Ways to cook eggplant (-parmegian -dip -grill)

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Hyperion

Senior Cook
Joined
Apr 5, 2011
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340
Eggplants are one of the most versatile food. sadly, in america it comes with only 3 flavors: parmegian, dip, and grilled. such a pity. Does anyone have experience with cooking eggplant in any other ways?

In chinese food there's a lot of ways. for example, you can steam it and top with chopped garlic and oil. you can stirfry it. you can slice the big ones, make a sandwich with raw ground meat, put on a batter and then fry it.
 
I make a lasagna using thinly sliced eggplant instead of noodles.

Sliced Japanese eggplant is good in sinigang, which is Pilipino sour soup.
 
I use eggplant in soups, stews and stir fry, veggie medley side - all in addition to parm and breaded/battered/fried/baked. also works well as ala tater tots.

there is methinks but a single rule for eggplant however it is used: do not overcook.

to avoid, adding it to the cooking process at the right time is very dependent on what you're fixing. maybe 15 minutes in a hot pot of stew, 10 minutes in a simmering soup, 4-5 mins in a stir fry.

if you're familiar with European style "salads" - that is to say not a tossed green salad US style - any kind of julienne device turns it into a nice 'say what's that?" addition.
 
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I do up a stuffed eggplant that is nice. You need medium or small ones that are firm.

Cut them lengthways and turn cut side down and bake until soft(usually about 25-30 minutes. Scoop out flesh so you get the shells with about 1/2 inch thickness. Saute some garlic, onion, celery, diced peppers in olive oil, and then add the eggplant flesh. Some herbs of your choice and stir this up for a bit. Then add a beaten egg and stir in well. Scoop the stuff into the upturned shells and top with mozzerella and parmesan and some fresh parsley. Bake these at about 400 for about 20 minutes until cheese has browned and the stuffing has set. You can eat these hot or also cold.
 
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Eggplant pirogue filled with an etouffee. Caponata.

Craig
 
Makes a great open faced sandwich for a great summer meal. yeah, it counts as grilled as well. But a nice grilled round slice (cross the lattitudes, not the longitudes)(Olive oil and a garlic seasoning), then a slice of summer tomato and some cheese warmed on the grill just to melt the cheese a bit. On a half hamburger or kaiser type roll. Now that I think of it, haven't done it in years. Great vegetarian alternative for burgers, and ditch the cheese for vegan friends.

When I find myself with eggplant I haven't used for some reason (I'm in the grilling camp), I just chop and add to any soup I might be making.
 
There are almost a dozen different types at one of my local asian markets, including one with strikingly veined skin about the size and shape of my prized smoky blue shooter marble. I've been meaning to try them all for a weekend eggplant fest.

I make a creamy yummy mabo (mapo) tofu (dofu) replacing the tofu with eggplant. Also a vegetarian sloppy joe sandwich with it.
 
Years ago, when I first started growing eggplant, I realized that eggplant can substitute for mushrooms in any recipe. I love eggplant--grilled, baked, sauteed, as a dip, roasted and then in a salad with dill and olive oil...there's really no end to what you can do with eggplant.
 
I am scanning recipes from magazines...I happen to have a few copies of La Cucina Italiana. In the one I'm scanning now, there is a recipe for preserved eggplant. Basically, the eggplant is cooked in a vinegar brine and then put in jars with olive oil. According to the recipe, you can keep these for 2 months in the fridge (wondering how many jars I could fit in the fridge...). Does one eat eggplant preserved this way in salads? As part of antipasto?
 
We love egplant breaded fried in evoo and a little butter,sprinkled with bread crumb, fresh chopped parsleymseverak cloves of garlic topped withcarmalized onions mixed withwhite wine some fresh lemon juice topped with a slice of provolone and then with another slice of breaded eggplant
kadesma
 
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