Creamy Eggplant and Tomato Stew

TASTIER

VEGETARIAN

GLUTEN-FREE

Makes 4 servings

If you haven’t tried the combo, eggplant and peanut butter may be the surprise of this book. It’s a creamy, rich duo that has salty/savory notes aplenty. Here, those flavors are taken further with sweet tomatoes and then a little cream just for good measure. This hearty, vegetarian stew calls out for flatbread or pita.

¼ cup peanut oil

2 medium shallots, sliced into paper-thin rings

2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1 to 2 fresh jalapeños, seeded and minced

3 medium Italian eggplants (about 12 ounces), peeled and diced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Up to ¼ teaspoon cayenne

One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Up to 3 cups vegetable broth

½ cup natural-style creamy peanut butter

½ cup heavy cream

1. Set a Dutch oven over medium heat for a minute or two, then swirl in the oil. Add the shallots, ginger, and chiles; cook, stirring often, until the shallots soften, about 2 minutes.

2. Add the eggplant; cook, stirring occasionally, until the pieces begin to soften at their corners, about 3 minutes. Stir in the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne until the spices evenly coat the eggplant pieces.

3. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste until the paste has coated everything, then add 2 cups of the broth and the peanut butter, stirring until the peanut butter has dissolved.

4. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly, stirring fairly frequently to prevent scorching and adding more broth by ¼-cup increments if the stew gets too thick, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

5. Stir in the cream and simmer, uncovered, for 1 minute to remove its raw taste. Serve hot.

Test Kitchen Notes

• If you can’t find eggplants that are exactly 12 ounces, err on the larger side, not the smaller (for more moisture in the soup).

• If you’re in the market for a new vegetable peeler, look for one with a serrated edge which will make peeling eggplants (as well as tomatoes and even peaches) much easier.

• The amount of broth is given as a range because the eggplant will have varying amounts of natural moisture based on the time of year, how long it’s sat on the store shelf, and even its specific hybrid varietal.

• This recipe has no added salt, on the notion that the peanut butter is salty. Add some at the table, if desired.

Voilà! In general, look for canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and broths without added salt. Why let someone else control the sodium content of your food—and often with inferior-quality salt?