Eggplant
Fried Eggplant
A classic treatment for eggplant.
1 eggplant
½ cup flour
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs (homemade are best!)
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
salt & pepper
oil for frying
Peel the eggplant and slice into rounds. Salt generously and set aside on a tea towel or in a colander. Let sit for at least ½ hour, then rub off the salt.
Meanwhile, place the flour in one shallow dish (we use glass Tupperware-type dishes, but a plate with a rim would do fine); beat the egg into a second; and mix the breadcrumbs, yeast, seasoning, and salt and pepper into a third.
Dredge each piece of eggplant in flour, then egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat, then add a few tablespoons of oil. Fry a few slices at a time so you don’t crowd the pan, frying each side until golden brown.
Extras can be frozen and then reheated in a toaster oven. Yum!
Tai Eggplant Curry
This is a great use for the little Thai eggplants, and pretty easy to make.
1Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 pint peas, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
12-oz. pkg. extra-firm tofu or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips
2 (14-oz.) cans lite coconut milk
2 Tbsp. red Thai curry paste
1 large onion, chopped
1 pint Thai eggplants, quartered
Press the tofu, if using, by wrapping it in paper towels and placing in a colander under a heavy plate for half an hour. When finished, cut into 1-inch cubes.
Meanwhile, shake cans of coconut milk well, then open. Pour 1/2 of 1 can into large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in curry paste until well blended. Add onion, eggplant and bell pepper, stirring well with rubber spatula (to prevent breaking tender eggplant during cooking) and scraping bottom of pan.
Add remaining 1 1/2 cans coconut milk, sugar, vinegar, tamari and salt, stirring with spatula to mix well. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
Add tofu or chicken to curry mixture, stirring with spatula to mix. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes for tofu or 8-10 for chicken. Add peas and warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot with rice or noodles.
Eggplant and Basil "Caponata" Salad
1 globe eggplant (1 1/4-lb), unpeeled, ends trimmed, and cut into 3/4-in pieces
1 large red bell pepper (6-7 oz), cored, seeded, and cut into 3/4-in pieces
1 large yellow or orange bell pepper, (6-7 oz), cored, seeded, and cut
into 3/4-in pieces
1/3 cup plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley
12 large fresh basil leaves, torn into 3/4-in pieces
Preheat the oven to 475 F. Line a large (18x13x1) heavy-duty rimmed sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggplant, bell peppers, 1/3 cup of the olive oil, and salt. Mix thoroughly, transfer to the sheet pan, and arrange the vegetables evenly in one layer. Roast the vegetables, flipping or stirring once with a spatula halfway through cooking, until the eggplant is shrunken and nicely browned, about 30 minutes. The peppers will be softened and somewhat browned on the skin side.
Let cool for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, cocoa, ginger, garlic, and remaining 1 tsp olive oil. Whisk vigorously to mix and dissolve the cocoa. (This may take a few minutes.)
Transfer the vegetables to a large mixing bowl and drizzle the dressing over them while stirring and folding them gently with a silicone spatula. It may look like a lot of liquid, but continue to stir gently, and the vegetables will absorb most or all of it. Add the parsley and basil and stir well to incorporate. Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm or at room temperature.
A classic treatment for eggplant.
1 eggplant
½ cup flour
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs (homemade are best!)
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
salt & pepper
oil for frying
Peel the eggplant and slice into rounds. Salt generously and set aside on a tea towel or in a colander. Let sit for at least ½ hour, then rub off the salt.
Meanwhile, place the flour in one shallow dish (we use glass Tupperware-type dishes, but a plate with a rim would do fine); beat the egg into a second; and mix the breadcrumbs, yeast, seasoning, and salt and pepper into a third.
Dredge each piece of eggplant in flour, then egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat, then add a few tablespoons of oil. Fry a few slices at a time so you don’t crowd the pan, frying each side until golden brown.
Extras can be frozen and then reheated in a toaster oven. Yum!
Tai Eggplant Curry
This is a great use for the little Thai eggplants, and pretty easy to make.
1Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 pint peas, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
12-oz. pkg. extra-firm tofu or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips
2 (14-oz.) cans lite coconut milk
2 Tbsp. red Thai curry paste
1 large onion, chopped
1 pint Thai eggplants, quartered
Press the tofu, if using, by wrapping it in paper towels and placing in a colander under a heavy plate for half an hour. When finished, cut into 1-inch cubes.
Meanwhile, shake cans of coconut milk well, then open. Pour 1/2 of 1 can into large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in curry paste until well blended. Add onion, eggplant and bell pepper, stirring well with rubber spatula (to prevent breaking tender eggplant during cooking) and scraping bottom of pan.
Add remaining 1 1/2 cans coconut milk, sugar, vinegar, tamari and salt, stirring with spatula to mix well. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
Add tofu or chicken to curry mixture, stirring with spatula to mix. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes for tofu or 8-10 for chicken. Add peas and warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot with rice or noodles.
Eggplant and Basil "Caponata" Salad
1 globe eggplant (1 1/4-lb), unpeeled, ends trimmed, and cut into 3/4-in pieces
1 large red bell pepper (6-7 oz), cored, seeded, and cut into 3/4-in pieces
1 large yellow or orange bell pepper, (6-7 oz), cored, seeded, and cut
into 3/4-in pieces
1/3 cup plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley
12 large fresh basil leaves, torn into 3/4-in pieces
Preheat the oven to 475 F. Line a large (18x13x1) heavy-duty rimmed sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggplant, bell peppers, 1/3 cup of the olive oil, and salt. Mix thoroughly, transfer to the sheet pan, and arrange the vegetables evenly in one layer. Roast the vegetables, flipping or stirring once with a spatula halfway through cooking, until the eggplant is shrunken and nicely browned, about 30 minutes. The peppers will be softened and somewhat browned on the skin side.
Let cool for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, cocoa, ginger, garlic, and remaining 1 tsp olive oil. Whisk vigorously to mix and dissolve the cocoa. (This may take a few minutes.)
Transfer the vegetables to a large mixing bowl and drizzle the dressing over them while stirring and folding them gently with a silicone spatula. It may look like a lot of liquid, but continue to stir gently, and the vegetables will absorb most or all of it. Add the parsley and basil and stir well to incorporate. Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm or at room temperature.