Pork with Eggplant

Robert Ackart

I own about 5 or 6 of his cookbooks and recommend them highly. Delicious, creative food with side dish and wine suggestions. Recently I prepared the following receipe which I will try and link to the Prairie Muffin site to see if there are any *takers.*



Prep Time:35 mins Serves 6 Doubles easily Refrigerates/Freezes well

2 T olive oil
1 1/2 lbs lean, boneless pork, cut into 1" bites
salt & pepper
In a flameproof casserole, heat the oil and in it brown the pork. Season w/S&P. Remove and reserve. (I skipped the browning part)

2 onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 green peppers, seeded and julienned

In the remaining fat, cook the onion, garlic, and pepper until the onion is translucent.

1/2 C brown rice
1 1lb can Italian tomatoes
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Over the onion mixture, sprinkle the rice. Add the tomatoes and sprinkle them with cinnamon.

1 lg eggplant, peeled and diced
1/2 C brown rice
10 oz frozen okra
1 1lb can Italian tomatoes
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Over the tomatoes arrange the eggplant in a flat layer. Replace the pork in a flat layer. Over it, sprinkle the rice. If desired, add the okra. Add more tomatoes and sprinkle with more cinnamon.

At this point, you may stop and continue later. (I refrigerated my stew in my dutch oven overnight)

Bake the casserole, covered, at 375 for 1.5hrs

This was so yummy and so easy. I served with steamed English peas and freshly baked bread. And I had enough to serve as *planned overs*. You know, on one of those evenings, where you arrive home late, having had no time to cook.

Confession

I started a site on Xanga. I really do want to figure out this journaling thing. And I was wondering if Xanga would be easier to manipulate. Plus it affords me the opportunity to comment on my daughters' sites.
I figured out that it is easier to think of something to post, if I stick with the ordinary, like what I'm cooking. But I have all these serious thoughts bouncing around in my head that need to be freed. It is a tortuous exercise to organize these reflections and put them in print.
Practice makes perfect.