Eggplant
Season: summer, fall
Baba Ghanouj (Eggplant Dip)
Recipe type: appetizer
Cuisine: Lebanese
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 35 mins
Total time: 55 mins
Serves: 6 (yields about 1-3/4 cups)
Ingredients
2 pounds Italian eggplants (about 2 small-to-medium eggplants*)
2 medium cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice, more if necessary
¼ cup tahini
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the eggplant and garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
¾ teaspoon salt, to taste
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of smoked paprika, for garnish
Serving suggestions: warmed or toasted pita wedges, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, cucumber slices, etc.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Halve the eggplants lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place them in the prepared pan with the halved sides down.
Roast the eggplant until the interior is very tender throughout and the skin is collapsing, about 35 to 40 minutes (this might take longer if you are using 1 large eggplant). Set the eggplant aside to cool for a few minutes. Flip the eggplants over and scoop out the flesh with a large spoon, leaving the skin behind.
Place a mesh strainer over a mixing bowl, then transfer the flesh to the strainer and discard the skins. Pick out any stray bits of eggplant skin and discard. You want to remove as much moisture from the eggplant here as possible, so let the eggplant rest for a few minutes and shake/stir the eggplant to release some more moisture.
Discard all of the eggplant drippings, drain and wipe out the bowl, and dump the eggplant into the bowl. Add the garlic and lemon juice to the eggplant and stir vigorously with a fork until eggplant breaks down. Add the tahini to the bowl and stir until it’s incorporated. While stirring, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue stirring until the mixture is pale and creamy, and use your fork to break up any particularly long strings of eggplant. (You can also use a food processor for this step.)
Stir in the parsley, salt and cumin. Season to taste with more salt (I usually add another ¼ teaspoon) and more lemon juice, if you’d like a more tart flavor.
Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl and lightly drizzle olive oil on top. Lastly, sprinkle parsley and smoked paprika on top. Serve with accompaniments of your choice. It’s also great on sandwiches!
Source
Broiled Eggplant Thai Style
Recipe type: appetizer, main
Cuisine: Asian
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Serves: 2 as a main dish with rice, 4-6 as an appetizer
Ingredients
Eggplant
1 large eggplant (about 1-1/4 pounds)
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
Sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup reduced-fat coconut milk
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon seeded minced fresh jalapeño or similar pepper
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon peanut butter (optional)
Directions
Preheat the broiler.
Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Peel the end slices to remove the excess tough skin. Using a sharp paring knife, score the top side of each slice in a 1-inch-square diamond pattern, cutting about 1/4-inch into the flesh.
Place the eggplant slices in a single layer on the largest baking pan that your broiler can accommodate.
Combine the garlic and soy sauce and pour over the eggplant, coaxing it into the scored diamonds with the back of a spoon.
Broil the eggplant about 6 inches from the heat until browned and tender, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, combine the cilantro, lime juice, coconut milk, brown sugar, jalapeño, ginger, and peanut butter, if using. Serve the eggplant warm or at room temperature. Drizzle with the pan juices and top with some of the sauce just before serving.
Source
Moosewood Collective, Moosewood Low Fat Favorites (New York: Clarkson Potter, 1996) p. 34.
Ratatouille
The dish originates from the South of France, where home cooks would toss tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, onions, eggplant, garlic and herbs into a pot and cook them down to create an irresistible mixture enjoyed hot, cold, on its own, with eggs, over toast, or tossed with pasta.
Recipe type: soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 small bay leaf
1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2- inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into thin slices
1 red bell pepper, cut into slivers
4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Over medium-low heat, add the oil to a large skillet with the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened.
Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until the eggplant has softened. Stir in the zucchini, red bell pepper, tomatoes, and salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the basil and few grinds of pepper to taste.
Source