Counting the Ways to Cook an Eggplant

[elleng]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/10/dining/counting-the-ways-to-cook-an-eggplant-a-good-appetite.html?_r=1

[beac]

1. Like the author, I always think I should do more w/eggplant than just roast it.

:)

Of course, with these temps, roasting anything is less than appealing this summer. Even boiling or sauteeing gets unpleasant some nights. The joys of living w/out A/C!

[Warpy]

5. I hear you. It's been too humid here in the high desert

for the swamp cooler to do much about the heat.

One thing I do when it's cool enough that I don't just shove frozen leftovers into the microwave is use a stovetop grill for my eggplant. Grilled eggplant topped with a little fresh tomato sauce and some grated cheese and finished in the toaster oven is a real treat but my garlic breath will kill at 20 paces for the next few days. I like it very garlicky.

[Texasgal]

2. my favorite eggplant dish

Cube eggplant into bite size pieces.

Peanut oil enough to stir fry in a wok.

Onions, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots,fresh garlic... whatever you like. Green onions are good too.

Add eggplant too high heat, as it starts to get soft add hoisen sauce until you coat the cubes. Cook until eggplant is no longer firm.

I serve it with white steamed rice.

My favorite!

[Denninmi]

3. One of our local Chinese carryout places makes a great eggplant dish.

It's very simple, actually, just chunks of Japanese eggplant with the skin on, white meat chicken sliced thin, and onions, in a brown sauce. They cook the eggplant so it is soft but not completely mushy, and the sweetness of it really comes through. I haven't tried recreating it at home yet, but I don't think it would be too complicated. I'm sure the sauce is basically just chicken stock, some black bean paste, ginger, garlic, maybe just a pinch of sugar. Simple but very satisfying. I could see adding some sliced mushrooms and perhaps a little red pepper to dress it up a bit.

[watrwefitinfor]

4. Eggplant. Yum.

I've been getting lots of eggplants off three little plants in the garden this year. Yesterday I gave in and deep fried some.

Cut into 1/2 inch unpeeled slices, then into french-fry cuts. Shake in a bag of whole wheat flour. Dip in egg white whipped with 2 Tbl. water. Shake again in a bag of dry bread crumbs (I just put the bread crumbs into the same bag with any left over flour) and add lots of black pepper and ground cayenne pepper to the crumbs if you like. Then toss into peanut oil hot enough to brown quickly. Only takes a couple of minutes, flip the pieces a time or two - when brown it is done.

Drain on a wire rack (NOT on paper towel) and salt or parmesan if desired. Or just enjoy it plain while very hot. (My great grandson demanded catsup for his, still, he's learning to love eggplant.) They stay crisp longer than any other method I ever used. Thinner = crisper, of course, but I like to keep them large enough to taste the sweet eggplant inside.

I found one aging button mushroom in the fridge, cut into quarters and breaded it with the eggplant - that worked very nicely, too.

The eggplant stirfry (posted above by Texasgal) sounds good, too. I think I'll try it with the next eggplant.

Wat

[Gormy Cuss]

7. That sounds REALLY good.

Tonight I grilled 1/2 inch thick slices (brushed with a little oil and seasoned with salt and pepper) for vegetable Napoleons later in the week.

[surrealAmerican]

6. ... about 19 different ways:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYHRJ1kpPU4

[kurtzapril4]

8. Best recipe for eggplant, ever!

Slice it about 1/8" thin. Salt and pepper both sides, and rub with olive oil. Throw it out on the driveway in the hot afternoon sun. Let sit overnight. Serves 2(raccoons.) 8D

[elleng]

9. HAHAHAHA!

:rofl:

But ain't got no driveway! Have to throw it into the street??? :shrug:

[kurtzapril4]

10. Hmmm....

Yes! I think a spritz of lemon juice and a pinch of red pepper flake would counterbalance the heavy 10W40 flavour.

[GoCubsGo]

11. Imam bayildi

Or, "The Imam fainted". It's braised eggplant that's stuffed with onions, garlic and tomatoes. Some versions have ground meat, too. There are loads of recipes for it on the Internet.