Kitchen Cabinet: Readers' recipes tested in Sunset's kitchens - Brief Article - Recipe

Sunset, March, 2002 by Charity Ferreira

Baked Eggplant and Lamb

Christine Datian, Las Vegas

Christine Datian layers Mediterranean flavors--seasoned ground lamb and slices of eggplant--then tops the works with bread crumbs and feta cheese and bakes it. The result is a simple, hearty dish.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/4 hours

MAKES: 8 to 10 servings

2 pounds eggplant About 3 tablespoons olive oil

2 slices (1/2 in. thick and 4 to 5 in. long) French bread

1 pound ground lamb

1 onion (8 oz.), peeled and chopped

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1. Rinse and dry eggplant; slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, discarding ends. Brush both sides of rounds lightly with oil and place in a single layer on two 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. Bake in a 400[degrees] regular or convection oven until browned and tender when pierced, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cut or tear bread into 1/2-inch chunks. Put in a food processor or blender and whirl into coarse crumbs; you should have 1 cup. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, stir crumbs in 1/2 tablespoon olive oil until lightly browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Pour from pan.

3. In the same pan over medium-high heat, stir lamb until crumbled and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer lamb to a bowl. Drain all but 1 teaspoon fat from pan. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic and stir occasionally until onion is limp and mushrooms are browned, about 8 minutes. Add tomato sauce, wine, mustard, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and the browned lamb. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, to blend flavors, about 10 minutes.

4. Arrange half the eggplant slices in a single layer over the bottom of a shallow 2- to 3-quart baking dish; top with half the lamb mixture. Repeat layers of eggplant and lamb mixture. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs and feta cheese.

5. Bake in a 350[degrees] regular or convection oven until browned and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Scoop out servings with a large spoon.

Per serving: 228 cal., 55% (126 cal.) from fat; 12 g protein; 14 g fat (5 g sat.); 15 g carbo (2.7 g fiber); 538 mg sodium; 41 mg chol.

Chickpea Soup

Valarie Donnelly, Yuma, AZ

Valarie Donnelly concocted this garbanzo soup primarily from pantry ingredients one night when she was short on time. She was so pleased with the result that she has made it many times since then.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes

MAKES: 8 cups; 4 to 6 main-dish servings

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion (about 8 oz.), peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

5 1/2 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 can (15 oz.) garbanzos, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

1 1/2 cups dried pasta (about 5 oz.), such as shells or corkscrews

Salt and pepper

1. Pour oil into a 3- to 4-quart pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and garlic and stir often until onion is limp, about 6 minutes.

2. Add chicken broth, vinegar, tomatoes, garbanzos, parsley, basil, and oregano. Bring to a boil and add pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 209 cal., 12% (26 cal.) from fat; 14 g protein; 2.9 g fat (0.3 g sat.); 32 g carbo (3.6 g fiber); 262 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Halibut Salad Sandwiches

Sky Natoni, Tacoma

Sky Natoni discovered chat halibut--baked, chilled, and shredded--made a good medium for her favorite chicken salad ingredients. She serves the mixture as a sandwich filling on honey whole-wheat rolls.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 45 minutes, plus at least 1 hour to chill

MAKES: 4 sandwiches

1 pound boned, skinned halibut or other firm, white-fleshed fish (3/4 to 1 in. thick)

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup chopped canned pineapple in juice (reserve 2 tablespoons juice)

Give your can opener a rest--this halibut salad is a delicious change from that other fish sandwich filling.

1/4 cup chopped cashews

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut

1/4 cup minced green onions, white and pale green parts only

1/4 cup mayonnaise

4 honey whole-wheat sandwich rolls (3 oz. each) or 8 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread

2 cups salad mix, rinsed and crisped

1. Rinse fish and pat dry. Sprinkle lightly all over with salt and pepper and place on a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. Bake in a 350[degrees] regular or convection oven until opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), about 10 minutes. With a wide spatula, transfer fish to a bowl. Chill until cold, at least 1 hour; if desired, cover when cold and chill up to 1 day.

2. Shred fish with fork. Add pineapple and 2 tablespoons juice, cashews, coconut, green onions, and mayonnaise; mix well.