Spicy pasta sauce with eggplant, mushrooms and crab

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• 1 can of tomatoes, chopped
• ½ tsp oregano, dried
• 10 cl dry sherry (5 shot glasses)
• 250 ml cream or cream substitute
• 1 m.-large eggplant(s)
• 500 g mushrooms, fresh, cleaned, quartered
• 1 tbsp butter or oil
• 250 g crab or scampi or prawns, cooked
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pinch of chili powder
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, cut into fine strips

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 10 minutes

First, cut the eggplant into approximately 1 cm cubes, place them in a bowl, and toss with 1 teaspoon of salt. Set the mixture aside. Finely chop the garlic and fry in hot olive oil in a wide saucepan until golden brown. Sprinkle with the pinch of sugar and immediately deglaze with the tomatoes. Season with oregano. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (loosening the sauce from the bottom of the pan). Now add the cream and the first glass of sherry and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the sauce has reduced slightly (only takes a few minutes, keep an eye on it), add the next glass of sherry, stirring from the bottom, and continue simmering, etc. I usually don’t let the fifth and final glass boil away, but stir it in after removing the pan from the heat. This has the disadvantage, however, that a little alcohol remains in the sauce. In any case, the sauce will be ready after 20-30 minutes and can be removed from the heat once the sherry is used up. In the meantime, the salted eggplant cubes will have absorbed water and need to be squeezed and drained. Meanwhile, heat the butter or oil in a heavy pan and carefully add the squeezed eggplants to the pan. While the eggplants are frying over high heat until golden brown, turn them over occasionally. Shortly before the end of the cooking time, add the mushrooms to the pan while still keeping the heat high and fry, also turning. When both are sufficiently browned, pour the tomato sauce over the vegetables (not the other way around!) and mix everything in the pan. Then stir in the crustaceans and season the sauce with salt and chili. Finally, just before serving, stir in the herbs.