Rice with Eggplant, olde recipe

I was going to type this recipe for a friend and decided to put it on a2k too, in case anyone is interested.

It's from an old Craig Claiborne cookbook, the title of which I have long forgotten.

It's easy, and tastes good.

ingredients
1 eggplant, about 1 pound (size doesn't matter so much, per osso, age does. Relatively fresh is better, as in not soft and wrinkly)
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (he says or margerine, I'll say or olive oil)
1/2 half cup finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or a sprig of fresh from garden/osso)
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more! /osso)
1/2 cup rice (arborio or cannaroli/osso)
1 cup chicken broth(unsalted per craig claiborne)

directions
- Trim off the ends of the eggplant and peel it. Cut the eggplant into 1/2 thick slices. Stack the slices and cut into 1/2 inch strips. Cut the strips into 1/2 " cubes. There should be about 3 1/2 cups.

- Heat the butter in a saucepan (teflon frypan/osso) and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the onion is wilted. Add the eggplant and a generous grinding of pepper. Stir, add the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and hot red pepper.
- Cook, stirring, for about three minutes. Add the rice and broth. Cover. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 20 minutes.

I add some cut up fresh hot or mild italian sausage if I have one in the freezer (thaw in microwave or in pan hot water). It's good without sausage too.