For the Love of Eggplant

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Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds eggplant (more or less)
- 3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
optional garnishes: minced parsley, tomato, paprika

Directions
Grill the eggplant over direct heat, after pricking in several places with a fork, until it is blackened and collapsed. This will take from 30 - 45 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplant and how hot the grill is.
Scrape the soft flesh from the skin (leaving a few bits of blackened skin will add to the nice smokey flavor) and purèe in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients.
Garnish as desired. Serve with wedges of pita bread, crackers, etc.
TIP: Eggplants can also be oven-roasted at 400°F for 30 - 45 minutes, or until soft and collapsed.

Caponata Picnic Sandwiches

1/4 cup olive oil
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1(14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons raisins
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 loaf ciabatta bread, cut crosswise into 6 equal pieces
2 garlic cloves, peeled
6 slices (1/3-inch-thick) drained fresh water-packed mozzarella

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and saute until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and saute until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Add the red pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, raisins, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat until the flavors blend and the mixture thickens, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, and capers. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Cut the bread pieces horizontally in half. Grill the bread cut-side down on a grill pan over medium-high heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Rub the whole garlic cloves over the toasted side of the bread. Add a slice of mozzarella to bread bottom, spoon the caponata on top, cover with the other bread half, and serve.

To take for a picnic: Wrap the sandwiches separately in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Chill until ready to serve, or keep at room temperature up to 1 hour.

Baingan Kai Raita (Indian Seasoned Eggplant with Yogurt

1 large eggplant
1 large onion chopped very fine
1 large tomato chopped very fine
2 green chillies chopped very fine (optional)
7-8 cloves of garlic chopped very fine
1/4 cup chopped coriander
2 tbsps mustard oil
Salt to taste
1/2 lime
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup unsweetened fresh, thick yogurt - whisked till smooth

Preparation:
Roast the eggplant on an open fire (medium flame), till all the skin is burnt and the eggplant looks soft.
Peel off the burnt skin and remove the top/stem of the eggplant.
Mash the eggplant roughly, in a mixing bowl.
Add the mustard oil, onion, tomato, green chillies, garlic, coriander leaves and salt to taste. Mix well.
Add a squeeze of lime juice and mix well.
Heat a flat pan/ griddle on medium heat and add the cumin seeds. Roast, stirring often to prevent burning. Do not raise heat as some seeds will burn while others remain raw. Roast till the seeds are just slightly darker and aromatic. When done, remove from heat and grind in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
Add the yogurt to the prepared eggplant mash (above) and stir to blend well. Cover with cling wrap and chill in refrigerator for roughly 30 minutes.
When you are ready to serve, sprinkle the roasted, ground cumin powder over the Raita and serve.

Eggplant Caprese

1 eggplant
3 plum tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon capers
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
4 basil leaves

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the flesh. Set eggplant halves aside. Cut flesh into bite sized cubes. Chop the tomatoes and slice the garlic.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil and add the garlic. When the garlic is golden brown, add the chopped eggplant and saute for 3 minutes. Remove the eggplant and place in a large bowl. To the bowl, add the uncooked tomatoes and capers. Mix until combined.

In a baking dish, place the reserved eggplant halves and fill with the eggplant/tomato mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Place baking dish in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil.

Greek-Style Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients
2 eggplants, cut in half lengthwise (about 3 pounds)
1/4 cup water
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup white wine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (1-ounce) slices French bread
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese


Preparation
Carefully remove pulp from each eggplant, reserving shells. Coarsely chop pulp to measure 6 cups. Place eggplant shells, cut sides down, in a 10-inch square baking dish. Add water to dish. Cover and microwave at high 5 minutes or until shells are tender. Keep warm.
Preheat broiler.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add eggplant pulp; saute 7 minutes. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in tomato, wine, and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add feta, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. Spoon 3/4 cup eggplant mixture into each eggplant shell.

Place the bread slices in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup. Combine breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and Parmesan, stirring well. Sprinkle 1/4 cup breadcrumb mixture over each stuffed shell. Arrange shells on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; broil 2 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed eggplant half)

Serve with Herbed Goat Cheese Toasts: Combine 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese, 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; sprinkle evenly over 8 (1-ounce) slices French bread. Broil 2 minutes or until lightly browned.

PASTA ALA NORMA

Recipe by Mario Batali
Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
½ medium red onion, chopped into ¼ inch dice
4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
2 medium eggplants, cut into medium dice
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes
2 sprigs fresh basil, plus leaves for garnish
1 sprig fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound macaroni (rigatoni)
½ pound ricotta salata, coarsely grated
¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
¼ bunch mint, leaves chopped
Chili flakes, to taste


1. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

2. In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil until smoking. Add the onion and the garlic and cook until soft but not yet browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring regularly until softened and lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, and thyme, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain well and pour the hot pasta into the pan with the eggplant mixture. Add ricotta salata and heat through.

4. Garnish with parsley, mint, chili flakes and basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Brooklyn (Arthur Avenue) Style Eggplant Parmigiana

Oil
2 large eggplants
All-purpose flour
4 eggs
Italian Seasoned Bread crumbs
1 quart marinara sauce
8 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
4 ounces grated Romano cheese
4 ounces grated Parmigiano cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and heat oil in a large pan, Dutch oven or deep-fryer.
Peel the eggplant and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Coat each side of the eggplant with the flour.

In a separate bowl beat 4 eggs and dip the eggplant into the egg to coat both sides. Then take your bread crumbs and do the same to coat each side.

Once the oil is hot, put the eggplant in the hot oil and fry until golden brown. You can also use a deep-fryer and leave in for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Once all of the eggplant has been fried, get a rectangular baking pan and start the layering by adding the marinara sauce to the bottom of the pan, then the eggplant, more sauce, fresh mozzarella, Romano and Parmigiano cheeses, and continue to layer until you have reached the top of the pan. Top off with sauce, mozzarella, and grated Romano and Parmigiano.

Place the eggplant into the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.


Source: babbonyc.com
foodnetwork.com
cookinglight.com
indianfood.about.com