Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

1 lb Lean Ground Beef 1/4 lb Mushrooms
14 oz Basil Seasoned Spaghetti 4 ea French Bread Sandwich Rolls
-Sauce; 1 Jar -Or Baguettes; 6-8 Inches
1 md Eggplant -Long
4 1/2 tb Olive Oil; Divided 4 oz Provolone Cheese; 4 Slices
1 md Red Onion

Slice the eggplant into 1/2 to 3/4 inch steaks and place on a plate,
sprinkling with salt and let drain for 30 minutes. Form the ground
beef into twelve 1 1/2-inch diameter meatballs. Cook them in a pot,
over low heat, rotating them frequently to brown evenly and prevent
them from sticking. Cook them for 7 to 10 minutes, then drain off
the excess fat from the pot and add the spaghetti sauce. Leave
simmering to ensure the meatballs are well done. Slice the onion
into thin rings and coarsely chop the mushrooms into irregular chunks
and set them aside. Thoroughly rinse the eggplant steaks and then pat
them dry. Heat 3 Tb of the olive oil and gently saute the eggplant
over medium heat, cooking for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft in the
center, being sure to cook evenly on both sides. Sprinkle with salt
and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and let drain. Add the
remaining 1 1/2 Tb of olive oil to the pan and begin sauteing the
onions at a fairly low heat -- the goal is to make them caramelize.
Cook for 4 minutes and then add the mushrooms, turning the heat up
just a touch. If there is not enough moisture in the pan, add a few
drops of water to help steam through the mushrooms. Cook for about
10 to 12 minutes. Slice the baguettes lengthwise and separate the
tops from the bottoms. Layer the bottom pieces of bread with a thin
layer of eggplant steaks and then cover with 3 meatballs. Spoon on a
generous amount of the extra spaghetti sauces and amply distribute
the onions and mushrooms over the meatballs. Place a slice of
provolone cheese on each sandwich and put them under the broiler
until the cheese has melted. Remove from the8broiler, put on the
bread tops and serve. Andy leftover eggplant and meatballs may be
served beside the sandwiches.

Total Preparation And Cooking Time: 45 Minutes to 1 Hour.

Tip: A lower fat alternative is to drain and rinse the eggplant
steaks as noted above. Place them on a plate and sprinkle with salt
and pepper. Microwave the steaks for 7 to 10 minutes or until very
soft. It is not necessary to add any oil.

From: The Colorado Beef Cookoff Folder

Submitted by: Barbara Steinberg, Boulder Colorado

Posted by: Rich Harper
Submitted By RICH HARPER On 11-07-94

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