Recipe - Cumin Rice With Eggplant And Peppers

1 One half cup Brown rice
2 tablespoon Virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Butter
1 Eggplant (1012 oz)
cut in 1/2inch cubes
1 md Onion
cut into 1/4inch squares
Salt
1 small Green bell pepper;
cut into 1/2inch squares
1 small Red or yellow pepper
or a mixture,
cut into 1/2inch squares
2 md Tomatoes; peeled, seeded and
cut into large pieces OR
15 ounce Canned Tomatoes, drained
and cut into large pieces
4 teaspoon Ground cumin
One half teaspoon Turmeric
One fourth teaspoon Ground ginger
One fourth teaspoon Ground cinnamon
One half teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
One fourth cup Chopped parsley or cilantro
3 cup Water
1 cup Dried provolone (optional)
=OR= Monterey Jack
=OR= Muenster cheese

RINSE THE RICE, cover it with water and set it aside to soak while you
prepare the rest of the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 375F. Warm the oil
and butter in a large skillet. Add the eggplant and onion, salt them
lightly, and rapidly saute them to distribute the oil. Cook over medium
heat until the eggplant is soft but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Add the
peppers, tomatoes, spices (including the pepper), parsley and more salt to
taste. Stir carefully, combining everything well. Drain the rice and add it
to the pan along with 3 cups water. Turn up the heat to bring the water to
a boil, then transfer everything to a baking dish, such as a large,
earthenware gratin dish. Lay a piece of parchment over the top, cover with
foil, and bake until the rice is done, about 45 minutes. Toss the minced
cheese, if you're using it, into the rice and serve. Serves 4 as a main
course or 6 to 8 as a side dish.

DEBORAH MADISON PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini