise into thick slices. Spread the eggplant slices on several sheets of paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let sit for 20-30 minutes, this will draw out the bitterness and moisture from the eggplant. Put the eggplant slices in a colander, rinse with cool water and pat dry.

Beat eggs in a shallow bowl. Dip the eggplant in the egg mixture, and then dredge in the cracker crumbs, tapping off the excess crumbs. In heated oil 360 F deep fry several slices of eggplant at a time for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

Lentil Stew

This is an Argentine dish and a meal in itself. You can serve it with crusty bread and a salad too. Very good if you are in the mood for comfort food.Thanks to my Argentine friends I now have a new favorite comfort food.

Lentil Stew

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper,chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

1/2 carrot, diced

1 pkg (200g - 250g) bacon

2 tsp Paprika

1 -  225g Spanish chorizo, sliced

4 tomatoes, chopped

2 potatoes, diced

Olive oil

500 ml  vegetable or chicken stock

3 - 200g cans  lentils

or

1/2lb. (225g) dried lentils that have been rinsed and cooked for 20 minutes, and drained.

In a few tablespoons of olive oil, saute the onion and garlic, then add the red bell pepper and the bay leaf cook for a few minutes. Then add the potatoes,carrot, bacon and paprika.  Cook for 2 minutes and add the tomatoes, cook 5 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add the chorizo and lentils, cook until lentils and chorizo are hot, about 5 minutes.