Eggplant recipes

[Cumberland]

I have lots of eggplant growing and need recipes if anyone has any good ones to share. We make lots of eggplant parm and baba ghanoush so far.

I thought about making Italian marinated eggplant, like the kind you buy in a jar. I have never tasted it though. is it good? I found a recipe for it that looks doable.

[spotty_dog]

We make a lot of ratatouille. Diced eggplant, zucchini, tomato, bell pepper, basil, onion, garlic. All that kind of stuff.

[Sheherezade]

Moussaka. Good stuff. Basically an eggplant "lasagna" type dish with a bechamel sauce? I also do a chicken and eggplant fricasse thing. I'll try to type out a recipe for that.

[DCJenn]

i have a great recipe for low fat moussaka. And baba ganoush (isn't there a J in that word somewhere) is a favorite of mine.

Jenn

[Malpka]

Eggplant caviar- yum. I made this dip (or some variation of it) all summer long due to our gardens accidental eggplant boom last year.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes ... aviar.html

[planet]

Thanks to the movie the guys want to make Ratatouille

I have never made it before. Does anyone with experience want to give opinions on these recipes I found online? Spotty Dog, since you mentioned you've made it...do you have a good one?

http://www.culturekiosque.com/chef/reci ... herct3.htm

http://www.stuttercut.org/hungry/archiv ... 000626.php

We have small eggplants in the garden, the long, skinny ones (sorry, I can't remember the name and it is probably something simple). They have a very nutty flavor.

I like the way the second recipe describes their method as one that "doesn't take three thousand years to get done." Cute. :P

You guys are making me so hungry for eggplant stuff!

I love roasting it and making eggplant caviar or roasting on the grill.

Janet, Fine Cooking had a ratatouille article, last summer maybe?, with two methods -- stove and oven. Both were yum. Here you go:

http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/reci ... uille.aspx

Geez, those instructions look long.

Someone made this for us a few weeks ago, very tasty:

Grilled Summer
Vegetable Caponata
Artisan Chef Greg Cabeza
Traditional Caponata is an eggplant and
vegetable relish. I’ve taken some liberties to
create a more visually exciting dish.
1 lg eggplant, 1/2” slices
1 lg sweet red onion, 1/2” slices
1 ea zucchini & yellow squash, sliced 1/2”
on bias
1 ea red & yellow bell pepper, seeded &
quartered
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T capers
1 t sugar
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 T ea chopped fresh basil, thyme &
parsley
1/2 c Pastures of Eden Israeli Feta, cubed
1/4 c Kalamata olives, pitted
Serves 4. Preheat grill. Toss vegetables
with just enough olive oil to coat evenly;
season with salt & pepper. Quickly mark on
hot grill; let cool. Chop into lg bite-sized
pieces; toss with remaining ingredients.
Serve immediately. Salad should have lots of
bright color & crisp texture.

[spotty_dog]

I should have put it in quotations -- we make "ratatouille", ie. it's just a fancy name to put on any vegetable saute that includes eggplant.

Usually I'd say we would saute garlic and onion in olive oil, then start the eggplant (doesn't need to be salted if it's young, BTW) and zucchini. After a bit get the bell peppers in there and tomatoes if they're raw; if you want to dump some canned tomato in maybe do it at the end so it can all simmer together? At some point add some herbs -- fresh basil is fab, but dried Italian seasoning mix works great; salt and pepper to taste.

Mine definitely ends up "in a bath" as your first link indicates.

[planet]

Someone made this for us a few weeks ago, very tasty:

Grilled Summer
Vegetable Caponata
Artisan Chef Greg Cabeza
Traditional Caponata is an eggplant and
vegetable relish. I’ve taken some liberties to
create a more visually exciting dish.
1 lg eggplant, 1/2” slices
1 lg sweet red onion, 1/2” slices
1 ea zucchini & yellow squash, sliced 1/2”
on bias
1 ea red & yellow bell pepper, seeded &
quartered
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T capers
1 t sugar
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 T ea chopped fresh basil, thyme &
parsley
1/2 c Pastures of Eden Israeli Feta, cubed
1/4 c Kalamata olives, pitted
Serves 4. Preheat grill. Toss vegetables
with just enough olive oil to coat evenly;
season with salt & pepper. Quickly mark on
hot grill; let cool. Chop into lg bite-sized
pieces; toss with remaining ingredients.
Serve immediately. Salad should have lots of
bright color & crisp texture.

Thanks you guys. This sounds like my style!! I actually have everything in the house to make it...well, I don't know what brand of feta....

I like most veggies crisp, but eggplant is soooo good mushy.

Alison, I think I made a version of what you're talking about tonight for what my pasta sauce ended up being. Sauteed the eggplant, garlic, onions in olive oil and threw it into the crushed tomatoes with some fesh basil. The kids want it to *look* like in the movie though...in a pan and all.

Oh, but it just isn't the same without the whatever of Eden feta. I think this would taste good with mint.

(kidding, I cut and pasted so that is why the brand is there).

[planet]

Yay!! I did it. I made ratatouille that not only tastes great, it looks kind of like Remy's serving. I finally managed to impress the whole family (even MIL)! I adapted the second recipe link posted btw. I took pics, so now if I just ever get an account online so I can post them somehow....

No blueberry crisp to go with, but dh made stawberry ice cream!

My two usual ways I cook eggplant:

VEGGIE PANINI-type sandwich using the George Forman grill: Slice eggplant and zucchini crosswise. Brush with EVOO and season with salt/pepper. Grill all slices. Layer a couple of grilled eggplant slices, zucchini slices, bottled roasted red peppers, and sliced cheese (I usually use mozzarella or provolone) between slices of hearty bread (I like to use sourdough). Grill in Foreman pressing down on the grill until cheese melts.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN stacks: Slice eggplants crosswise, about 1/4-1/2 inch, depending on how thick you like it. Bread slices milanese style (flour, eggs, breadcrumbs). I usually season the breadcrumbs with herbs de provence or italian seasoning and, of course, salt and pepper. Put slices on baking sheet and bake in 375 about 10 min per side (until sides are browned). In a baking dish put a layer of the baked eggplant slices. On each slice, put a heaping spoon of pasta sauce then sprinkle each layer with shredded mozzarella cheese. Layer another eggplant slice on each of the previous slices. Repeat layering (eggplant, pasta sauce, cheese) until all eggplant slices are used up. Press down on all stacks. Cover with greased aluminum foil and bake covered for about 20 min. Uncover and bake for another 15-20 min.

Another yummy thing to do with eggplant: brush both sides with toasted sesame oil and grill.

I LOVE EGGPLANT!

[spotty_dog]

I stumbled across this recipe today and thought of this thread:

Eggplant Walnut Pate

[planet]

Thanks for posting that Alison! I think we're coming to the end of our eggplant crop and the fam is probably about ready to move on anyways. This sounds like a good use for the last bunch.

BTW. I clicked on your sweet son and he's adorable!!