eggplant

[Judy43 10]

I tried eggplant for the first time tonight. We grilled it and neither DH and I like it.

[brandeeeee 10]

I think it tastes great fried up with lots of full fat cheese on it. That's not core/sf though.

[WWCarol 0]

It's kind of like tofu. It will take on the flavors of whatever is around it.

 

I think the best (Simply Filling) way to try it is like ratatouille...

 

I'll see if I can pull up some filling food recipes for it. Someone who went to visit relatives in France said it was "Ratatouille for breakfast, rataouille for lunch, and then...ratatouille for dinner!"

 

I'm growing some darling little round green "apple" eggplants and some round mauve eggplants...and another kind. They're all in FLOWER now...purple flowers.

 

 

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[Guest njprn]

Did you "sweat" it first? Slice it and salt it. Let it set for awhile then rinse. If you don't the stuff is just like a sponge and will soak up a gob of oil. We had it last night grilled with a tomatoe based sauce on it. Very good.

[Leesa68 10]

Judy, I have tried it too and wasn't too crazy about it. I did find that if you put it in a stir fry with lots of other veggies, it is not so bad. But based on my experiences I have never rushed to the grocery to buy it!! But that could be because I just don't know how to fix the stuff!!

[FishLips 10]

I like my eggplant oven roasted with some other veggies like zucchini, summer squash and baby carrots. Just drizzel with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake in a 400 oven for about 30-45 minutes. Yum! For extra flavor put some balsamic vinegar over the top just before serving (just a little bit)

 

Also, the other night I took 3 slices of eggplant and diced them up. Put them in a small baking dish with 1 tsp oil, 4 sliced mushrooms, 1/4 c FF ricotta, 1 tsp reduced fat grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 c Classico Spaghetti sauce w/ Spinach. Baked for about 30 minutes. The eggplant broke down a lot. I stirred it up and put it over some whole wheat pasta. Yum! You could ottally swap out the Spaghetti sauce for your favorite Core tomato sauce recipe and use ff cheese. It was even good reheated the next day as left overs.

[Peg541 10]

Judy some people don't like eggplant skin. I like skin. I chunk mine in big chunks and drizzle some olive oil and salt and pepper and roast it at 450 for 20 mins or so. It caramelizes getting sweet and crunchy but soft in the middle. I find that yummy. I once heard on the news eggplant has very little nutritional value anyway so don't feel bad not liking it. Eggplant parmigiana is to die for but who can eat that any more?.

Peg

[darkscore 0]

I got this from a Bobby Flay show and jotted down the recipe. I made it a while back and thought it was wonderful, definitely plan on trying it again. Eggplant is a veggie that DH likes, so I'm always looking for different ways to make it. This recipe was wonderfully garlicky and flavourful. Even if you're not crazy about eggplant, you might try it this way.

 

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

salt & pepper

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp red chili flakes

 

Make a paste of the garlic by mashing the chopped garlic with a little salt (alternately, you could probably use the bottles mashed garlic). Add to a small bowl. Whisk in the vinegar, soy, sesame oil & chili flakes. Note - do not be tempted to replace the sesame oil with olive oil. Sesame oil is integral to the flavour.

 

Slice the eggplant into 1/2 in slices. If you can use the japanese style eggplant, you would use about 4 eggplants. If you use regular eggplant, you want at least 8-12 slices, so buy as many eggplants that will give you that many. Sprinkle the slices with a bit of salt & pepper. If you have the points, drizzle the slices with olive oil, if not then spray with cooking spray. Grill the slices for roughly 5 min per side over medium heat until browned and heated through. Put the grilled eggplant slices into a shallow bowl and drizzle with the sauce.

[spoiltmom 10]

I tried it once in Devin Alexander's Eggplant Parmesan.

 

It tasted great until I got to the seedy part. Yuck:( I haven't tried it since then.

[*WWDonna* 0]

This one is REALLY YUMMY. I'll have to modify it now to fit vegan, and will find something to sub for the eggwhites and use some soy mozzarella. I've never made it with the home made sauce, just some FF Mushroom Spag sauce from TJ. Even eggplant haters like it.

 

Eggplant Parmesan

 

by Chef Patsy Jamieson

 

 

Eggplant Parmesan EatingWell's makeover of a traditional eggplant Parmesan recipe

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

 

* 2 eggplants (about 2 pounds total)

 

* 3 egg whites

 

* 3 tablespoons water

 

* 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs

 

* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce), divided

 

* 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves

 

* 2 1/2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce, see recipe below, or prepared marinara sauce

 

* 3/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)

 

* 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

 

* Freshly ground pepper to taste

 

 

Makes 6 servings

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Coat an 8-by-11 1/2-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

 

2. To prepare eggplant: Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Whisk egg whites with water in a shallow dish until frothy. Combine breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, salt and pepper in another shallow dish. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg whites, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. (Discard any leftover egg white and breadcrumbs.) Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.

 

3. Bake the eggplant slices for 15 minutes, turn them over and bake until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes more.

 

4. To assemble casserole: Stir basil into tomato sauce. Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce in the prepared baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant slices over the sauce, overlapping slightly. Spoon 1 cup of the remaining sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with half the mozzarella. Layer on the remaining eggplant and top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.

 

5. Bake the casserole, at 400°F uncovered, until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 to 25 minutes.

 

 

Chef Patsy Jamieson notes: EatingWell's makeover of a traditional eggplant Parmesan recipe trimmed 50 grams of fat from each serving! The key to lightening this classic is to make a meatless version — the meaty quality of eggplant provides enough richness and body — and bake, rather than fry, the eggplant slices.

 

 

To make ahead: Prepare through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

 

 

Reprinted by permission from EatingWell, The Magazine of Food & Health

 

© 2005 Eating Well Inc.

 

 

Basic Tomato Sauce

 

 

This simple but intensely flavored sauce can be used in many Italian recipes. Make a large batch and freeze in small containers for quick reheating.

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

 

* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

 

* 1 medium onion, finely chopped

 

* 4 cloves garlic, minced

 

* 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes or 3 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

 

* 1 tablespoon tomato paste

 

* 1 teaspoon dried oregano

 

* Pinch of crushed red pepper

 

* Freshly ground pepper to taste

 

 

Makes about 5 cups

 

 

1. Heat oil in a large heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.

 

2. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook for 30 to 60 seconds.

 

3. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano; mash with a potato masher.

 

4. Bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes cook down to a thick mass, 45 to 55 minutes. Season with pepper.

 

 

Recipe reprinted from The Essential EatingWell Cookbook, The Countryman Press, 2004

 

© 2005 Eating Well Inc.

 

 

4 pt for 1/6 of the whole recipe.

[WWCarol 0]

I tried it once in Devin Alexander's Eggplant Parmesan.

 

It tasted great until I got to the seedy part. Yuck:( I haven't tried it since then.

 

Eggplants are male and female.

 

The female have LOTS of seeds (think "eggs") and the males don't.

 

Look at the bottom end of an eggplant. If there is an indentation, it's female (and seedy).

 

If it's relatively flat across the bottom, it's male...and that's the one you want!

 

 

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[*WWDonna* 0]

Unless you grow them in your backyard garden.

 

Then you get to use them all!

[WWCarol 0]

Unless you grow them in your backyard garden.

 

Then you get to use them all!

 

Exactly!

 

Plus, I think if you pick them when they're younger/smaller, they haven't had a chance to mature and develop "seeds".

 

My baby "green apple" eggplant today was entirely white inside...not one seed. And soooooo good.

 

.

[Sailorwoman 10]

I make something like the recipe just posted in the winter, but in the summer I simply slice the eggplant thin, and grill it. No crumbs or anything.

 

Then I line a loaf pan with aluminum foil, and assemble the eggplant, ff cheeses (mozzarella and parmesan) mixed w/ 1 egg, and sauce the same as I'd do for lasagne.

 

I cook it on the grill on indirect heat. So no hot kitchen!! I divide it in thirds and DBF and I each have a serving for dinner and I've got one left over for my lunch the next day.

 

It is sort of a cross between eggplant parm and lasagne. We like it very much. The key is to cook the eggplant slowly and make sure it is soft.

 

Be well.

[wwlynn 11]

Eggplants are male and female.

 

The female have LOTS of seeds (think "eggs") and the males don't.

 

Look at the bottom end of an eggplant. If there is an indentation, it's female (and seedy).

 

If it's relatively flat across the bottom, it's male...and that's the one you want!

 

 

.

 

 

Carol, I had NO IDEA and I am an eggplant lover!!! I have to say that sort of sounds like a JOKE, but I know you aren't kidding! No more girlie eggplants for ME:bcb_LOL:!! I also agree that you don't want HUGE ones, as they will be tougher, seedier etc. So we want the young, male ones..hmmmmm.... sounds about right.... So glad I checked in from MS this week...I learned TWO new important things (the other being that I don't need to put oil in my pc with beans)...

 

Meanwhile, I have a relatively old WW recipe for a Mediterranean chickpea stew, that has eggplant in it,that was posted here several years ago, but I CANNOT FIND IT!!! Of course I can find it in my house in my cookbook, but not online...I have searched and searched all kinds of ways and have had no luck. I actually made the recipe just before I left home...if anyone else can find it please bump it up!

[WWCarol 0]

I've pulled up a chickpea stew in Vegetarian, and a Moroccan slow-cooker stew (with chickpeas) in Crockpot/PC forum...

 

Do you think it was Moroccan instead of Mediterranean?

[wwlynn 11]

Nope, I saw those, they aren't it. I don't know why I can't find it. I think maybe Joanne did the points for it for me, or somebuddy (maybe Joanne) was the one who actually posted it for me....maybe after I'm home I can find it. Typing on the laptop is a lot harder for me! (i looked before I left home too).