Winning Recipe of the Week

(Food Network Image)

Menu planning has been chaotic this summer but I'm still working at it.  My friend, Verda, sent me this recipe to try.  One week I purchased some of the ingredients at the farmer's market but then that week I didn't have time to make an actual recipe-it was a lot of noodle soup and cold sandwiches.  Yesterday I had the time and my ingredients were still good.  Oh, and the results were so delicious and luckily there are leftovers.
Thank you for sharing Verda!

Lemon Rice and Eggplant-Chickpea Curry

3 T. olive oil, divided
1/1/2 cups basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock, divided (I used veggie stock)
1 bay leaf
1 lemon, zested
1 tsp ground tumeric
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cardamon, optional (i didn't have this)

1 T. butter

1 med. onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped (I used two baby eggplants and didn't peel)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 14-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 15-oz can of chick peas, drained
salt and pepper
2 rounded T. mild or hot curry paste
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped roasted cashews (I used sliced almonds because they were already in my cupboard, begging to be used)

Directions:
Heat a med. pot over med. heat with extra virgin olive oil.  Add rice and toast for 1-2 minutes.  Add 3 cups stock and the bay leaf, lemon zest, tumeric, coriander, cumin and dardamon.  Cover pot and bring rice to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer rice for 18 minutes.  Fluff rice with a fork, remove bay leaf and add butter.  Toss to coat the rice evenly.

While the rice cooks, make the vegetables.  Heat a deep non-stick skillet over med. heat with 2 T olive oil.  Add onion, garlic, eggplant and bell pepper.  Cover and cook stirring occasionally 7-8 minutes.  Uncover and add the tomatoes, chick peas, salt, pepper, curry paste and remaining 1 cup stock.  Simmer 6-7 minutes longer.  MIx scallions into rice and top with vegetable mixture.  Garnish with roasted cashews (or almonds in my case).

The spices were wonderful and Groovy Girl walked through the kitchen at one point and said "something smells really good!" 

This recipe is from Rachel Ray and the Food Network.
Linked to Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking meme-anyone can play along with a food-related post.