List all recipes for: Eggplant
Baba Ghanoush
2 eggplants
1/3 cup tahini
½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 cloves garlic, mashed with ½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon yogurt
Either bake or grill eggplant. Grilling gives more of a smoky flavor, which is more authentic. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the eggplant in two lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and roast for about 40 minutes or until it collapses. Cool until the eggplant can be handled, then scoop out the inside with a spoon and place in a bowl. Add garlic/salt to the eggplant, then using a fork, mash all together. Add tahini and mix again. Then add lemon juice slowly until it is the right consistency (not too thin). Then mix in yogurt. Serve with vegetables and pita bread.
Beef and Eggplant Ragu
4 servings
Rigatoni is a substantial pasta with ridged surface which catches the sauce to make every bite flavorful!
1 pound rigatoni
1 pound ground beef
1 yellow onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1 pound eggplant, cut in 1/2 inch dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
16 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup red wine
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and coat with 1 tablespoon oil. Meanwhile, cook beef, onion, garlic and fennel seeds over medium heat in a large skillet until the beef is browned, about 7 minutes. Drain if there is excess fat. Add eggplant and cook until the eggplant begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and wine, cook stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in oregano, salt and pepper. Mix in the pasta, stir and cook until thoroughly hot. Serve garnished with pine nuts and feta.
Caponata
Makes 4 cups
This is a Sicilian sweet and sour stew which is delicious served cold as an appetizer or as a side dish with meat or fish. Make it a day ahead and let it meld in the refrigerator for best flavor.
2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes, well salted and left to drain in a colander for 15 minutes.
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1/3 cup green olives, pitted
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
2 salt-packed anchovies, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
6 large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and add eggplant to cover the bottom of the pan and sauté until golden on all sides. Remove to a bowl, add 1 tablespoon oil and sauté the remaining eggplant. Add 1 tablespoon oil and the celery and sauté 5 minutes. Remove celery to the bowl with the eggplant. Add the last tablespoon oil and the onion, cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 8 minutes. Stir in the eggplant and celery along with the olives, capers, anchovies, vinegar and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes, taste and correct seasonings. Stir in basil.
Eggplant Caviar
This spread is great on grilled vegetables, as a raw vegetable dip or as a spread for roasted pork or leg of lamb.
1 pound eggplant
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup pine nuts, gently toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1/2 cup extra viregin olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a sharp knife, score the flesh of the eggplant in a grid pattern. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Turn flesh side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until tender.
Using a large spoon, scoop the eggplant flesh into the bowl of the food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add lemon juice, pine nuts, basil, tomatoes and cayenne pepper, process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and process until mixture is thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper, taste and add more cayenne pepper or lemon juice as desired. Serve at room temperature.
Eggplant, La Tavernetta Style
1 small eggplant
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, slivered
1 medium tomato, cored and chopped
½ cup roughly chopped basil
Cut eggplant into pieces about an inch or two long and on more than a half-inch wide, each piece should have a bit of skin and a bit of flesh. Put a little oil into a pan over medium heat, add eggplant and cook stirring occasionally until very soft, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, put ¼ cup oil in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add garlic and cook until it colors slightly. Add tomatoes and about 2/3 of the basil, raise heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally until mixture is saucy about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. When both sauce and eggplant are done, combine them. Serve hot warm or at room temperature or over pasta, garnished with remaining basil.
Mousaka
2 eggplant, peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 onion, julienne
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup chickpeas, cooked
3 cups tomato puree
½ cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups vegetable oil
1 tomato, sliced ½ inch thick
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Soak eggplant in 4 cups water and a pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Drain well. Heat 4 cups oil and sauté eggplant until golden. Remove from oil, drain on paper towels and place in baking dish. In another pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add cooked chickpeas, tomato puree and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cinnamon. Pour sauce over eggplant, place tomato slices on top. Bake for 20 minutes.
Oriental Eggplant Spread
1 large eggplant (or a couple of small ones)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp chili paste
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp water
4 green onions, diced
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
Prick eggplant with a fork and place on baking pan and roast in at 350 degree oven until soft, about 40 minutes. When it’s cool enough to handle, cut it in half, scoop out the flesh and chop roughly. In a skillet, sauté garlic and ginger in oil till softened and fragrant. Add soy sauce, chili paste, brown sugar, rice vinegar and water. Add eggplant, green onions, cilantro and sesame oil and cook for just a few minutes until everything is combined. Good on sesame rice crackers or crusty bread. Also great on lamb burgers.
Roasted Eggplant Soup
3 tomatoes, halved
1 eggplant, halved lengthwise
1 small onion, halved
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
3 ½ ounces crumbled goat cheese
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes, eggplant, onion and garlic on a baking sheet and brush with oil. Roast until very tender and brown in spots, about 45 minutes. Scoop out eggplant pulp and discard skin. Place eggplant pulp and remaining roasted vegetables in a heavy saucepan with thyme and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until onion is very tender, about 45 minutes.Puree, using an immersion blender, food processor or blender. Return to low heat and stir in cream. Bring to a simmer, thinning with more broth if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with goats cheese.
Roasted Summer Veggies and Pasta
Feel free to improvise with this recipe! Cut tomatoes in two, place on a cookie sheet, season with salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees until they are slightly shriveled, about 1.5 hours. Slice eggplant and summer squash, thinly, from top to bottom. Coat with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill, using a grill pan, until the vegetables are lightly brown and cooked through. Chop the tomatoes, eggplant and squash in to bite size pieces. Meanwhile, cook pasta until barely tender. Drain the pasta and mix with the vegetables. Add some goats cheese or feta and a little pasta cooking water to make a creamy sauce. There it is, quick and easy! This is delicious with some pesto thrown in.
