bestoutwest
Cathlete
Can someone please give me some (easy) suggestions for how to prepare eggplant? A friend brought some to me from her garden. I've had them before in restaurants, but never had to fix them myself. Any suggestions?!?! Please!!
HELP! Eggplant recipes!
- Thread starter bestoutwest
- Start date
amyg
Cathlete
Eggplants are super yum!!
From Kathleen Daelman's Cooking Thin book:
Mock Fried Eggplant (I haven't made this one yet)
1 med-large eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
olive oil spray or 2T olive oil
salt and pepper
3-4 T balsamic vinegar
layer all eggplant slices on plate, cover tightly with plastic wrap. microwave on high for 5 minutes.
heavily spray or add small amount of olive oil to large nonstick skillet, turn heat to med-high, and place one layer of eggplant in pan. entire surface of eggplant slice must make contact with pan bottom. season with salt and pepper and spray or brush slices with oil again. cook until golden brown, turning once, 3-5 min per side. spray with oil as needed.
as eggplant slices finish cooking, transfer to a plate with a lip or shallow bowl. drizzle each layer of eggplant generously with balsamic vinegar. serve at room temperature.
This one I make a bunch, I add tofu chunks in there too. It freezes pretty well, too.
Pasta With Eggplant
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 lb eggplant, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 lb uncooked pasta
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
one 28-oz can whole tomatoes with juice
12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
sald
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup roughly chopped basil leaves
place one tablespoon of olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. add eggplant and cook, stirring often, until golden brown on all sides, about 20 minutes
meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
place remaining tablespoon olive oil, garlic, and onion in a 3-quart saucepan and turn heat to medium. saute a few minutes and then add tomatoes with their juice, crushing them with your fingers as you add them to the pot. Add cooked eggplant and olives to the pot and cook until sauce has thickened and reduced a little, about 20 minutes. season with salt, pepper flakes, and basil. cook for 1 minute more. Taste and adjust seasonings. add pasta to sauce, stirring to combine. serve immediately.
Hope that helps a little!!
From Kathleen Daelman's Cooking Thin book:
Mock Fried Eggplant (I haven't made this one yet)
1 med-large eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
olive oil spray or 2T olive oil
salt and pepper
3-4 T balsamic vinegar
layer all eggplant slices on plate, cover tightly with plastic wrap. microwave on high for 5 minutes.
heavily spray or add small amount of olive oil to large nonstick skillet, turn heat to med-high, and place one layer of eggplant in pan. entire surface of eggplant slice must make contact with pan bottom. season with salt and pepper and spray or brush slices with oil again. cook until golden brown, turning once, 3-5 min per side. spray with oil as needed.
as eggplant slices finish cooking, transfer to a plate with a lip or shallow bowl. drizzle each layer of eggplant generously with balsamic vinegar. serve at room temperature.
This one I make a bunch, I add tofu chunks in there too. It freezes pretty well, too.
Pasta With Eggplant
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 lb eggplant, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 lb uncooked pasta
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
one 28-oz can whole tomatoes with juice
12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
sald
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup roughly chopped basil leaves
place one tablespoon of olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. add eggplant and cook, stirring often, until golden brown on all sides, about 20 minutes
meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
place remaining tablespoon olive oil, garlic, and onion in a 3-quart saucepan and turn heat to medium. saute a few minutes and then add tomatoes with their juice, crushing them with your fingers as you add them to the pot. Add cooked eggplant and olives to the pot and cook until sauce has thickened and reduced a little, about 20 minutes. season with salt, pepper flakes, and basil. cook for 1 minute more. Taste and adjust seasonings. add pasta to sauce, stirring to combine. serve immediately.
Hope that helps a little!!
Miss Lee
Cathlete
Hi Edie,
Growing up in an Italian Catholic home, my mom served up alot of eggplant. I personally don't care for it and never make it, but my mom used to fry it quite a bit, or marinate it with other vegetalbes and serve it up as a condiment. My sister makes eggplant parmesan and it's a big hit with her family. I know alot of people that layer it into a vegetable lasagna.
Eggplant is watery and can turn mushy when cooked. I think it's recommended that you drain it before cooking by slicing it, salting it, and allowing it to drain on a rack with a pan underneath. Then you rinse it off to remove the salt and dry it.
I've always had good luck finding great recipes at www.epicurious.com.
Michele
Growing up in an Italian Catholic home, my mom served up alot of eggplant. I personally don't care for it and never make it, but my mom used to fry it quite a bit, or marinate it with other vegetalbes and serve it up as a condiment. My sister makes eggplant parmesan and it's a big hit with her family. I know alot of people that layer it into a vegetable lasagna.
Eggplant is watery and can turn mushy when cooked. I think it's recommended that you drain it before cooking by slicing it, salting it, and allowing it to drain on a rack with a pan underneath. Then you rinse it off to remove the salt and dry it.
I've always had good luck finding great recipes at www.epicurious.com.
Michele
I make a low-cal version of eggplant parmgiana. It's good enough, without all the added fat. Eggplant soaks up the oil without mercy.
Wash and slice eggplant. Hopefully, you also have some fresh tomatoes which you should also wash and slice. Put in shallow baking dish, layering like you would a lasagna. I use oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and grated cheese between layers. Then pour a small can of chopped or diced tomatoes over the top. Cover tightly with alum. foil and bake for about 90 minutes. Delicious!!!!!:9
Wash and slice eggplant. Hopefully, you also have some fresh tomatoes which you should also wash and slice. Put in shallow baking dish, layering like you would a lasagna. I use oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and grated cheese between layers. Then pour a small can of chopped or diced tomatoes over the top. Cover tightly with alum. foil and bake for about 90 minutes. Delicious!!!!!:9
Miss Lee
Cathlete
Hi Edie,
I was looking at my previous post and realized that it sounds dopey. I'm sorry about that. I probably shouldn't have posted on the topic since I don't like eggplant, but I'm always drawn to posts about cooking and recipes. Really though, try that epicurious site--I think you'll like it.
Michele
I was looking at my previous post and realized that it sounds dopey. I'm sorry about that. I probably shouldn't have posted on the topic since I don't like eggplant, but I'm always drawn to posts about cooking and recipes. Really though, try that epicurious site--I think you'll like it.
Michele
JAFitMama
Cathlete
Slice and brush with olive oil ( or Olive oil Pam) lightly and salt and grill until lightly charrd on both sices. sprinkle lightly with balsamic vinegar.
Eat as a side dish
-OR-
Put on a whole wheat roll with tomato , lettuce, and a slice of your favorite low fat cheese.
Cut into 1 or 2 inch size chuncks and toss with red pepper chunks and toss again with olive oil salt and garlic, Grill or roast at 400 degrees for 20 " then toss with cooked pasta, basil (fresh if you hve it) and fresh cut tomatoes. top with your favorite grated cheese (small amount)
Judy
"Likes2bfit" since 1999
Eat as a side dish
-OR-
Put on a whole wheat roll with tomato , lettuce, and a slice of your favorite low fat cheese.
Cut into 1 or 2 inch size chuncks and toss with red pepper chunks and toss again with olive oil salt and garlic, Grill or roast at 400 degrees for 20 " then toss with cooked pasta, basil (fresh if you hve it) and fresh cut tomatoes. top with your favorite grated cheese (small amount)
Judy
"Likes2bfit" since 1999
Timber99
Cathlete
This is a modified "weight watchers" recipe...
Take the eggplant and cut it into inch thick slices.
Put it in milk (skim, 1%, whole, whatever your choice) and then into a breadcrumb mixture (I use crumbs, salt, pepper, oregano and grated parmesean cheese)
Spread onto a baking sheet that you have already covered in tin foil adn sprayed with cooking spray.
Cook on 350 - 375 for about 10 - 15 on the first side. Basically, you want to cook it until it gets nice adn brown on the bottom (pan) side.
Then cook the second side the same way.
Next add the finishing touches and cook for another ten minutes. Here's a few ideas:
Fresh cut tomatoes & Mozzarella
Riccotta cheese and tomato sauce
Riccotta cheese, mozzarella and tomato sauce
Mozzarella and tomato sauce
I ten to use a thicker, more paste-y sauce with my eggplant recipes.
I throw on something different every time just to jazz it up. To reheat, stick into your toaster oven/broiler or oven for about ten minutes.
I like this receipe b/c the eggplant tends to not get that watery, slimy texture that it can get when you fry or use some other methods to cook. Mom used to force me to eat it when I was younger and I HATED IT! It ook a LOT to make me try this years and years later but now I love it!
Take the eggplant and cut it into inch thick slices.
Put it in milk (skim, 1%, whole, whatever your choice) and then into a breadcrumb mixture (I use crumbs, salt, pepper, oregano and grated parmesean cheese)
Spread onto a baking sheet that you have already covered in tin foil adn sprayed with cooking spray.
Cook on 350 - 375 for about 10 - 15 on the first side. Basically, you want to cook it until it gets nice adn brown on the bottom (pan) side.
Then cook the second side the same way.
Next add the finishing touches and cook for another ten minutes. Here's a few ideas:
Fresh cut tomatoes & Mozzarella
Riccotta cheese and tomato sauce
Riccotta cheese, mozzarella and tomato sauce
Mozzarella and tomato sauce
I ten to use a thicker, more paste-y sauce with my eggplant recipes.
I throw on something different every time just to jazz it up. To reheat, stick into your toaster oven/broiler or oven for about ten minutes.
I like this receipe b/c the eggplant tends to not get that watery, slimy texture that it can get when you fry or use some other methods to cook. Mom used to force me to eat it when I was younger and I HATED IT! It ook a LOT to make me try this years and years later but now I love it!
Miss Lee
Cathlete
Oh Amy--I'm glad that made sense. Actually, I probably was not specific enough. Most instructions tell you to place the eggplant slices in a colander and salt generously, then weight them down with a plate and something heavy like a big can of tomatoes. Let them drain for about an hour, then squeeze them out and dry them thoroughly with paper towels.
I hope that's a little more clear. This process allows you to use less oil in cooking and helps to decrease the mush factor.
Michele
I hope that's a little more clear. This process allows you to use less oil in cooking and helps to decrease the mush factor.
Michele