Eggplant recipes, Food Network
Beyond Baba Ghanoush – Bon Appetit
Eggplant recipes and tips – Epicurious.com
- Eggplant rounds
- Eggplant croquettes
- Tortellini with eggplant and peppers
Eggplant Rounds: Griddled, Grilled or Broiled
Eggplant is an excellent platform for a variety of flavors and toppings.
- Slice eggplant into ½ inch rounds. Salt the eggplant slices and let them stand for 30 minutes, then blot dry with paper towels. Skip this step if using fresh-picked eggplants.
- Brush each side with olive oil.
- On the stove or grill: Heat a cast ridged iron pan or grill on medium-high heat. When hot, turn heat down to medium. Cook for 6 min then rotate the slices 45 degrees and cook for another 5-6 min. Turn over slices and cook second side in the same way.
- In the oven: turn on broiler. Broil about 5 inches from the heat until golden. Turn, and cook second side until golden.
Some ideas for toppings:
- Feta cheese and olives
- Pesto, tomato, fresh mozzarella, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
- Hummus, arugula, and tzatziki
- Sundried tomatoes and roasted garlic
- Roasted red peppers and chèvre
- Carmelized or grilled onions
- Ricotta cheese, basil, and tomato sauce
Eggplant Croquettes
Patties can be frozen before frying and cooked later.
1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or sharp cheddar cheese, or ricotta
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp Italian herbs (oregano, basil, and/or marjoram)
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp dried or fresh parsley
1 tbsp chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
Vegetable oil for frying
Salt & pepper
- Place eggplant in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on medium-high 3 minutes. Turn eggplant over and microwave another 2 minutes. The eggplant should be tender; cook another 2 minutes if needed. Drain excess liquid and mash.
- Combine cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, onion, and garlic with the mashed eggplant. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Shape the eggplant mixture into patties. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Drop eggplant patties one at a time into skillet. Fry each side of the patties until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes on each side. Serve with marinara sauce, plain yogurt or sour cream.
Tortellini with Eggplant and Peppers
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion or leek, sliced|
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 pound cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onion/leek and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the eggplant, bell peppers, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add the broth and tortellini. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini are cooked through and most of the broth is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in the parsley and ¼ cup of the parmesan. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of parmesan.
Try this:
- Substitute 6 cups chopped kale in place of either eggplant or peppers.