Sorry to post and run, but today I bought an egg plant and now I am relying on my TDK friends to let me know how/what I do next. Give me you tastiest and easiest recipes please, preferably low fat.
This is an opportunity for the other egg plant virgins to try it out too.
SM I know you are an egg plant aficionado.
Please help me. :-)
Daily Kitten Chat Forum » TDK Cafe
Bought an egg plant, now what?
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Posted 2 years ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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I've make eggplant a couple of times, MS. One way is to slice it into rounds, dip it in beaten egg and breading, and fry it. You can eat it that way, or add some marinara or spaghetti) sauce on top. I've put mozzarella cheese on top of that and broiled it just long enough to melt the cheese. It's pretty good, but not one of my favorite veggies. Hope that helps with an idea.
Posted 2 years ago by MaxandCali'sMom #
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MS, my favorite way to use eggplant is in ratatouille...here is a very easy recipe...and I always put fresh parmesan on the finished dish...
http://southernfood.about.com/od/eggplantrecipes/r/bl00810c.htmThere are lots more eggplant recipes at that link, too...
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Depends on what you feel like. I love eggplant parmagiana -- dip rounds of eggplant in egg and freshly made wholemeal breadcrumbs, grill under element in oven, layer with layers of grated cheddar (or low fat equivalent) and rich home-made tomato sauce, spread breadcrumbs and more grated cheese on top and bake in oven for 1/2 an hour at 180 degrees C.
Dee is right, ratatouille is delish -- my mum makes it a couple of times a week because my dad loves it and it's definitely low fat! We bump up the unhealth factor by eating it with loads of yummy garlic bread or grilled garlic toast.
Lois Daish has lots of good recipes too. I'm going to scan you some...
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This is my favorite:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stuffed-Guinea-Squash-Eggplant/Detail.aspx
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http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Summer-Vegetable-Ratatouille/Detail.aspx
Hubby likes this one and he likes it when I brush with olive oil and just grill it!
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Did you make sure to get those little dark colored ones? The huge eggplant are not good--well in my opinion. They always seem mushy. I like making my egg plant boat--the stuffed recipe above, so I bought the big ones. Took me about 3 times to figure out it was the large ones that were mushy--not that egg plant is a real firm veggie anyway.
Honestly it was my husband that put it together. I did the boats with a small one for he and I. I than did large ones for a church dinner, and lo and behold they were mushy again, and after tasting so wonderful when I fixed them for dinner! Should listen to Grandma more often--she did tell me.
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I've always heard you need to "take the bitter out" with the larger ones. I believe you slice it in rounds and put salt on it for 10-20 minutes then rinse and squeeze. This draws out the bitter. I always use the smaller ones and have never had to do that. I usually use it in winter and roast it with my winter veggies (though it is a summer veggie). Enjoy! I just tried it for the first time myself a bit over a year ago and love it :)
Posted 2 years ago by Jetta and Boo Boo's Mom #
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Ask and you shall receive. Thank you ladies. Now what thickness for the slices Jcat and do you take the seedy middle out or eat the entire thing.
Oh Lainey, roasting it sounds good, I could do it with chunks of zucchini,onion,capsicum and beets.
I'm spoilt for recipes thank you, will probably give the ratatouille a try first and make my way onto the other recipes. One recipe a week.
I bought a small(in comparison to what else was there)aubergine, not very black but still fairly dark. I'll let you know when I have cooked it.Posted 2 years ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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About two cm thick, MS. Hopefully it's not VERY seedy in the middle, but if it is, and the skin feels tough, you might want to peel it and take the seedier middle bits out as an introductory step to becoming an aubergine-lover. But yes, normally you eat it, seedy middle, skin and all.
You top and tail the aubergine -- cut off the top where the green cap ends. You don't eat that or the aubergine beneath it.
Remember it soaks up humungous amounts of liquid, which makes it very flavoursome in a stew but hell to fry if you put in too much oil. (The salt, as well as to draw out bitterness, is also to draw out liquid so it won't take up too much moisture or so I read today.)
Good luck!
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I don't know why I did not think to check for eggplant recipes at one of my favorite cooking sites...there are delicious-looking recipes here...
http://smittenkitchen.com/category/vegetable/eggplant/ -
Thanks Jcat & Dee. Making this page a favourite so I can check back when needed.
Posted 2 years ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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No one asked and not to rain on anyone's parade but... I hate eggplant. I hate it. I hate it with the white hot hatred of a thousand suns. There are no words in all human languages combined that can adequately describe how I feel about that purple vegetable monstrosity. I would rather lie on a bed of red ants than so much as look at one single solitary eggplant, cooked or uncooked.
If anyone is unsure of my feelings, I can try to express myself more clearly in a follow-up message. But now, I must go pet a cat and try to forget that I was reminded of ... you know what.
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Eggplant Bruschetta - My own creation.
Peel the eggplant and slice in 1/2 inch thickness.
Dredge in salt and put on a rack over a baking sheet or over the sink to draw out the juices. This will firm up the texture of the eggplant and draw out any bitterness.
While it is waiting. De-seed and finely dice some tomatoes and marinate in balsamic vinagrette.
After 30 mins. Rinse well and pat dry
Brush with olive oil and place under the broiler until starting to turn golden brown. It only takes a few minutes. Tunr and broil for another minute or two. Pull out and top each slice with a spoonful of the marinated tomatoes, and top with parmasean cheese. Put under the broiler again to get the cheese hot.
Enjoy. This is a very lowfat healthy recipe that lends itself to many variations. You can top with tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella. Pretty much any crustini topping will be good on this. You can use flavor infused oils, other cheeses, proscuitto. When I make this I sometimes have it as an entree with a salad on the side. Sometimes it is an appetizer.
Posted 2 years ago by KYKAT 12 23 #
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SM, salting firms up the texture of big eggplant. Big eggplant is great for Baba Ganouj spread.
Posted 2 years ago by KYKAT 12 23 #
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Mr. WWM's mother does the strangest thing with eggplant. She fries it and serves it with grape jelly. ??????? I guess the jelly is supposed to take away the bitterness.
Now this is an odd question, but does eggplant make anyone else's mouth itch? Or is it just me?
Posted 2 years ago by WillowandWindismom #
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WWM sounds like you might be slightly allergic to it. Baba Ganouj is awesome on some pita bread.
Posted 2 years ago by KYKAT 12 23 #
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The best way to make it low-fat is to grill it--I usually add peppers and red onions. You peel it, slice it about 1/4 inch thick, then put it in a container with a small amount of olive oil on the bottom. I sprinkle with a grill seasoning for veggies ( I found it at Sprout's) and brush the tops with the oil as I add more veggies. Then I grill it on the gas grill. You can do it in a 400 degree oven too but it takes longer and I like how the grill does the peppers better.
Posted 2 years ago by Sheba's Mom in Raleigh, NC #
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Great ideas, thanks everyone. I hope to try one this weekend.
WWM, itchy mouth would point to an allergic reaction, beware of the swelling throat next stage.
Sheba's Mom, I loved blackening my peppers under the grill, I can imagine they would go with EP really well.Posted 2 years ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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Baba ganoush! I KNEW there was a famous Mediterranean dippy thing that I couldn't remember the name of. Yum!
Also moussaka -- another eggplant celebrity!
MS, ooh, yes, aubergine and tomatoes and courgettes and peppers and onion -- classic Mediterranean mix!
ROFLMAO @ Lily and Jeankit! But aubergines are so beautiful, in that gorgeous purple colour, Lily, don't you even like to look at them? Jeankit, I am still a rhubarb virgin, happy to eat it, still too scared to prepare it (hey, how safe can it be when the leaves are poisonous?)
WWM, yes, I saw it on the telly the other day, someone said he thought everyone's mouth itched when they ate -- hmm, was it chilli or something else? -- then his doctor told him it meant he was allergic. He just thought that was the kick you were meant to get...
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Jcat, I love rhubarb, just chop off below the leaf line and hey presto you're away laughing, I'll de-string the stalks and chop into chunks then cover with water and just about bring to the boil, drain then add a small amount of water and sugar to taste or lemonade(Sprite)and Splenda and cook til all broken into mush. Eat hot or cold. I have been known to add 1 tsp of gelatine to make it set a bit or even nicer a small can of crushed pineapple. Mmmmmmmmmm sweet & sour.
Yesterday I saw eyes peering at me from below the rhubarb leaves, Shadz was sitting in the shads under the large umbrellas of rhubarb and looking very smug too. My rhubarb is about hip height. Great crop this year again.Posted 2 years ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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Umm..I'm with Lily on this one, tho I do think they are very pretty! Saw a really beautiful display once with white, pink, and purple ones all piled up at a farmers' market. I was tempted but resisted. Instead went to the display next to it of green, yellow, orange, and red peppers and bought those. Julienned, and sauted in olive oil with some garlic and oregano, I forgot about the eggplant!
Posted 2 years ago by paulajeanne #
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And I adore rhubarb! Cooking it as MS described except maybe a bit more splenda, it makes a great shortcake topping. Don't forget the mandatory whipped cream. I'll have to try it with the pineapple.
Posted 2 years ago by paulajeanne #
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PJ, if you cook in Sprite or a similar drink then you don't need too much more sugar.
Posted 2 years ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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