Eggplant

A delicious Sicilian eggplant spread.  Recipe courtesey of CSA member Mary Sue.

A friend of ours was won over by eggplant using this recipe!  Yum!

Adapted from www.theironyou.com.  Since we grow the Oriental Eggplant, aka the long skinny eggplant, I suggest two options of slicing it.  Rounds are more numerous and smaller where as lengthwise strips might be easier to handle on the grill.  You choose whatever way you want to cut it!

• olive oil
• 1 large eggplant or 2 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed to 3/4"
• 2 leeks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/4 TSP nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste

• Cooking oil
• 1 garlic scape, minced (or 1 clove garlic)
• 1 TBSP fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
• ½ pound green beans, cut into 2” pieces
• 1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 2” x ½” x ½” sticks
• 1-3 summer squash, cut into 2” x ½” x ½” sticks
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 TSP lime or lemon rind, grated
• Curry powder or paste to taste
• 1 cup+ coconut milk
• 1-2 TBLS cilantro, chopped (optional)

This is pronounced "Baba Ganoosh".  Just FYI!  Great as a dip for veggies or pita bread or chips or whatever you have on hand.  Or spread it on bread!  Delicious!

• cooking oil
• green beans cut into 2" lengths
• eggplant, peeled and julienned into 2" lengths
• garlic, peeled and chopped, to taste
• hot pepper, fresh or dried, minced to taste
• soy sauce, to taste
• sugar or other sweetener, to taste
• salt, to taste

• Eggplant, peeled or unpeeled depending on preference, and cubed into 3/4" cubes
• Summer squash, cubed into 3/4" cubes
• garlic cloves, whole and unpeeled, to taste
• olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Here's a basic way to use eggplant, and you really can't go wrong by even adding in a few other veggies to this simple recipe.

• cooking oil
• Eggplant, peeled and chopped
• Other veggies, chopped (optional)
• garlic, minced
• red chili flakes
• parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oil on medium.  Add eggplant and optional other veggies and stir-fry until almost tender.  Add garlic and chili flakes and stir for 1 more minute.  Remove from heat and top with parmesan cheese.

Even an eggplant-hater liked this one!  Plus it is super simple to make.  Winner!