Cretan veal with eggplant

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 500 g veal or pork
• 4 m.-sized tomatoes
• 2 medium-sized garlic cloves, fresh
• 50 g white wine, semi-dry
• 1 tsp rosemary, shredded or frozen
• 1 cinnamon stick(s), approx. 5 cm
• 1 pinch(s) nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1 tsp, leveled salt or vegetable broth, instant
• 1 pinch(s) black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 m.-large eggplant(s), purple
• 20 g salt
• n. B. Pine nuts, lightly roasted

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes

This recipe can also be cooked with pork.

Wash the eggplants, trim both ends, halve lengthwise, and cut crosswise into approximately 2 cm thick slices. Dissolve the salt in 1 liter of water and soak the eggplant pieces in it for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the stems from the tomatoes. Peel, quarter, and deseed the tomatoes, and halve them crosswise. Roughly chop the garlic cloves. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Heat a medium-sized pan. Add the olive oil and heat until hot. Brown the meat pieces and deglaze with the wine. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the meat to a covered casserole dish. Add the tomato pieces, rosemary, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, salt, and a pinch of pepper. Simmer everything with the lid on for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain the eggplant pieces, rinse thoroughly, shake dry, and place on a clean tea towel to dry slightly. After 45 minutes, add the eggplant to the meat and simmer until tender. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Empty the contents of the pot into a serving dish. Remove the cinnamon stick. Garnish the dish and serve warm with white bread. A full-bodied red wine goes well with it. Note: Cretans prefer bread, especially white bread, to all other side dishes. Recipe source: Mr. Olympios, Armonia Hotel, Crete.