This time of year eggplant is practically taking over farmers' markets. Sometimes those pretty purple vegetables (which are actually fruits!) are daunting to prepare. One wrong step and you'll end up with a mushy dinner. Read on for 10 recipes that will make them shine!
• Braised Eggplant and Tomatoes: Slices of eggplant baked with olive oil, tomatoes, and basil -- great vegetarian main course!
• Ratatouille: You've heard of it, but have you tried this flavorful late summer dish?
• Rigatoni with Eggplant and Pine Nut Crunch: Roasted eggplant, peppers, and garlic coat pasta for a hearty yet vegetarian meal, from Bon Appétit.
• Roasted Eggplant Caviar: The name of this dish comes from how the chopped bits of roasted eggplant resemble caviar -- great for an appetizer.
• Eggplant Gratin: This dressier version of eggplant Parmesan melds fried eggplant slices with creamy ricotta, marinara, and Parmesan, from Ina Garten.
• Eggplant Wraps with Goat Cheese: Use thin slices of eggplant to hold goat cheese.
• Stuffed Baby Eggplants with Lamb: A perfect complement to roasted eggplant: lamb, mint, and veggies, from Crumb Blog.
• Ajvar: This roasted pepper and eggplant spread works spread on sandwiches or as dip!
• Baba Ghanoush: A creamy and smokey Middle Eastern spread great with pita or on its own.
• Grilled Eggplant with Lebneh: Lebneh, Greek yogurts thicker and tasty cousin, provides a smooth topping for grilled slices of eggplant, from Gourmet.
Related: Learning to Love Eggplant: How to Pick 'Em, Cook 'Em, and Eat 'Em
(Images: Flickr user Muffet licensed for use under Creative Commons)
How to Make Fresh Pasta Dough in the Food Processor
How to Make Fresh Pasta Dough in the Food Processor
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Floral Drink Dispen...
Small Cool Lessons: Discovering Small Space Design Ideas That Really Work
Marisa and Peter's Playfully Eclectic Home
I made Stephanie Izard's Eggplant Caponata and Lemon Poached Eggplant (a dessert). They were both so, so good. I know eggplant as a dessert sounds like a bad idea but trust me, it is worth trying.
http://www.stephanieizard.com/home/view/green_city_market_demo
I love it in a vegetarian lasagna. I usually do zucchini and eggplant, but the eggplant works far better; it doesn't add a ton of liquid, and it absorbs the flavor from the sauce.
One of my favorite ways too cook eggplant is roasted and then layered with a thin smear of pesto, a slice of tomato and then my cheese of choice (mozz or feta usually). Do that two or three times then place it under the broiler to allow the cheese to melt. I made this last night for dinner. Delicious.
This recipe is still one of my favorites:
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/eggplant_lentil_stew_with_pomegranate_molasses/
In fact, I'm making it for dinner tonight!
I made caponata as well @jenhead. It's my favourite eggplant dish.
I'm loving all the eggplant varieties! Last week at my local farmers market one vendor (farmer) was selling at least 6 or 7 varieties of beautiful eggplants in all shades of purple and white; tiny, small, medium, large, giant; finger-like, oblong, round. I am most probably most familiar with Italian eggplant. He had lovely Japanese and Chinese eggplants, too!
I love eggplant, but my family is not as favorable to this lovely vegie... we had one in our CSA basket last week, and I sliced it up, breaded and pan fried it... sliced some warmed ciabatta rolls, fried an egg, oven baked some bacon.... topped the roll with a slice of eggplant, an egg, a slice of havarti cheese, and a slice of bacon- they hardly noticed the eggplant slice and I got to enjoy the extra lovely rounds on the side! I've found the egg sandwich to be a great way to use up those less than desired CSA vegies! (the best was a nice, garlicky sauteed swiss chard- YUM!)