Egg Plant

[Liketobake]

Does anyone know what the best uses of egg plant are?

Thanks

:)

[Semigourmet]

OMG there are many uses. I like to make eggplant parmigiana. or there are dips, and spreads (I think), and you can put it in casseroles and such. I have a few recipes I could post them here if you like?

[NOCHEF&JUSTLOVESFOOD.YUM]

i love egplant!! try this !!



Eggplant Pancakes Florentine

Pancakes:

1 medium-large eggplant
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup chickpea flour (or other flour)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground flax
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
generous grating black pepper
olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 375 F. Trim off the end and cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Place the two halves cut-side down on a baking sheet. Bake until completely soft, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool until easy to handle.

Scoop the pulp from the eggplant halves into a food processor. Add all remaining ingredients and puree until fairly smooth.

Spray a non-stick skillet with olive oil and heat to medium-high. When it's hot, spoon in the eggplant batter using about 3 tablespoons per pancake. Cook until the bottoms are browned and pancakes appear firm. (There's really no way to tell this but to try to turn one over; if it crumples, it's not ready.) Turn over carefully and brown the other side, pressing lightly with a spatula from time to time. Place on a platter and keep warm.

Tomato Sauce:

3 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust spiciness to taste)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Spray a non-stick saucepan lightly with olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté just until barely golden. Add remaining ingredients to the pan and cook until tomatoes soften. Keep warm.

Spinach Filling:

1/8 cup pine nuts
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
4 cups baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons water or vegetable broth

Over medium heat, toast the pine nuts in a skillet until they start to become golden. Add the garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add the spinach, basil, and water, cover the pan, and cook just until spinach wilts, about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

To assemble, place a pancake on a plate. Put 1/3 of the spinach on top of it and top with another pancake. Spoon 1/3 of the tomato sauce over the top and serve.

[PigsnieLite]

Waaah, thats very complicated! The only way I eat eggplant is this:

Cut the ends off medium size purply eggplant. Boil in pot until smushy. Remove skin off smushy eggplant. This should be easy even though the thing is still very hot. After you haf removed the soft layer of purple skin, you will be left wid a smushy celadon green eggplant that looks like someones innurds. SMUSH IT! I mean, seriously Smush it as much as you can until it is a flat smushed THIN bunch of eggplant. Then take 4 eggs out of the fridge. Beat the 4 eggs until omelet consistency. Mix smushed eggplant & eggs together, until in your bowl floats eggplant in omelet. Season wid salt or anything that looks interestin in your spicy cabinet. Smear pan widtons of butter and make an EGGPLANT OMELET! It is unexpectedly good, for such an icky vegetable. :D

[NOCHEF&JUSTLOVESFOOD.YUM]

PigsnieLite, I love ya, But you are one big Mac away from not cooking. I am not saying you need to do these recipes, weekly, but try one as a treat! For me, part of the love of cooking is in the "PROCESS" grasshopper..

Keep it coming, I love your posts. How about this one, is it "easier" for you :)

Turkish Stuffed Eggplant
Makes 8 servings

Canola cooking spray
4 small eggplants, stems removed, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a large, shallow baking dish with canola spray.

Scoop out flesh from eggplants; cut into chunks and reserve. Lightly sprinkle inside of the shells with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place upside down on paper towels. Let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, spray large skillet with cooking spray. Cook garlic and onion over medium-high heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, reserved eggplant flesh and allspice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, remaining salt and pepper.

Pat eggplant shells dry with paper towels. Spoon eggplant mixture loosely into shells. Place filled shells in prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until shells are tender, about 40 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle tops evenly with feta cheese. Bake for 10 more minutes, then serve.

Nutrition information (per serving): 71 calories, 2 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 12 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 5 g dietary fiber, 236 mg sodium.

[PigsnieLite]

Why does your wecipes always haf so many ingredients? Cant you find one wid just 3 or 4? Oh & it has to be fried. :confused:

[NOCHEF&JUSTLOVESFOOD.YUM]

Ok, ok I give LOL How about this one I found on the internet:

Title: Fried Eggplant
Categories:
Yield: 1 Servings

1 Eggplant
1 Egg; beaten
1/2 ts Salt
1/4 ts Pepper
Cornstarch
Fat for deep frying

Pare and slice eggplant. Dip into egg mixed with
salt and pepper, then into cornstarch, seeing to
it that it's well covered. Fry to a deep rich
brown; drain on brown paper. Eggplant cooked this
way will be found very delicate and digestible.

[Semigourmet]

there is an eggplant dip I got from Ina Garten's Cookbook. Oh Crud! I don't have it here in the PC. Sorry. But she has a good one. And I will post a couple others here for you.

[Semigourmet]

Broiled Eggplant Dip
Linda Doeser – Sauces and Dips

Servings 6-8 Page 35



Ingredients

1 large eggplant, about 14 ounces
Olive oil
2 scallions, chopped finely
1 large garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
Smoked sweet Spanish paprika, to garnish
French bread, to serve




Directions

1. Cut the eggplant into thick slices and sprinkle with salt to draw out any bitterness; set aside for 30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.

2. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the eggplant slices and cook on both sides until soft and starting to brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside to cool. The slices will release the oil again as they cool.

3. Heat another tablespoon of the oil in the skillet. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 3 minutes until the scallions become soft. Remove from the heat and set aside with the eggplant slices to cool.

4. Transfer all the ingredients to a food processor and process just until a coarse puree forms. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve at once, or cover and let chill until 15 minutes before required. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with slices of French bread.


Note
http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t261/MFrazier00/?action=view&current=BroiledEggplantDipSaucesDipspg39.jpg

[Semigourmet]

Eggplant and Bell Pepper Dip
Linda Doeser – Sauces and Dips

Servings 6-8 Page 22



Ingredients

2 large eggplants
2 red bell peppers
4 tablespoons Spanish olive oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Grated rind and juice of ½ a lemon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
½ to 1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper
Fresh chopped cilantro, to garnish
Bread or toast, to serve



Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prick the skins of the eggplants and bell peppers all over with a fork and brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the skins are beginning to turn black, the flesh of the eggplant is very soft. And the bell peppers are deflated.

2. Place the cooked vegetables in a bowl and cover tightly with a clean, damp dish towel. Alternatively, place the vegetables in a plastic bag and let stand for about 15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.

3. When the vegetables have cooled, cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, carefully scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. Cut the eggplant into large chunks. Remove and discard the stem, core and seeds from the bell peppers and cut flesh into large pieces.

4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Add the eggplant and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

5. Turn contents of skillet onto paper towels to drain, then transfer to a food processor. lemon rind and juice, the chopped cilantro, the paprika, salt and pepper to taste, then process until a speckled puree is formed.

6. Transfer eggplant and bell pepper dip to a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. Alternatively, let cool for 30 minutes, then let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, then serve cold. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and accompany with thick slices of bread or toast for dipping.


Note
http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t261/MFrazier00/?action=view&current=EggplantandBellPepperDipSaucesDipsp.jpg

[PigsnieLite]

Why would peeples want to dip their foods in eggplant? :(

[Semigourmet]

some peeples like eggplant. :)