Around a Greek Table by Katerina Whitley

Author:Katerina Whitley
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780762794904
Publisher: Lyons Press
Published: 2014-10-04T04:00:00+00:00

Eggplant in Rich Sauce

Imám Bayildí

4 long, slender eggplants

1 cup snipped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

4–6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced, or to taste

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 large onion, sliced in slender strips

4–6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1–2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Two vegetables used in endless variations in Greece, where they are plentiful, are the eggplant and the artichoke. Showcasing the former, this recipe was cooked on the stovetop by my mother, and I prefer it to the baked method that many favor these days. Very slender eggplant is needed for this dish, which can be enjoyed hot or, as the Greeks enjoy it best, cold.

For me, the predominant memory evoked by this recipe is my father’s wonderful laughter as he acted out the meaning of the name it carries, for the name is definitely Turkish, and the heavy Anatolian richness is undoubted. It is called imám bayildí and I assure you this is not Greek. An imam is a religious leader. Well, the imam liked this dish so much when his wife made it that he swooned; he fainted dead away (bayildí). Like all legends, it has its variations—he overate, or he was horrified by the expense of it all.

Whatever the cause of his swooning, the recipe is so heavy in its original version that you would have bayildí also. I will give you modified amounts of ingredients. This dish is tasty and aromatic, and richly evocative of Anatolia.

Serves 4

After you wash the eggplants and cut off the ends, slice off the skin lengthwise in alternating strips about 1/2 inch in width. On each skinless strip, run a sharp knife to open 2 to 4 long, pocket-like slits. Combine the parsley, salt and pepper, and garlic and stuff the slits with this mixture. Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the eggplants lightly on all sides. Remove them to a casserole fit for the stovetop.

Sauté the onions in the skillet, then add the tomatoes, sugar, and cinnamon and cook for about 5 minutes.

Pour the tomato mixture over the eggplants. Set the casserole over low heat, cover it, and simmer for half an hour. Add water only as needed. Check for tenderness and cook a bit longer if eggplant is not sufficiently soft.

Arrange the eggplant on a platter with the sauce. Serve with peasant bread , horiátiko psomí (crusty country bread), and good feta.

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