Eggplant and Beef Creole

• 1 pound eggplant
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 12 ounces whole onion or 11 ounces chopped, ready-cut onion (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 8 ounces extra-lean ground beef
• 8 ounces whole yellow or red bell pepper or 7 ounces chopped, ready-cut pepper (1 1/2 cups)
• 3 cups canned plum tomatoes, drained
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano to yield 1 tablespoon chopped
• 18 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes or more to taste
• 18 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Turn on the broiler and cover broiler rack with aluminum foil.
2. Wash and trim eggplant, but do not peel.
3. Slice off both ends.
4. Cut remaining eggplant into 1/4-inch thick slices and spray lightly with pan spray.
5. Arrange in pan, and broil 2 to 3 inches from heat source, about 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Chop whole onion.
7. Heat nonstick pan large enough to hold all the ingredients until it is very hot.
8. Spray pan and add 1 teaspoon oil; reduce heat to medium high and saute onions until they begin to soften and turn golden.
9. Mince and add garlic.
10. After 30 seconds, push the onions and garlic to one side.
11. Add ground beef, breaking it into small pieces.
12. Stir and brown.
13. Turn eggplant, spray with pan spray and continue broiling to brown on second side.
14. Wash, dry, trim, seed and chop pepper.
15. When beef is brown, stir in the peppers and the onion mixture.
16. Drain the tomatoes, and squeeze them in hands to crush.
17. Add to pan along with the wine.
18. Remove the eggplant.
19. Wash and dry the oregano and chop; stir in with the hot pepper flakes.
20. Cut up the eggplant and stir into the pan, seasoning with salt and pepper.

eggplant, nonstick cooking spray, onion, olive oil, garlic, extralean ground beef, red bell pepper, tomatoes, red wine, oregano, hot red pepper, salt, freshly ground black pepper

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1197 (may not work)