*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                       EGGPLANT WITH HAM STUFFING

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 8    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Main dish                        Vegetables

 Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  4       tb           Butter
  1 1/2   c            Onions, finely chopped
  1                    Clove garlic, finely minced
  1       lb           Fresh mushrooms, chopped
  1                    Juice of 1 lemon
                       Salt to taste
                       Pepper to taste
  3       tb           Parsley, finely chopped
    1/2   ts           Dried Thyme
  2       tb           Basil, finely chopped
    1/2   lb           Boiled ham, finely chopped
 10       tb           Fresh bread crumbs
  7       tb           Parmesan cheese, grated
  3                    Med. eggplants (2 1/2 lb)
                       Flour
                       Tomato Sauce *
  1       c            Peanut, veggie, or corn oil

 1.  Heat the butter and add the onions and garlic.
 Cook, stirring, until onions are wilted, about 5
 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, lemon juice, salt,
 pepper, parsley, thyme, and basil.  Cook over
 relatively high heat, stirring frequently, until the
 liquid has almost completely evaporated, 8 to 10
 minutes. 2. Add the ham and cook, stirring, about 4
 minutes. Add 6 T bread crumbs and 3 T Parmesan cheese.
 3. Trim off the ends and cut each eggplant into 1/2
 inch slices. You should have about 16 slices. 4. Pour
 the flour into a baking dish and add salt and pepper
 to taste. Dredge the eggplant slices in the flour
 mixture on both sides, shaking off the excess. 5.
 Heat about 1/4 cup oil in a large heavy skillet and
 add as many eggplant slices as the skillet will hold.
 Cook until golden brown on one side, 1 1/2 to 2
 minutes, adding more oil, little by little.  The point
 is to add as much oil as necessary but as little as
 possible. Turn the slices, cook until golden on that
 side, and drain on paper towels. Continue adding
 eggplant slices and oil as necessary until all the
 slices have been cooked on both sides.  The total
 cooking time for all slices should be about 15
 minutes. 6. Select a rectangular, square, or oval
 baking dish. (A No. 6 Pyrex glass dish that measures
 11 3/4 X 7 1/2 X 1 3/4 inches works well.) Arrange the
 smaller slices of eggplant, sides touching, on the
 bottom of the dish.  Spoon the filling in the center,
 spreading it out but not quite to the edges and
 mounding it in the center.  Cover with the remaining
 eggplant slices, overlapping as necessary. 7. Blend
 the remaining bread crumbs and cheese and sprinkle
 over all. 8. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400
 degrees. 9. Place the dish in the oven and bake 35 to
 40 minutes.  Remove the dish and pour off the fat that
 will have accumulated on top and around the edges. Let
 cool slightly. 10. Serve with tomato sauce.

 *  Tomato sauce:

 2 T butter, 1 1/2 T finely chopped onion, 1/2 t finely
 minced garlic, 2 c canned tomatoes that have been
 blended or sieved, 1/4 bay leaf, salt to taste, pepper
 to taste.

 Melt 1 T butter in a saucepan and add the onion and
 garlic, stirring. When the onion is wilted, add the
 tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring
 occasionally, about 30 minutes.

 Swirl in the remaining 1 T butter and serve hot.

 Yield:  About 2 cups



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