Eggplant, Tomatoes and Squid

1 lg eggplant
1 lb tomatoes, plum
1 lg leek
chili peppers
1 head garlic
1 lb mushrooms
2 lb squid, cleaned
1 bunch coriander
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
olive oil
sesame oil

Cut eggplant in 3/4" dice.  Coarsely chop tomatoes.  Wash and thinly slice leeks (light colored parts only). Seed and chop chili peppers. Peel and thinly slice garlic. Slice the mushrooms. Slice squid bodies into rounds and chop tentacles.  Wash and chop coriander.

Heat oil in large saute pan.  Add about 1/3 of the eggplant and fry.  It will absorb a lot of the oil and give it up again when it is cooked.  At that point add another 1/3 of the eggplant and fry.  When the second batch of eggplant is cooked the first batch will have become mush.  That is as it should be.  Add the rest of the eggplant and fry until barely done.  Reserve all the cooked eggplant.

In the same pan, with more oil, saute the garlic until lightly tanned.  Add the chili peppers and fry briefly. Add the leek and cook until wilted.  Add the mushrooms, some sesame oil, and cook, covered until the mushrooms and the leeks are almost done.  Add the squid tentacles and stir to separate them.  Add the squid bodies and cook, stirring, until the squid looses its translucency and turns white.

At this point the process can be stopped awaiting reheating just before serving (just mix everything together and reserve).

Or, just continue by mixing the eggplant back into the pan, add the sugar, salt and pepper and adjust the consistency with white wine or light stock depending on the way it is to be served, stir in the coriander and cook until barely wilted and serve.  Serves 4 as an entrée and 6 - 8 as a pasta sauce.