eggplant! eggplant!

[lorilei]

http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif I need your help. I'm in a hopeless rut with this loveable purple veggie...

Anyone have a recipe that doesn't involve cheese and tomato sauce? I must have 4 recipes for moussaka (with tuna, with lamb, vegetarian, spicey, with zucchini... ) Or stuffing the solanum melongena with breadcrumbs?

I love eggplant, but I am weary...

[acorreia]

I love eggplant as well. I do something very simple with it, and the taste of the eggplant is truly experienced. Get a baking sheet and spray with fat free Pam cooking spray (or olive oil). Cut eggplant into round slices, about 1/4" thick. Place slices on baking sheet. Spinkle your favorite spices on the eggplant slices. I usually use garlic power, dried basil, maybe some oregano and thyme. I use approx 4 spices. Turn slices over and spinkle spickes on the other side. Bake at about 400 degrees for 15 mins, or until they start to brown on the top. I don't use hardly any oil in my cooking, and I love to taste the natural flavors of spices and veggies. This takes so little time.

-Angela

[lorilei]

Delicious idea -- I roast eggplant this way (minus the spices) for most recipes, rather than breading and frying the eggplant for moussaka/parmesan. And it is definitely a delicious nonfat alternative.

I'll have to try this as a simple side dish -- or maybe in a sandwich with basil mayo??

[LauraEllen]

I read a article on middle eastern food once that said "a new bride's worth is measure by the number of eggplant recipes she knows - but they start counting after 100". I wouldn't be a good catch, there, but I have accumulated a few uses for the veggie.

Under the "favorite/most versatile veggie" thread I posted my recipe for eggplant croutons, but I got there late so I think it's the last posting. I also love to grill (or broil) it, and make a sandwich with chevre. Ratatouille is big at my house - I'm sure CL must have several recipes. Or vegetable Gratins are good - you could layer the eggplant slices with zucchini, tomato (or not)and sprinkle with bread crumbs and a little parmesan, then bake.

A word of warning - I think eggplant can really suck up a lot of oil. To keep it light I use one of those oil misters (Misto is the type I have) so I can spray a little oil on the eggplant before grilling or broiling.

[Natasha]

How about Baba Ghanouj dip? This is a recipe from Epicurious.com that I found just now, but I have to warn you that only 19% said they would make it again. There are certainly lots of other recipes for this dip, though.

Also, I know you mentioned no tomato and cheese, but what about ratatouille (tomato-broth based - no cheese in it)? I love eggplant in this dish, though you might not feel like having it in the summer. I also like preparing it simply, as Angela does.

BTW, LauraEllen, you re so right about eggplant and its tendency to soak up oil, kind of like spinach. Scary!

BABA GHANOUJ

3 medium eggplants (about 1 pound each)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
8 garlic cloves
1 cup well-stirred tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 cup sour cream
Olive oil for drizzling
Accompaniments:
pita triangles
chopped onion
chopped drained bottled peperoncini (pickled Tuscan peppers)
chopped pitted Kalamata olives

Preheat broiler or prepare grill.

***** eggplants in several places with a fork. On a broiler pan or in a shallow baking pan broil eggplants about 3 to 4 inches from heat, turning every 10 to 15 minutes, 45 to 55 minutes, or until charred all over and very soft. (Alternatively, grill eggplants on a well-oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals in same manner.) Cool eggplants until they can be handled and peel off and discard skin, Transfer pulp to a colander set over a bowl. Let eggplant pulp drain 20 minutes and discard any liquid on bowl.

In a food processor blend lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and salt to taste until smooth. Add eggplant pulp and pulse until a coarse purée. Add tahini and sour cream and pulse just until combined well.

Transfer baba ghanouj to a shallow bowl and drizzle with oil. Serve baba ghanouj with accompaniments.

Makes about 5 cups.

Gourmet
July 1997

You Asked For It; Sinbad Restaurant, Hendersonville NC


[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 07-10-2000).]

[Gail]

Hokey-dokey...

Eggplant Number One:

EGGPLANT RAVIOLI-- and it's NOT what you're expecting...

1 medium onion
2 heads garlic (mmm... I love this already...)
Olive oil
1 medium eggplant
1 red bell pepper
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon each minced garlic (MORE??) and ginger
1/2 pound lean ground pork
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Sichuan hot bean sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved with 1 tablespoon water

Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinese dark rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil

4 green onions
40 potsticker or wonton wrappers

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Rub the unpeeled onion and unpeeled heads of garlic with a little olive oil. Combine with the eggplant and bell pepper in a shallow-rimmed baking pan and place in the oven to roast. Remove the vegetables as they are done: the bell pepper after 45 minutes, the garlic 1 hour, the onion 1 2/3 hours, and the eggplant 1 hour and 45 minutes.

2. Peel the eggplant and and discard the large seed pockets; chop the flesh. Cut off the tops of the garlic heads (am I nuts or is this flesh chopping and head-cutting off business making you a little queasy?) and squeeze the softened garlic from the skins. Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the minced raw garlic and ginger and cook for 10 seconds. Add the pork and stir-fry until crumbly, about 1 minute. Stir in the eggplant, roasted garlic, soy sauce, bean sauce, sesame oil and wipe drool from chin. Add the cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until the mixture boils and thickens. Let the filling cook, then chill for at least one hour.

3. Peel the roasted onion and cut it into julienne strips. Peel and seed the roasted bell pepper and cut it into julienne strips. Combine them with the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and set aside. Cut the green onions into thin diagonal slices.

4. To fill the ravioli, place 1 heaping teaspoon of the fillling slightly off center (kinda like me) on a wrapper; keep the remaining wrappers covered to prevent drying. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with water, fold it in half over the filling and press the edges firmly to seal. Place the filled ravioli slightly apart on a baking sheet and cover them with a damp cloth while filing the remaining wrappers.

5. Bring a large pot of water of a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and stir to separate. Dimmer until the wrappers are tender and the filling is hot, about 1 minute after the ravioli rise to the surface. Meanwhile, bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

6. Drain the cooked ravioli and divide them among 8 plates. Drizzle a spoonful of the sauce over each serving and sprinkle with the remaining green onions. Wipe remaining drool from chin and dig in.

(From The Well-Seasoned Wok, editorial comments by Yours Truly)

Stay tuned for Eggplant Number 2, coming to a bulletin board near you!

[Gail]

Eggplant Number Two or Son of Eggplant:

EGGPLANT FRITTERS

2 cups peeled and cubed eggplant
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 egg, well beaten
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced (one is a lonely number...)
1 small fresh hot pepper, seeded and minced (like Lori is seriously going to seed a hot pepper...)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for (gasp! I'm corrupting you again!) deep frying

Combine the eggplant in a saucepan with the vinegar and water. Cover and cook over low heat until the eggplant is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and puree in an electric blender or food processor.

Combine the pureed eggplant in a bowl with all the other ingredients, except the oil, and mix until smooth.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and gently drop the batter in by the tablespoon (I like that-- what do they think we're going to do? Bat the stuff in there with a Louisville Slugger?) Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot as an appetizer or side dish.

Yield: 18 fritters

(From Island Cooking: Recipes From the Caribbean)

NEXT UP: EGGPLANT 3: The Final Frontier



[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-10-2000).]

[Gail]

...and the long-awaited sequel to Eggplant Number One and Son of Eggplant:

EGGPLANT-SPINACH CURRY

1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
12 cloves garlic, minced (now that's more like it!)
2 pounds spinach, rinsed, dried and finely chopped (are you still reading, Lori...)
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1-inch piece ginger root, peeled and grated
1/4 teaspoon jalapeño chiles, minced (are you in love yet?)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (oops. Did this just burst the bubble?)
Salt
Cilantro sprigs (Don't get excited. They're a garnish)

Heat the oil with half of the mustard seeds in a large saucepan. Add remaining mustard seeds when the cooked seeds begin to pop. (Perhaps you should cook this in a mask) Add the garlic and sauté until tender.

Add the spinach, a small amount at a time, stirring occasionally to keep the spinach from scorching. When the spinach wilts, add the eggplant, ginger, jalapeño chiles, turmeric, paprika, coriander and cumin. Sauté to blend the flavors. Cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and season to taste with salt. Cook, uncovered, 5 minutes longer. Garnish with cilantro.

Makes 8 servings

(From Best Recipes from The Los Angeles Times, recipe from Dhaba Cuisine of India, Santa Monica, CA)

Had enough? We didn't even touch on any of the seafood stuffed ones. Then there's an eggplant antipasto from Harry's Bar which sounds interesting, and I'm willing to bet I've got more Chinese or Indian recipes... drool, drool...

[Beth]

Gail, I've never been a big eggplant fan, but 2 out of 3 of your recipes caught my attention. I'm willing to try the eggplant, but I have substituted zucchini or yellow squash for eggplant in the past. Would that work in these?

[Mamasue]

I believe the eggplant meatballs have been discussed here before. A recipe of the Frugal Gourment (Jeff Smith)...very good.

Here is a recipe that I make for appertizer. This is not a formal recipe.

Slice eggplant about 1/4" thick; Coat the slices with flour, egg and bread crumbs; fry in olive oil until light golden brown. Remove and lay on paper towels to drain some of the fat. Sandwich two slices of eggplant with fontina cheese and fresh sage leave. At this point you could make them ahead of time and when ready to serve, lay them on a cookie sheet and heat in oven till cheese melts. Cut each sandwich into fourths. These are always a hit and good too! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Anne]

another baba ghanouj
Bake a couple eggplants until done (about 45 minutes). Cool, peel, and cut into cubes. Let drain about 30 minutes. Puree in blender or food processor with 1/3 cup tahini, 1/2 cup lime juice, and 2 cloves (or more) minced garlic. Salt/pepper to taste. Serve hot or warm with pita bread, chopped raw onion and chopped tomatoe. Most recipies call for olive oil but we don't mind the dish without the oil.
Baking and draining the eggplant can be done the day before.
I have also enjoyed excellent eggplant parmesian but don't have a clue on how to make it - veal parmesian with eggplant substituted for the meat? I have also had jambalaya with eggplant substituted for okra and it was really good. Sorry for the ideas without recipies but maybe they will jog someone else's memmory.

[karen w]

In the summer my husband and I have alot of lighter meals with salads(yes, he's one of those rare men who likes the leafy stuff.) and sandwiches. We do a lot of eggplant sandwiches e.g. grilled eggplant and tomato with sundried tomato pesto and provolone. There was also a wonderful sandwich recipe in CL last summer with grilled eggplant, zucchini, red peppers, and onion etc...on bread with romesco sauce.(very good).Another CL eggplant dish we love is eggplant crisps- coated with light mayo and a crumb topping of saltines and parmesan, then baked.It's simple and delicious.We have used this topping on baked chicken and fish and it also tastes good. I also used cornflake crumbs once when I was out of saltines. It works too. I know it has tomatoes in it, but there's always caponata, too. Whenever we barbecue outside we always throw marinated eggplant slices on the grill as a side veggie, and also good on pizza.Good luck.

[Gail]

Originally posted by Beth:
Gail, I've never been a big eggplant fan, but 2 out of 3 of your recipes caught my attention. I'm willing to try the eggplant, but I have substituted zucchini or yellow squash for eggplant in the past. Would that work in these?

Hmmm...I'm not good with questions of this sort. See, first of all, texture matters with me. The squash you've suggested has a flimsier texture and cooks a lot faster than eggplant. Also, I think eggplant has an overall "meatier" taste, whereas zucchini and yellow squash taste more like vegetable--if that makes any sense at all. I know zucchini makes dandy fritters, but as for the other two recipes, I'd try 'em as is, and if you think they have merit for a second time around, then play around with 'em.

And Lori-- your guess is as good as mine with the cucumber sauce. If it's not too much extra work, go for it! Worse thing that happens is you hate it! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif (Big help, huh?)

[Beth]

Thanks, Gail. I'd like to try a couple of those, and like I said, I'm not really adverse to eggplant. It's just that I had never really had it until I was in high school or college, and that was fried, breaded, and smothered in sauce and cheese (sound familiar?). I liked it well enough, but when checking out the recipe read about the salting, the frying, and decided lasagna with veggies was a lot easier.

I think I've had eggplant in oriental dishes since then, but still haven't cooked it. With your eggplant and Deanna's brussel sprouts, I may discover/rediscover some veggies. If I can get my kids to eat some new veggies, I'll call it a miracle! Thanks.

[lorilei]

Actually, Anne, ideas w/out recipes are fine!!

Great idea to make jumbalaya with eggplant. I never thought of that one. Baba Ghanouj is definitely one of my favorites! (as well as eggplant parmesan)

And Gail -- you never cease to amaze me. That "family" of recipes sounds excellent!! Do you think "son of eggplant" would be good with cucumber sauce?

All of your ideas have been helpful -- thanks a bunch.

You inspired me to hunt through all my cookbooks at home, and I came up with another delicious idea -- eggplant sandwiches with sundried tomato pesto!! (Vegetarian Times cooks Mediterranean) We had them last night for dinner with a Caesar Salad... and they were delicious!!

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 07-11-2000).]

[Nanci]

CL had a great eggplant sandwich with provolone chesse. Must have been at least 4 years ago. Of course it was before I bought MasterCook. If you can find it let me know I would love to make it again. Was a great recipe.