As seen on Pamela’s Cooking With Love episode one, this Haitian-style stew also known as legim, is out of this world.
Related: Jerk Cauliflower
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ingredients
Epis
Legim
directions
Eggplant will need to rest for at least one hour.
For the epis:
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss well. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor or blender (in batches, if needed) and blitz or blend into a chunky puree (similar to a chunky pesto). Epis keeps in the fridge for about 7 to 10 days.
For the legim:
Combine the eggplant and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large mixing bowl. Toss well with your hands, rubbing the salt against the eggplant. Let the eggplant sit for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours, so the salt has time to draw out liquid from the eggplant.
Remove the eggplant from the bowl, leaving the liquid behind. Squeeze firmly to wring out as much liquid as you can. Transfer to another bowl or plate.
Heat the oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (5 to 6 quart works well) over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add the eggplant all at once and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes to get a bit of color on the eggplant. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 4 minutes more to get a bit of color on the onions. Add the tomato, cabbage, carrots, white parts of scallions, chiles, epis, thyme and the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, reduce the heat to medium and stir well.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to release some of their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage and green parts of scallions, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the vegetables, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until the carrots are fully tender, the eggplant has broken down and the liquid has completely evaporated, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Have a taste, because next you’re going to crank up the heat, not only to cook the spinach quickly but also to transform these tasty stewed vegetables to the far richer, more enticing concoction that is legim. Stir in the spinach, increase the heat to high, and wait 30 seconds or so for brown, flavorful bits to appear at the bottom of the pot.
Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits and stir well, then repeat the waiting, scraping, and stirring three more times, or until the eggplant thickens and goes from grayish to a rich golden hue, the spinach is wilted but still bright green, and the flavor is deep and savory. Serve legim hot or warm.