Sautéed Eggplant with Polenta

A vegan Mediterranean skillet dish where eggplant and onions are steamed then browned, simmered with crushed tomatoes, golden raisins, kalamata olives, and capers, and spooned over creamy instant polenta.

Ingredients

• 2 (8- to 10-ounce) eggplants, trimmed, halved crosswise, and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
• 2 onions, halved and sliced thin
• 5 ½ cups water, divided
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• 2 ½ teaspoons table salt, divided
• 1 cup instant polenta
• 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Combine eggplant, onions, ½ cup water, ¼ cup oil, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the water has evaporated and the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Uncover and keep cooking, stirring often, until the eggplant and onions are lightly browned, about 8 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, bring the remaining 5 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the polenta, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons oil and the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons salt.
4. Stir the tomatoes, raisins, olives, capers, and pepper flakes into the eggplant mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.
5. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Transfer the polenta to a serving platter, top with the eggplant mixture, and serve.