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Aubergine a la Flammande

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 onions
  • 1 medium eggplant
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 celery ribs
  • 8 ounces mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 12 ounces dark ale preferably a Belgian beer like Chimay
  • 4 to 6 sage leaves about a tablespoon
  • small handful of celery leaves about a tablespoon
  • nutmeg
  • grated rind of 1 orange
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add oil to large soup pot.  Heat to medium-high heat.  Add onions, stirring to coat, then cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low to sweat the onions for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, chop the eggplant and mince the garlic, then add to onions.   Place lid on pot.  Increase heat to medium.  Cook for a few minutes, until the eggplant softens.   Chop the other vegetables and add. When the carrots, celery and mushrooms just soften, about 3 minutes, add the tablespoon of flour.  Stir well and make sure the vegetables are coated.  Pour in the ale.
  • Mix well then add the sage and celery leaves.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for an hour and a half, coming back and give the whole thing a stir now and again when you've a mind to. 
  • After 90 minutes, remove the pot lid, bring heat back to high. The eggplant will be meltingly soft.  Bring to a boil and boil for about 3 minutes to reduce sauce and concentrate the flavor. Stir in nutmeg, grated orange rind and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve over rice (and since it's me talking here, I'd recommend whole grain brown rice over traditional white).  Nice with a green salad.   Stew flavor improves over time.  It'll taste better tomorrow, if you have any left.