We are eggplant converts. We love how its vegetable texture can be pureed into silky, creamy dips, and how rich it can be with very little added fat. Are you finding eggplants in your CSA box? Here are a few facts about them and some recipes we'd like to check out.
Eggplants are grown all over the world; sometimes they are called aubergines or brinjals. There are small round green Thai eggplants and long, slender Chinese eggplants. The large stubby version that is most common in America is mildly bitter until roasted or stewed. Any remaining bitterness can be removed by salting and squeezing out the watery juices.
My favorite is a Sudanese dish my friend taught me. It's very simple, but delicious:
Peel a large eggplant, then cut into about 1/4 inch slices. Pan fry in oil, sprinkling with salt on both sides, and put on a plate. Slice up 3 fresh tomatoes, and lay the slices over the top of the eggplant. Mix up about 1/4 C oil, 1/8 C fresh lemon juice, and 3 cloves fresh, diced garlic, and pour over the top. Serve over rice with whole milk yogurt.
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Nothing like a veggie lasagna with eggplant - the meatiness of the 'plant makes it such a satisfying meal. I make mine with eggplant and chard, adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone:
http://eatingthegarden.wordpress.com/2007/04/07/chard-harvest-dinner/
view cremarie's profile
Have you found god in your eggplant?
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=bizarre&id=5584833
view LolaDanger's profile
Mirza, a Persian eggplant dip that makes me a bit misty when I think about it. It's that good.
My best approximation of my mom's recipe (which may not be that traditional):
Grill an eggplant over low heat (my parents do this once they've finished grilling everything else, as the fire is dying down) until it collapses. Let it cool enough to handle, then cut open and scrape out the flesh.
Sauté garlic in olive oil, then add some GOOD peeled tomatoes, chopped, and cook until the tomatoes are broken down. Stir in the eggplant and heat through. Break an egg over the mixture and stir it in so it is evenly mixed in and cooked. Serve piping hot with hot pita bread.
This looks AWFUL. It is not pretty food. But the smoky eggplant with the garlic and tomato? And the egg binding it all together? Oh man. That's it, I'm making it tomorrow.
view katef's profile
My dad's classic appetizer is eggplant sliced 1/4 inch thick, tossed in olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper, and herbes de provence and then cooked under the broiler for about 5 minutes. So yummy!
Another scrumptious antipasto version I like to make is diced eggplant, salted and then sauteed with garlic in olive oil until very soft, then sprinkled with lemon juice.
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Baba ganoush! Mmm like humous but with aubergines (which is how they are known here in dear old Blighty). Good for using up lots of 'em too. Also, the there's a great recipe for aubergines with honey and spices in the Claudia Roden Mediterranean (sp?) Food book :) Oh yeah and my favourite curry house does this fantastic very spicy thing with chilli-ed aubergines and cashew nuts. And there's always ratatouille!
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