The incredible, edible eggplant A JUNIOR high school student once asked me why eggplant is so called. **Eggs are not purple,” he claim- ed. Jeff Smith 7 a aN THE FRUGAL GOURMET Well, he is right on that point, but he is talking about a vezetable that is very old and has 2>peared in many forms. It goes back about 4,000 years, and in South and Southeast Asia, where it origi- nated, it shows up globuiar and white (as well as purple and _ palest green} and does live up to its name, Remember a few hasic about cooking eggplant. First, whether you are + oing to deep-fry it, bake it, grill »t, saute it or pickle it, the smaller ine ege- plant, the fewer the seeds and the less oil it will absorb. Eggplant is like a sponge when it comes to oil and [ always cook mine with ample olive oil. The second rule is simple: Always slice and then salt the eggplant before cooking. Let it sit in a colander for an hour or so with ample salt, then rinse it in fresh water and pat it dry. This Process will get rid of the bitter flavor. Prepared properly, eggplant is one of the mast delicivus vegetables I know. EGGPLANT STUFFED GREEK STYLE (Serves 6-8) This makes a nice individual eggplant dish; each serving looks like a little pie. rules THE EGGPLANT does live up ta its name in Southeast Asia where it shows up globular and white, as well as purple and green. ; NEWS photo Cindy Goodman 2 medium eggplants, about 1 pound each, sliced 2-inch thick % tablespoon salt for the eggplant % cup olive oil } poand lean beef or iamb, or a mixture of both, ground Salt. and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 yellow onion, peeled and chop- ped 2 cloves partic, chopped fine or crushed 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed by hand t” cups Greek Tomato (recipe below) t cup grated kefalotyri cheese (available in good deficatessens) Slice the eggplants and sprinkle with the salt. Arrange in a col- ander and allow the vegetables to drain for 2 hour. Rinse off and pat dry. Heat a large frying pan and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Saute the meat, along with the salt and pepper, onion, garlic and oregano. Cook until the meat is browned and the onions clear. Add % cup of the tomato sauce and simmer for 15 minutes longer. Set aside. Pan-fry the eggplant slices in a bit of the olive oil, reserving “4 cup oi! for the final step. Brown on both sides. Place some of the meat mixture between two slices of eggplant and arrange on an oiled baking sheet. Drizzle the top of each serving with the remaining olive oi! and the remaining tomato sauce. Top with the cheese and bake at 350°F until all is hot and very tender. GREEK TOMATO SAUCE (Makes about 6 cups) 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 yellow onion, peeled and coarse- ly chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped fine 5 ripe tomatoes, cored and coarse- ly chopped (about 4% cups) 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 teaspoons whole oregano I cup dry red wine 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce Y% teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of ground allspice Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Heat a large non-stick frying pan and add the olive oil. Saute the onion and garlic until clear. Add the tomatoes, parsley and Sauce See Moussaka page $0 Making stock: Taking stock of a magic potion Inquisitive SUE WILSON ANNE GARDINER MAKING STOCK is a strange method of cooking, for it kidnaps the flavors of vegetables and meats and deliberately moves them to the cooking water. Quite possibly, it’s the only in- stance where the broth is prized and the ingredients are discarded. But the resulting broth is a magic potion that rejuvenates Sauces, soups and stews. The ef- tect of good stock can be as subtle as the comforting flavors and aroma of chicken broth hovering in the background of chicken- pot-pie. Or it can add punch and zest to the clams and shrimp of a tongue-tingling bouillabaisse. There are several types of stock, but each is a flavorful broth made from meats or fish and combina- tions of vegetables, or simply vegetables alone. Meat-based stocks use the bones, shank and marrow of veal or beef. Or the turkey carcass, stewing fowl, or the backs and necks of poultry. Similarly, fish stock uses parts we often discard. But gently sim- mering a fish stock for 30 minutes or raw meat bones up to five hours draws out flavor extractives which are the essence of a full- bodied broth. For a darker meat stock with a more distinct flavor, the bones are browned or roasted before sim- mering them in liquid. The pro- cess of browning creates stronger flavors appropriate to be used as part of a robust entree. Vegetables for stock can also sweat, roast or even smoke before simmering to intensify their fla- vors. These methods are par- ticularly useful in meatless stocks for vegetarian dishes. Flavors in the onion family mellow as onions, leeks and garlic sweat in a touch of oil, and then simmer in liquid. In contrast, the strong flavors and sulphur compounds of cab- bage, brussels sprouts, or broc- coli, intensify with lengthy cook- ing, giving nasty overtones to stock. So they’re generally avoid- ed. Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes. give body to a stock but tend to make it cloudy rather than clear. Whole peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme and fresh parsley are fre- quent seasonings. The French ‘‘mirepoix’’ is a classic quartet of two parts each of diced carrots and onions, one part celery and a bit of leek, mak- ing a well-balanced flavor com- bination. Vegetables should be washed, pecled and diced, so as much surface area as possible is exposed to the water. As they cook until mushy, their fibres soften, releasing maximum flavor. Simmering also turns collagen from the connective tissues of meat to gelatin. Gelatin thickens to jelly as a good meat-based stock cools. Reducing a finished stock to one-half or one-third of its vol- ume also concentrates flavors. Strain the finished stock through iwo layers of wet cheese- cloth to help clarify the broth. Chill to harden any fat so it can be easily lifted from the surface. And remember, making your own stock takes more time than money. So brew a large batch and freeze the extra. Stocks keep three to four days refrigerated, or a month frozen. Having good stock on hand is like having extra help in the kitchen.