Eggplant Oriental

The Russian Tea Room is an iconic restaurant on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.  Carol and I have eaten there at least once during one of the times I was working in Manhattan in the 1970s and 1980s.  It published a cookbook in 1981 and at some point in the early 1980s I copied out the recipe for one of their then signature dishes, Eggplant Oriental. (It is not on their current menu.)   I made it several times in the 1980s.  I recently came across my copy of the recipe and decided to make it.  It is a nice salad or topping for bread, similar to ajvar or other Eastern European eggplant/pepper/tomato dishes.  We ate it last night with pitas and lettuce leaves.  (The cookbook also recommended it with pumpernickel bread or cucumber sticks.)

2 eggplants, weighing 1 lb. each

½ cup olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup chopped parsley

2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

3 Tbs. tomato paste

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. ground coriander

1.5 tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbs. ketchup

3 Tbs. SriRacha or similar chili sauce

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the eggplants and cut into 1-inch cubes.  Put on an oiled cookie sheet and roast until soft, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the eggplant is cooking, heat the oil in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat.  When hot, add the onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the bell peppers and cook for another 3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, coriander, salt, and black pepper.  Mix well.  Cook covered over low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Chop the cooked eggplant finely.  Add to the Dutch oven, stir well, and cook covered for another 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat, stir in the ketchup and chili sauce.  Taste for seasoning.  Cool and store in the refrigerator.  Serve chilled with bread, lettuce, or crudites.

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