Dipping Sauces for Breaded Eggplant

[jpinmaryland]

I often make breaded eggplant but I want to add something special to them. Usually I flavor them w/ lemon and salt and pepper more or less italian style. I was thinking of a number of dipping sauces:

Tomato/Basil. This sounds obvious. But you know, I never really taste the basil in sauces lke this, in pesto I do and that I like but usually w/ pesto I dont get the flavor. Is it used more just for the aroma? Can you get tomato sauce more tangy by addding more lemon? or make it sweeter to bring out the subtle eggplant taste..?

Hoisen. I dip them in this sometimes. I would probably add garlic to the hoisen just cause I like garlic and the dish is italian. Maybe ginger too, not sure about combining the herbs in this...

Aeoli. I have not made this but I was thinking of something salty like anchovies. But maybe this would be too salty with the breaded eggplant? I usually use plenty of pepper/salt on these as that is traditional italian and it does help bring out the flavor. I am thinking the anchovy might get lost in this or clash. Perhaps garlic and anchovy would be good and italian? .

Remoulade. This is what got me thinking about this. I have never done a remoulade for this. But remoulade goes good with breaded fish, is it just as effective on vegetables?

Suggestions..?

 

[StirBlue]

I think it would be good with Bruschetta. There certainly are a lot of variations for making it.

 

[elaine l]

My mother used to serve it with her homemade Russian dressing.

 

[larry_stewart]

Many times i go to the Greek restaurant and get an eggplant pita with fried eggplant, lettuce , tomato onions and the yogurt sauce ( with garlic, lemon and cucumber , sorry, its too early in the morning for me to attempt to spell it) so u can try the Greek yogurt sauce also,

 

[larry_stewart]

Tzatziki ( i think this is the spelling)

 

[Uncle Bob]

As a rule I don't dip in anything, but someone has to say the ubiquitous Ranch Dressing..so I will.

Enjoy!

 

[suziquzie]

Many times i go to the Greek restaurant and get an eggplant pita with fried eggplant, lettuce , tomato onions and the yogurt sauce ( with garlic, lemon and cucumber , sorry, its too early in the morning for me to attempt to spell it) so u can try the Greek yogurt sauce also,

Oh that sounds YUMMY!!!!!!

 

[kadesma]

When I make eggplant sammies I make a sauce to go over it of lightly browned butter, some white wine, crushed sauted in the brown butter garlic, chopped parsley,salt,pepper and a splash of lemon juice..simmer a few minutes and pour over the eggplant sandwiches..Top with a little more chopped parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan.
kadesma

l

 

[jpinmaryland]

Hey thanks for all the suggestions. I went with the Russian dressing and the Tsziki. I used the Emeril recipe for the Russian, this seems very close to his Remoulade sauce so that sort of fit into my plans anyways. The Tsziki is similar to what I was thinking with the garlic aeoli, w/ the lemon and stuff. I didnt use the dill but it was still pretty good. Everyone liked it; I think the Russian was better.

 

[ChefJune]

I think it would be good with Bruschetta. There certainly are a lot of variations for making it.

Bruschetta is toasted bread. Do you mean the traditional topping of tomatoes?

When I first saw this thread topic, I thought of a summertime topping of chopped ripe tomatoes with fresh garlic and fresh basil... but you would need to use the freshest stuff to get the best flavor, and here in Jersey where we grow the best tomatoes in the US, that means from August through October.

Your fried eggplant has me salivating, tho. I love the stuff!

 

[TATTRAT]

Eggplant is one of those wonderful ingredients that will yeild itself to ANY dip, imo.

Anything from satay to plain ol' marinara, why not. It is the chicken of veggies, goes with anything.

 

[Jeff G.]

Lets get decadent.... Artichoke/spinach/garlic dip...

 

[Maverick2272]

We topped ours with sun dried tomatoes, shredded leek & mushroom monteray jack cheese, and grated Parmesan/regiano cheese. Then baked breifly to melt and slightly brown the cheese before serving.
Simple I know, but tasty!