Mitra Stricklen's Khoresht Bademjoon

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 yellow onions, sliced

1⁄4 cup vegetable oil

One 14.5-ounce can whole tomatoes or 6 large tomatoes, roasted and peeled

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup water or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Persian Herbed Steamed Rice (Chelo; page 63), for serving

Instructions:

1. Cut the eggplants into thick slices. Generously salt both sides of each eggplant slice and let drain in a colander for 15 minutes so the salt can pull out the bitterness.

2. Rinse the slices and pat dry.

3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over low heat and add the onions. Cook until soft and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

4. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and fry the eggplant slices until golden brown on each side. Remove from the oil and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or paper towels.

5. In a large saucepan, combine the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon salt, the cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, water and lemon juice and mix well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the eggplant slices and cook for 5 minutes more.

6. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the fried onions. Serve with chelo.

Excerpted from One Big Table: 600 Recipes from the Nation's Best Home Cooks, Farmers, Fishermen, Pit-Masters, and Chefs by Molly O'Neill. Copyright 2010 by Molly O'Neill. Excerpted by permission of Simon & Schuster.