Best Imam Bayildi Recipes

IMAM BAYILDI (A STUFFED EGGPLANT RECIPE FROM ASIA MINOR)

Steps:

• Saute the onions in a little oil.
• Add the garlic, tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.
• Cook until it comes together as a very thick stew (no liquid). Stir in mint.
• Cut the stem ends from each eggplant and cut eggplants in half lengthwise.
• Make 3 lengthwise slits, almost from end to end, cutting into the flesh about 1 inch deep.
• Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add the eggplant, cut side down, and fry gently, until dark golden-brown on cut side.
• Turn over and fry on skin side a couple more minutes.
• Remove from oil (most of it will have been absorbed) and place on paper towels to drain for at least 15 minutes before proceeding with recipe (this gets rid of most of the oil- you can omit the frying step to cut calories and save time, but you will NOT have the same flavourful results, and the recipe will not be as authentic).
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Hold each slit apart and spoon the vegetable mixture into each cavity.
• Arrange eggplants in a baking dish just large enough to hold them.
• Sprinkle with sugar, lemon juice, and drizzle with the remaining oil.
• Bake for 40 minutes, or until tender.
• Serve with lots of crusty bread.

ARMENIAN STUFFED EGGPLANT (IMAM BAYILDI)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Cut eggplants in 1/2, then cut each 1/2 into thirds, leaving 12 eggplant spears total. Place on a baking sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Roast in the preheated oven until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• While eggplants are cooking, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a medium to large pan. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the hot pan and cook until onions become tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Remove eggplants from the oven and let cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer eggplants to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Slice each spear vertically using a fork and knife, being careful not to cut through skin. Pry each open and fill with 2 to 3 tablespoons of tomato filling. Cover with tomato sauce.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.

IMAM BAYILDI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and brush with olive oil. Slit the eggplants down the middle, being careful not to cut through the skin. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until the outer skin begins to shrivel. Remove from the oven and transfer, cut side down, to a colander set in the sink. Allow to drain for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are very tender, 5 to 8 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Add the tomatoes, herbs, salt to taste and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil.
• Turn the eggplants over and place in the pan, cut side up. Season with salt. Fill with the onion and tomato mixture. Mix together the remaining olive oil, the remaining sugar, the water and the lemon juice. Drizzle over and around the eggplants. Cover the pan and place over low heat. Cook gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, checking the pan for liquid and basting from time to time with the liquid in the pan, and adding water to the pan if it becomes too dry. By the end of cooking the eggplants should be practically flat and the liquid in the pan slightly caramelized. Spoon this juice over the eggplant. Allow to cool in the pan, and serve at room temperature.

IMAM BAYILDI WITH BBQ LAMB & TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Halve the aubergines lengthways and score the flesh side deeply, brush with a good layer of olive oil and put on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 mins or until the flesh is soft enough to scoop out.
• Fry the onion in a little oil until soft, add the garlic and cinnamon and fry for 1 min. Once the aubergines are cool enough to handle, scoop out the centres. Roughly chop the flesh and add it to the onions. Halve the tomatoes, scoop the seeds and juice into a sieve set over a bowl, then chop the flesh. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook everything for 10 mins until nice and soft. Add a little more oil if you need to. Stir in the parsley, leaving a little for scattering at the end.
• Lay the aubergine halves in a baking dish and divide the tomato mixture between them. Pour over the juice from the tomatoes, drizzle with more olive oil and bake for 30 mins until the aubergines have collapsed.
• Meanwhile, mix the tzatziki ingredients together and put in a small serving bowl.
• Season the lamb with salt, black pepper and a pinch of paprika. Griddle, grill or barbecue for 3 mins on each side or until the fat is nicely browned, then put in a serving dish and squeeze over the lemon halves. Scatter the aubergines with parsley, then serve with the lamb and tzatziki.

IMAM BAYILDI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add eggplants, flesh down. Fry, turning frequently, until soft and fully saturated in oil, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a shallow, square baking dish and let cool slightly.
• While eggplants are cooling, add onions and garlic to the hot frying pan over medium heat, adding more oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Fry until onions are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and parsley; reduce heat to medium-low and fry lightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Push down soft, fleshy insides of eggplants using a spoon, creating space inside of them. Pour onion mixture evenly into each half. Sprinkle each with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with additional olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until soft and mushy and topping is crispy, about 40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.

IMAM BAYILDI

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to moderate 350 degrees F. Heat half the olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and cook the eggplants on all sides for about 8-10 minutes, until the cut sides are golden. Remove from the pan and scoop out some flesh lining the skins. 2. Heat the remaining olive oil in the same frying pan and cook the onion over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until transparent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomato, oregano, parsley, currants, cinnamon, reserved eggplant flesh and salt and pepper, to taste. 3. Place the eggplant shells in a large ovenproof dish and fill each with tomato mixture. 4. Mix the lemon juice, sugar, tomato juice and some salt and pour over the eggplant. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook for another 10 minutes. To serve, place on a serving platter and lightly drizzle with any remaining lemon juice. Note: This dish is best served at room temperature and makes an excellent first course.

IMAM BAYILDI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
• Slice each aubergine in half lengthwise.
• Scoop out the flesh from the aubergines and chop.
• Blanch the aubergine shells in boiling water for 2 minutes then drain upside down.
• Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan and saute the onion until soft and golden.
• Add crushed garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add parsley, chopped aubergine, tomatoes, green and red pepper, cinnamon, salt and black pepper and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Add lemon juice and sugar to taste.
• Arrange the aubergine boats in a baking dish and fill each one with the filling.
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.

TURKISH EGGPLANT CASSEROLE WITH TOMATOES (IMAM BAYILDI) - SEE MORE AT: HTTP://FEEDMEPHOEBE.COM/2014/07/MEATLESS-MONDAY-TURKISH-EGGPLANT-CASSEROLE-RECIPE-TOMATOES-IMAM-BAYILDI/#STHASH.AYWXFYFD.DPUF REC

Steps:

• reheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly salt the eggplant slices and allow to stand for 20 minutes. Pat the slices dry and set aside. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large oven proof (preferably cast iron) skillet. Pan fry the eggplant in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add more oil as necessary between batches so the eggplant doesn't burn, but try not to have too heavy a hand - the pan just needs to be greased. Remove the eggplant to a plate. Add the onion to the skillet and saute over medium heat until soft, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili flakes, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and cinnamon. Cook for one minute more, until fragrant. Carefully pour in the tomatoes and simmer until thickened slightly, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in half the parsley. If using the skillet, remove 3/4 of the sauce to a bowl. Arrange one layer of eggplant evenly in the bottom of the skillet or large casserole dish. Slather with a layer of sauce, and repeat with the remaining eggplant and sauce - like you would a lasagna. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft and the sauce has reduced. Allow to sit for 10 minute before cutting into it. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve warm or at room temperature. Notes I streamlined this recipe by using an oven proof skillet to fry the eggplant, cook the sauce, and then make the casserole. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, feel free to use a casserole dish instead. - See more at: http://feedmephoebe.com/2014/07/meatless-monday-turkish-eggplant-casserole-recipe-tomatoes-imam-bayildi/#sthash.AYWXfYfD.dpuf

THE PRIEST FAINTED (IMAM BAYILDI)

Steps:

• Preparation: Preheat oven to 425° F Peel eggplants leaving lenghtwise stripes, cut in to 1-inch cubes, soak in salted water for 30 minutes, then drain and dry them. Using a large pan over medium high heat, sauté onions and garlic in 1/4 cup olive oil until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and parsley, season with salt, pepper and sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring ocasionally about 15 minutes. While sauce is simmiring, place eggplants in a bowl with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, toss until the eggplant cubes are well coated. Transfer the eggplants to a large sized oven-proof pan and spread out in to one layer. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until browned slightly. Remove the pan from the oven. Place the roasted eggplants in the baking dish, spread tomato sauce evenly to cover the eggplants. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven Serve cold and sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving Why did the priest faint? You'll see :) )

IMAM BAYILDI

Steps:

• Halve the eggplant lentghways. Sprinkle with salt and leave to weep for 5 minutes. Rinse well and place the halves side by side, flesh side upwards, in a wide pan.
• In a bowl, mix the onion, tomatoes, garlic and fresh herbs with the salt and a *little* of the oil. Carefully pile the mixture high on top of each eggplant half until all the flesh is covered. Mix the rest of the oil and the water with the sugar and pour it over and around the eggplant.
• Cover the pan and cook very gently for 1 or 2 hours. Baste occasionally with the oil, pushing gently the onion and tomato mixture down into the halves as they cook. The eggplant should end up soft and flat, completely filled with the mixture, sitting in a slightly caramelized flavored oil.
• Leave to cool in the oil. Transfer to a serving dish, spoon the oil over them, and serve with wedges of lemon to squeeze over.

IMAM BAYILDI

Steps:

• Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, score their flesh in a crisscross pattern, and sprinkle salt on the cut surfaces.
• Lay them face down in a colander to allow the bitter juices to drain.
• After 1/2 hour, squeeze them, rinse them in cold water, squeeze again, and pat dry.
• Saute the onion in 1/4 cup olive oil until softened.
• Add the parsley and basil.
• Remove the onions from the skillet and combine them with the tomatoes. Salt to taste.
• Oil a large baking pan and preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Heat a Tbsp of olive oil and a Tbsp butter in the skillet.
• Saute the garlic and bread crumbs, stirring constantly, until the oil is evenly distributed, there are no lumps, and hte crumbs are golden brown. Salt to taste.
• Rub the eggplant halves with a little oil and lightly salt them.
• Mound each half with the vegetable mixture and top with the bread crumb.
• Add enough water to barely cover the bottom of the baking pan, arrange the stuffed eggplants, and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil an bake for another 20 minutes, until browned.
• Garnish each eggplant half with a lemon wedge.
• Serve with Rice Pilav with Orzo or Bulhur Pilav.

IMAM BAYILDI (SWOONING IMAM)

Steps:

• Salt the eggplant slices and set aside for about 20-30 minutes and let them sweat.
• Squeeze the rounds gently to eliminate the brownish liquid, flatten back into shape, and pat dry.
• Dip rounds quickly into olive oil to coat letting excess run off.
• Place on a baking pan and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven until lightly browned.
• In a saute pan, carefully and lightly, saute the onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil.
• Add the tomatoes, basil, mint and parsley and saute for a few minutes more.
• Place the browned eggplant in a baking pan and arrange the sauted vegetables on the eggplant rounds and pour tomato sauce sparingly over the top.
• Place in a 375 degree oven for and additional 1/2 hour.
• Remove, cool and chill.
• Served cold.

IMAM BAYILDI

Steps:

• Peel the eggplants in stripes, salt the exterior of the eggplant generously, and set aside for 45 minutes. Don't chop the tops off.
• Pour 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a deep saute pan. Add onions, garlic, and red peppers. Sauté them until onion is transparent. Stir frequently to prevent browning of onions and garlic. This is one of the key steps to Imam Bayildi.
• After onions are cooked, add finely diced tomatoes, chopped parsley, salt, pepper and sugar into the sauté pan. Cook for another 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and let it cool.
• Pat the eggplants dry. Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a pan, fry the eggplants on each side until they are golden brown (1-2 min). Add more olive oil if needed to fry the rest. Set the eggplants in a baking dish to cool.
• Slit an opening in the middle of the eggplant half way through. Don't cut all the way through the eggplant. Make the opening a little bigger with your fingers. You want it to look like a canoe.
• Equally divide the filling among the eggplants. Stuff them well. Pile any remaining stuffing on top.
• Pour the grated tomato into the baking pan, cover the pan with aluminum foil. Make several slits on the foil to let the steam escape. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until the eggplants are cooked thoroughly. Remove foil, bake 10 more minutes.
• Serve warm with something you can spoon the juices over. It's good with rice. It would also be good with potatoes or some fresh pita bread.