Leczo-touille

This is one of my fist original recipes, and I love it! It’s a mix between a Polish dish called Leczo, and the French Ratatouille. The Polish version is very saucy and mushy, so I’ve added some zucchini and eggplant to give some varied textures, and freshen up this classic. Many people don’t use sausage in their leczo, so you can easily leave it out to make this dish completely vegetarian (or vegan). Or you can double the sausage if you’re more of a carnivore! The eggplant prep is a bit of a pain, but I think it’s well worth it. The baking brings out a lot of flavor, and the initial prep insures that the eggplant doesn’t become an oil sponge. If you have it, use Vegeta instead of salt in this dish. It’s an all purpose seasoning that is a staple in any polish kitchen.  

INGREDIENTS makes 4 servings

1 large eggplant

1.5 tsp salt

splash of oil or canola oil spray

1/2 lb kielbasa (polish sausage), cubed

1 onion, cut lengthwise and sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press

3 tsp canola or vegetable oil, divided

3 bell peppers (red, orange and yellow, or all red), seeded and sliced into strips

1 large and very ripe tomato

1 bay leaf

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp paprika

2 tsp marjoram

2 tsp salt (or the all purpose seasoning Vegeta), or more to taste

1 zucchini, cut lengthwise and sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1 large eggplant
• 1.5 tsp salt
• splash of oil or canola oil spray

1. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Salt the eggplant cubes evenly with 1.5 tsp salt, and then place them in a colander over the sink or in a large bowl. Set aside for a minimum of 1 hour, and up to 3 hours. The salt will pull water out of the eggplant. Once the eggplant is done, rinse it thoroughly, and preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spread the eggplant cubes evenly over a triple layer of paper towels. Place another triple layer of paper towels on top of the eggplant cubes. Use your hands to firmly press the eggplant cubes until they are dry and feel firm and compressed. According to “The New Best Recipe”: salting and pressing eggplant collapses the cell walls, eliminating air pockets that would otherwise soak up fat during cooking. I find that this is in fact true, and salting and pressing eggplant is the best way to go before adding it to any dish. Once you’re done pressing the eggplant, toss it in a splash of oil, and place in a single layer on a flat cookie sheet. Conversely you can grease the cookie sheet with canola oil spray before placing the eggplant on it. Salt the eggplant to taste, and bake on the middle rack for 13 – 15 min. Remove from oven and set aside.

• 1/2 lb kielbasa (polish sausage), cubed
• 1 onion, cut lengthwise and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 3 tsp canola or vegetable oil, divided
• 3 bell peppers (red, orange and yellow, or all red), seeded and sliced into strips
• 1 large and very ripe tomato
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp marjoram
• 2 tsp salt (or the all purpose seasoning Vegeta)

2. In a large and deep frying pan, heat 2 tsp of the oil on medium high heat. Once the oil is hot add the kielbasa, and fry until browned, 5 – 7 min. Add another tsp of oil and then add the onion and garlic. Fry until the onion is soft and slightly browned, about 5 min. Reduce the heat to medium, add the bell peppers, and saute another 5 min. With your hand, squish the tomato into the pan and discard the skin. If your tomato is not ripe enough to do this, peel and dice the tomato before adding it in. Make sure to add in as much of the seeds and tomato liquid as you can. Add the bay leaf, oregano, paprika, marjoram, and salt. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 – 20 min, stirring occasionally, until the bell peppers are completely soft but the skins are not coming off. If the mixture begins getting dry, or sticking to the pan, add 1/4 – 1/2 cups water, as needed.

• 1 zucchini, cut lengthwise and sliced
• prepared and baked eggplant

3. Add in the zucchini, and continue cooking for 3 – 5 min, until the zucchini is just a little soft. Add the baked eggplant, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. This dish is best served in bowls, with a hearty slice of bread.