Don’t be put off by the long list of spices — this recipe is actually pretty easy, and ends up with maximum flavor for a short cooking time. It’s beautiful, too, just the thing to impress guests. If you don’t happen to have cooked chicken on hand, you could simmer chicken pieces in the onion-tomato-lemon juice mixture.
Serves 4
4 T olive oil
1 large eggplant, diced into 2-inch cubes (do not peel)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with the olive oil. Spread in one layer on a baking sheet and roast for about a half hour until soft and browned, stirring every 10 minutes.
2 T olive oil
3 medium onions, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Hungarian paprika
1-1/2 t salt
1 t turmeric
1/2 t fresh-ground nutmeg
1 t fennel seeds
1 t fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 t ground cumin
2 t fresh-ground ginger
14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 C water
3 T lemon juice
3 T red wine
3 C diced, cooked chicken
Saute onions in oil until soft. Add remaining ingredients except chicken and pine nuts and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and simmer, uncovered, until thickened. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until light brown and fragrant.
Stir the eggplant into the chicken mixture and simmer briefly. Serve in wide bowls, topped with the pine nuts and accompanied by hunks of crusty whole wheat bread.